Let me start off by saying this: I do not have my own Pinterest.
Yet.
Don’t get me wrong, I know exactly what it is; I’ve browsed the site for what seems like 15 minutes but will turn into an hour and I know once I have my own account I will never see civilization again. For those of you who don’t know the allure and addictive qualities of Pinterest, it is a pinboard-style social photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies, fashion and more. It is entirely based around images and the visual appeal behind things.
This past Tuesday, myself and two other colleagues attended a luncheon hosted by the Madison chapter of the Madison Marketing Association. We were treated to speakers (but more importantly, Fashionistas) Libby Schmeisser and Amie Bressers from Shopbop, one of the leading web-based women’s apparel and accessory retailers. (Furthermore, Shopbop’s offices are located right across the street from ours so The Creative Company is neighbors with this fashion forward company). Schmeisser and Bressers spoke on what Pinterest can do for your company, regardless if it’s a retail store shipping off designer dresses or a digital PR firm.
Here are five important things to think about when bringing Pinterest into your company or for your clients:
· Search Engine Optimization (SEO): When someone is Googling a company, their social media channels almost always show up. Therefore, consider how you name your boards and what you want to show up when people click on your page. The more simple the language, the better. The Shopbop ladies gave the examples of “how to layer necklaces” versus “layering necklaces.” People, clients and companies want short, simple and easy.
· Collaborate: At the Creative Company we work with varying clients from around the community and we always try to get them to cross-collaborate with local partners. Do the same with your Pinterest boards. Perhaps your insurance company can re-pin great advice from a local hospital or a grocery store can re-pin great recipes from a local magazine.
· Contests: Those of you who work a profuse amount on social media from the backend know to hold contests through Facebook – it requires a third-party (i.e. Wildfire). Not with Pinterest. Use this to your advantage to grow your following and your own virtual space on Pinterest.
· Vertical Imagery: Long gone are the days of Facebook albums where horizontal photos reign. You want your images to mirror the vertical movement of scrolling down the page. Remember: Pinterest in an image experience.
· Don’t Sell: That’s what advertising is for. Pinterest is a way for people to show they like your product or business a little more or to stumble upon your products while re-pinning.
Like all social media channels, Pinterest will continue to grow within the next year. Think about it, if we were to look at Facebook two years ago it would look almost completely unrecognizable. It’s exciting to see where these outlets can take us.
If you’re interested in knowing how your company or clients can use Pinterest to add to your business, contact us at The Creative Company. We’ll be happy to help (and re-pin!)
For now, I need to go sign up for a Pinterest.
Caroline Radaj
The Creative Company | Social Media Specialist
caroline@thecreativecompany.com