Social networking sites are proving to be a boon to businesses that utilize them with consistency and organization. It seems as soon as one has become established, another one is visible on the horizon. One of the newer social networking sites to arrive on the scene is Pinterest. Is Pinterest a site that can be helpful to achieving your business goals? This article provides you with all the information you need to make that decision.

How Does Pinterest Work?

The one catch to using Pinterest is the requirement to receive an invitation to join. You can apply to Pinterest for an invitation, or you can ask a friend with an account to send you a direct invitation. The concept is similar to a large bulletin board where you can “pin” things that are of interest to you. It operates with a simple drag-and-drop extension from your browser. You can pin both pictures and videos to your board.

Will Pinterest Help My Business?

Large businesses will not benefit from Pinterest. It was designed for everyday people to share their interests, dreams, pictures, and videos. The Pinterest mission statement declares, “Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting.” Even though Pinterest was not designed for businesses, some small ones can benefit. Crafters, artists, and jewelry designers are samples of the type of business that might be able to use Pinterest successfully. Be aware, they do discourage designing a board full of pins relating only to your business.

If you make jewelry, pin photos of different kinds of gemstones, beads, and a vintage jewelry photo, as well as two or three photo links to your own jewelry. Space them out and arrange them artfully. Don’t overdo, and you will benefit. Hopefully other Pinterest members will pin your photos to their own boards. That’s where the benefits kick in. Because each pin contains the link to the source of the photo, which would be the website where you sell your items. Use this same method, whether you sell knit items, woodcrafts, baskets, art, or other fine crafts.

There is a place for Pinterest in your small business-marketing plan. Like every other social network, it will require some time and effort. Create a new board at least once a week, and keep the material fresh. This will encourage others to pin to their boards from yours. The more that happens, the greater your results will be. While it has a smaller audience, due to the invitation requirement, the members seem loyal, and follow the boards and their owners. Give it a try. It just might be the boost your small businesses needs.