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What Your Small Business Needs to Know About Pinterest

There’s a good chance the word, Pinterest, has been thrown around recent business meetings. But what the heck is it exactly? Better yet, why should you care? Today, we plan to reveal everything there is to know about this new and upcoming social network. What is Pinterest? Pinterest describes itself as a ‘virtual pinboard.’ OK. Maybe that makes things a bit more confusing. In simpler terms, it allows you to categorize and share photos and videos you stumble across when surfing the web. This could be an image of home décor, the latest advancements in technology, or anything in between. How Does it Work? Pinterest allows users to “pin” or share items they find interesting to a specific user-created themed pinboard. For example, if an individual is into photography, he or she may want to create a pinboard titled, “Favorite Photographs.” As they surf the web and find new inspiring photographs, they can pin them to said board. Once an item is pinned, additional users are able to comment and “repin” other pins to their boards. Aside from re-pinning others’ pins, an individual can follow users and other pinboards. Why Should You Care? Believe it or not, this platform has been around for nearly two years, but it hasn’t been until recently that brands are beginning to notice its potential. It has become one of the largest referrals for many consumer brands’ web traffic. In fact, a recent Infographic from monetate revealed more traffic is generated from Pinterest than Google Plus. But will this overtake Twitter and Facebook? Only time will tell. Is it Right for Me? It really depends on “who” you are. Pinterest has a visual appeal. Because everything you pin must be a photo or video, it is likely not beneficial for a company with a visually boring product. In addition, Pinterest has a heavy female user base – 58% to be exact. So if you are a clothing boutique, jeweler, wedding planner, etc., Pinterest can be seen as very appealing. It is yet to be determined if Pinterest will continue to be a giant scrapbook for women or become a game changer for a brand’s social campaign. But one thing is for sure; it does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Check back in a few weeks as we provide some tips for how your small business can use Pinterest. In the meantime, let us know what you think about the new social network. Have you created an account?