Thursday 1 November 2012

How to Get More Followers on Pinterest

Pinterest - the internet's latest public press trend, is a fantastic way to develop attention for your web or blogsite. But as with most public press marketing methods, your ability to impact others through your Pinterest existence is limited if you do not have that many individuals following you in the first position.

So today, I'll discuss a few methods that can be effective for developing up your Pinterest following. Try applying a few of these thoughts to your own Pinterest user profile and watch your variety of supporters soar!

Tip #1 - Tie In to Your Current Social Networks

One of the quickest and simplest methods to get more Pinterest supporters is by attaching your consideration to your current Facebook or MySpace and Tweets information. Doing so (and setting up your authorizations correctly) means that every new item you pin will be shown to your supporters on these systems. Since you already have established relationships with members on these websites, you will discover that many of them tend to adhere to along with your Pinterest user profile naturally.

Tip #2 - Create it Easy to Pin Your Content

Integrating Pinterest control buttons into your content, product pages and other areas of your web page can help boost frequent your articles is pinned and lead to new supporters for your user profile. Because Pinterest is still relatively new, basically having these control buttons in position provides a visible memory for individuals to sign up to your user profile and interact with your articles on this new web page.

Tip #3 - Create Forums to Supplement Your Posts

Alternatively, why not develop a Pinterest panel that is built around one of your content. For example, if you run a dog training tips web page and suggest several different items in a new writing, develop a Pinterest panel linked with this post that stocks these suggestions in a visible way. Doing so creates your articles more interesting and gives visitors a purpose to adhere to along with your user profile.

Tip #4 - Pin Regularly

As with any public press web page, identifying how often to pin new articles includes finding the ideal balance between publishing so little that there is no value in following your user profile and publishing so often that individuals get frustrated with your continuous up-dates. For best results, aim to pin between 5-30 new items a day, with regards to the variety of active Pinterest boards you maintain.

Tip #5 - Improve Your Board Labeling Structure

Giving each panel on your Pinterest user profile a fun and exclusive, but easy to understand, name is an important part of gaining new supporters. Since many members tend to only adhere to it's that are most appropriate to them, it's essential that your panel brands allow it to be instantly obvious what each of your boards are about.

Consider the following example given by Angie, a Pinterest user running a blog on the web page Many Little Blessings:

"A panel about day workouts could be named "Morning Routines" or "Morning To Dos," but if you name it "Rise and Glow," individuals will know it has something to do with days, but no concept that it's day routine thoughts."

Tip #6 - Curate Your Own Pins

If you only ever repin articles from others, you are not bringing anything new to the table, which gives Pinterest customers even less of a motivation to adhere to along with you. Instead, build your own new hooks based on articles you discover on other internet websites or from resources you are familiar with that have not yet been presented substantially on Pinterest.

Tip #7 - Follow Other Pinners

On Pinterest - as on Tweets, Google+ and Facebook or MySpace - following other customers (especially power customers with countless numbers and a large number of exclusive subscribers) is a fantastic way to get your articles observed and propagate across a much bigger network of individuals. To discover other pinners to adhere to along with, look for a few of your industry's general keywords and words on Pinterest and take note of the customers that appear to post the most articles and have the most supporters. Follow these customers yourself and repin some of their articles - many will return the benefit by following you back and giving your hooks with their networks!

Tip #8 - Arrange a Pin Exchange

While it's considered incorrect to pin your own articles too frequently, you can always team up with other internet marketers or suppliers in your market to arrange a "pin exchange" that allows more of your articles to be seeded on to Pinterest without your direct participation. A band of friends who all sell items on Etsy, for example, could arrange to discuss each other person's articles on Pinterest to be able to develop acknowledgement without showing too "scammy".

Tip #9 - Increase Your Boards

It should go without saying, but when you offer plenty of different boards across a wide range of passions and subjects, you are developing more opportunities for individuals to adhere to along with you. While it's a wise decision to develop boards that are appropriate to your web page or business, consider developing boards on your personal passions and activities as well to reach a bigger individuals.

Tip #10 - Pin Newsworthy Content

As mentioned in Tip #6, if you want to develop your variety of Pinterest supporters, it's essential that you be seen as a "thought leader" in your market - not just someone who repins articles from other individuals. To increase this understanding, try to be the first to develop hooks for news items within your market. You could even create boards to function new items that are launched in your niche, making you the "go to" pinner providing your field.

Tip #11 - Use Pinterest to Create Tutorials

People love tech tutorials, and the exclusive visible display of Pinterest creates it preferably suited to develop lessons that other customers can adhere to. As an example, say you run a web page that instructs online marketing to internet marketers. Using Pinterest, you could develop a "step-by-step" guide panel, in which you function links to different articles from around the web on subjects like choosing online items and programs to market, developing traffic to your web page and enhancing alterations. Create lessons on subjects that you know will interest folks and you are sure to pick up more supporters for your consideration.

Tip #12 - Write Retrievable Pin Captions

One of the methods that individuals new Pinterest customers to adhere to along with is by searching the web page for interesting key words to be able to find new pinned articles. If your hooks do not appear in these looks, you are losing potential supporters that could have decided upon your boards. Because of this, it's essential to include appropriate keywords and words into your pin sayings. Don't basically stuff your hooks full of useless keywords and words, but at the same time, do not use basic sayings like, "So funny!" that do not give Pinterest customers or the website look for engine optimization any information about what exactly is going on in your hooks.

