If you are an avid internet searcher, especially when it comes to DIY projects, wedding ideas or even recipes, you will likely find a link that will lead you to Pinterest. It is a search engine much like Google.
We often think of Pinterest as more of an app for hobbies or crafts and nothing to do with business.
What we might not know is that Pinterest is an up and coming platform with over 200 million users. These are users that are searching for just about anything these days. Users search either out of boredom, ideas, or for ways to make money.
According to Sarah Ankney, an accomplished social media strategist, the newest social media strategy for anyone in business is now Pinterest - just like Facebook and Twitter and even LinkedIn.
So why use Pinterest instead of Google?
Because it now has more user-based content. It has more images on a page than Google, and it is a FREE resource to get so much more than you could have ever imagined.
Although Google has been the “go-to” for traditional searches, it will not help you form ideas from that particular search. You must already have the idea in mind of what you want to search for. Once you have searched for the topic on Pinterest, it will show you content based on that idea such as boards, pins and people to follow.
In the 2017 article “6 Compelling Reasons You Should Use Pinterest for Marketing” by Jessica Meher, she presents a startling fact. Pinterest has hit more than 10 million unique visitors, making it one of the fastest growing websites ever. Pinterest provides long term web-traffic, meaning that pins last for a long time giving you a greater return of investment on the information that is shared.
Although Facebook has been one of the biggest forces for many small businesses, the organic reach plummeted in 2015 as it moved from being a free resource to a paid media source. Facebook began requiring a business to pay for sponsored and boosted posts to get views, and there are restrictions in place. Pinterest allows one to share much more. From links to your writing, products/services, helpful videos, graphics...who knew?
I just typed in “Pinterest for Entrepreneurs” and what popped up is enough for me to want to use it for business. “Unlimited free access to the world’s best ideas”. Has that caught your attention yet?
So, what can Pinterest do for you and your business?
According to Ms. Virtual Maven, Pinterest can do plenty for you if done correctly. She reminds you that Pinterest is not just another social media platform for you to manage. Pinterest is a visual network which many have sought out for inspiration.
How many things have you saved because they either inspired your creative side or motivated you to start something new? This is what Pinterest can do for you. Once you post or “pin” new content and your audience saves it, that same content is shared with their followers. “If you have great helpful content, you will reach many people regardless of how many followers you have.”
Bernadette Geyer of Pinterest for Entrepreneurs: Why? also points out that Pinterest is not the kind of place where an entrepreneur has to be posting every day just to be noticed. There is no pressure to post regularly. One less thing to worry about!
So are you ready to use Pinterest as a way to promote your business?
It really is as simple as organizing your bookmarks and creating boards. Your “digital bulletin boards” will help you and your followers find all your information quickly. Pinterest is a simple tool and game changer for entrepreneurs. So take a Pinterest 101 course and get pinning!
And make sure you check out AMSE’s Pinterest page for info, business tips, and more!
Annette is a military spouse of over 21 years, mother to two teenagers, and a veteran who served in the Army for over seventeen years as a Chemical officer including a deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. She retired and decided to trade in her boots for Converse sneakers to be able to make up for lost time with her children. Since her retirement, she has PCSd from Fort Polk, LA to Fairfax, VA to support her husband's military career. Her blog A Wild Ride Called Life™, LLC. incorporates stories from her post-military life. She shares how she lives life as being a mom and military spouse living with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Along with writing, she also hosts a podcast titled “The Truths We Hide” where she share her story and also hosts guests who share theirs and offer advice to others to help them know that they are not alone.
Annette is a mentor for veterans on Veterati and for military spouses on Ementor. She has a passion for volunteering and volunteers as a mentor for TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for children survivors, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Trauma Survivors Network. She has also been offered a volunteer position with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in which she will be teaching and speaking to college campuses across Northern Virginia and the DC area.
You can check out more about Annette at the following: linktr.ee/a_wild_ride_called_life
