By Rachel Newman
Are you in the cloud? No, not the “cloud” program that ensures your information is stored outside of your hard drive. I’m referring to that cloudy feeling each business owner and social media manager is familiar with when you have taken on more than you can handle.
New social networking sites crop up each day. Some fall by the wayside, but others pick up steam and come barreling through our offices and inboxes. How do we know which to participate in? Which will be worthwhile for our business? Which can increase revenue and awareness? It can be hard for a business to decide.
The latest social media site to bloom into an “it-thing” is Pinterest, a website that mimics an actual pin board, allowing its subscribers to pin articles and photos to their pages and share with their followers. While the benefits of this service for a business may not be evident at first, consider the how quickly a photo of your product could travel, pushing throngs of new consumers to your website.
Sounds enticing, right? Before you jump on this bandwagon though, ask yourself “do I have the time and resources to devote to this?” Pintrest, just like every other social media site, requires constant attention and updates, and when your page goes without that attention, you can actually do more harm to your business than if your profile never existed at all.
Here are some things to consider if you’re pinterested in this endeavor:
Ladies or Gentlemen? Pinterest is a website that is primarily dominated by women users. If your demographic falls heavily on the male side, then this website may not be worth your time.
B2B or B2C? Pinterest is far easier to use and utilize if you are business that caters to consumers and not to other businesses. B2B business can still do well and generate interest in their company on Pinterest, but will probably have to invest more time and energy into the website.
Product or Service? Because Pinterest is fueled by photos, design and visual articles, companies that are selling a product and not a service will have a much easier time integrating Pinterest into their online marketing strategies.
Industry? Are you in any one of these industries – fashion, cooking, crafting, event? If you are, then it is almost a no brainer that you should join Pintrest. If you find yourself outside of the obvious, ask if you are willing to go above and beyond what you do and sell to make a name for yourself on the site.
Businesses that consider Pinterest an opportunity to brand their company, expand on their mission and use their voice will be successful. Take, for example, a home remodeling company who uses Pinterest to share DIY ideas and photos. This doesn’t directly sell their service, but it creates awareness and further brands their company as a helpful visionary in the industry.
Pinterest’s ability to drive new consumers to website they would have otherwise never seen is vast. The opportunities to grow your business are endless, but it takes time and creativity. BBB says approach, but approach cautiously. For more information about social media opportunities, visit the San Diego BBB website. Follow your BBB on Twitter, and like them on Facebook.