Tip #13 - Use Excellent Pictures

Pinterest is visually-focused web page, the caliber of the images you use in your hooks will go a long way towards gaining new supporters. If the Pinterest bookmarklet does not instantly catch an eye-catching picture (or, if there are useless images used on the source articles page in the first place), personally result in the pin on your own using a excellent, creatively eye-catching picture from a Creative Commons picture index.

How did you like this article? Do let me know at support@commenti.org or visit my site to leave a review. http://www.commenti.org
Have a nice time.

Using Pinterest for MLM and Generating Pincome (Pinterest Income)

Recently I started using Pinterest for MLM and Internet Marketing Business. My efforts on creating Pinterest income have grown as of late. My valued opinion is that, it's best to join social sites like this in their beginning stages because it doesn't take long before spammers hit them and you start to lose out on your targeted audience.

Pinterest is growing even faster than how Facebook did in its early development phase. Pinterest is definitely a hot place for marketers and young entrepreneurs. But if you really want to use Pinterest for MLM, you have to know how it actually works.

Pinterest is a social site which is quite different from Facebook or Twitter. The opportunity to make Pinterest income has become one of the latest crazes. Don't kid yourself you will not make money by just sharing or rather "pinning" images that are just interesting.It takes strategy. Pinterest is an online pin board where instead of sharing information you "pin" images that you think people would find interesting. Those people being your target market. This is not about you it's about what your audience is looking for. Affiliate Marketing is nothing new but Pinterest works well with it. Why?

It's simple your customer post what they are looking for and like.

These Pinners are Buyers! Trust Me!

Pinterest has a completely different demographic as compared to Facebook. Most of the users on Pinterest are females from the U.S. with an annual income of over $100,000. This is quite different to Facebook where most of the users are teenagers with little to no money available to them. Therefore, it only makes sense that you start using Pinterest for MLM and affiliate marketing right away.

Okay before you go crazy lets use some structure.

DO NOT SPAM YOUR LINKS!

These pinners are buyers but they hate to be sold to.

So you absolutely need to put on your customer referral hat on. Don't sell like a salesperson

Just recommend based off what they are wanting. The image does 85% of the work but the other 15% comes from YOU building the relationship. Do not miss the sale because you think you can for go this step.

There is a shortage of content on Pinterest so you can stand out by making comments on other pinners pins. This will bring good attention to you and you can become an authority in your niche because of it.

Affiliate marketing on Pinterest has the quickest customer response than any other social site online. However, by using Pinterest along with other social sites you can double your Pinterest income within a few weeks. Your Twitter and Facebook can be linked to your account. Triple bonus.

If you want to use Pinterest for MLM or affiliate marketing then my suggestion would be that you start using it as a typical Pinterest user. This will help you with developing a steady Pinterest income, please remember not to spam and only share products that really seem interesting to you. If you only shared everything that is marketable, it wouldn't take long for people to identify you as a spammer and they would try to get rid of you as soon as they can.

You do not want to get BANNED from this one trust me.

I would suggest that you also use sites like Facebook and Twitter to increase you Pinterest income. It has come out to be quite effective for me. I simply pin 10 images on my board and then I like my own board on Facebook. Thereafter, I tweet it and share it with my followers. This is how I use Pinterest for MLM and my Pinterest income or Pincome and celebrity is now on the rise.

I think the best part of using Pinterest for affiliate marketing and mlm is the simple fact that you are always one pin away from having hundreds of pinners recommending your product or site without even knowing it.

If you enjoyed this post please comment and share

Adam Burns is an expert Trainer, Marketer, and Motivator.

Visit http://www.wealthyson.biz to discover practical ways of implementation to increase your business and growth in the area of personal development

Wednesday 31 October 2012

How to Get a Pinterest Invite - 3 Tricks to Get You Started

One of the hottest social services of 2012, Pinterest acts as a virtual board that lets users organize their Internet interests in one spot and share them to all their friends. Pinterest provides a cool-looking interface that makes it easier for anyone to browse among thousands of pinboards of other users.

Joining Pinterest starts with getting an invitation. One cannot simply go to the website of Pinterest and sign up directly from there. Interested netizens who want to join the Pinterest community requires an invite from the Pinterest team or a person who is already a member of Pinterest. To explain the methods on how to get a Pinterest Invite fully, read the following three tricks to get you started:

Trick 1: Ask a Member to Invite You

One of the fastest ways to get a Pinterest Invite is to ask a friend, a colleague, a coworker or anyone in the Internet who already uses Pinterest. Directly talking to them or sending them an email regarding your request for an invite will definitely lead you to having your own Pinterest account in no time.

Trick 2: Connect with your Facebook friends

It's also easy to get a Pinterest Invite using Facebook. Although Pinterest is currently connected to Facebook, you can still use your Facebook status to shout out your request for an invite to all of your online friends. You may also go to the fanpage of Pinterest in Facebook and ask the fans a favor to invite you.

Trick 3: Request Using Twitter

Another social network giant, Twitter can give you the chance of getting a quick Pinterest invite through updating your status and putting a hashtag related to Pinterest (e.g. #Invite2Pinterest). For sure, your Twitter buddies will come to rescue you and give you your most awaited invitation within 5 minutes.

After the person tells you that he already invited you to Pinterest, you will see your invitation by opening your email and viewing the link to Pinterest official page.

You can use Pinterest to create pinboards to plan for special events, gather various recipes, and enjoy photography and more. As a virtual pinboard, Pinterest is usually used by ladies all over the world, but the gents will still love to use Pinterest because they can collect web images of their favorite sports idols. Although it is still an invite-only social service, Pinterest has been fastly dominating the Web since its launch.

