Pinterest is one of the newest kids on the social media block, but in terms of visually powerful media, this one packs a punch. If you are creating products and want to connect with potential customers – even LOCAL ones — Pinterest may be the one for you. It’s an on-line pinboard for all your pics – interests, art, work, hobbies, you name it. You have to “request” an invite, but don’t worry. They’ll invite you.
This is the time to jump on Pinterest, too…it’s just ramping up and you can get on there and experiment. For content creators (read: marketing folks or entrepreneurs like you) — creating visuals that people want to tie their identity to is the fastest way to get things (read: your brand, your “stuff”) SHARED on-line. Create with community in mind.
A couple of cool tips about Pinterest: you can connect with people you’ve never met right in your local area. Search for your city and then connect – it’s that simple. On Facebook, actually knowing the people is the pre-requisite and the polite way to use that social site. Not so on Pinterest — if someone shares an interest or likes your pics (or “pins”) they can follow you and share what you have to offer.
Follow. Follow. Follow. Follow a lot of folks. Upload a lot of pics and drive people to your site to purchase or see more – or both. Really – it’s just that simple.
Some basics: my video today. Why do Pinterest?
Stuck for content ideas? Check out this list….
April 3, 2012
We all get stuck once in a while….stumped. Utterly devoid of ideas. Especially when it comes to Facebook. Heck, even with our personal pages, we can sometimes lack for ideas. SO – to help rattle those good ideas out of you – how about keep a little checklist of these prompts? These are for those rainy days when you just don’t have a good idea…enjoy….
1. Pictures. Pictures, images and photo albums are rather popular with the fans. How does this generate likes? People are visual….that’s why Pinterest is becoming so big. An example? One of the top five Intel Facebook posts of 2011 wasn’t even technically a post; it was the photo album featuring images of new Intel museum in Santa Clara. The post was liked over 17,000 times and with over 1,000 comments.
2. Fill in the blank. Let fans share their own perspective with you. Example would be “I love cupcakes because _____” Believe it or not…this is one of the best performing posts. Please…make it relevant to your business or your industry 
’nuff said.
3. Questions. Asking fans to share their story or point of view is one of the most effective ways to increase engagement on your page. Though simple, this type of post is often overlooked by community managers. “Real or fake?” “What do you think?” “What is your story?”
4. Trivia. Your real brand fans as well as those who are not very well acquainted with your company would appreciate a little bit of trivia or sharing of historical company facts. This is a great one – especially if your company has a long history (or storied past).
5. Quotes. People love quotes. Use them! OK – but let’s make ‘em funny or in-keeping with your messaging strategy….
6. Videos. This one is a no-brainer. Videos, especially the unusual or funny ones, are always welcomed by fans. Rich media like pictures and videos are also one of the most shared formats on Facebook.
7. Celebrate milestones and say thank you. Did you reach an important milestone? Celebrate with the fans! When you reach 1,00o LIKES or you receive overwhelming response to a contest, THANK them!!
8. Call to action. If you want your content shared or your posts to be liked or commented on, ask! Simple “Like [or share] this post if you agree” or “What do you think?” would do the trick. However, use it sparingly.
9. Offer interesting challenges. Quizzes or trivia questions might be interesting to your fans.
10. Polls. Want to know something? Ask your fans! And if you run out of ideas or if your content calendar suffers from the “boring bug” just ask your fans what they would like to see on the page and deliver on their expectations.
And whatever you do, don’t automate your posts. Show your fans you care enough about this community to create a custom message specifically for them every day.
What’s all the hubbub about Pinterest?
February 22, 2012
As someone who pays attention to this whole social media explosion, the recent spike in interest about Pinterest has grabbed my attention. Naturally, I realize it’s a new social media outlet that relies on visuals to connect us all in a frenzy of “pinning,” but there has to be more to it – no?
So – I raise my hand and a flurry of information is quickly swamping my in-box. After reading and deciphering this how-to hurricane, I think I get it now. Remember the other day when I wrote about “getting found” on Google and how backlinks are key to elevating your organic search? Well, Pinterest creates links BUT – and this is a big BUT – it’s not about Google. The links you create with Pinterest are NO FOLLOW links. Instead, Pinterest is about connections, people and driving people to your content DIRECTLY. For example, you have a pic on your blog and you “pin” it to Pinterest. Voila. A link. Pinterest links have marketing value because they allow pinners to encounter your content and visit your pages in just one click. People, not Google, care.
In addition, the Pinterest site now connects with Facebook, according to a recent announcement, enabling users to automatically post new pins to their Facebook feed for others to see. This means more eyes from other channels get access to your pictures. However, remember that you still cannot connect Pinterest to your Facebook business page. Another cool thing is that when members are browsing through pins, they will also have the ability to share posts through Facebook, Twitter or email. This feature is great to boost social sharing and get your evangelists to spread the word about your brand.
These are the basics – and there’s a lot more to read in my in-box. Connection – as always – is the key to any social media, but it’s YOUR CONTENT that will ultimately do the “engaging.”
mary jo cranmore
