The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pinterest Marketing

Book excerpt: Pinterest is a social media site that enables users to create online pinboards of compelling images they find online by "pinning" the images and curating them into various categories. It has exploded into American consciousness with big media attention and exponential growth-most notably reaching 10 million unique monthly visitors more quickly than any social media site in history. The vast majority of early devotees have been women of higher income between the ages of 25 and 49, and the images they pin frequently fall into the categories of clothing, crafts, food, and home décor. This represents a significant opportunity for companies and brands whose products are targeted to this market; however, Pinterest has value far beyond its initial popular use. Companies large and small are hearing the hype and hoping to get an early start with a site that shows signs of continued growth and influence. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Pinterest Marketing helps small business owners as well as marketing experts at larger companies get on the Pinterest bandwagon and learn how to use this exciting new phenomenon to increase online exposure for their products, strengthen their online presence, and connect with customers in a place where they are now flocking. In it, readers learn how to: Use the basic features of Pinterest, including setting up an account, creating boards, and pinning images. Develop a Pinterest marketing strategy and integrate it with other online and offline presences. Project a brand voice onto Pinterest through strategic pinning and writing compelling pin copy. Create pins that get repinned. Grow a following organically and understand the importance of whom a brand follows. Engage an audience through contests, collaborative boards, and more. Determine who in the organization will pin, or whether to outsource it. Gauge and quantify the success of a brand's marketing efforts on Pinterest.