For more Insider Hints on using Pinterest to generate leads and produce traffic, go to http://www.onlineincomeguru.com

How to Send a Pinterest Invite - 3 Methods That Work Fast!

Pinterest, the world's first social service to be named as a big virtual pinboard, allows users to create their own space containing various Web images that caught their interest while browsing the Internet.

As of now, Pinterest works as an invite-only website, which means you can't join the social network unless someone invites you to do so. Well, if you are already a member of Pinterest and want to share this awesome service to your friends and colleagues, here are the 3 fastest methods on how to send a Pinterest Invite:

1. Directly invite them through Pinterest.

The fastest way to get another person started on Pinterest is to send them an invite via the website itself. To do this, go to your account at Pinterest and hover your mouse over your name, which is located at the toolbar found on the top right corner. Simply click "Invite Friends" and then put their email addresses on the space provided. After this, tell your friend to open his or her email and follow the sign up steps provided in the email sent by Pinterest.

2. Use Facebook to invite friends and rescue others.

Through Facebook, you can direct your friends to Pinterest by sending them an invite. Don't forget to check out for your friends' statuses regarding their request for a Pinterest Invite. There's no doubt that they will be grateful for your little help. If you want to continue being heroic, you may go to the Pinterest fan page on Facebook and send invites to people who want to get started on Pinterest.

3. Connect with more people via other websites and forums.

For sure, there are a lot more people who want to create an account in Pinterest but don't know where to get the invite. If you have extra time in your hands, consider their plea and hook them up to Pinterest by asking their email addresses and sending them Pinterest invites. You can make a lot of new friends just by doing such a good Samaritan deed.

Unfortunately, Pinterest is not connected to Twitter as of the moment. But for sure, they will be associated with each other in the future. The same goes for LinkedIn and other popular social networking sites. But for now, you may use the mentioned 3 ways on how to send a Pinterest Invite fast and easy. Enjoy your new Pinterest account!

For more Insider Hints on using Pinterest to generate leads and produce traffic, go to http://www.onlineincomeguru.com.

Top Ten Pinterest Tips for Writers

The social network Pinterest is growing quickly as users post images and links to a virtual pinboard.

The official definition from Pinterest:

"Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests."

Here are my top ten tips for writers in particular, although many will apply to anyone learning to use Pinterest.

1. Post your favorite books on your personal Pinterest page by adding images of all the books you love in your life.

You will probably want to have one board devoted to your books and that's fine, but be sure to have other boards devoted to books and authors you like and different topics that interest you. Avoid giving the impression that your Pinterest profile is being used solely to promote yourself. Be sure to follow the site's rule: "Pinterest is designed to curate and share things you love. If there is a photo or project you're proud of, pin away! However, try not to use Pinterest purely as a tool for self-promotion."

2. Find other writers on Pinterest and follow their examples. Use a board for characters, clothing, research, and scenes.

3. Someone said a Pinterest board is like your high school locker (remember those?) as it is a way to show your readers what interests and inspires you as well as what you're working on right now.

4. Look for book recommendations or comment on other boards in the Film, Music, & Books Section.

5. Share writing tools, stationery, journals, books and writing-related items in the "Gifts" section.

6. Use #hashtags and keywords. Much like on Twitter, tagging your pins with trending hashtags or keywords will help you find new followers. Searching for other pins and boards using hashtags will also help you find similar brands on Pinterest to follow.

7. Add the Pinterest bookmarklet to your browser's bookmarks bar. This is a time-saver, because it allows you to easily pin things you find while browsing without going to the Pinterest website first. To get it, visit the Pinterest "Goodies" page and drag the "Pin It" button to your browser toolbar. Now, when you see something you want to pin, click the bookmarklet and you'll be prompted to create a new pin. Be sure to scroll to the correct board for each pin.

Another vital tip from Pinterest - "If you notice that a pin is not sourced correctly, leave a comment so the original pinner can update the source. Finding the original source is always preferable to a secondary source such as Google Image Search or a blog entry."

8. This tip has saved me a lot of time. If you're pinning an image from a website using the Pinterest bookmarklet, you can highlight some of the text on that page before you hit "Pin It" and the text will automatically show up in the description box. Still edit and add hashtags.

9. You can also tag other Pinterest users by using the @ symbol with their Pinterest user name. You have to be following at least one of their boards. That user will see the pin, and it will link to their Pinterest profile. Use this tip to help promote each other on Pinterest.

10. And finally, cross-post to your Twitter and Facebook accounts. When you pin something to one of your boards, you are given the option of posting to your Twitter account as well. Under your 'settings,' click 'on' under "Publish Activity to Facebook Timeline." In this way when you pin, you're actually posting to three different places at once. Now that's muti-tasking!

Donna J. Shepherd has hundreds of articles and devotionals to her credit. Her children's books feature short, playful rhymes and humorous illustrations. Her newest book for children is "Ava's Secret Tea Party" - available in both paperback and hardcover.

Donna's devotionals and stories appear in Daily Grace for Women, Anytime Prayers for Everyday Moms, and The Best Grandma in the World to name a few. Her newest release is a 'hen-lit' called "Love Under the Bubble Wrap - a novelette."

For more writing tips, useful links, and updates about Donna's books, visit her Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/donnajshepherd.

