Have you been debating whether or not your company needs a Pinterest page? Here’s my philosophy for deciding whether to jump on the Pin Wagon or not. It has nothing to do with whether you sell to consumers or other businesses. The question I always ask is this; is your company interesting? Is the product or service you sell appealing to your audience? I really hope you can say yes! If so, Pinterest can provide a great outlet for you to share great content that you create or repin from others. So, where do you start?
I’ve written this guide to help the beginner understand how to get started on Pinterest. If you’ve already got an established set of boards that are doing exactly what you want them to, this post isn’t for you. But, if you’re looking to get started, keep reading to find out exactly what you need to know to get started with Pinterest. Let’s call it Pinterest for Business 101! The first step is to set a goal for your businesses Pinterest boards. Depending on your goal, you’ll want to create your strategy differently.
Many businesses want to use Pinterest to directly increase exposure to products or services. If you are in a highly visually appealing business, this can be done very simply. A travel agent has the perfect backdrop for pictures of their breathtaking destinations and exquisite experiences. A caterer can create a beautiful masterpiece and share it with you in a way that will make your mouth water. These types of images can take the viewer to another place, imagining that they are enjoying these experiences first hand. Because of the journey your image just took them on, they’re likely to engage with you and enlist your services when they need them.
Some businesses want to establish and/or enhance authority within their industry. Whether you’re working with consumers or other businesses, establishing your brand as a trusted authority helps customers make the move from perspective to active. To help you accomplish this goal, you would want to create boards that reflect different areas of expertise within your industry. For example, a company that specializes in marketing businesses through social media (hmm… I wonder who that could be) should have Pinterest boards that relate to all the services that the company offers. A mixture of original content and repining of other expert content can fill these boards quickly. Be careful here though… don’t forget that Pinterest relies on imagery for success. Be sure that the images that coincide with your expert posts are engaging in order to get viewers to turn in to readers. As you reinforce your brand authority, your name will become more and more recognizable by your audience. Next time they need your services, guess who they’ll think of as a trusted friend and authority?
For many businesses, income is contingent on driving relevant traffic to their website. For example, if your website shares DIY tips for creating top of the line fashion ensembles from pieces found in every woman’s closet, your website survives off of advertisers. The more traffic you can generate, the more you can demand from your advertisers. By the way, if this is you, Pinterest was made for you! Some of the most successful pins on Pinterest help the viewer solve a problem or makes them think about how they can take what they already have and make it better. By using your pin boards to drive traffic to your site, you can also reach a new audience as your faithful followers repin each of your ideas as if you’re a fashion goddess!
Keep in mind, these are just a few examples. You may find that you have a completely different goal. Or, your goal may be a combination of each of these goals. Regardless of your Pinterest goals, it’s important to remember one overarching idea; be sure that your pins benefit your customers. Whether you’re talking to a current or perspective customer, make sure that your Pins make their lives easier or more enjoyable in some way.
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