By now, you have probably heard of and/or fallen prey to the addictive power of Pinterest. However, did you know that the platform is a fantastic promotional tool for businesses and entrepreneurs? In this article, you will find six tips, and two tricks, that will help you harness the power of this new social media craze.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a social bookmarking site where users "pin" and organize their favourite pictures (and videos) into specific collections. Users can also:
- Share their pinned items on Facebook and Twitter
- Follow and tag other users
- Check what others are pinning in real-time
- Browse other boards
- Like and re-pin users' items
- Make comments
Right now, you must request an invitation to become a member of the site.
Tip 1: Add prices to your products
Pinterest offers some great benefits for brands and entrepreneurs. One of them is the ability to advertise products directly on the network.
Just add a price in the description area under your pinned item. The picture/video will automatically display the price and be listed in a special section of the site, called "Gifts".
Tip 2: Hold a contest
Make sure you take advantage of the very visual nature of Pinterest. Hold a contest!
Ask users to pin their favourite products from your website or share videos / pictures showing how they have used your products — and tag you. The winner is the person whose pinned item received the most buzz through comments, likes and re-pins.
The main benefits of holding contests are:
- Virality - Participants visit your website, browse your products, link to them through the pinning process and may end up sharing them on other social networks (Facebook and Twitter).
- New fans and customers.
- User feedback - Pin new products or product ideas to find out which ones are most likely to sell.
Tip 3: Leave comments
Pinterest is like any other social network. The more you interact with users, the more they will pay attention to you and what you have to offer.
While liking and repinning pictures and videos are already great steps to establish a solid presence on Pinterest, you should also consider leaving meaningful comments. However, avoid too many clichéd sentences like “Great picture” or “Good job”. Explain why you actually like the items, ask questions and encourage conversation.
Tip 4: Promote compelling content from other users
Remember that no matter which social network you use, nobody likes spammers. Apply the Twitter rule: 80 / 20. Spend 80 percent of your time pinning compelling items from other users and 20 percent "selling".
You could also create a "Favourite Fan Board" to spotlight a follower or user every week. Re-pin one of their pictures and explain why you chose them in the description area. Then, tag them.
Tip 5: Practice mindfulness and gratefulness
Pinterest is very similar to Twitter in the sense that users share a lot of uplifting content, and more particularly inspirational quotes and pictures. So, you can expect to connect with a lot of people who care about others.
Every time someone repins one of your items, leave them a thank you note right under the item directly in their board. And start following them, too.
Remember to always treat users the way you would like to be treated. Be respectful at all times.
Practicing gratefulness and mindfulness has a major advantage. It is contagious! If you care about others, they will care about you in return.
Tip 6: Add Pinterest buttons
Let the world know that you are on Pinterest. Embed the "Follow Button" on your website and blog. You can also add the "Pin It" button to your product pages and/or blog posts. This will allow your visitors to share your items into their boards. For more information, click here.
How to pin pictures from Facebook
You may have noticed that you cannot pin pictures directly from Facebook. Well, unless you know the trick.
- Select a picture on Facebook
- Right click on it.
- Select “Open image in new tab” from the drop-down menu.
- Pin the picture directly from the new tab.
Et voilà!
Are people sharing items from your site?
There is an easy way to monitor if users actually add content from your site into their boards. Use the following link: http://pinterest.com/source/yoursitename.com/. Of course, you should replace “yoursitename.com” with your domain name.
What are your tips to create brand awareness on Pinterest?
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Cendrine Marrouat may be contacted for potential interviews, reviews and general enquiries at info@cendrinemarrouat.com. Website: www.cendrinemarrouat.com.
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