What is pinterest?
Simply put, it’s a virtual, all over the interwebs, ginormous pin board that is even more addictive than Facebook,as if such a thing was possible. As I found out 3.5 weeks ago, after ignoring my invite for 3 months.
“Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.
Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”
That’s their spiel. But as I see it, there’s way, way, way more to it.
When google analytics showed me that pinterest was now the # 1 referrer of traffic to my Facebook page in just 2 weeks, ahead of even this website, I KNEW it was gold.
It has huge potential for small business owners, self employed people, big business, brands, solopreneurs, bloggers, coaches, pretty much … everyone. How? Let me count the ways.
Here are 50 ways small businesses and self employed professionals and creatives can market using pinterest:
- Sell your products and services
- Build interest and awareness about upcoming events, services, products, branding etc
- Offer discounts to pinterest followers
- Hold contests for your business
- Promote your upcoming book in storyboard form (or get ideas for writing)
- Create a visual representation of your business
- Establish your expertise, go-to-ness and helpfulness by sharing useful, valuable information
- Make different boards for different topics to segment your audience so people can choose what they want to follow instead of having to follow all your boards (good for targeted followers)
- Create and build your community in 5 ways
- Get inspired, motivated and creative
- Do market research for new product ideas
- Ask questions and learn new things from those in your field
- Build your brand by showcasing your blog and website
- Share tips and images relevant to your industry (even if you haven’t created them yourself)
- Create your own images and imbed urls in them
- Collect valuable resources for clients and readers
- Collaborate on projects
- Find images and infographics to use in your blog posts
- Connect with your tribe in a more personal way
- Create videos and pin them on a special board (thus hitting the auditory AND visual buttons)
- Add your pinterest url to your digital signature & in your ezine for more exposure
- Brighten up the day with some funnies – regular happy breaks = more productive work 😉
- Increase website traffic! Link your pictures to your website or Facebook fan page and get new sources of traffic (pinterest is now the # 2 traffic referrer to my Facebook page, ahead of even this site!)
- Use your keywords to describe these boards (yay, SEO)
- Share your pins on your social media networks
- Let your style attract your right people (esp if you’re a personal stylist, designer etc)
- Redo your home office
- Find things to do on a budget
- Create tutorials and “how to” series via images or videos
- Do reviews & recommendations of products people want, even if not yours
- Inspire people – no matter what your business, you are always in the business of inspiration
- Create a vision board and amp up your daily manifesting
- Use interesting images to get peoples’ attention
- Grow your community and network the right way
- Showcase your portfolio
- Find useful time management, productivity and lifestyle information (although to be fair, time management will go for a toss – it’s even more addictive than facebook .. but a lot more useful)
- Use it like a search engine – search terms to find revelant information, get insights and ideas for your business
- It’s a visual representation of real time trends just like twitter
- Collect ideas for website design
- Find and follow like minded people (comment on their pins & repin them to connect)
- Share your favourite books, connect with your fave authors (interview them, learn from them)
- Share travel destinations (great for travel bloggers, travel agents, destination home owners, bed & breakfasts etc), recipes (food bloggers) and so on
- Share generously, not just your own content but that of others
- Use it to shine and be authentic, it’s a powerful platform for you and your work
- Give your boards interesting, simple, and descriptive names to make it easier for people to find and follow
- Facebook is a social connection network, pinterest is about ideas, inspiration, design, visual appeal, and has a high aspirational aspect
- Follow a few big names to get started, leave comments, tag people
- Add the pin it button to your browser and pin anything on the web
- Put a pin it widget on your website so readers can bookmark & share your posts and images on pinterest
- Get intentional – are you looking to drive traffic to your blog, create awareness for your services, build a brand, connect with people, get ideas, share, or .. ?
If you found this post useful, please bookmark, pin, and share it with others, thanks!
- What other ways have you seen pinterest be used for business?
- Did any of these ideas help you? I’d love to hear from you!
- Oh and I have a handful of pinterest invites – if you’d like one, leave a comment below and I’ll email you one.
You can also connect with me on pinterest and check out the Marketing your Business with Pinterest board where I’ve collected some great articles and posts to help you use pinterest effectively.
Got questions, thoughts, feedback? Happy pinning!
PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS ARTICLE. You may link back to it, but copying more than 1-2 points is NOT appreciated, and pasting the ENTIRE article on your site with a tiny link somewhere amounts to plagiarism! If you have done this, please remove it asap. Thank you.
________________________________________________________________________________________
** Want MORE BLISS and less stress in your life? Inner Sparkle: The 21 Day eCourse is made for you. Click here to get inspired. Happy. Sparkly. **
________________________________________________________________________________________
About Tia & Your Life YOUR Way:
Life Coach / Awesomeness Inciter + Inner Sparkle Activator Tia Sparkles offers tips, advice, community hug-a-thons to ignite your Inner Sparkle — that shimmery part of your spirit that says YES to courage + connection, and NO WAY to ‘shoulds’ + restrictions.
