How to Create a Winning Strategy on Pinterest

When you first heard of Pinterest, it may have been through your friend talking about wedding ideas, or maybe it was a relative who brought a new dish to a family gathering. Pinterest, the widely popular image-based social media platform, is not only for DIYers or brides-to-be, though. Pinterest can be a very powerful tool for businesses to promote their brand on a social network. In fact, statistics show that Pinterest generates more web traffic than LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube combined (Shareaholic’s Referral Traffic Report). If you aren’t taking advantage of Pinterest in your marketing, here are a few tips to help you create a winning strategy:

Remember SEO.

When you open up a Pinterest business account, fill out your profile completely and accurately. Use keywords in your profile, the same way you would do on your website. Make sure you link your other social media accounts—Facebook, G+, Twitter—to your Pinterest account, and be aware you also have the option to link your Pinterest activity to your Facebook and Twitter feeds. Also, use these social media accounts to spread the word that you are on Pinterest to get your followers to find you on another platform.

Prepare your website.

Part of a winning strategy on Pinterest is giving your website visitors the opportunity to pin your content to Pinterest. You can easily achieve this by installing a pin-it button on your company’s website, including your blog and product pages. Be sure to test the functionality of the button to make sure the intended photo and description comes up when the user pins it. Remember, Pinterest users especially like “how-to” or “tip” articles, so keep this in mind when writing blogs for your website.

Use boards.

Pinterest allows you to organize your pins through boards, but not all businesses take advantage of this unique feature. When you create a board for fun places in Maine, for instance, enter a name, keyworded description, and a category. Use the map tool to specify locations for your pins, which will make it easy for your followers to find the place later on. If you want to keep a board private, perhaps for a seasonal grand opening, you can set it as a secret board. Pins you add to a secret board cannot be seen anywhere else on Pinterest until you make the board public.

Brand your pins.

Another thing to keep in mind when creating a Pinterest strategy is branding. When you post an original pin, it doesn’t take long for your brand to get lost among the other pins unless it is branded well. You might consider creating a watermark on your photos, either including your logo, company name, or company URL. Make sure the watermark is noticeable, but unobtrusive, or it may deter users from re-pinning the photo. You should also create catchy, but detailed descriptions for your pins to capture the interest of Pinterest users and let them know what the pins are about.

Be relevant.

As with other social media platforms, you’ll want to post relevant content for both your brand and your followers. If your business is seasonal, make frequent posts during the off-season to get your followers excited for your re-opening. Share your own content—from your website or blog—but be sure to also pin articles from relevant and trusted sources. Include a personalized description when you are pinning someone else’s content to increase your brand image as a thought leader. Check the links on all pins to make sure they link back to a valid website.

Pinterest is a very unique social media platform that is often forgotten by businesses. In a visual, digital world, though, it is very important for brands to have a presence on Pinterest. Remember that exposing your brand on social media can be harmful if you don’t put in the time and effort to get it right. However, if you prepare your website, Pinterest profile, and boards following the tips above, you’ll create a winning strategy on Pinterest.