Donna's Pinterest boards, a hodgepodge of recipes, crafts, interesting and funny pictures (Bonus tip - funny pins gets re-pinned more often!), favorite books, and more are at http://www.pinterest.com/donnashepherd

Pinterest Pin

With over 21 million visitors a month (and growing), Pinterest has already become a major contender in the social media arena. This powerful tool is a new and exciting way to surge your visibility on the internet. Considering the visual nature of Pinterest pins and that the site is still new enough to be exciting to the younger crowd, there are a lot of possibilities for you to use your Pinterest pin as a marketing tool.

Use your website

Because Pinterest pins are graphics based, the best way to drive people back to your site is to pepper it with interesting videos, photos, infographics - even things such as charts and diagrams. Every time you post something on your website or blog, include a pinable graphic. As potential clients find you via Google+, Facebook, Twitter, and others, your images may be pinned over and over on their Boards.

To make it as easy as possible to get Pinterest repins, include "Pin It" buttons on your site. This encourages visitors to share what they find interesting on the spot. These buttons and the code for them are free on the Pinterest site.

Then, of course, create targeted Boards on your Pinterest account and pin these pages yourself. Once you attract some Pinterest followers, they will begin to further spread your message by repining and liking your posts.

Keep current

While Pinterest is still fairly new, you can tell it is going to continue to grow in popularity by the number of applications that are already in place. Make your site Pinterest repins friendly. Don't forget the Pinterest site itself - there you will find several resources for building successful Boards.

Get Pinterest followers

The most proven way to attract and retain Pinterest followers is to keep pinning interesting, relevant content with good descriptions and links. This is also the best way to get those Pinterest likes and repins that are so valuable.

If you are just starting out, you may consider purchasing chunks of followers. Buying Pinterest likes and Pinterest followers is different than doing the same on any other social media site in that your new followers will be specifically interested in your Boards. Other social media sites often attract a lot of "junk" followers who truly are not interested in your content so much as they are interested in having high numbers of followers themselves. Pinterest does not have this type of culture, and the users tend to be more interested in new and fun things to repin on their Boards than they are in sheer volume of followers.

The pay-for-followers programs that are now available generally offer a service that connects those interested in your content to your specific Boards. Your potential Pinterest followers have the option of following your entire account or one or more of your Boards. Even if they do not follow you, they may still choose to like or repin one of your pins, which is still valuable. Most services only count actual followers, so you really do get bang for your buck using this method.

Pinterest is inherently anti-spam, so you or your followers should not be besieged by advertisements with no value. Keep your content fun, current, interesting, and relevant and your credibility and presence will grow steadily.

I'm David Stockholm and have been a private internet marketing consultant for a number of years. I enjoy all things about the internet, especially finding the latest trends and following them to their conclusions. I have found that Pinterest is the place to be on the internet to really experience social media at it's best. For marketers, sometimes you need a little help getting on board and I have found a company, getrepins.com, that can do just that. Check out their site and also see more of my thoughts about Pinterest. Go to http://www.getrepins.com.

Pinterest Invitations Within 24 Hours Using 3 Simple Steps

Considered as a social network for ladies, Pinterest has grown from being a ladies-only virtual pinboard to a hot social service that lets anyone create their own pinboards and share them to other users. In just a few months, Pinterest has become the hottest social service from its launch in early 2012 even though it is an invite-only website.

Did you know that Pinterest has more referral traffic than Youtube, LinkedIn and Google+? Even if you combine these 3 social networking giants, Pinterest's referral traffic rate is still better. Because of this, it's not that difficult to get started with Pinterest within a day or two, but here are three simple steps on getting a Pinterest invitation within 24 hours:

Step 1: Request an Invite

There are different ways on getting invited to Pinterest. First, you can get an invite from the Pinterest Team by means of going directly to their website and clicking "Request and Invite". You will have to enter your email address there. An alternative way is to get some help from your friends who are already using Pinterest. Just update your status on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter regarding your wish to be invited to Pinterest, and wait for a couple of minutes for one or more friends to send you your most-awaited Pinterest request. Another way is to go to online forums and request invites from Pinterest users. One of these is Mashable.com where you can simply put your email address and wait for someone to invite you on Pinterest. Furthermore, you may join various contests and win an invite as a prize just for fun.

Step 2: Open Your Email

Pinterest will send you an email regarding the invitation that someone sent you with regards to signing up for Pinterest. Be careful about opening links, though. Read first the URL link and the email to confirm that the invitation really came from Pinterest and the person from whom you requested the invite.

Step 3: Get Started

After clicking the link sent by Pinterest, you will be directed to the page where you can create your account and get started. Before creating your own virtual board, you may want to browse other user's pinboards first and explore the features to maximize your Pinterest experience.

If you liked Pinterest, you may send Pinterest invitations to your friends and colleagues using Facebook or Pinterest.com. You may also send invites to people at online forums.

For more Insider Hints on using Pinterest to generate leads and produce traffic, go to http://www.onlineincomeguru.com.

4 Ways Your Small Business Can Reach Out On Pinterest

As I am sure you are aware, Pinterest is being talked about in every coffee shop, hair salon and boutique from here to the Tatooie. But for those uninitiated, think of Pinterest as like twitter for photos and videos, but with a fun layout. Not only does your Pinterest wall show pictures and video from all your friends and followers in a scrolling box, Pinterest creates a captivating interface that posts pictures and video everywhere; up, down, left, right, all over your screen. Upon creation of your account, Pinterest will ask you your hobbies and interests and automatically connect you with relevant and frequent posters of content that fits your tastes. You can filter these posts (or pins) by topics or fans, thus allowing you to find things you are looking for instantaneously or just browse around and see who's looking at what. Pinterest welcomes new content and is a viral hotbed for interesting and fresh content.

