A Little About Pinterest

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard (or what I call “dreamboard”) that allows you to organize and share all of your favorite things online. This social photo-sharing site connects people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests. It is a unique tool when compared to other social media sites because it focuses on visually collecting and sharing anything found online, whereas other social media sites focus on personal sharing through status updates.

Pinterest is commonly used for life planning, inspiration, self-expression and social sharing. Most users spend their time on Pinterest either pinning or liking, and less time actually commenting. This is because the “conversation” among users tends to happen more through “likes” and “repins.”

There is high value in having pinned images because it provides an opportunity to drive people directly to business websites. Many small businesses have caught on to this social media tool and are utilizing interesting, visual content to drive customers to their brand and build an expanded following.

With every social media site comes best practices that are recommended to effectively reach and communicate with audiences. Below are several best practices for Pinterest.

Use social channels. Share your pins on other social media communities (i.e. Twitter/Facebook) to help expand your reach and generate engaging conversations.

Use keywords. Make your pins searchable using effective keywords for descriptions. Keywords will help users navigate and find your images.

Don’t ignore comments. Two-way communication is key in social media, and it is important to acknowledge comments by responding and engaging with followers.

Use visually appealing photos. The most popular images are ones that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. You don’t necessarily need to be a professional photographer, but it helps to have photos done right so it grabs some attention.