Pinterest calls itself the “world’s catalog of ideas.” Indeed. Like any paper catalog, Pinterest’s is digital, but just as full of images, information, and ideas as any high-quality catalog you might receive in the mail. Pinterest’s origins date to 2010 and, since its founding, has grown tremendously in popularity and use.
Features of Pinterest
Users register to join Pinterest and can link their other social accounts—Facebook and Twitter—with their Pinterest account, which makes it easier to find friends, families, blogs, and more that they would like to follow on Pinterest. This social media integration also means a wider viewing audience to see new items this user posts news feed.
Users can customize and personalize their own Pinterest space by “pinning” (via a downloadable “Pin It” button) items they like and that interest them to their personal “boards.” The items pinned are often images and video, but can include other media content. While Pinterest does not tout itself as a social media site, users are able to follow other users (includes both individuals and businesses), re-pin images to other boards, like, and comment on them, similar to the functionality that comes with Facebook.
Pinterest for Business
Businesses can join Pinterest for free, but must register as a commercial account and agree to Pinterest’s terms and conditions, including their privacy policy. Whether your business offering is a product or a service, you can post relevant content, photos, videos, comments, and links to other sites (such as your website) or pages. Content on your Pinterest site lets users get right to the source of what you do. Beyond browsing, users who view your business content/images are highly likely to convert into qualified leads, because Pinterest has the power to drive traffic directly to your website.
As with any website or social media marketing, analytics tell the story of how your business content is performing online. Pinterest is no exception. Their analytics let you see what users like and save from your site. Pinterest’s analytics also provide indicators of what customers and prospective customers really like and want. Use this business intelligence to tweak or refine your pins accordingly.
Pinterest is very business friendly. Sign up to receive a weekly newsletter that contains updates to help your business. Place Pinterest widgets on your mobile and desktop websites. Use Promoted Pins—pins you pay to use—to be seen by a wider audience, and Rich Pins, that allow you to add extra detail to your pins. And with Buyable Pins, users buy your products without ever leaving the Pinterest site.
Pinterest has come a long way since its inception, and now ranks among the top social networks. Given the marketing potential and lead generation capabilities, it is difficult to rationalize why any business would not be on Pinterest.
