Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter may be the most popular social networking platforms, but they are not the only ones your business should consider using. Pinterest is another popular social platform that quickly gained fame, which is why it has 175 million users around the world.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest was officially launched in March 2010, serving as a web and mobile application that people could use to save cool, interesting, and informative things they found on the internet. Over the years, the userbase has grown, but the basic idea has stayed the same—that Pinterest serves as an online pin board where users can save, share, and get inspired by ideas. When a user saves something, it becomes a “Pin” with a representative picture, short description, and link to the original source. Users can install a browser extension that allows them to easily Pin items and save them to their personal accounts. After Pinning an item, users must choose a “board” where the Pin will live. Users can create different boards for different categories, making it easier to keep Pins organized and personalize their profiles. There is no limit to how many boards a user can have, allowing them to create a different board for various hobbies, music genres, clothing styles, cooking styles, and anything else they can think of. Pinterest users can look at each other’s boards and Pins, as well as like, comment on, and “re-Pin” content they find from other users.
Why should businesses use Pinterest?
Because Pinterest isn’t as popular as some of the other widely-used social media platforms, a lot of businesses don’t think to use it. But no matter where it sits on the list of popularity, Pinterest provides a fantastic platform for sharing ideas, making it a great way to reach out to current and potential customers. In fact, businesses are responsible for more than 75% of the items people Pin, meaning that users are definitely interested in finding new products and services they want or need through Pinterest. No matter what type of industry you’re in, you can use Pinterest to promote products, services, before and after pictures, blogs, infographics, and any other forms of content you can create. Pinterest also offers Promoted Pins, which are paid ads that look like regular Pins and typically perform as well or better than regular pins. Businesses can use this platform for 3 different types of ad campaigns: awareness, engagement, and traffic.
How do I get started on Pinterest?
If you already have a personal Pinterest account, you can convert it into a business account—or you can simply create a brand-new business account. If you’re creating a new account, you’ll need to go to the Pinterest website or app and enter your email address and business name and create a password. Next, you’ll be able to select the type of business you do and input a link to your website. After this, Pinterest will guide you through the process of confirming your website so that analytics and logos can be accessed. You can also add a Pin It button to your website so that visitors can quickly and easily Pin any interesting items they find on your website and save them to their desired boards. The easier you make it for users to Pin items from your website, the more likely they’ll be to share your content with other Pinterest users.
What should I post on Pinterest?
Your business can use Pinterest to promote the quality content that you publish on your website. When you Pin a page about a new product or service, people who follow your business on Pinterest can see what it is, read a quick description about it, and then click through to your website if they want more information. It is also a good idea to Pin relevant content from other websites. If you come across blogs, infographics, or other types of content that you think your followers would be interested in, then you can Pin it to a specific board on your profile. When you post interesting or informative content that isn’t just promoting your own brand, your followers might start to look at your company as an authoritative source. You can also add contributors to your boards, so employees can work together to Pin items and create boards that are as cool, interesting, and engaging as possible. Finally, your business can use Pinterest’s Analytics tools to discover which Pins and boards are getting the most interaction from users.
Do you want to learn more about Pinterest and other social media marketing platforms? The Tucson content marketing team at Pennington Creative can help you understand the benefits of using social media for your business. Take a look at our website to learn about our services for small- and medium-sized businesses, or contact us to get started!
