Pinterest makes me want to get fit, cook indulgent recipes, and design a house I will never be able to afford all at the same time. I am so addicted, I could keep scrolling through the ‘popular pins’ page for hours on end- and most pinners feel the same way.

Companies have a great opportunity to attract attention to their website from yet another social media platform. In November 2012, the Pinterest created accounts with resources made specifically for businesses.

But Pinterest isn’t just another social media site; it has untapped possibilities that could really maximize your company’s connection to customers, and generate inbound leads- if you do it right.

Check out our ebook “44 Incredible Social Media Statistics” for even more information on Pinterest.

13 Tips for Optimizing Your Pinterest Marketing Content

Maximize the Benefits To Your Company

  • Show Your Personality: Create boards that showcase your company’s personality. People enjoy content that is less promotional, and will be more likely to revisit your boards.
  • Gather Buyer Persona Information: You already know information about your buyer personas, but Pinterest will help you get to know them better. Customer’s boards show what they are interested in, and a little bit of their personality- take that information and use it to your advantage.
  • Drive Traffic to Your Website: People will be able to find more information about a topic by linking photos and original content back to your website. Plus, you’ll get people to visit your website from a different source. You’ll also be able to track how many people visit your website from Pinterest to see how effective your content is.

General Practices to Follow

  • Create Original Content:  By creating images, memes, and infographics, you’ll attract attention. If people repin your image, others that see it will still be able to click the link that leads them to your website. It’s important to add a watermark on original content in case the link gets lost- pinners will still be able to tell who made the image.
  • Add the Pin-It Button to Your Website: Lead pinners to your website, but also remember to lead website viewers to your Pinterest boards. Including the Pin-it button to your site will allow people to connect and share your material with more people.
  • Re-Pin:  Stay connected to your followers by repinning their content. Not only will followers be flattered, but this will showcase your personality even more. Also, repin what your followers are interested in. This way, they will want to look to you for interesting content.
  • Proper Timing: Don’t pin a massive amount of content just to get started- people will be annoyed at all your content on their following page. Pin a couple times a day, everyday, to build your boards. Figure out what time is best for pinning at your company. Depending on who your buyer personas and followers are, there may be optimal times to pin.
  • Use Hashtags: By using hashtags, users can find pins easier. You can also connect your twitter and Google+ to leverage a campaign and use the same hashtag.
  • Follow Social Media Best Practices: Like always, follow the social media practices you already have for other platforms. Comment back, re-pin and be engaging with your followers. Being constantly active will show pinners that you are interested, and make them feel that there is an actual person behind the company- which there is.

Generate Interest

  • Host a Contest: Attract interest on your boards by hosting a contest. Make sure that the contest you want to host is not infringing upon Pinterest’s regulations. Create a contest for pinners to create boards related to your company. Of course, the type of board will depend on your company culture. This will make followers active with your company, and also promote your company through your followers connections.
  • Create a Video Gallery Pinboard: Pinterest is for videos too! Pin videos that are relevant to your market. You can also create original videos to show more of your company’s personality. Videos will be the best way for people to understand you.
  • Share Company Events: Create boards dedicated to events your company holds. Be sure to include videos and photos. This will be yet another resource people will have to connect with your events, and another platform to share photos and information.
  • Curate: Create a board that people look to for information. Do what your company does best, and become an industry leader on Pinterest. If you make coffee mugs, create a pin board of coffee plants and information, or recipes for coffee creations. If you have interesting content, people will definitely want to follow you.

Photo credit: someecards