Has your small business discovered the power of Pinterest marketing yet? If so, then you may already realize many of the benefits this visual platform has to offer a small business, such as:
- Increased website traffic
- Heightened brand exposure
- Genuinely loyal followers
If you have yet to get started with Pinterest marketing, then now is a great time to jump on in and give it a whirl. Although many people and businesses still consider Pinterest as predominately female-oriented, the platform has truly been busy making major enhancements – which benefit small businesses – over the past couple of years.
These are 5 compelling facts about Pinterest for small businesses seeking success through Pinterest marketing:
#1. Know your audience
When it comes to deciding what types of visual information and content you want to share on Pinterest, then you should first establish who your target audience is, and then determine what interests them. You most likely want to build an audience with followers who are interested in your company and what it has to offer. Doing so helps your small business maximize its Pinterest marketing efforts more efficiently and effectively.
#2. Use a Pinterest Board or Boards to showcase your products visually
Kevin Knight says the following about creating boards in a recent article for the Pinterest blog, “A closer look at the boards”:
Boards let people organize all of their Pins around different ideas, interests and plans. They can also be an important part of your business’ identity on Pinterest. Boards show people what your business is all about, like what kinds of products you offer or what inspires you.
People are on Pinterest for a myriad of reasons. One of the advantages for small businesses that are active with Pinterest marketing is that they can display their products, 24/7/365. Because you never know when you’re going to attract a potential consumer, make sure your business’ product Pins point back to your website.
#3. Curate: Don’t be afraid to pin content from all over the Internet, or repin Pins with similar content to yours.
As I mentioned above, Pinterest is great for small businesses to use for sales and marketing. However, many people are still wary of buying from brands through social media, regardless of the platform. A brand that truly embraces the concept of “social” media focuses more on engaging with its audience and building brand awareness, rather than just selling to them.
Many small businesses now realize the importance of curating as part of their content marketing efforts. This concept also works very well for Pinterest marketing. A business can share Pins (by pinning on their own Boards), which are relevant to its own industry and audience. This helps a business connect with other businesses and individuals on Pinterest, and offers more Pins for its followers.
#4. Your posting frequency can really make a difference
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to determining just how often and how much content a small business should share for optimal Pinterest marketing results. One of the best ways to know how you’re doing is by observing your audience’s responses to your pinning.
I’ve personally experienced success for mine and my clients’ Pinterest accounts by pinning and repinning a few Pins every day, including weekends. I’ve also noticed a significant drop in activity when I don’t pin for a few days in a row. With trial and error, you’ll find what frequency and amount works best for you and your small business.
#5. Pinterest boards show up in search engine results
Pinterest boards have been appearing in Google and Bing results for a while now. As well, Pinterest, itself, has a powerful, built-in search engine. Small businesses should keep
There are several ways you can optimize your small business’ Pinterest account. Wishpond provides an excellent guide to Pinterest SEO for businesses. These are a few of their suggestions:
- Create a Business Pinterest Account
- Use your full business name for your account and, if possible, include that name in your Pinterest URL
- Include keywords in your account’s “About” section, Boards, Board descriptions, and Pin descriptions
- Use hashtags
Over to you
So, what are your thoughts about Pinterest and Pinterest marketing? Do you still consider it to be a place for collecting recipe and vacation ideas, or do you think it has potential to drive small business revenue? I’d love to hear your thoughts…please feel free to comment below.
Images: ”FEBRUARY 20, 2014 – BERLIN: the logo of the brand “Pinterest&quo / Shutterstock.com“
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