Pinterest – there’s no denying the brand is unmistakably hot right now. You’ve either been invited and become a pinner, or seen mention of the trend enough times that you don’t necessarily want to ask what it’s all about; maybe you think you should already know.
Pinterest projects: Three practical uses for a virtual pinboard
But what is it all about?
As explained in Pinterest: the next big trend in social media, Pinterest is an international, invite-only social media website which brings together businesses and consumers through a mutual exploration of the internet. The site allows users to “pin” an image or video from almost anywhere on the internet to one themed board using a javascript plugin.
Essentially, it’s organizational heaven.
Video Tutorial: Pinterest 101
Here are five great steps towards getting a handle on your virtual pinboard presence:
5. Pinpoint your audience. In the sea of Pinterest activity, it’s easy to get lost. Ride the wave to familiar territory by evaluating exactly who you/your brand/business are trying to reach with your pinboards. Friends? Have a whole lotta fun. Clients? Pin your past endeavors, future interests, current activity – and think outside the box. Speaking of broadening your horizons,
4. Curate diverse boards. Although you do want to keep things in the ball park of brand/business relevancy, you still want to create boards/pins that reflect your unique personality. Try the default boards, or create your own like “Our dream vacation” or “Our Friday night TV lineup” to get consumers talking. On the subject of talking,
3. Use your voice. Individuals, brands, and businesses can all create boards around favorite foods, styles, shows, locations, you name it. Share these boards with friends and clients; tweet, Facebook, or plus one them on Google.
Photo Tutorial: Creating a Pin
As long as your boards are user-friendly, anything is fair game. This means that you can create boards around your content and link back to it, keeping it relevant, and following the other three R’s:
2. Respond, repin, repeat. Build a following by following, liking, and commenting on other user’s boards. Repin the looks you love, or whatever jumps out at you. Share your finds with fans, and ask their opinion. Conversation is always a plus. But please,
1. Be authentic. There’s not much point to creating a Pinterest profile that features images you aren’t into or fads you don’t follow, just because you think they might draw pageviews. Quality over quantity, every time. Remember, the fans come first, so as long as you engage anything that authentically excites you, the boards can only benefit.