If you’ve heard of Pinterest, you probably already know it is one of the fastest growing social networks. I think the only thing that is growing at a faster rate is the number of blog posts on all the whizbang things you can do as a Pinterest user. Don’t get me wrong, I love using Pinterest for fun and reading lists of Pinterest tips. Even more fun? Figuring out how to use it for business.
Isn’t that still the big question for those of us in PR, marketing and social media? How should my business be using Pinterest? Or maybe you are asking it this way: how does Pinterest fit into my marketing plan? Or maybe even…what is the value of Pinterest? If you are looking for information on what Pinterest is, how to set up a Pinterest account or how to use Pinterest, this post is not it. (I suggest reading Pinterest 101 and the other sections on the Pinterest Help page.)
The point of this Pinterest post is to take a step back and think about a few things companies can do to harness the power of all those people who have already gone cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs over Pinterest. These three tips are based on the work we’ve been doing with our clients that I suspect apply to all or most organizations.
The Prada sunglasses I pinned from the Nordstrom website.
- Before you think about pinning, think about others pinning you. If you’re already pinning and haven’t checked to make sure that images from your company’s website can be pinned, stop reading and do it now. This is particularly important if you sell a product and have product photography. As an example, I recently pinned a photo of Prada sunglasses I was considering as a splurge purchase after trying them on but leaving them behind at Nordstrom. Still thinking about the designer shades the next day, I found them online and decide to see what my friends thought by pinning the image directly from the Nordstrom website. With more than 313 repins and 116 likes, I kinda have to think I’m not the only one who is thinking about clicking the order button. The tip: make sure your website is Pinterest friendly so that pinners can pin images that link directly to your website. Tools such as Flash and website photo galleries that might have given your website umph just last year might not work for Pinterest. Talk with your web designer or IT manager about the cost of making these changes and make it a priority in your overall marketing spend. Continue reading “How Pinterest Should Influence Your Marketing Spend: 3 Tips”