The current profile of the average Pinterest user tends to skew toward women of all ages, but primarily those in the oh-so-precious 17-27 range, making it a hot new proving ground when marketing to those Millennials we've been hearing so much about. However don't forget about those guys out there. Men, who are typically later adopters of social media, are sure to jump in the game however as soon Pinterest picks up more steam and goes into the forefront of the social media world.

Unlike Twitter, Pinterest isn't about noise. However, it is about viral content. No need to post every photo from your last party here, save that for a Facebook album. Pinterest wants content that is fun to share, consider it visual bubble gum. Something that consumers can take in quickly, sweetly and be done with soon after. Using Pinterest in your everyday browsing is easy as all getout too. After registering your account, Pinterest will prompt you on how to install a "Pin It" button to your task bar which makes sharing the things you find across the web a simple and painless process.

Let's explore some ways you can harness Pinterest now to expose yourself to whoever your target market is:

Creative Use of Your Brand In Action

What are some fun or avant-garde ways to use your product? Show off the secondary and tertiary modes of use for your product or that special feature that your brand has that others don't. Consumers of your brand/product will either find it clever or relate to it a way they have or thought to use it; either way, people are likely to share this content.

Users Showing off Your Product

Brand advocacy and personal sponsorship is all the rage in social media these days. After all, it is free advertisement. When you show off a brand ambassadors allegiance to your product, you make them feel closer to your brand. Support those people taking cool pictures of themselves with your project by posting them across Pinterest, be sure to give their page a link too!

Fun Modifications/Prototypes of Your Product

Has anyone added their own custom paint job to your product or modded it in their own special way? That is definitely viral, Pin it! What about a fun prototype version of whatever you sell that you've been tinkering with for fun? Like the idea I mentioned above in showing off creative uses of your product, show off these fun tweaks to your brand is sure may create a viral buzz.

Striking and Creative Advertisement

Has your ad team come up with a crafty or clever marketing campaign or print ad? If they have, Pinterest is a great place to show it off. A striking image with compelling copy can send your brand spinning across the site. Shoot to inspire, motivate, lead, or simply stand out from the rest.

There are many other ways to use Pinterest to your advantage. Frequent and compelling posting will prompt Pinterest to automatically make new users follow your account (just like it did for you when you first registered). By organizing your photos and pins on different boards and categorizing them by what your target audience wants to view, you will increase the virality of your content and make it easier for Pinterest to sort through and match you with random users. Make sure however that what you share is fun enough for anyone in your target market would want to share. And of course, like any social media campaign, don't forget to reciprocate.

What fun ways is your company using Pinterest? We would love to see it, comment below and put your Pinterest URL to follow. Happy Pinning!

You can follow us at our Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/mediacontour.

Daniel Clauser is the Social Media Strategist for Media Contour ( http://www.mediacontour.com/ ). Daniel is eager to connect with all and answer any questions and may be reached @mediacontour on Twitter and Facebook or via email at daniel@mediacontour.com.

Pinterest for Business: What Is Pinterest and How Can I Use It to Promote My Business?

Pinterest is a new and emerging social media platform, that has also established itself as a respectable and intelligent medium for sharing ideas and images that people are passionate about.

The concept of Pinterest can be found in the name of the site. Your profile is like a 'pinboard', where you can collect, arrange and display items for your friends and followers to see.

Also, Pinterest is about sharing your unique interests, not just your latest products and services.

The success of Pinterest, and yes, the rapidly growing site that frequently competes with both Google+ and Facebook, relies on the concept that we all have unique interests and personalities, and the Internet is the perfect medium for bringing like-minded people together from around the world.

When you involve your business in social media, it is worth remembering why and how it works in the first place. The Internet surpasses geographical boundaries, time-zones and social restrictions. The Internet, and social media for business, connects people with similar ideas and values, that otherwise may never have the opportunity.

Develop a plan to promote your business on Pinterest If you are considering following the crowds, and launching your business on the Pinterest platform, the first thing you need to decide, is why?

Don't just go there because everyone else is, or you've heard a few too many success stories. The success of this platform for business, is generated when business owners are smart, genuinely inspired, and actually know how to use it.

You can start with the foundations of your own business. What does it do? What do you sell? How can these concepts inspire other people, because real inspiration and delight, is the foundation of Pinterest as a social media platform.

There is no point simply pinning up items that fail to engage, because if you don't engage, how can you sell?

Most often than not, Pinterest users aren't there to buy, they are there to be motivated and intrigued. They are there to obtain a fresh new look on the world, and if your products or services don't do that, they will instantly move on.

What are you interested in? (Other than making money!)

Quite often, the real intrigue of a business doesn't come directly from their products or services, but the morals and beliefs that surround these. If you can identify the interests and principals of your business, other than making money, you will be a step ahead of the rest in determining how Pinterest can provide you with success.

As an example, if you are selling biodegradable cleaning products, the images and product packaging of these my not be inspiring enough to add to a Pinterest pin board.

However, your general business philosophy should extend beyond the concept of 'cleaning', and include many inspiring ideas, such as wild life, environmental protection, beautiful waterways, tiny and self-sufficient communities, and individuals who strive to make a difference in the world.

Your Pinterest profile can include images, news stories, videos, quirky objects, and products from other companies that are visually intriguing, yet share the same philosophy as you and your business.

Inspire people with your interests

Inspire people with your interests, and they will want to know who you are and what you do. You may not be directly promoting your own products or services on Pinterest, but generating a following of people who share, and are impressed by your own interests and values, can be beneficial for your business.

