38 Ideas For Your Pinterest Strategy
07/27/2012
Pinterest continues to fascinate me by it's simplicity and ease of use.
However, if you peak behind the curtain it holds a similar sophistication to that of Twitter. Who would have thought we'd call a 140 text platform sophisticated communication?
Where this new visual social network will take us is the guess of crystal ball gazers and social media pundits. Neither of which am I.
I'm just a working gal who loves, not necessarily the technology, but the promise of what it can do to bring business back to the corner grocery story relationship. (C.B Whittemore's post) For me the two driving benefits of social media have always been:
- 1. Build and nuture relationships
- 2. Tell the story of the brand through the people who are its heart: employees and customers
If you get those right it's a marketing two step along the way to making the cash register ring. Oh by the way, don't drink so much of the Koolaid that you believe a sales is a direct result of Only a tweet or status update or even a pin.
As part of client work and creating workshops on Pinterest I develope a running list of ideas. Some are strategic and others more tactical but I thought I'd pass them along to help you frame your adventure (and it should be!) in the visual world of Pinterest.
Strategy
1. Determine how graphics as linked to content can align with your brand values brand promise
2. Determine how Pinterest will support your goals and business outcomes
3. Determine if your Pinterest page will support a specific segment or the brand at-large
4. Critical: determine your content direction that goes beyond your brands or company messaging
Board and Pin Creation
1. Include search engine optimize key words in bio, board and pin descriptors
2. Link images that you upload to an appropriate web/blog page. Amazing how many people forget to include a URL.
3. First rule of Pinterest Etiquette: never change the source link of images ‘borrowed’ from a website not your own
4. Build your Pinterest page as if it were a book: boards = chapters, pins = content body
5. Create a bio board that can be used as a “media page” for solopreneurs/small business owners
6. Create media/news board for larger businesses
7. Arrange boards in order of importance and change as needed the order as appropriate. For example, your Fourth of July board can be brought to the end until next year when you can move it to a more prominent position.
8. In creating your pin look at it through the lens of a great ad: strong visual, headline that grabs, copy that supports.
9. Board names should be creative but descriptive key words are a bonus.
10. Identify sites will you not pin (from)
Content
1. Although your pins should reflect your brand values/promise (Strategy #1) not all pins should be directly related to your products, services or company (Strategy #5). This is so important that I felt it belonged in Strataegy and Content.
2. Three pillars of Pinterest content direction: inspire, inform, imagine
3. Test live pinning for events/tradeshows. If you can't link pins to a site in real time (at the event) go back at a later time to add those important URLs. Example: Oscar De La Renta Bridal Show .. it's really cool .. go on click but come back please. To view the story read from the bottom up.
4. Create collaborative boards with clients and colleagues. Added bonus multiple pinners increase awareness of the board.
5. Review content that you’ve posted in other social networks. How can it be repurposed for Pinterest?
6. Review content that is not on digital properties e.g. white papers. How can they be included on your digital assets such as websites or blogs so that you can include them on Pinterest?
7. Test “pin it” contests. Keep in mind they will not come unless you tell them. Build an awarenss strategy into the overall plan. Example: Elizabeth Arden's PinItToGiveIt Cause Marketing used social media (Facebook, Twitter, bloggers) and traditional media (PR/Events-BlogHer). #PinChat with Christine Bennett, Manager PR for Elizabeth Arden.
8. Use Pinterest to support campaigns and programs runnng in other media
9. Pin to help your fans “create” not curate their boards
10. Take your community “behind the scenes” of your company e.g. a day in the life of …
11. Be mindful of copyrights. If in doubt reach out to the author, artist and ask for permission. Bonus you'll develop new relationships.
12. Protect your images with watermarks that include your URL or at the very least your company name. Example: Bella Cupcake
13. .Create a board to tell the story of your company/brand. Great examples from the State of Maryland Pitch Contest. Check out the Diva Marketing interview I conducted with Zoe Pagonis, Governor Martin O’Malley’s New Media Manager.
14. Highlight employees in creative and fun ways that go behind “business” accomplishments e.g. pets, shoes, sports interests, favorite quotes
Awareness
1. Cross post on social networks
2. Follow the people who follow you. Note: Following boards versus pages may be less overwhelming to your stream.
3. Comment on people's repin of your pins. It's nice to get an acknowledgment and never know where the relationship or conversations might lead. My comment on Irene Turner's board let to a new author for All The Single Girlfriends and a great new friend.
4. Build “pinner relations” programs
5. Add Pinterest links to support your media releases
6. Since Facebook does not allow for 'pinning' if you upload a graphic that might make for a great pin consider serving it on your blog/website or Flickr instead.
7. Add Pinterest link/Icon to Home page of your website And on the footer.
Research and Consumer Insights
1. Consumer insights for product development
2. Consumer insights support customer persona development
3. Completive intelligence
4. Consumer insights to understand meaning of the “ordinary” of every day life. For example what does "family" mean?
Bonus: Be Strategically Fun!
Pinterest Pinning For Business Learning Series
