When you hear someone say the word Pinterest, what comes to mind? In most cases your probably thinking stay at home mom, or even your grandmother. Am I right? The service is a little more than a showcase of favourite recipes and clothes.

Things have changed. Many businesses are taking advantage of Pinterest’s highly visual platform to build brand awareness and enhance their reputation.  Yes, another social media platform your business needs to be present on…I can just hear the collective sigh out there! Don’t despair. Leveraging Pinterest for your business, and establishing your presence, your promotions, and share-able content creation is easily doable. Before outlining the first you must be convinced that your business needs to be on this platform.

So why use Pinterest?
Many businesses have finally jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. The main reason is Pinterest does something no other social media does. It presents consumers with images in a simple, fast and easy to consume manner. Brands embrace it because it tells a compelling story that allows for interpretation for each consumer, thus starting a one-to-one conversation.

1. Establish your Presence
One of the strategies for using Pinterest is to first make sure you are projecting the right business image. This can’t be stressed enough. Keep your profile professional, this includes your photos, name, pins and so on. All these aspects directly reflect your business, so it’s important to follow these guidelines.

2. Picture Promotions
Many businesses today are taking full advantage of Pinterest for a number of reasons. Many people are now making use of promotions. To start utilizing Pinterest for business promotion is simple. Just organize a promotion for your fan base, and make sure it provides them an incentive to post their own images of your products. You can also use your Twitter and Facebook pages to market your promotion beforehand to grow your community.

3. Content
On Pinterest it’s important that the boards you create reflect your business or area of expertise. This can either make or break your success of your marketing campaign. It’s key in choosing boards that are related to your niche, and it wouldn’t hurt to follow brands that are related to your business.

Summary
Pinterest platforms user base is growing exponentially, which means it’s time for more businesses to take the plunge, and get started. Here are some key words of advice:  Put your best foot forward through sharing valuable images and video. Remember, the old adage… a photo is worth a thousand words… and a very powerful marketing tool.

What do you think of Pinterest? Can your business benefit from it, and how? I’d like to know.