Thus far I have posted infographics explaining the rules every business needs to know before posting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; today I share my Pinterest infographic. The visual and "sharable" nature of Pinterest has led to it becoming one of the fastest-growing social media platforms of all time. This is big news for businesses, because Pinterest users spend more money, shop more frequently, and purchase more items than users on any other social network. When leveraged correctly, Pinterest is an essential tool for any business looking to increase brand awareness, visibility, overall sales.
1. Complete your profile
The first step in the proper utilization of Pinterest is to create a detail oriented profile that accurately represents your business. First, upload your logo as your profile picture, and use your business name as your profile name. Interconnectivity is key, so make certain that you link your Facebook and Twitter profiles. Double check your "Account Settings" and "Search Privacy" settings, as turning the search privacy off allows others to view your pin board, extending the your reach of your brand.
2. Follow similar businesses
The nature of Pinterest is sharable collaboration. Use Pinterest to engage with other businesses in your local area. Doing so allows you to stay up-to-date on what your customers and competition pin, allowing you to better understand both.
3. Use great images
Avoid pinning bad photos. This includes, but is not limited to content that is too big, too small or blurry. Pinterest has certain photo restrictive requirements. If you post anything wider than the requirement, your pin will be resized. If you post something so big that users have to scroll down to see your full image, they aren't likely to scroll all the way back up to pin it. Use a compelling background that doesn't take up more than 40% of your image. Images that dedicate too much space for the background are repinned at a lower rate.
4. Pin an appropriate amount
Do not overwhelm your fans by posting too many pins at one time. A good rule of thumb is to not pin more than 2-3 images within ten minutes. When dedicating a specific time in the day for expanding your Pinterest channel, look to put at least 10 to 15 minutes between batches of pins.
5. Make sure your categories are clear and relevant
For each new board you create you need to chose a "Category" from the drop-down list. Selecting an appropriate category for your boards will make your content searchable. Use a number of specific and unique boards to keep your content organized and easy to navigate. A collection of smaller, more specific boards allows your followers to quickly pinpoint content that interests them. A board named "Wedding Ideas" will not be as effective as "Hawaiian Beach Front Wedding Destinations". While the Pinterest descriptions can be up to 500 characters, brevity is key. Limit your description to a short caption incorporating keywords, adding additional information in the comment section. If it is appropriate, include links back to your website, social networks, and blog as a way to increase interest in your business.
6. Portrait style
Vertically oriented images tend to perform better than those that are horizontally oriented; the perfect ratios are 2:3 and 4:5. This is the opposite of how are televisions are shaped. This means it should be longer than it is wide. Also, keep in mind that images without human faces are shared 23% more than those with them.
7. Engage your followers
Admittedly, commenting on Pinterest isn't the most popular form of social media engagement, but it is still important to monitor what your followers are saying. Always look for opportunities to respond and engage with potential customers (on Pinterest or not). Beware not to use this opportunity to sell however, as Pinterest is still a social media platform. Instead, comment, like, and repin other people's images, creating trust between you and a potential customer.
8. Diversify your content
Include various types of content throughout your boards such as repins, content from your own website, curated content from other websites, or images that you directly upload yourself. The more you diversify your content, the more your credibility increases in the minds of users. Further, it makes for a more interesting and engaging profile.
9. Multiple colors
Images with dominant colors - red, dark green, orange, pink - are shared 300% more than images of other colors. Color mages are shared 1000% more than black and white images. This means that bold colors matter and that you should use them accordingly.
10. Extend your brand
Pinterest is a great way to explore other areas that are relevant to your brand. Pin boards can express interest in related areas that you think are important to you and your brand. This can effectively broaden your brand, and perhaps extend your reach to a new demographic of fans likely to use your product. For example, if your business sells high end yoga wear, it is possible that eating natural is also of interest to your fans. Create a pin board that both you and your fans will be passionate about.
Times to Pin
The time of day, as well as the day of the week, matter when it comes to pinning content. People are most on during the afternoon and at night. Similarly, users most consume content Sunday-Wednesday, and are less active on Saturdays and Sundays.
In Summary
Pinterest has established itself as a major social network for businesses, mostly because of its ability to increase product purchasing. Use Pinterest to highlight your products as well as a way to extend your brand. Share relevant interests with your followers by pinning great images.