This is a guest post by Jessica Kupferman of Badass Biz.
We all know everyone’s been talking about Pinterest – that it’s the fastest growing site on the Internet, that it sends more referral traffic to websites than Twitter now, and, of course, how it’s been storming the social media world. Are there good reasons why you as business bloggers should be paying attention? Below are 5 great reasons why
1. #3 Is Not The Loneliest Number
As of March, Pinterest is the number 3 social media website, right after Facebook and then Twitter. What does it mean to be #3? It means that in the month of March, Pinterest received 104 million visits (not unique visitors) – right after Twitter’s 182 million and Facebook’s 7 billion. (Yes, that says 7 billion! But that’s another story.) So if you’re investing tons of time on LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, or anything else, perhaps it’s time to shift a little effort in the direction of Pinterest.
Maybe you’re thinking that if everyone jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, it doesn’t mean you should do it too. Well, when it comes to popular social media channels, yes, it does! You should go where the audience goes. If your audience is on Pinterest, get to steppin’! Set up an account on Pinterest and go through the process of creating a keyword-friendly profile. Then look through the pins and get started! Denise has a great article in her archives on how to get started.
2. Traffic To Your Posts
When you share your blog posts on Pinterest, you can get some crazy boosts to your website traffic. Why? Each of your pins from your blog leads back to your website, so Pinterest users can read the articles. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, which depend on the user to see your article in their news feed, Pinterest encourages users to search by category, and also to follow BOARDS by category, not just follow users only. So your article topic will be found faster, and by a more engaged audience.
It doesn’t mean EVERYTHING you post should be from your own site – just like all other social media sites, you need to interact with others and share other content throughout the web besides your own. But creating a board with your own content is a great way for people to share your stuff – and when you’re interacting with others, they’ll check out YOUR boards and hopefully share and repin!
3. A Whole New Audience
Pinning your content isn’t enough. Much like when you started on Twitter, you’re going to want to follow people with similar interests, or interesting boards and comment on their pins, and get to know them a little. Many Pinterest users aren’t going to be people who already know you on Twitter and Facebook, thus giving you a new opportunity to reach a more visual crowd. Yes, you can connect with those Facebook and Twitter people – but the real gem of expansion here is to start following and commenting on people you’ve never heard of – do a search on your topic and check out the individual pins that pop up and then start sharing and commenting on them. Your audience will grow before you know it!
4. Amazing Market Research
You can really learn a lot by seeing what people are pinning from your site. If one article is being pinned like crazy, and other things aren’t getting as much attention, perhaps that’s a subject you should spend more time on. You can put your website address into this link and see what’s been pinned from your website – it can be very telling. http://pinterest.com/source/yourwebsite.com
When you use this link, Pinterest will pull all the images that have ever been pinned from your website. You’ll get to see what people are moved by – and what they aren’t. Take note and change accordingly – it’s visual proof that the track you’re traveling down is the right one.
5. A Much More Well-Rounded Branding Experience
I’ve been saying for years that people should marry more the personal with the professional online. I personally get way more business when I reveal more personal things about myself through my blog, or when I admit I got a run in my pantyhose, or showed a recipe that I DIDN’T ruin, or whatever. People are then invested in YOU – your successes and failures – business or otherwise. Your audiences on social media channels can be more interested in the personal aspects of what’s going on with you and your business, and Pinterest is a great way to show them the personal – maybe more so than Facebook.
A board on Pinterest can be a collection of your favorite things – your favorite entrepreneurs, your favorite products, your wishlists – and often times, those are the things that get the most attention, shares and repins. I personally have boards showing products I can’t live without, famous quotes, pictures of personal heroes, and so on. They help the audience really feel invested in you – and in turn, it creates a more loyal readership and customer base.
Want more in-depth info? Jessica and her partner in Badass Biz, Sammi Johnson will be sharing the nitty gritty on how to use Pinterest for Business Blogs April 25 during a FREE 1 hour training! This webinar will fill up fast. Get details and register here now.
About the Author:
Jessica Kupferman is the Founder and Technotherapist of Badass Biz – a design, marketing and tech firm that helps small biz owners implement low cost and easy solutions to market their digital badassery. Always plugged into the latest in social media and design technology, Jessica is a creative and engaging expert web designer, branding specialist, speaker, and gifted social media strategist.
Jacqueline Fairbrass
Thanks for sharing. Great ideas here. I have dabbled a little with Pinterest but wasn’t really getting it. This article does definitely shed some light on what it’s about.
Melissa
Thank you for this post. I have just started adding articles from my blog. However, the images I used in the blog post do not show up. I get the images from the side bars. Does this mean I have to make a custom pin by saving the image and directing the link to my page, rather than just uploading from the page?
Denise Wakeman
Thanks for your question, Melissa. I’ve asked Jessica Kupferman to pop over and respond, because I’m not sure how to answer or what the image issue is caused by.
