Welcome to the fourth in a series of posts about getting started on different social media platforms! Today we are focusing on Pinterest, an image sharing/content curation platform with social features.

Pinterest: The Backstory

Pinterest launched in 2010 and now has over 44 million users. Although initially using Pinterest for marketing was discouraged, features for business users have since expanded.

There are many benefits of setting up a business account on Pinterest, including the ability to verify your website and account, to create Rich Pins with embedded pricing, and to use Promoted Pins to advertise. Pinterest users often use the site to search before shopping, and many brands report that Pinterest users spend significantly more than users referred from other social sites like Facebook. Additionally, Pinterest Pins have a longer shelf life than posts on other social media sites. As a result, creative businesses may reap the benefits of a Pin months or even a year after it is initially linked.

How to Optimize Your Profile

1. If you’re new to Pinterest, set up a business account. Existing account holders can convert here. Use your business name and create a related username.

2. Upload a picture. Pinterest profile images are cropped to a circle, so choose a photo or logo that is centered for best results.

3. Write a short description for your account. Use phrases that include keywords related to your business and the types of content you plan to share.

4. Verify your website. Pinterest has instructions for verification using several methods depending on how your website is configured and hosted.

5. Consider linking your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Basic Pinterest Terms

Pinterest has its own language, just like other social platforms. Learning the basics will help you feel more comfortable on Pinterest.

• Pin images you want to save to boards. Boards can be organized by theme or topic.

• Because Pinterest is very searchable, include a keyword-rich description for every board you create, and choose an appropriate category. Popular categories for creative business owners include Art, Design, DIY & Crafts, Food & Drink, and Photography.

• You can follow other Pinterest users or boards of interest. You do not need to know someone to follow them, nor do they need to approve your follow.

• You can see how many people you follow (following) and how many people follow you (followers) on your Pinterest profile page.

• Pins are the posts you add on Pinterest. When possible, choose images that are portrait orientation or square. Because Pins have a fixed width but the height is adjustable, horizontal images appear very small on Pinterest.

• You can also upload images to Pin to represent articles without visuals. More details are available in this post in the Pinterest Help Center.

• You can also share, or repin, images other users have added to Pinterest.

• Group Boards are a great way to meet people on Pinterest and share your Pins with a wider audience.

• Group Boards often have specific guidelines for membership, Pin content, and Pin frequency in the description.

• If you’ve linked up your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts, remember that you can share Pins directly to those networks.

Now what?

Now that your business account is set up and you know the basic language of Pinterest, start Pinning! If you find yourself ready to dive more deeply into to Pinterest, you may enjoy these two episodes of the Creative Yarn Entrepreneur Show:

• 10 Ways to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Business (In Just Minutes A Day)

• Going Beyond the Basics with Pinterest for Your Yarn-Related Business

Once you start Pinning, you may find that it changes the way you share images on your own website or online marketplaces, too.

 

Are you already using Pinterest? What are your tips for getting started?