If you are constantly pinning up items that intrigue and make them wonder, they will want to know who you are, what you do, and what makes you so special.

This intrigue will lead them to your business, and the products or services you are choosing to promote. They will feel as though they already know you, and a trusting and valued relationship will have already been formed, marking the pathway to a long-term, and profitable business relationship.

Yes, you can still promote yourself!

Pinterest for business, still offers great ways to directly showcase yourself and your business. If you are selling items that are naturally appealing to Pinterest users, such as handmade clothes, vintage jewellery, artworks or one-of-a-kind pieces, it would be recommended that your business stand out proudly and boldly.

Deciding the prominence of your products and services as a focal point, will depend on what you do, and what you sell. Also check out other businesses on there. Learn from their strategies and success, and read up on the Pinterest rules and protocol.

There are some guidelines you will need to follow, to keep Pinterest friendly and fun for all, but once you get started and implement some social media etiquette and common sense, you might find that Pinterest is your new area of online addiction.

Matt Adams is a Social Media Speaker, Social Media Trainer, Expert and Consultant.

Matt is the Co-Founder of SocialSelling.com.au, Australia's #1 Social Media Marketing Training company.

Matt offers regular Social Media Marketing Courses, Workshops, Seminars and Webinars across Australia.

Do you need a dynamic Social Media Speaker for your next event or conference in Brisbane or another location? Visit SocialSelling.com.au to find out about Matt's availability and to discuss your needs.

Matt's Brisbane Social Media Consulting Company, Paradigm ProjeX helps business owners maximise their Social Media ROI through Lead Generation using effective Sales and Marketing Strategies.

Is Pinterest the Right Choice For Your Business?

Is Pinterest the right choice for your business? Like any other social media networking website, the use of Pinterest for business purposes requires time and commitment. Pinterest can definitely attract customers to your page, but it is not the right platform for every business type. Let's take a look at a few questions that you should ask yourself before setting up a Pinterest account for your company.

Do you have the time to put into social networking on Pinterest?

Many have been asking me this question after posting my first post on Pinterest. There are a variety of different social media networking websites out there that are all great for driving business. Having said that, unless you have several people doing it for you, it would be almost impossible to promote yourself on each one. Social networking takes a great deal of time and effort. Not only do you need to take the time to seek out friends, but you also need to put a great deal of effort and thought into what will go on your page. In addition, your page will need to be updated regularly. As such, you need to decide if you have the time to create and maintain an attractive and informative homepage for yourself.

Is Pinterest the social media network that will attract the most business for me?

As said previously, there are a wide variety of social media networks out there - each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Pinterest is a photo based platform. As such, businesses that can use photographs to promote their business will see the most success from Pinterest. If you own an interior decorating business, photographer, designers (graphic, web, clothing, etc.), florist, makeup artist, etc. where you can share your ideas, or a business where you can promote products through pictures, than it may be worth investing your time in Pinterest. If not, you may want to steer your efforts towards another social media website such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

That being said, if you are not a company that can share pictures directly related to your products or services, you still CAN benefit from being on Pinterest. You'll just need to be more creative or hire someone who'll design a custom strategy for your efforts on Pinterest.

Who is your target audience?

Regardless of what social media website you are using, you need to ask yourself who your audience is. This is especially true when it comes to Pinterest since the majority of users are female. With 3 out of every 4 Pinterest users being female, it is businesses who target women that will receive the most benefit from the website. As such, if your business is targeted towards men, you may want to put your efforts into promoting yourself elsewhere (at least until the website begins attracting a larger male audience).

The above questions are just a few of the many that you need to ask yourself when deciding "is Pinterest the right choice for your business?" Here are a few other questions that you should ask yourself:

Would it cost you money to promote on Pinterest (would you need to hire someone to keep your page updated)? Is it a good investment or could your money be spent in other ways? Do you have a creative mind? (Success on Pinterest is based on creativity, so it is important that you have the mind to create interesting pins). Do you enjoy using Pinterest?

Use these questions to help you decide if Pinterest the right choice for your business.

Silvia Pencak is the Online Business Strategist and Magnetic Branding Expert. She works with small to medium size businesses who are looking to improve their positioning on the market and increase their profits. Her programs and services are designed to strategically move your business forward, helping you to attract and keep all the clients you need to run a successful business. Get your free Stand Out Now! Kit at http://www.magneticlook.com.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

You Want To Use Pinterest Like A Pro?

You know what is the next big thing going around right? The new social media site that has everybody talking about. Not quite used like a social media site, but totally relying on images and graphics of the web to add to their so-called collection.

You're right. Successfully guessed that answer!

The one and only, Pinterest.

Of course that wasn't so hard since it is in the first sentence you have read in order to get here. Pinterest has been the theme across many articles lately.

Everybody jumping into this pool of Pinterest. And why not. This site has many features it offers for you. With companies and organizations just feeding of the frenzy of the millions who are attracted to this "visual" based social site. Why not get your hands dirty in this.

One is the ability to choose pictures and images you like and "pin" them back to your boards, locating back on your profile.

These boards are collections of a specific theme and images describing that "specific" board. The boards are able to be customized with any image, and the boards being any topic such as, favorites, hobbies, or funny.

Many users go thorough endless boards and select certain images to repin them "back" to one of their boards, or simply just "like" that respective image. If you try that, it could literally take you hours to do that without you even "noticing" the time.

What am I to say how to use it? You have already probably been registered to the site, along with the almost 12 millions others.

