Is Pinterest a Must Have for Your Small Business?

Have you pinned your business yet? Many small businesses are turning to Pinterest as brand new way of effectively marketing their goods and services. Yes, it’s yet another social media network to manage but the difference is that Pinterest is simplified and direct. Basically, you’ll have the chance to tell the story of your company in pictures. In some cases, it might even prove to be a stronger resource than Facebook or Twitter because of its visual appeal. By some estimates, there are around 12 million visitors to Pinterest each month. That is certainly a great potential customer base that you can tap into.

How Does Pinterest Work?

The best way of thinking of Pinterest is to consider it like a huge visual bulletin board. Just as you would use a bulletin board in your office to post inspiring photos or images, you can use your Pinterest page to post product pictures, photos of your business or staff and even customer submissions. Pinterest is a true image generated site - if a picture is worth a thousand words then Pinterest is speaking in volumes!

Like Facebook, Pinterest users have the option to “follow” your page or re-pin that page. By doing that, they’ll be notified of every new post you “pin” up. It’s a way of instantly announcing new products, special sales or other important company news. The great thing is that the service is free. The only investment you make is in the images you create for that page and it’s a great way to build a community revolving around the visual topics.  

The Benefits of Pinterest

For a small business, Pinterest can provide a much needed boost. However, to get the most benefits you’ll have to keep the content fresh. As like any social media page, you must put up relevant and unique content that attracts the attention of your readers. You can’t just put up a page and hope people will find it. Attract more followers by following other Pinterest pages. Also make sure that you promote your Pinterest account on your website, emails and even other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  What you’re looking for is to be “re-pinned” by other users. This will help spread your message.

You can categorize your Pinterest page into specific groupings that might appeal to different types of customers. Because of the visual appeal of Pinterest, businesses that can show the results of their services or have appealing catalog shots of their products will benefit the most. It’s like ordering taste tempting treats based on a picture alone.

You can also educate your customers about your company through a visual presentation. The pages you set up can be as informative as you like. And you can drive all traffic back to your website through your postings.  As there is no expense with Pinterest, it makes sense to set up a page and keep it going just as you would with Facebook and/or Twitter. It’s another great way to reach out to your prospects online.