Social media has become a mainstream marketing tool must for any business that wants to succeed in today’s competitive environment. Pinterest, a social media tool centered on creating and sharing collections of digital images by “pinning” them to digital bulletin boards, is rapidly joining Facebook and Twitter as an essential avenue for reaching and appealing to customers. In Pinfluence, social media guru, blogger, and Pinterest expert Beth Hayden provides a step-by-step method for business professionals to engage customers and grow their businesses by leveraging the power of Pinterest.
According to Hayden:
- For an ever-increasing group of savvy business owners, Pinterest is a must-have component of their marketing strategies. Pinterest is easy to use, has emotional appeal, and is a great way to drive traffic to a business’s website and increase sales. The number of businesses that are using Pinterest is increasing rapidly.
- Pinterest should not be used “standalone,” without strategic intent. For the best results, Pinterest must be strategically positioned within a broader marketing strategy and work in an integrated way with other social media channels to appeal to defined target audiences.
- Combining images and words has the most impact. Pinterest provides both. Descriptions that accompany pins can be as important as the images themselves, capturing the viewer’s attention and creating a personal connection. Descriptions provide the opportunity to inject honesty and humor, which can help build trust and deepen relationships.
- Pinterest is all about creating connections. Growing a following is just as important as choosing what content to pin to the boards. Pinterest has several built-in connection tools for drawing in new followers. All efforts to build a following should be centered on attracting the pre-defined ideal client.
- Pinterest pins must add value for followers, not sell to them. While Pinterest as a business tool is intended to drive increased profits, it should be implemented in a way that brings value to customers, either in terms of solving a problem or entertaining them. It should not be used to sell them something.
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Related book summaries in the BBS library: Likeable Social Media, Going Social, Engagement Marketing
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Yes, i totally agree with the Hayden. Pinterest is a must-have component of our marketing strategies.
With new social networking platforms appearing from behind every corner, it can be hard to know exactly where to commit your time and resources.