But that is not the sole reason you have come to read this article. The article should teach anyone to be so good at Pinterest, that he or she could become pro.

Like anything in life, you have to spend significant time on it in order to "master" it or just get by for some results. But you don't have all the time in this world. Hey neither do I. But I have written this article to help you save time and master this Pinterest "thing".

Must have that "Pin it" button to your posts.

Nothing says about that Pin it button. So crucial. To show that you care about adding to the community of Pinterest, add that pin it button to your articles.

You are willing to give your own, "unique" content to be viewed by others on Pinterest. Some reader might just have many likes and followers on Pinterest, and if he likes what you read then expect him to pin that article.

And you get your reward, depending on the amount of followers or interaction that user might have. And what a reward if he has all the qualities of a successful user on Pinterest.

Must have that "Follow me on Pinterest" somewhere once on your site.

Just like having that pin it button to your posts, having this badge is needed to get some kind of followers.

It shows that you are on Pinterest, and would like to show others that you are active on the site. Also suggesting to follow your profile to get nice graphics from articles, and going to read through that "image".

Write articles about Pinterest.

Nothing says more than writing articles about Pinterest. Write about it. It shows to your readers that your blog has knowledge and experience.

As we are talking about the article, don't forget to add an interesting and unique picture to your article. Doing that is so important in order to attract others to "like" or "repin" your article on Pinterest.

As I am writing this article, you should do the same. As you learn more and more about the platform, take notes and come up with ideas on how to use it better.

Also write about how to use it more effectively.

All of the points above are things you can do on your side. The side which is your blog or site. Now we will be talking directly on Pinterest.

Just "Like" many pins.

Like pins and the images which are on the pins. Probably the simplest thing you can do on Pinterest. Follow certain people, not many, and get the pins or repins they do on your Pinterest wall.

Go to other users and start liking about five or so "Pins" really fast, and see them react to it. Many times, they just might follow you and get "one" more follower to your number.

Nothing of this should take long. Just like "five" or so pins from a new user, and "like" as many pins from the people you are following. That takes about "5-10" minutes. That's it.

Plus if you have the right top WordPress plugins like social metrics pro, then it won't be hard to find who is engaging with you on Pinterest.

You will see some great results just doing this simple tactic.

"Repin" as much as "Liking".

Repinning should be used very extensively as well. But repin only from the users that you are following since you are following them for the content they are presenting. Only follow users if you do indeed like what they pin and repin.

Repinning shows more appreciation than just "liking" and you grab more attention by doing that. Make sure your profile has all the boards created, and repin the images that you really like or think that will help your profile look better.

Have many boards set up, and repin them back to the boards. The "repinning" should go along the liking you will be doing. When you have finished doing the liking, save another 5 or ten minutes to "repin" more pins to your collections.

Don't get carried away with this part of the interaction. It can truly distract yourself, and time will not be on your mind. Have a purpose and go get it done with the correct amount of time.

These two, are probably the most "powerful" features of Pinterest to gain on. These are the "bread and butter" of Pinterest, and how it functions to the core.

Add often your own "Pins".

Don't be lazy and add only the repins you see on Pinterest. Every time you read an article that was informative or helped you, repin it to one of your boards.

If you find an image hilarious or have something you would like to share, don't hesitate and share it on Pinterest as well.

Show that you care and post your "own" helpful content onto Pinterest for others to see. They are many people on Pinterest, and don't think that they won't mind.

I would add your "own" pins every other day, if you can. But don't do it because you have to. Do it like you truly would love to share it.

Don't have any empty "Boards".

Please don't. If you do and don't know what to add to it, just delete it. Simple.

If someone likes what you're pinning" and decides to check you out, and they see boards empty here and there. Well, they will leave.

Make sure you have your profile looking the best as you can. Try to fill every one of them out, and add the best picture you think that will fit "perfectly" on that board.

Comment on a "Pin" once in a while.

Don't forget we have mouths and can talk. Use that. To tell you the truth, not many comment in Pinterest, by the looks of it.

Go and comment on certain ones, say like once a day while you're pinning. The user will really take notice and might take the action your are so dearly looking for.

Diversify your "Pins".

Go around check out other categories. Choose and re-pin from as many categories as you can. Don't be afraid to add other types of pins, but make sure your boards are set up in the order of importance.

Diversify you pins and show not only the same type of pin, over and over. People don't like that, and I sure don't either.

Provide value and choose what to pin. Don't pin for the sake of it.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a button to add to your blog, then visit this plugin to get it.

So you should have it. To become a Pinterest professional, do all of these steps vigorously every day. And I promise you that the results will flood your boat.

In order to use the benefits of anything online, time and work is the key. Articles like these will help you get what you're looking for on Pinterest.

The online world can be very complicated place. There is information all over the place. I am Samuel and I own Internet Dreams. Internet dreams is a place where you can engage and learn how to set up and succeed with your blog or site. Internet Dreams talks about SEO, blogging, social media, and much more...

How to Integrate Pinterest Into Your Marketing Strategy

If you are a business owner, chances are you have a marketing strategy. You have established goals for each of your individual marketing tactics, including content marketing. And you have created a step by step plan to achieve those goals.

Your marketing strategy likely also has a plan for testing and tracking the success of your goals. Finally, if you've been in business for some time then your marketing tactics overlap and you plan how to maximize each new tactic by integrating it with the others.

For example, you may integrate your content marketing efforts with your Facebook strategy by posting teasers and links on Facebook to newly published content on your website. As Pinterest continues to grow in popularity you may be looking at how you can capitalize on this social trend. Before you join the "Pinheads" (Pinterest members and users) consider how you can integrate this tactic into your existing marketing strategy.

