Why Pinterest IS KEY for Marketing your Small Business

By: Christina Ross

As president and marketing director of Silver Frog Marketing, I’ve gained over a decade’s experience planning, placing, and optimizing social media campaigns. My clients are well aware of the marketing potential of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, but many overlook the advertising power of Pinterest. Read on to find out why this social media platform can be critical to your small business’s marketing strategy.

Build your brand on Pinterest

If you spend any time on Google, you’re aware of just how frequently Pinterest pops up in Google searches. Pinterest is a social media platform known for sharing inspiration. Visitors share inspiration by pinning images and connecting with other users by re-pinning their pictures and ideas on other sites all across the web.

As a small business, you can use Pinterest to tell your story through pictures. Your Pinterest board is a picture portfolio. It’s a visual representation of what matters most to you. Your board can graphically demonstrate who you are and your expertise. The images you select should be ones you think will entertain and inspire your followers.     

Most importantly, center your Pinterest brand around your passions. Once you’ve done that, you can use that brand to create actionable pins that will drive traffic to your website and products.    

Take every opportunity to highlight your brand. Every pin you make should creatively include your logo and website.

Gain increased visibility through your Pinterest page

Because the people who follow you on Pinterest re-pin the things they like, make your Pinterest page as visually appealing as possible. Use high-quality images for your pins. The most effective pins have multiple images that clearly illustrate your message. Large images—1,000 x 1,500 pixels will work best.  

You can fill your Pinterest board with great photos even if you’re not a pro photographer. Websites offering free, high-quality pictures include:

• PicJumbo
• Pixabay
• Pexels

On Pinterest, vertical images are best. Most followers will be viewing your pins on their mobile devices. A ratio of 2:3 is an appropriate average length.

A fantastic photo isn’t enough. Select a background to match the picture’s theme. Keep in mind bright backgrounds gain more attention.   

Make sure you add text to your graphic. Free tools to help with this job include:

• Canva
• PicMonkey

People engage with pins that contain unique content. Add a description to clarify your message. In the description, let your followers know what they will get from this pin and ask them to share.

If you use Rich Pins, you can ensure your Pinterest syncs with the content on your website. Rich Pins update your Pinterest content whenever you make changes to your site. This tool can save you time and keep your content reliable.   

Drive traffic to your Pinterest page and generate inbound links

Like other social media platforms, gaining a following on Pinterest takes commitment. Both quantity and quality count when it comes to your content. Offer engaging content and try to pin several times a day.

Switching the time you make your pins can help keep your community engaged. Several automation tools that are useful in scheduling pins ahead of time include:

• Sendable
• Tailwind

Pinterest is a graphic search engine, so SEO is crucial to driving traffic. If you research relevant keywords, your content is more likely to pop up on image searches.   

Check your Pinterest profile to make sure you’ve optimized with relevant keywords. A keyword should appear prominently in your profile name. Brand-specific keywords can pepper your profile’s bio as well. The name of your board should feature popular keywords followers will use to search for that topic. Use these keywords tastefully throughout your board titles, board descriptions, pin descriptions, and the alt-text for your images.   

To find popular keywords, visit Pinterest’s search box. When you type the subject of your post, Pinterest will send suggestions for related searches. Add these words to your titles and descriptions for more exposure.  

Drive traffic with a call to action in your descriptions. A call to action lets followers know what you want them to do. You may simply say, “Click here for more information.”

Develop community among Pinterest followers

Become familiar with your followers. Take a look at the products they are pinning. You’ll get insight into their preferences by watching these interactions. This insight can help target your marketing strategy.  

Re-pin content from your followers to strengthen the relationship. Re-pinning their content demonstrates that you appreciate their ideas.       

Follow brands similar to your own to obtain inspiration for your pins. By checking out their boards, you may catch gaps in your marketing strategy or become aware of up-and-coming marketing trends. Users you follow will be notified, and some may choose to follow you back.

You may want to join Pinterest’s group boards. These boards enable several Pinterest users to add pins to one themed board. By collaborating on group boards, you can network with potential followers who share your interest. These boards can help you reach new audiences and increase exposure for your brand.

Once your Pinterest board is driving traffic to your site, it’s a good idea to make your website more Pinterest-friendly. Add images and photos to your site that Pinterest followers will like. A “Pin It” button on your website lets guests share content from your site to Pinterest and save your content to Pinterest boards. A “Follow Me” button on your site allows followers to find your Pinterest page in multiple locations across the web.

With the internet becoming more and more graphic as time goes on, Pinterest is poised to be an indispensable online marketing tool. To learn more about social media marketing, visit my website or follow me on Twitter and Facebook.