Above the Fold & Socially Acceptable

Where Search and Social Have a Party

How To Create A Unique Brand Image on Pinterest

Posted by on Jan 20, 2012 in Articles by Katie Hehn, Pinterest, Social Media | 1 comment

Have you heard about the new social network called Pinterest?  If not, here’s a great definition from Pinterest.com:

“Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”

Pinterest allows users to “pin” images from anywhere on the web into categorized boards.  Examples of boards might be Crafts, Places I’d Like to Visit, Bucket List, etc.  Boards can then be followed by anyone on the site, who can “repin” images to share with their followers. Currently, Pinterest’s main demographic is twenty to thirty-five year old females with the most popular boards being crafts, wedding planning, clothing, and inspirational quotes.

Many well known retailers are flocking to Pinterest.  For example, Nordstrom has over 6,000 followers and boards like Autumn Accessories, Fall Wishlist and Fun Shoes:

 

Nordstrom o nPinterest

 

As a proud member of the Pinterest demographic (yes, my boards include wedding, craft, and sorority boards), I have compiled the following tips for companies to create a unique brand image using Pinterest.

Showcase images that would not be featured through Facebook, Twitter, or your company’s website.  Show videos of product demonstrations, before/after images, images that compliment your products or infographics. For example, a hair salon could pin and re-pin celebrity hair styles with tutorials of how to do them at home.

Avoid cluttering your boards with website screenshots and images of your place of business or office. Instead, get creative with images that compliment your brand. For example, a hotel might avoid pinning images of their hotel that are already on their website, and pin images of the area’s best restaurants, scenic views, tourist spots, local recipes, and themed drinks.

Utilize the tools that Pinterest provides. Here are several I recommend:

  • Download the “Pin-It” Chrome extension and iPhone application for easy pinning anywhere!
  • Add your social media team as collaborators to your boards (much like adding Admins on Facebook).
  • Create a product catalog by posting prices in the caption box and Pinterest will create a banner with the price for the product.
  • Add “Pin It” and “Follow Me” buttons to your web site (Follow Me button example). Craft supply store, Michael’s, has an option for website visitors to “pin” their local Michael’s store location onto a pinboard straight from their website.

Michaels on Pinterest

Get your marketing team together and brainstorm some exclusive contests, coupons and giveaways that are only promoted through your company’s Pinterest board.  Encourage competitions based on pins and repins with your followers. A great example of this is home décor retailer Layla Grayce who has challenged their followers to design their dream foyer with Layla Grayce products and the winner gets something they’ve pinned to their board.

Be creative! Instead of using dull names for Pinboards, such as “Organization” or “Recipes,” create boards called “Simplify Your Life” or “The Sweet & the Savory”.  Don’t forget to put in the time to find quality images to promote through your Pinterest page and give your brand a personality and connect with others who share the same interests.

Happy pinning!

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Katie Hehn

Katie Hehn

Specialist, Social Media at Intrapromote
Katie joined our fun-loving Social Media team in 2011 as a specialist and she's been adding to the fun since her first day. A natural Community Manager, Katie has been rocking our clients' worlds with her intuitive approach to social communication and general expertise. Katie loves sunshine and beaches (although we're all pretty sure that she's secretly jealous when the rest of us are experiencing a blizzard). She has been known to dig up some pretty sweet treasures during her geocaching expeditions. On Above the Fold & Socially Acceptable, Katie blogs about up and coming trends and tools in the social media space but we wouldn't be surprised if she expanded her content interests as the months roll on.
Katie Hehn

@katiehehn

Social Media Specialist @intrapromote, Pinterest expert, Wedding Planner Assistant
@nikkihehn It's the style, bro. - 3 days ago
Katie Hehn
Katie Hehn

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