Pinterest is a relatively new social media platform that describes itself as a “virtual pinboard”. Users with a Pinterest account can establish one or more pinboards that they can decorate with images gathered from around the web. Pinboards can be general or theme-based, and can allow other visitors the opportunity to comment on, share, and re-pin the images posted there.
A visitor to Pinterest with a specific interest can easily find theme-based boards posted by, for example, fashion enthusiasts, or those who share similar taste in home décor. If you’re interested in knitted baby hats and are always on the lookout for new baby hat design ideas, you can head to Pinterest to find somebody who shares your taste and covers his or her pinboard with cute and inspiring baby hat photos.
So if you’re trying to market your small business on the internet, what does this mean for you? How can Pinterest help you showcase your product to potential customers?
Pinterest as a Marketing Platform
Like any social media site, Pinterest can help you attract visitors who come for the photos and stay for the brand message. Whatever your message, your public pinboard can draw in visitors with relevant tastes and interests, and before long, you’ll have a bona fide following. Even better, you can get visitors to recommend your board to others, or repost the images they find there.
Each image, or “pin”, contains a link back to a source, so you’ll increase your site traffic if you offer images that link back to your website or blog. This means that if you pin a picture from your blog to your pinboard, someone with an interest in that image may click on your pin. The pin contains a link that leads straight to your blog page, which can help you spread the word about your products and services.
Promotion relies on visibility, and Pinterest is a bustling marketplace where users gather to share and trade images. Make sure your images support your brand, and then use Pinterest to maximize the number the number of eyes that will see them.
Setting Up a Pinterest Account
Getting started on Pinterest is easy. Just visit Pinterest.com and request an invitation, then set up your account, establish your first pinboard and start posting. Take a look around the site to find out how other users are using their pinboards, and pay attention to the images that get the most attention as you begin posting your own.
Image By: heatherknitz