She loves Nutella, New Zealand, Yoda, & Sparkles.
Awesome sharing,
Im inspired to start working on mg business idea, using this medium
🙂
D
Great! Let me know if you need an invite 🙂
Tia —
Interesting. I do wonder if the SOPA-style laws that congress seems hell-bent on foisting on us could prove to be a problem with Pinterest at some point, but this new platform certainly has my attention.
And, yes, if you’re offering an invite, I’d be delighted.
Thank you,
— Daniel
That gives me the chills, Daniel! It has the potential to severely impact the widespread of of pinterest – heck, that would probably shut the site down? I’ve found a few of my own creations floating around the web and turning up in the unlikeliest of places so now I stamp them with my url but really, it’s virtually impossible to find sources these days unless people actively use watermarks etc. Invite on the way!
Love Pinterest! So addictive! Right now I am just enjoying the site! 🙂 But this is a great list, Tia!
Cheers Vidya! You can grow your blog audience via pinterest even while just enjoying it 😉 seriously, start today!
Curious… How can you use pinterest to help grow your own blog audience? It’s been asked before it it’s tacky to post your own things on your own pin boards… what do you think? : )
This is a great resource dear Tia! I recently joined Pinterest and I am in love and tickled by the possibilities! I am such a visual & spatial person..Thanks for the juicy ideas here. Let’s go play!
You’re welcome, Marjory! I just collected the ideas from what I’ve seen people doing – it’s a fun playground. See you there!
Tia,
Mahalo for this post. I have been a bit afraid to jump in. Your post made me realize it is in fact how my brain thinks. PLEASE send me an invite. I’ll connect with you right away and start using it as my art board for what I do.
Loved your info here!
Aloha wags!
Hey lady, come on in the water’s fine! Glad you decided to take the plunge, just sent you your invite <3 Warning: You WILL get addicted and fall madly in love with it ;)!
Thanks for this article. I’ve just joined pinterest and trying to figure out to connect it to Zen Mama.
Hi Betsy! Do you mean linking it to your site? When you upload a pic, once it’s done, hit the edit button and you’ll see a box for the url – that’s where you tack on your website/facebook links. If you’re pinning straight from the web using pinmarklet, it usually pulls in the url from whatever page you’re on then (can be edited). Lmk if that helps or if you meant something else entirely. Cheers! T
*grin* thank you..I love the visual creative expression so now I must check it out..my thought is that I will get sucked right in–creating and viewing–so when I am absent from my site this week, Tia, and my children are starving because I am loving this new forum and have no time to cook, but I am fulfilled, we shall thank you:)
I love new and different!
Thank me and blame me both at once! Hey, let your kids create their own boards too ~ then no one will remember they haven’t eaten.. er.. wait … that means each person has to have their own device with which to waste hours of perfectly good time! Ok … slinking out of here … *hands-in-pocket-whistling-nonchalantly-with-innocent-who-me-look-on-face* .. oh what the heck, SEE YOU THERE!
Hi Tia,
thanks a lot for this great post on how to use pinterest for business, i will definitaley use it as a guide. It would be great *please* if you have an invitation for me, thanks a lot.
My pleasure, Lara. Invite on the way!
Thanks for all the great ideas! This is one place where I haven’t dipped my toes – yet. Always looking for new ways to connect with new people!
Paige, I’ll send you an invite – you’ll love it! Seriously .. I am more into pinterest these days instead of my personal FB (although I love my Your Life YOUR Way page). And like I said, # 1 referrer to my Facebook page ahead of even my website :O I’m going to start linking more pix to my website now.
You know, Tia (well…you really don’t know yet…but you will in a second!) – I’ve been wondering about Pinterest and how it worked. I’ve been hearing a lot – and thinking about how it all ties together. And then – you write this!! You’re genius!!! (THAT…you knew already!!)
If I could pin a hug onto your Pinterest wall (is that what it’s called??) – I would!!!
xoxo
Hehe. Yep, that I knew already but it’s great to hear it again, muahahahha. Okay, enough flattery (nooo don’t stop!), are you on it yet or do you need an invite? xoxo, T
If you have an invite, that awesome!! (I’m not on it, yet…)
xoxo
Yep, I seem to have tons! Sent!
This was highly recommended by my sister. I’m interested in promoting my business. Appreciate the invite!
Awesome! Who’s your sis, anyone I know? Just emailed you an invite. Pinster!
Thanks for this post, Tia! I just jumped in a couple days ago…after watching the Pinterest cork bobbing along in my stream in the form of an invite for weeks.
