Resource ThuRsday: Pinterest

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Pinterest is a platform to use if you would like to show your work with minimal text. Click on the image at the left for a fun video from MDGadvertising. Here are some key points from the video:

1. Yes, women do outnumber men on Pinterest, but only by 20%.

2. Most people on Pinterest are between the ages of 25 and 54 and, regarding income, are from the middle class.

3. Pinterest is rapidly growing in popularity. In fact, as of June 2013, there were 48.7 million users (see DMR for some other fun Pinterest statistics).

4. Pinterest is the site to use if your business depends on referrals.

Since your art is a business, it is likely best to have a business account on Pinterest. Business pages do not look any different than other pages on Pinterest. However, Pinterest does offer business pages analytics. If you already have a Pinterest profile and would like to convert it to a business page, follow the steps provided by Epreneur TV. If you are just getting started with Pinterest, see MarketingThink for a great infographic.

Whether you are a writer, a painter, an actor, etc…, you can use Pinterest to promote your work. Here are some tips:

1. Post images, videos, and snapshots/stills of your work. If you are an author, post images that relate to a work in progress or a book that is to be released soon (of course, do not provide too much information or images that could be spoilers).

2. All images and videos can (and should) link back to your website.

3. Be personable — your customers want to see your personality, so don’t be afraid to post a personal picture (such as one of your dog, you and your parents, etc…). Show your customers what inspires you.

4. Don’t forget to use captions (with keywords) that describe the image you are posting.

5. Organize your images/pins into boards. You can have a board for each one of your projects, interests, etc…

6. Link your Pinterest account back to your other social media platforms.

7. Consider what your target audience will find interesting when pinning images.

8. Do not just re-pin from other boards on Pinterest — find content from other websites and blogs.

9. Try to pin at least a couple times a day.

10. Comment on other pins.

11. Follow other pinners, and they will likely follow you as well.

12. Accept invitations to pin on group boards (relevant to your industry of course) or start your own collaborative board.

13. Use the widget-builder to add a Pinterest button to your website.

14. Wondering what colors, sizes, etc… lead to the most re-pins? Visit this infographic from MarketingProfs for interesting statistics that you can use to your advantage when pinning.

Next week we will offer tips for artists on how to use one of the traditional social media platforms.

Until then, please share your Pinterest questions, comments, and suggestions below!