Social media isn’t just for you and your friends to post photos and restaurant check-ins anymore. Over the past couple of years, businesses started using popular traditional media pages such as Facebook and Twitter, but Pinterest and Instagram are newcomers to the game. These sites have visually appealing and shareable aspects that traditional social media pages lack. Major brands are recognizing this trend and utilizing these sites to further share their voice, uphold brand loyalty, interact with customers and embrace the social media experience.
However, Pinterest is a prime example of a social media platform that can be most incorrectly utilized. While many business are successful in engaging in conversations on Twitter, they may not have the same visual and sharable content to bring to Pinterest. So, how do you know when a business should, or shouldn’t pin? As a self-proclaimed Pinterest connoisseur, here are a few of my Pinterest “Best Practice” tips for businesses.
Pinterest Best Practices
- Use Pinterest when the brand is image-driven or share-worthy
Fashion, food and lifestyle products tend to be the most popular and successful business pages on Pinterest. Why? They drive traffic to websites and can create customer referrals, whether directly or indirectly. Pinterest highlights useful products and services and people actively seek the site to make a purchase or search at a moment’s notice.
- Engage with your audience
Create original and valuable content. Launch a giveaway, share a new product, promote a sale or share your latest news on your Pinterest page. This keeps users up-to-date on your ventures and reinforces why they follow you. Moreover, don’t forget to interact with your audience! Keep the conversation going on a “pin,” or follow back your most loyal pinners.
- Self-promotion isn’t the only way to engage
We know it may be hard to believe, but Pinterest isn’t just about you. When you pin other insights into the business’ life such as likes or inspirations, you help users see a deeper side of the brand and also educate others about your mission and values. Remember how your mom taught you to share? Share equally about yourself and others.
- Pin daily and help cultivate your business
Don’t pin when it’s most convenient for you. Pin something every day, to show off your stellar social media presence. But don’t just pin to pin! People use Pinterest to relax, learn or to brighten their lives. So when you pin, ask yourself the golden rule… How will people relate to this pin? If they won’t, then don’t pin it.
- Know your audience and brand
Track which pins have been the most successful and try to harness that similar success with future pins and interactions. Your audience wants to pin something that will be appealing to their lifestyle so use high quality images and keep your boards organized. That way, your followers will have the clearest understanding of your brand. That being said, before you pin, make sure you know your brand from top-to-bottom. Without a thorough understanding, your brand image could be lost on the pages of Pinterest for eternity.
I hope you’ve found these points to be most “pinteresting” and insightful. When deciding the fate of your brand’s Pinterest page, make sure to take all of these factors into consideration before you press “pin.” Does your business operate a Pinterest page? Where do you see Pinterest heading in the future?
-Carolyn Rasley, Account Manager
