Perhaps the sizzle of summer has you scouring Pinterest for vacation getaways or cool homemade treats. This picture-friendly social forum has certainly made a splash in the online community. And as we pointed out in our “Get Prepped for Pinterest” post a while back, the success and popularity of the service have prompted brands to take an interest too.
But as with any social media effort, it is important to proceed with caution—so be sure to suit up with these best practices before diving into the Pinterest pool.
It’s about personality, not promotion.
You might think Pinterest is the perfect opportunity to pin away with images of what you’re selling. But in fact, this is more likely to hurt your brand than help it. Pinterest is for sharing images that link to content people care about—not self-promotion.
Don’t overlook the fine print.
Include accurate, informative captions with every pin you post, so followers know exactly what they’re getting when they click through. This is also essential to avoiding misinformation about your brand when your images are repinned. And just as crucial is ensuring that you’re pinning the right links, so users are connected directly to the content they crave.
Jump in and join the conversation.
Like all social networking, Pinterest is a community, and it therefore requires two-way communication. Engage your audience by not only pinning regularly, but also following other pinners, liking other pins and boards and commenting on them.
Beef up your Pinterest page.
Create a profile that links out to your website and other social media sites. In addition, develop boards that help segment your audiences based on their interests. Finally, choose visually stimulating pins that push followers to engage with your brand both online and off.
Know what’s trending.
Stay in the know on the people, places and things that are piquing interest right now. And remember that what’s hot now will be cold later. This means your pinning strategy will require well-thought-out plans that adapt with the current.
Ask the experts.
Dana’s got your brand’s best Pinterest at heart. For more on how to use this marketing vehicle to your best advantage, contact lkaniper@danacommunications.com.
