5 Tips for Getting Your Business on Pinterest
Pinterest is one of social media’s most popular platforms with more than 100 million users worldwide. But is its pin-and-share style a good fit for businesses trying to build online relationships with their target audience? According to the businesses on Pinterest constantly pinning their favorite stuff, the answer is yes. As small business owners know, building an online personality isn’t just about selling your product, but also creating a recognizable brand. Pinterest allows a business to show its personality by pinning content that is useful and entertaining for its customers. You may have a Pinterest account for personal use, but have never thought about using it to promote a company. Your business has a story to tell, and Pinterest is a great way to start the narrative.
If you are not familiar with how Pinterest works or haven’t pinned anything in a while, here are five tips to help you get the most from your business Pinterest pages.
1) Pin other content.
If you’re new to Pinterest, it’s important to first start creating boards and re-pinning content. Here is a great tutorial to get you started. Pinterest is a useful tool for businesses because you share content that your customers may find valuable. When pinning, keep in mind the overall culture of your company, and try to emulate it with your boards. This allows the company’s page to be a resource and something interesting to look at. Pinterest is also a great way to raise awareness of your company without directly selling anything.
2) Create secret boards.
Pinterest added the secret board feature in 2012. When the user creates a secret board, it is for their eyes only and can be added to and edited. When you’re creating a new board, just switch the secret toggle to hide it from public view. This function can be useful when creating boards for a client, or testing out an idea. Simply create a secret board and make it public when you’re ready.
3) Upload your own pins.
Did you know it’s possible to upload your own content? This is great for marketing because it drives traffic back to your website. When you upload a pin, just link it to the appropriate page on your website. Have a blog section on your website or case studies? Upload them by creating a corresponding graphic to share. This is also a great way to repurpose old content such as graphics and testimonials. To upload a graphic, simply click on the plus sign by on the upper right hand corner of the page.
4) Easily find related pins.
Recently, Pinterest added a new feature that if you click on a pin and scroll down, it will display similar pins to the one you are currently looking at. This is a big time saver because it allows the user to see similar content without having to search for it. For example, if you’re searching “cool houses” for your dream homes board, when you click one particular pin, you will probably see more fancy homes right below.
5) Use analytics to monitor activity.
Like many other social networks, Pinterest provides free analytics to keep track of how you’re doing. This tool is especially helpful for companies because it tracks interactions and shows the most popular content. You can then take this data and tailor your future pinning efforts to better fit your audience.
Lastly, when creating Pinterest boards, don’t forget to promote your page on other social media platforms. This will increase your following and get the word out about your page. Who knows, you may even inspire some new Pinterest addicts.
