Just about everyone nowadays has a Pinterest account. For those of you who don’t, or are maybe new to it, Pinterest is the place to go to find inspiration and build boards based on things you find inspiring – be it a recipe, home décor ideas, baby shower games, fashion, and more.
Though you will find a significant amount of businesses utilizing the site, it’s not for everyone. Sites that have the most success with Pinterest are retailers, restaurants, and travel agencies. This isn’t to say if you’re not in one of those three industries you should skip it altogether, but you should see if you’re willing to do what it takes to ensure your business can leverage Pinterest as a successful social media platform.
It’s time-consuming
Does your business have the time and the means to create images suitable for Pinterest? This can be time-consuming, and Pinterest in itself is known as a “time suck” because there’s so much going on and so much to look at. Make sure you’re committed and have the ability to create beautiful images before jumping in.
It targets women
According to an infographic by Digital Flash NY, women account for 82% of Pinterest users.
Who does your business target? If your business mostly targets men, it might not be the best decision to start using Pinterest. If, on the other hand, you are in the business of helping women, Pinterest is for you. Take a close look at your target audience when determining what types of social media you should utilize, including Pinterest.
It’s visually appealing
Are you selling a product? Is it a visually appealing product? For example, if you’re selling anything in the wedding or fashion industry, yes – you will want to give Pinterest a try. If you’re selling cleaning supplies, you can create images featuring your supplies and how they work. Offer tips and solutions within the image.
If your product is less-than-appealing, it may be best to stick with other social media outlets, such as a blog, Twitter or Facebook.
It’s all about quality
Do you have time to showcase your product with the best of quality and continually keep it updated? Pinterest has thousands of different “pins” and products going up each day, so it’s important to stay in the loop. To do this, you must focus on quality – quality of your product, quality of your information, and quality of your photos.
It’s social media
Finally, Pinterest is obviously a form of social media. Do you enjoy using social media? Does your business already have a Twitter account, Facebook page, and blog that you update regularly? If not, Pinterest may not be for you since it does require constant upkeep. If you dread the thought of social media and are already feeling burnt out, it’s probably just a waste of your time to tackle learning and trying to gain customers via Pinterest.
On the other hand, if you live for social media and are constantly connected, go ahead and give Pinterest a shot. It’s free, so you really don’t have anything to lose (except your time, of course) if for some reason it doesn’t work out.
Tip: Another great way to see if your company would be successful on Pinterest is to see if other companies similar to yours are using it. If they are, reach out to them and see what they have to say. After all, the best way to learn something is from someone who’s already an expert.
Sarah Brooks is a freelance writer living in Glendale, AZ, with her husband and baby girl. She covers a wide variety of topics from small business and business reputation to food and nutrition. You can reach her via Facebook.