Your post confirms and highlights much of what initially inspired me to take the plunge. This is going to be F U N !!!
And PS… I pinned this post on my newly created “Joy of Brilliancy LOA Vortexy Peeps Pins” board. 😀
YAY! Thanks Debs! ALways an A-1 day when I see your bubbly self here <3
Hello! This is my first visit on your blog, I was actually searching for information about Pinterest. I would be very happy if you could send me an invite 🙂 Thank you.
It’s in your inbox, Andrea! Welcome to YLYW 🙂 Have fun!
Excellent as always, Tia! I am a Pinterest addict, and had given only the slightest thought to ramping up my coaching site’s visibility there. This is such a great post to help us take the leap into using what we have available to better ourselves!
BTW, I saw that you are following me – that made my day!
Keep being you – you are amazing and an inspiration!
Kind regards,
Susan
Muchos gracias, Susan! What a gorgeous comment 🙂 smiling ear to ear! And yes, start using it today to ramp up your business presence. Cheers! T
This is fabulous…so much to see, share and indulge. I can see great potential for businesses…thank you for this blog!
Glad it was useful for you, Chris! Connect with me on pinterest when you get there! If you need an invite, let me know. Cheers!
If you have an invite for me that would be great. I would love to explore this further! Thank You.
Done! Check your inbox!
Thank you.
Tia,
Thank you so much for explaining this. I only heard about Pinterest last week and was wondering what it was all about. Great and thorough job! It looks like a lot of fun too.
It’s pretty darn awesome! Thanks for the kind words 🙂 Lmk if you’d like an invite! xo, T
Tia,
Thank you so much. I want to say yes to the invite but I’m soo on overwhelm with a couple projects right now. Can I take you up on it in the Spring when things settle down? xoxo,
Angela
Sure! This invite gets you in right away, but if you’re waiting till spring, you can just accept it then or sign up on the site 🙂 good to have boundaries and focus!
Hi Tia,
I just recently heard about Pinterest and love the concept. Your post makes it sound even better than I imagined. Who knew it’s so versatile? I was wondering how to get and invite so if you have any left, I’d love to be included.
Sure thing! Ask and ye shall receive 🙂 And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Wow. Great suggestions, Tia! I keep hearing people talk about Pinterest… but really had no idea what it was. Can’t wait to start playing!
Great! Glad to be of service. Are you on it already?
Yep. Just signed up!
Yay! See you there!
Hey Tia,
Now you know that I would soooo love an invite.. sparkly hugs..
Jasmin
Done! A wee pressie in your inbox!
Very informative! Why haven’t I heard of this yet?? I would love an invite! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
You have now! Woohoo! Invite sent!
I’m still trying to understand how this works but from your article it seems great, fun and useful. I would love an invite. Thank you Tia. You are the best!
There are loads of tips in my Pinterest for Newbies board – check it out! Invite’s in your inbox, thanks for connecting 🙂 T
I’m still trying to understand how this works but from your article it seems fun, interesting and useful. I would love an invitation. Thank you Tia, you are the best!
Oops double post! Thanks for the extra love, hehe.
OMG, this is so good. YOU ARE soooooooooo GOOD. I can just make it my life’s quest to follow and do what Tia says to do. I probably would be at a much more successful place 😉
Thank you for this. It looks really fun. Yikes. I have to get over that saboteur noise…”who has time for this? I can barely get my newsletter out.” I can do it. thanks for making it clear.
You are too cute, Mai Vu! 🙂 🙂 🙂 You can more than do it, it’s different from anything else you’re doing in terms of marketing and WAY more fun! Now, do you need an invite? Sending one just in case!
This new media is very fascinating with many benefits. Do you know or have you heard how long one needs to be “wait listed” in order to be part of this? I have been “waitlisted” for a few days now!
I takes a couple of weeks, but if you get invited by someone already on pinterest it’s just a few hours, I think. Can’t send an invite to the same email addy though, so if you have another one you can use email me and I’ll send you one.
I think PinInterest should hire you as their key spokesperson – this is awesome. I’d love an invite too Miss Sparkles!
Oops, just saw this – did I send you an invite already, Missy? On the way just in case! Man, pinterest’s exploded all over the blogosphere the past few weeks ay!
Great explanation of Pinterest Tia! I initially dismissed it as just a bunch of women doing online scrapbooking. (That comment is not meant not be sexist – I just don’t know any guys who scrapbook!) Your post makes it appear to be so much more.
So you’ve spawned this idea: I have video slide shows of high school senior portrait sessions. Would it be acceptable to post those videos with a link for people to buy posing guides so they can copy those poses for their own sessions? Any other ideas along that line?
I’d love an invite to join Pinterest. What do yo think the ratio of female:male users are on Pinterest ?
