In the past year or so, Pinterest has grown significantly, seeing its membership numbers grow significantly with each month. The allure of Pinterest may be lost on some. At first glance, it is nothing more than a place where people share links to interesting things that pertain to their hobbies or interests.
While you may have no use for numerous recipes (there are tons on Pinterest) or crafty do-it-yourself crafts (there are more than you can count), Pinterest does have a structure and accessibility that you can use for your small business. The fact that it is essentially a link-sharing site can work wonders for any business if you learn how to use it right.
The gist is this: it’s free, it’s social, and it’s growing rapidly. If you aren’t on yet, you need to be.
Still wondering how Pinterest can help your business? Think of it this way: by adding a “Pin It” button to your website, you add one more way to be discovered through social media. This allows easy access for others to discover relevant blog posts, photos or videos that are essential to your business.
Of course, standard social media rules apply. When you start making your boards, keep in mind that you want to create a Pinterest account that reflects your brand and services. Create boards that others will find interesting, but in a way that is relevant and easy to find. You can get an effective Pinterest start by pinning your own company’s content, but be sure not to overdo it; self-promotion is ugly in most social media circles, so you’ll want to include material from other sources as well. As your Pinterest following grows, this will be less of an issue.
Perhaps the best thing about Pinterest is that no one has quite figured out how to use it for their business. While it is essentially a content-sharing site for hobbies and other interests, any social media platform holds the potential to help your business grow by reaching a new audience.
The trick is learning how to utilize it. Maybe you’ll be the one that figures out how to make Pinterest work for small businesses.
