4 Reasons to Use Pinterest For Your Small Business
By Shelby Ballou
Digital-savvy small business owners have discovered that creating and sharing online content, such as blog posts, videos, and even podcasts, can be a very effective way to bring in and retain loyal customers.
But once you’ve created your content, how do you share it with the masses? Better yet, how do you share it with your target audience?
Pinterest can help! Here are four reasons your small business should be using Pinterest.
- Increases traffic to your website
Pinterest is a visual bookmarking system that people use to find, collect, and share things (from recipes to blog articles to clothing, and everything in-between) that interest them. The images they collect, otherwise known as “pins”, link back to the website they came from. So, how can you benefit from this? If you create a free account, build a few boards, and start pinning your content, Pinterest users will have a direct way to access your website. Better yet, if those users start pinning and sharing your pins, all of their followers will see them, and exposure to your website will build. In order to ensure that a large audience is able to view your pins, write a detailed and thorough description for each pin, using key words and phrases that people are likely to use when searching for content similar to yours. - Group boards increase content visibility
Group boards are collaborative boards that multiple Pinterest users can contribute to. These boards are extremely valuable if you’re new to Pinterest and don’t have many followers. By pinning to group boards where your content is relevant, you increase content visibility/brand exposure. You can also gain new followers who enjoy your content. - Helps improve your Google Search ranking
Some (often larger) companies hire Search Engine Optimization experts to help them improve their search ranking. However, for smaller businesses with budget constraints, this isn’t always an option. Luckily, Pinterest can help you improve your Google Search ranking. By having relevant, keyword-rich pin descriptions and related keywords in the pin’s URL, you’ll increase the odds that your Pinterest boards appear in Google Search. By climbing the ranks of Google Search, your Pinterest will give your website more exposure, and thus bring in more customers. - Effort is long-lasting
Pinterest pins have a long shelf life, unlike Facebook updates and tweets on Twitter. Once you pin your content to Pinterest, it’s visible to new followers and discoverable through relevant keywords on Pinterest search. It’s not unusual for pins to randomly experience surges of traffic long after they’re pinned, especially if the topic is seasonal. This can also happen if a Pinterest user with a large following pins your content. On Pinterest, people can revisit your content again and again and again.
By creating a free Pinterest account for your small business and sharing your content by utilizing these four tips, you’ll increase exposure and traffic to your website, which will inevitably bring in new customers to your business.
