With more than 11 million active users, Pinterest is the latest social media obsession making its way across the globe. Once viewed as a consumer-only tool, businesses are now creating their own boards and determining if having a Pinterest account makes sense for the brand. At Trevelino/Keller, we believe that this unique and innovative social sharing platform is not only fun and addicting, but is also great for companies looking to increase SEO and become more engaging with customers and fans. Pinterest can give life to any brand and product, so we have put together our top tips for companies on how to use Pinterest effectively.
1. Don’t Be Too Promotional – You can absolutely upload pictures of your product, your brand, etc. to Pinterest, but be sure to also pin and add photos that may be of interest to your target consumer base. For one of our clients, TCBY, not only does the popular frozen yogurt brand show product images and interior shots of their locations, they also include travel, family activities and health tips to deliver engaging content for their consumers.
2. Link Your Photos – When uploading pictures to your client’s Pinterest account, be sure to link all photos back to the company’s website. This will not only help showcase your client’s various product offerings, but also will help grow the company’s web presence and SEO.
3. Hold Contests – To encouraging pinning, utilize the company’s current social media accounts to promote the Pinterest account. Giveaway prizes for those Facebook and Twitter users that share your pins via their personal social media accounts.
4. Update Frequently – Be sure to update your page frequently by adding new boards and deleting any old boards. Also, take time each week to pin others boards to your page. This will encourage these “pinners” to view your page and potentially pin items from your Pinterest account.
5. Associate Yourself with National Media – Many national consumer publications have a Pinterest account and often these sites attract the most users. For example, Better Homes and Gardens Magazine has one of the most pinned accounts on Pinterest. By following these accounts and pinning items from these pages, these media outlets are more likely to “pin” items from your account, therefore giving your page more exposure.
6. Make Sure Your Website is “Pinable” – Many websites today have great flash features and photography, but they aren’t Pinterest compatible. Be sure that the beautiful photos displayed on the website are pinnable, so that your customers can “pin” directly from your website. This will help encourage engagement with customers that may be scrolling through various websites. In addition to making these changes, be sure to add a “Pin Me” button on your website to encourage your customers and fans to pin your products or images on their personal Pinterest boards.
7. Make sure Pinterest is Right for Your Company – Pinterest isn’t right for every company, so it’s important to know who you are trying to reach and if Pinterest is the best way to do that. Currently, 68.2 percent of users are female, primarily between the ages of 25-34. This link from Mashable can provide some more demographic information and can ultimately help determine if you should be on Pinterest.
Written by, Kelly Ronna | @karonna