Pinterest and YOUR business
Today I converted my personal Pinterest account over to the new “business account”. From outward appearances I can’t really see a difference from my personal one, it pretty much kept all of my boards and pins and info.
Pinterest now states that any account that wishes to use Pinterest for commercial purposes must create a business account and agree to the business-specific TOS. (Terms of Service)
You can create an account by specifying the business name, as well as, the user’s name. Immediately you are taken to a portion of the site that is specifically for businesses. Pinterest is adding educational materials specifically for businesses to learn how to market themselves.
“Pinterest is working on a whole new set of features exclusively for businesses to help them expand their reach and understand their Pinterest audience. Those who have set up a business account will be notified as soon as new features are available.”- Social Media Examiner
So with great hope, I step into the unknown! haha I think that doing this will help my business content marketing efforts immensely. One of the most important things as a business owner is to nurture and create relationships with our clients and potential clients. Pinterest creates an excellent environment for us to do this. With Pinterest we can establish a brand that has depth and visual clarity to boot.
When you sign up for a Pinterest business account you get some helpful tips:
Tell Your Story
Creating a full and inviting profile is KEY, as I mentioned in my other blog post, Pinterest: Changing the Ways Brands Create Content. The more information you give and the more social media connections you make will create more of a business presence and identify you as a trustworthy brand.
Verify your website
I am actually having difficulty doing this with my current site which is Flash based. I will have to do this once my new site is up and running in August. Social Media Examiner gives a great step-by-step of how to do this properly if you are able to.
Create inspiring boards
While keeping in mind your Target Market, you should create boards that speak to them and that reinforce your brand. This is where you build an overall image through your boards. I like what Renae Christine has done with her Pinterest board images, in that she has created specific graphics that also flow with her website and Youtube channel. So she is strengthening her brand. Since I just converted to a business account the majority of my Pinterest is based on my own likes and interests. My hope is to add some branding in there so people will at least know I am a business.
Share your values
With Pinterest you can share what your business and personal values are. This opens up for honesty and trustworthiness. To me, it brings me closer to your business and I become more interested in working with you. Maybe we like the same biblical scripture or both love dogs, either way it makes me have a connection with you that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
Highlight specials
Maybe you have a discounted ecourse or freebie you want to get out there, this is a great way to do it. FIRST, however, provide a terrific image to go with it. Highly important on Pinterest. Make sure you hash tag and link and promote on twitter and facebook too. All of this is linked together via Pinterest and can be done in a snap!
Show how you’re different
First thing you should know your competition. But next, identify how you are different and SHOW this through your Pinterest. Pinterest is all about visuals. Show your products and write thoughtful and interesting descriptions to highlight how you are different. Do you recycle objects for your artwork? Are you an activist for pets? Do you value family and have great vacation tips? Make sure you put this out there. It’s not only endearing but it creates a individuality that will speak to the right people. So SHARE!
