Guide to Pinterest
Guest blog article by Camille McClane, researcher, writer, and editor.
Inbound Marketing is the most cost effective method for attracting new leads and turning strangers into happy customers. Pinterest is just one platform that e-Commerce merchants should quickly use to their advantage, along with other social media sites that if used correctly, will help you make your first sale. Here are the major do's and don'ts of using Pinterest in your brand’s best interest.
Image Quality
When you think of Pinterest do you think of words? No, you think of Polaroid-shaped squares of color. You think of puppies, kittens, DIY projects, interior design, and the next scrumptious meal you’re going to attempt. Sure, sometimes using a certain hashtag will generate a little more traffic towards a specific post, but what counts on Pinterest are the images.
Do
- Use high resolution, high-quality, colorful images that will catch your viewers’ eyes.
- Post original content as often as possible. Pinterest viewers will see that you’re actually adding something new to the arena, instead of simply recirculating old ideas.
Use your cover image to its utmost advantage. Choose an image that best describes the specific board and use one that is highly graphic and pops out at your page visitors.
Don’t
- Use low-quality images that are pixelated and are therefore completely unattractive to the viewer.
- Use unoriginal content (at least not without crediting the source) that a viewer has likely seen before.
Again, use low-quality images. Resist the urge at all costs to post a terrible, unedited, low-resolution, pixelated photo, even if you think it has everything else going for it. One bad post can seriously damage your reputation.
Pin Organization
Pinterest viewers are more likely to follow a board that is organized to perfection. If there is a major imbalance between the number of posts on each of your boards, page visitors will be less likely to follow all of them.
Do
- Make pinning a habit. Give yourself 10 minutes to a half hour every day, or every other day, and you’re viewers will see they can expect great things from you, all the time. Utilizing any part of the internet for e-Commerce is all about activity. There’s no point in following an inactive Pinterest, blog, or insert website here.
- Post a variety of pins on a regular basis. There is truly nothing more annoying to a Pinner than having to scroll through a feed of 100 monotonous posts from the same Pinterest user just to find something a little more interesting from someone else.
Don’t
- Post all your pins once a year, or go on a rampant pinning spree. If you only post once a month or even once a week, users will see how inconsistent you are and likely fall off the bandwagon.
- Ignore the look of your boards. Does that post look a little strange next to that old one from last week? You can rearrange your pins so they look fantastic while they’re viewed as a whole.
Descriptions
You know that little space just underneath the image that is “required” and invites you to make an effort to write about your post? Use it to your advantage! Good descriptions, along with great images, are one of the best ways to turn strangers into customers and promoters.
Do
- Use the description space to connect with other brands and store owners. If you choose to repin another brand’s post, make sure to explain why it’s relevant to your image as a company. Give credit where credit is due and you’ll likely make a new eCommerce friend; one that may be willing to repost your original content as well.
- Well-crafted words can give viewers more of a reason to follow your blog. When you use a description space
Don’t
- Even think about being “rebellious” and pressing the spacebar to get out of writing a proper description. You’re only doing your brand a disservice by not linking relevant text and hashtagging prominent key words.
- Use incorrect spelling, punctuation, or grammar. You don’t want your Pinterest to look haphazard and sloppy. Your viewers will only think you don’t have the time or interest to try and connect with them.
While Pinterest is one of many social media platforms you can use as a marketing strategy, these dos and don’ts will certainly ensure that you’re following the right track to making your first sale or simply generating more traffic to your brand.
About Camille McClane
Camille McClane is a writer, researcher and editor, who frequently blogs about about web hosting and social media. Her favorite subject to focus on is emerging technology trends and its overall effect within business expansion and relations. She hopes the readers of Eyemagine enjoy this article as much as she enjoyed writing it!