Jessica
When I use the pin it bookmarker, and when I use the Google chrome extension, I can see the images from the blog AND the sidebar images. So it’s working for me – you just have to search until you find that image. I think what would be helpful would be in WordPress, the Pin it! button on your posts – because you have beautiful photos. I know you’re in Blogger – but maybe it’s time for a switcheroo!
Winnie
Great article. Thanks for sharing
Sustainable Earth
Missed the live version, but thanks for making it available as a replay.
Grumpy Educator
OK, I’ll just say it…I’m a grumpy old guy who has no interest in social sites. On the other hand, if you own a website, Google will get you…sooner or later, if you don’t take the plunge.
My question is: how do you find someone, without breaking the bank, to handle Facebook, Twitter, Pininterest etc. for you?
Jupiter Jim
Jessica,
Absolutely love this post! So many social media sites, so little time! Where do we spend our time? Well, this is the first article that really clearly articulated what we can do with Pinterest to actually help our blog and not just put pretty pictures up! Thanks so much for explaining everything so clearly!
~ Jupiter Jim
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Yay! See you on the call!
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Thanks, Rachel – glad you liked it!
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Yes, especially with the #3 status these days – sign up for the webinar, too!
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Thanks, Michelle!
Rebecca Macfarlane
I have been reading article after article about Pintrest, and haven’t quite seen how to use it as a business owner yet – until now! Thank you for this! I am going to spend my evening playing with Pinterest!!! 🙂
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Whoo hoo! Go, Rebecca!
Inga Deksne
I discovered Pinterest only a month ago, I usually warm up slowly to something that had become popular very quickly. I love it, though I barely can find time to pin my boards, so I didn’t have time to interact with others. I want to explore it more, there are so many interesting things one can discover. Thanks for the post.
Chuck Bartok
Inga,
Take your time, but it is strongly suggested to populate 3-4 boards with your true passions BEFORE you follow others. When I am notified of a follower and see empty space I am unlikely to return
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Agree, I rarely follow people with little to no pins. He’s right!
Cynthia
I love Pinterest. I had never thought about using it to promote my own blog! But granted, I am only just now figuring out how all of this social media works together.
Thanks for the tip
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Please sign up for the webinar to learn more! It’ll be super informative, I promise.
Bri Saussy
This was actually super helpful to me! I have had a pinterest account from the early days but I have been unsure about how to leverage it-thank you so much!
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Hi Bri! Yes, I had one for the longest time as well, and used it to help my sister in California plan her new nursery when she was pregnant. But since then, boy has my outlook changed!
Katelyn Mariah
OK I surrender! I will go figure out how to use Pinterest. I have a page but I felt so confused about how to use it that I didn’t do anything. Thanks for sharing the reasons why I want to run to Pinterest and start pinning.
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Yes – we’ll get much more in depth in the webinar. But glad you’re getting started!
Mel
Interesting, I loved Pinterest, but I left because of their terms and conditions. I actually now made my content (I am a photographer) unpinnable… I really didn’t want at any point be sued for pinning a photo that didn’t link back properly to its original source or knowing that I actually had not asked for permission to pin. Pinterest requires you to have the right to pin the photos, so it’s a bit sticky.
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Mel – it’s actually no different than using Facebook to share/pin your stuff. If you watermark, you can use Pinterest without worry, just make sure it’s linking back to your stuff and it’s well watermarked. The chances of you being sued for pinning a photo are as good as the chances of you being sued for sharing an article on Facebook – most likely, nil.
Brandy Walker
I LOVE Pinterest and I’ve definitely started to use it as a marketing tool. I dig what you said about research, tho. I hadn’t thought of that!
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Yay! Please let me know how it goes.
Chuck Bartok
As always great Content!
Pinterest has risen to be the first and second Referral site for several of our clients. Following through we are finding the Pinterest directed visitor is also BUYING more readily!
Isn’t that a shame….~~smile~~
Nona Jordan
Oh my, that is SO cool!! I’ve been playing around with Pinterest in my business and now I’m going to use it in a much more directed way – thank you so much for the great tips!! xoxo
Jessica Carpel Kupferman
Thanks, Nona!
Dave Lucas
Interesting how Pinterest “came out of nowhere” – upsetting the apple carts of those “blogging gurus” who pretend to know all there is to know about the art of keeping weblogs. I joined Pinterest by accident, and I’m really glad I did … not so much for the traffic it has brought, but for the unique people it has introduced me to … bloggers I otherwise would never have come in contact with!
DeniseWakeman
Dave, I agree, I’ve discovered a lot of great new content on Pinterest. Thanks for stopping by and blog on!
Louise Myers
Wonderful tips, Jessica. I’m looking forward to the webinar, as I’m still working on making the most of Pinterest! I only need an extra hour or two in my day 😉
DeniseWakeman
Glad to know you’ll be joining us on the webinar, Louise!