by Shanique Yates
May 30, 2024
Pinterest and Shopify are back to equip Black-owned small businesses with the resources needt to not only survive, but thrive
Pinterest and Shopify are back to equip Black-owned small businesses with the resources needed to not only survive but thrive. Together, the social media platform’s incubator program and the leading e-commerce brand will help small businesses, independent publishers, and boutique creator agencies from historically marginalized communities.
Launched in 2021, Pinterest’s incubator program has been responsible for assisting more than 150 content producers across underrepresented communities, helping to increase the path to success for global participants, according to a post on Pinterest’s company blog.
Now, the initiative is expanding to include more groups, including independent publishers and boutique creator agencies, with the opportunity to take advantage of the offerings. Through the program, content producers will be upskilled with the necessary resources “to optimize organic content and growth on the platform.”
“We know there is a need for simple, scalable solutions to support the growth of underrepresented content producers, such as small business merchants who are often under-resourced,” said Constance Knight, Pinterest’s Head of Content Partnerships, in a statement. “This program is designed to assist content producers in learning how to optimize their inspirational organic content on Pinterest and ultimately help unlock more opportunity for their business.”
With 1.5 billlion saves per week on Pinterest, the program will open a vast opportunity for content producers to take their ideas and products to the next level, casting a net to an audience of more than half a billion people who are consistently “searching, saving, and shopping on the platform.”
Participants will be taught how to leverage organic content, thus increasing the value of their brand. This includes learning how to connect their Shopify storefront to a Pinterest business account, with the e-commerce platform serving as an industry expert during the program and assisting in the process of selecting the final merchant recipients and offering its expertise within the industry via a training session.
“Shopify is dedicated to supporting the success of entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities through Shopify Build Black and Build Native,” said Brandon Davenport, Head of Equitable Commerce at Shopify, in the statement. “By collaborating with the Pinterest Inclusion Fund, merchants can amplify their success by reaching an engaged audience on a platform optimized for shoppers.”
Recipients will also receive one-to-one educational resources and training, mentorship, monetary stipends through cash and ad credits, as well as a one-year paid subscription to content-scheduling platforms like Tailwind.
For more on how to apply, click here.
