 | Do you pin? If not, you should! It’s fun, and it’s also fast becoming a great way to market your business or promote your web site. Pinterest is a pinboard-style social photo sharing websitethat allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies, and more. Users can browse other pinboards for inspiration, re-pin images to their own collections and like or comment on photos. |
I am by no means an expert on Pinterest marketing, but here are a few tips I have picked up since starting few months ago.
Pin your content or products to Pinterest.
Pin your content or products to Pinterest.
Although this is a must-do, take care not to only pin your own content. It comes across as spammy, and will get you un-followed fast. Also pin similarly themed items – if you are trying to promote your custom made wedding favors, why not create a Wedding board with other great pins about weddings – how-tos, invitations, decorations, etc. The rich content will drive traffic to your board, and to your own product pins.
Follow users who may have an interest in your products.
If you pin a nice image of your latest product, the next step would be to search Pinterest for people who have pinned similar items, and follow them. They may follow back, and they may just see your product and decide to re-pin it! Keep in mind that Pinterest limits following activity, so if you do too many at once you may receive a block for a few hours before you can do more. Don’t let this happen too often or you may find yourself permanently blocked as a spammer!
Host a giveaway on your blog or web site.
Create a pretty image about the giveaway and pin to Pinterest with a link to the giveaway on your site. Make sure the image includes the URL of your site, as Pinterest allows users to modify and/or delete source URLs from pins - you wouldn't want to do all this work for nothing!
Rules for the giveaway can vary, but must include that entrants pin a certain number of your products or content to their own Pinterest boards. You should also havethem re-pin your contest pin. Other ideas are to have them Like your Facebook page, Follow you on Twitter,etc. I suggest keeping track of the entries by asking entrants to post a comment with their info on the giveaway blog/web page once they have completed the requirements. A contest like this is great, because it drives traffic to both your web site and your Pinterest board.
Here is an example of a giveaway going on on this blog.
Promote your giveaway as much as possible, on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and by submitting to other people's blogs and nicely asking if they would like to share it.
Here is an example of a giveaway going on on this blog.
Promote your giveaway as much as possible, on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and by submitting to other people's blogs and nicely asking if they would like to share it.
And the #1 thing you should do to be successful on Pinterest is…love it!
If you pin things you love, and not just your own products, and create interesting boards, other pinners will want to follow you. Also, you’ll have a lot of fun doing it!
So, what did I miss? How do you use Pinterest to promote your business?
