Pinterest: Not Just for Cakes and Kittens

When Pinterest first started, it was a predominantly female platform, known for its “fluff” appeal. Many business-to-business (B2B) companies wrote it off, claiming that women who frequently posted cakes and kittens weren’t ideal target audiences. However, this fluffy network is turning out some serious statistics and has grown well beyond its do-it-yourself crowd. As the platform extends its reach, many B2B businesses are forced to reconsider.

If your company is among them or is thinking about adding Pinterest to its social sphere, here are some things you might want to consider:

1. The power of a good hashtag still applies. Hashtags are usually only thought of when Twitter is in question, but Pinterest actually works in the same way. Using hashtags makes pins searchable and boosts rankings in Google, Yahoo, Bing and the like. With every pin, try to include one.

2. Pinterest is a referral site, so refer! Unlike Facebook and LinkedIn, Pinterest is designed to lead users off its platform. Whether by design or flaw, this provides companies with a prime opportunity to post website links without people considering them spam.

3. Content is still king. The popular saying still applies: You need good content to develop good leads. On Pinterest, many B2B businesses are finding success by posting infographics. Others are generating buzz around e-book and guide covers. The trend among the B2B crowd is research—good research—that is visually displayed.

4. Original content does not mean new content. Good news! What’s new to Pinterest can be old to you. Website photos, banners and even ads can be posted to Pinterest and shared like new. Just keep in mind that the material needs to be interesting. The rest will be taken care of by pinners.

5. When in doubt, track. Pinterest has learned from its social media predecessors and has decided to provide tools for tracking. PinReach.com, Pintics.com and Pinerly.com do an excellent job of deciphering pins. More importantly, everyone seems to be using them, which provides industry standards.