Hey Mark, you’re not alone in thinking that – I did too! Till I started seeing my traffic soar and the viral nature of the site. It’s about 80:20 in favour of women pinners, 55% in the age group 25-44. I haven’t seen any terms that say you can’t do what you suggest, the only the pinterest stresses is that it’s a community, and to make sure you’re adding good value to it and sharing other people’s stuff as well, instead of using it as a one way broadcast or sales machine. Try it out! Sent you an invite 🙂
Thanks a lot Tia for clearing the Pinterest thing so precisely, at first I thought what’s going on out here but gradually my confusion was clear.
Thanks a lot Tia
Nima
You’re welcome, Nima! Glad I could explain its uses more clearly 🙂
Hi Tia. I’m not on Pinterest (in fact, I don’t see a whole lot of guys on there. Must be a chick thing) but my wife is getting very much into it. She designed our entire bedroom based on ideas she got on Pinterest. I love that you can do business on there. And I love the vision board idea.
Bryan, I got one of my friends onto it – he is a photographer and adventure trips organiser – he’s now using it to create events, showcase previous events, connect with adventure lovers etc. It IS an 80% female dominated platform at the moment and may not be right for everyone depending on what your business is, but for anyone in the coaching, blogging, and creative fields, it’s an awesome avenue for community building and traffic generation! Yep, it goes beyond just design stuff 🙂 Soo… are you joining? Thanks for the comment!
I just started using it last weekend so this post is perfect for me. I know mostly women use it but guys can definitely join in on the fun.
I wanted to ask how you’re sending visitors from your Pintrest page to your FB page?
Hey Benny! I link pictures I have created or uploaded to my FB page. Click on “edit” on top of the picture, see the “link” box? That’s where you put it. Aside from that I don’t do anything, but I’m guessing that people click the link and that’s how they end up on my Facebook page!
Hi Tia,
Wow, you’ve just re-awakened my interest on Pinterest! I’ve been on it for months and had so much fun but then I got busy with other things and haven’t checked it out in a while.
I had no idea it’s a gold mine and that I can do many things with it. Your list has given me a lot of ideas and I realize I can use it for my current project.
It’s definitely time for a visit. Thanks a lot, Tia!
My pleasure, Theresa! The sooner you start using it your way, the better! Do come back and leave a link to the project on pinterest so we can see how you used it – helps give others ideas too 🙂 Looking forward to it! T
Hi, Tia! This is a great list of how to use Pinterest. I’m going to include the link in my ‘Best of…” sites list that I came across this week. I originally started using Pinterest to exchange recipes with my sister. I’ve realized that it’s much more than that, though. I’m also seeing that it’s gaining a lot of popularity in the product review and giveaway niche.
Thanks Laura, appreciate the link and mention! Yep, TONS more to do there than its original intention (although, I’ve heard that pinterest is using their own affiliate links to make money off pictures.. interesting to see how it will go). Have fun pinning!
I like your post and would like to implement some of these tactics. Do you or anyone else have any invites? shawncarey1@ gmail.com
Thanks Shawn, invite on the way!
Tia,
FYI. Your content was copied, plagiarized and getting lots of undeserved traffic.
http://www.brunodesouza.com/36-dicas-e-melhores-maneiras-de-usar-pinterest-para-empresas
Nice tips, by the way!
WOW! That’s crazy! And not just 1-2 points but most of it – that is SO not done. I’ve contacted him for his email address (can’t find it on the site as it isn’t in English), and will ask him to take it down or reduce it to 1-2 tips only. Thanks so much for letting me know, Andre.
I’m fluent in portuguese, it’s identical. You can try google chrome with google translator. I liked his blog until I saw this.
You are very welcome.
I found it on a few more sites too. Tweeted them to remove it, hope they do asap without any hassle. Thanks again for looking out for me 🙂
So many of my friends have talked about pinterest and I just kind of ignored them. Now that I read this and understand more what it is it sounds really cool. Thanks for sharing.
Yw, Melissa! Have fun with it!
Once I heard about Pinterest I checked it out right away, it blew me outta the water! I still don’t know how to pin something of mine but I’m willing to learn and have great ideas.
Please send me an invite. Thanks
Rose
Invite on the way!
Glad to hear that, Daniela! Let me know how it goes!
My favourite Pinterest tool is PinPinterest. It has given me about 55k followers for my Pinterest and floods my blog with unique visitors everyday 🙂
It is free to use, runs on the cloud, optimised for use on mobile devices, easy to setup, has Pin Scheduling feature and Speed Control…
The best thing I like about PinPinterest is that it has Intelligent Content Detection algorithms, which pin only images relevant to my business to my boards 🙂
I can fully rely on PinPinterest for my Pinterest marketing 🙂