Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business

by Leland, Karen

• ISBN13: 9781599185088
• ISBN10: 1599185083
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-05-01
• Publisher: Entrepreneur Press

Summary

With 4,000 percent growth in just six months, 17 million users, and a record for more referral traffic than YouTube, Google+, and LinkedIn combined, Pinterest delivers an unbelievable opportunity for marketers . . . if they know how to effectively use it. Karen Leland acquaints business owners with the newest social media kid on the block. She covers: the ins and outs of signing up and getting started; building boards that get noticed, drive traffic, and convert fans into customers; creating a Pinterest community through power connections, contests, social media outreach, and smart pinning strategies; strategies for becoming a power Pinterest user and creating an enthusiastic following; best practices for pins that promote, including image optimization, consistent branding, social media integration, and high-value content; and Pinterest etiquette. Business owners learn to expand their business and brand’s success — one pin at a time.

Author Biography

Karen Leland (Tiburon, CA) is the best-selling author of seven books and a freelance writer who has been published in Self, Woman’s Day, Spirituality & Health, Entrepreneur, The Los Angeles Times and others. In addition, she is the founder of Sterling Consulting and Marketing Group. Her clients have included Apple Computer, American Express, Marriott Hotels, Johnson & Johnson and others. She is also a popular speaker for business groups including the Young Presidents’ Organization, American Management Association and Direct Marketing Association. Karen is a frequent guest of the media and has been interviewed for her expertise by The New York Times, Fortune, Inc., Oprah, The Today Show, CNN, The Wall Street Journal and others. Karen has also written extensively for the online market with featured articles in CNBC.com, All Business.com, Salon.com, The Huffington Post and PsychologyToday.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xv
PREFACE
What Is Pinterest and Why Should You Care? xvii
CHAPTER 1
On Your Mark, Get Set, Join 1
What Exactly Is a Pin? 2
What Information Does a Pin Contain? 4
Sign Me Up 4
A Tour of the Pinterest Interface 6
The Browsing Basics 9
CHAPTER 2
Create a Pinterest Profile That Rocks 11
Creating an Individual Profile 12
Creating a Business Profile 15
Update Your Profile Anytime 18
CHAPTER 3
Strategize First, Pin Second 21
Is Your Pinterest Mainly for Personal or Business Branding? 21
Who’s Your Target Market? 23
What Are Your Marketing Goals? 27
CHAPTER 4
Build Boards That Are On Brand 29
14 Types of Business Boards Worth Creating 29
How to Create a Board 36
Naming Your Boards 37
Categorize Your Boards for Clarity 41
Go Solo or Invite Others to Play 42
Make Your Board Private 43
Describe Your Board 44
Basic Care and Feeding of Your Boards 44
CHAPTER 5
Become a Content Creator and Curator:
Pinning and Repinning 47
What Should You Pin? 48
Seek and Ye Shall Find: Where to Get Great Pins 50
Shoot Your Own Images with a Smartphone 55
The Mechanics of Pinning 69
CHAPTER 6
Pin Etiquette and Optimization 63
Pin Purposefully 63
Add Descriptions 64
Pay Attention to Pin Placement 67
Consider Color Psychology When Pinning 68
Cross-Promote Your Pins with Other Social Media 69
Credit Original Sources 71
Respect Copyright 72
CHAPTER 7
Beyond Photos to Video, Podcasts, and Screencasting 75
Ten Types of Videos to Pin 75
Shoot Smart 81
Post Thoughtfully, Brand Carefully, and Track Results 83
Set Up Your Video to Drive Traffic Back to Your Site 85
Pin SlideShare Presentations 85
Pin Podcasts 86
CHAPTER 8
Make Your Website Pinterest Friendly 87
Give Every Page and Post a Featured Image 87
Meet Minimum Size Requirements 87
Add Text 88
Install the “Pin It” Button for Websites 88
Use a WordPress Plugin 90
Put Up a “Follow Me on Pinterest” Button 91
CHAPTER 9
Follow and Be Followed 93
Finding People and Brands to Follow 94
Building Up Your Pinterest Following 98
26,000 Followers in Three Days 102
CHAPTER 10
Engage with the Pinterest Community:
Liking, Hashtags, Commenting, and Tagging 107
Liking 107
Hashtags 108
Commenting 109
Tagging 114
Engagement 2.0 114
Price Tags on Pins 117
Coupons 117
QR Codes 118
CHAPTER 11
Me, You, and We: Collaborative Pinning
and Your Pinterest Strategy 121
Request Pins for a Specific Purpose 122
Do a Blitz Pinning Campaign 122
Hold a Pin Party 123
Share Resources, Ideas, and Opinions 124
Provide Content Guidelines 124
Join a Board 124
CHAPTER 12
Pinterest on the Go: Mobile 127
Navigating the Pinterest App 127
CHAPTER 13
Build Your Blog with Pinterest 131
Pinterest Inspires Content 131
Pinterest Can Drive New Readers to Your Blog 132
Cheat Sheet for Bloggers 134
Expand Your Blog Audience by Following Other Pinners 137
Create a Blog Think Tank 137
Network with Like-Minded Bloggers 138
Research the Hot Trends 138
Six Best Practices for Bloggers on Pinterest 138
CHAPTER 14
Your Profession on Pinterest: An A–Z Guide 141
Accountants 141
Actors and Other Performers 142
Architects and Interior Designers 143
Artists and Photographers 145
Authors 146
Coaches, Consultants, and Speakers 147
Contractors and Construction Companies 148
Dance, Theater, and Live Performance Companies 149
Doctors, Dentists, Therapists, and Medical Professionals 150
Filmmakers 151
Landscape Architects and Gardeners 153
Lawyers 153
Real Estate Agents 155
Retailers Online and Off 156
Teachers 157
Writers 158
Zoos 160
CHAPTER 15
Pin Your Way to New Work: Job Hunting
and Client Acquisition 161
Create a Resume or Portfolio Board 161
Make a Mock Job Interview Video 162
Connect with Companies and Clients You Want to Work For 165
Plan out Your Pins 165
Pin with Panache 166
Maximize Your Descriptions 168
Keep Up with Career Experts 168
Put the Word Out 168
CHAPTER 16
Track Your Pinterest Performance 171
The Activity Tracker on Pinterest 171
Pinterest.com/source/yourURL 171
Google Analytics 172
PinReach 172
Curalate 172
Reachli 173
CHAPTER 17
In Conclusion: Your Parting Party Gifts, and What’s Next? 175
Claim Your Pinterest Party Gifts Online 175
Please Stay in Touch 176
Connect with Me on Social Media 176
Pin This Book! 176
Rent My Brain© 176
Hire Me to Speak at Your Next Conference or Meeting 177
A Three-Step Process to Implement What You Have Learned 177
About the Author 179
Index 181