Pinterest: The Next Big Thing for Business?

logo copyright Pinterest.com

Probably  not. It can be a tool for your business. But just like any new and shiny thing, it should be just that--a tool, not a strategy.

If a tool fits with your overall marketing goals and your customers are there, then it may make sense to use it. Pinterest is working well to drive traffic for online retailers, fashion magazines and Etsy merchants. It can be a great source of traffic for those with visually-oriented goods. Pinterest is all about sharing your own or others' pictures (pinning) on your virtual, themed bulletin boards.  I've found it a great resource for DIY ideas or how-to's about the things I love.

If you're thinking about using it to expand your business reach, sign up and just start pinning and observing first. After a couple of weeks, you can decide whether this is an appropriate spot for you to share photos of business products. But keep in mind, Pinterest is not for business. It's a social sharing site where people go to have fun--they aren't looking for things to buy and don't want to feel as though items are being promoted. Plus you may just get yourself banned.

As with all social networks, it's about the conversation. If you can't add value to the conversation going on around your boards and pins, no one will be interested. At the very least, it's a great place to see what people are doing, see how they are using it, and maybe you'll get some new ideas to use in your business. But beware -- this, like other social tools, can be a big time sucker.

In the words of John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing, "The big message in all of this is clarity of purpose. Until you’re clear on your marketing strategy every new tactic will sound like the next big thing."

If you want to venture into the pinning world, you'll need to be invited. Pinterest rolls out free accounts a little at a time. So go to the site and click the red banner at the top that says "request an invite". It should only be a matter of days before you receive an invite via email. Once you sign up, you can add the Pin It bookmarklet to your browser's toolbar making it easy to pin anything you find around the 'net and wish to share.

I'm using it strictly for fun at the moment. Since I'm a gardener and foodie, I'm finding great fun in pinning visually appealing pictures I'd like to refer back to later. The possibilities for themed boards is endless. It's an easy, fun form of self-expression!

Ciao for now and Happy Pinning!
See my Pinterest boards.
Paula