How to Use Pinterest for Business
There’s been a lot of hype and talk about using Pinterest for business but what does that really mean or even look like? Let’s start with the basics and then get into how.
What is Pinterest?
Well, contrary to popular belief Pinterest is NOT a social media platform. Pinterest is a VISUAL search engine. That’s right, a search engine. Just like Google, just like Bing and just like Yahoo.
Why do people love Pinterest?
The biggest reason that people love Pinterest is of all the visuals. The second biggest reason is because it’s so easy to find and organize thoughts and ideas. You want to redo the backyard yourself so you search for DIY backyard and you get a hundred amazing ideas. You have a few ingredients in the fridge and no idea what to can make with them so you type each of those ingredients into the search bar and wa-la, delicious recipes galore. The uses for Pinterest are endless which makes it perfect for business.
Why should you use Pinterest for your business?
Well the short answer is that people are looking for solutions to their problems and you’ve got solutions to those problems. Here are a few examples of that I mean:
Maybe you’re in the financial world and you know tips on how to improve your credit score.
Maybe you’re in the fitness world and you’ve developed a really effective workout or eating plan.
Maybe you own a clothing company and want to promote your design.
Maybe you’re a Stylist and you have beauty tips to share.
How do you use Pinterest for business?
You’re basically going to show the world that you’re a reliable and valuable source of information in your particular industry. We do this by pinning to various boards that are related to our niche and address specific concerns of you target market. This allows our followers to see what we’ve pinned and then in turn for them to pin it and their followers to see it as well. If users are continuously re-pinning your pins it tells them and Pinterest itself, that you have good info to share with people. Congratulations, You’ve just made yourself a reliable and valuable source of information!
How do you DO Pinterest for business?
Create a business account because this will help you keep track of your progress and actually see the results of all your hard work. It will also allow you to link your website to it and gain statistics on pins that come from your site.
Complete your profile using a headshot of you, a short description of your company and what you’re about. The words you use in the description are also google friendly so be sure to slip in a few keywords in a non-cheesy way. I typically try to have my clients write out 1-2 short sentences that immediately let the world know who you are, what you do and who you serve.
Create 10 - 20 boards related to your niche. As an example: If your business is related to real estate, you’ll want boards like Tips for Homebuyers or Sellers, Credit Repair and Home Decor. If your business is related to fitness, you’ll want boards such as Fitness Quotes or Inspiration, healthy recipes and workouts. BUT WHY? By showing that you have good information on various parts of your business and industry you show that you’re someone worth paying attention to and definitely someone worth following and repinning to their very own board for all of their followers to see too.
Start pinning… I recommend pinning 50 - 75 pins to each board to get things started. Then pinning 10-15 pins to each board a few times a week or month. Part of your pinning process should also include pinning your own blog posts and that’s where the magic happens. BUT WHY? When someone pins something from your website it not only give you credibility but the reader of your post will most likely take a look around your site to see what other useful information, services or products you may have to offer.
So there you have it, the basics of Pinterest for business. There are just a few more tips and tricks to learn help increase your visibility, exposure and community growth which I will be covering in the near future so stay tuned. Subscribe to my email list for a freebie and so you don’t miss out on any of my tips that make social media easy.
Until Next time,
Kylie
Hey there I’m Kylie Simao, owner of a boutique social media marketing agency dedicated to helping new, local and small businesses who want to promote themselves online using social media.