Here are a few ideas to help you get started:

#1 Blog Plug-Ins

This is one of the easiest ways to integrate Pinterest into your existing marketing tactics and strategy. There are several Pinterest Plug-ins and more are being added as the site continues to grow and develop. In addition to "Pin This" and "Follow" buttons on your blog you can add plug-ins that allows you to share your most recent pins. It's a way to motivate visitors to pin your images and also to follow you on Pinterest.

#2 Content Marketing

Consider taking a look at your existing content marketing plan. Evaluate how you can add more visual interest to your blog or website. For example, can you add more images to your blog posts? Can you convert some of your content into short videos? You can pin videos on Pinterest. Do any topics lend themselves to infographics that you can share on Pinterest?

#3 Social Networking

Pinterest is intimately connected with Facebook and Twitter. In fact, if you don't have a Facebook or Twitter account you can't get a Pinterest account. And you can post any pin onto your Facebook or Twitter profile. You can also add buttons to your Pinterest profile so Pinterest followers can find you on Facebook or Twitter. Take a look at your existing Facebook and/or Twitter marketing tactics. How can you enhance them with Pinterest?

Remember to test and track your efforts. Add Pinterest to your analytics. Pay attention to who is pinning your content and repining your pins. Track your Pinterest traffic. And integrate your efforts. You'll reap more benefits in less time.

Is Pinterest Right for Your Business? - Pinterest is a unique, albeit large, community of members. What you have read here is only a fraction of what you will find in the new comprehensive Pinterest report..."How to Use Pinterest to Build Your Business in 7 Steps"... Read the full report here...

What Is Pinterest and What Makes It So Interesting?

Pinterest is a Visual Image (and Video) Social Bookmarking Site. You can consider it an online pin-board or album, where people "pin" things they like and want to share with people to enjoy. But there is also a very interesting traffic source aspect to this place.

Why is Pinterest so interesting?

Pinterest is full of people who are passionate about beautiful objects, design, quality and visual appealing photos and images.

First of all, it is very nice place to share just images or videos, which are in its own section where you can share your videos form YouTube, and if a Pinterest user likes an item you pinned, they can 'like' it and/or "re-pin2 these images to their own pin boards. You can even set up boards that other people can pin to or collaborate on a board on a particular topic.

And here comes the most interesting part for people that are also looking to get traffic to their "normal" websites. Every image is linked to the site it original came from, so when a user clicks the image it is taken first to its "pin" page, but when they click this image again on your page, they will be taken to YOUR site, even if the image was originally on somebody else's board.

So there is a huge potential for driving traffic to your site. If you add to this already powerful traffic driving potential the fact that the user's activity is also reflected on their connected Facebook and Twitter accounts the possibilities getting viral traffic to your site seem to be endless!

How can I get started?

The sites URL is pinterest.com, but you can't simply sign-up, because it is currently an invitation-only site.

When you got your Pinterest "invitation access", you will be presented with a selection of Pinterest Board "Themes". Simply click OK to the selection offered; you can change the titles and text later on. Next you are taken to the goodies page to add the "Pin-it" button to your browser.

Now you want to edit your profile settings to add your website's URL and connect your Pinterest profile to your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Don't forget to write something meaningful about you in the About box, and make sure "Hide from search engines" is switched to OFF; you want to be found, don't you?

Now the fun begins; you start pinning... First of all you create your board or rename the one create when you first logged in, and to which you will be adding or uploading your pins. Make sure to give it a good name and chose the right categories to help people interested in a specific area find your board.

When you add a pin, you enter the URL of the site where the image is located and you will then click the "Find images" button to select the image you want to pin. You can also upload images from your local disk. Following an example of the editing access to two Boards that a user Pinterest user created.

There are more options to ease the task of adding images as you surf the web, like adding a "Pin it" button to your browser or installing Pinterest for iPhone. See Goodies section, pinterest.com/about/goodies, for more details.

You may also want to add images from other Pinterest boards, to attract visitors to your board. This is called repining, and is as simple as hovering over the image and clicking the repin Button. Here you will also see the Like and Comment buttons.

Another strong social aspect is the following option. You can follow people or specific board, and your home page will change accordingly as they update their content. For following a Pinterest user click the "Follow All" button on their profile and for following a specific Pinterest board, you will find the "Follow" button on the top of the board.

The possibilities that Pinterest offers to its users are much more valuable than one would think at a first glance. Apart of being able to share your interests graphically, it can also be used for activities like brand building and selling your own or affiliate products by simply linking to the sales page the image was originally placed on, and if your sales or affiliate page has no nice images, simply create an intermediate "landing page" with the attracting images, a price and call to action that will take them to the product page.

You could even create a contest to where the Pinterest users would get a price and badges for sharing your images on their boards. As you can see, there are no limits to your creativity..

The Competition? - Pinerly

There is another site, Pinerly, which is invitation only too. Here is how it works:

Once you have your invitation that takes you to the page to get started, simply enter your email into the top-right corner and hit the "Lets's Go" button. You will then be placed on the waiting list and get your own referral link. From there on, as your referrals start signing up, you get accesses to more functionality. For your first friend you get a "Quick Peek", with 5 friends you will have earned the "Early Access" and with 10 friends you get access to the bonus features. BE AWARE! signing up from the same computer multiple times will not count! I tried it and it doesn't work.

I'm not quite sure whether Pinerly is really a competing or "sister" site, because when you hover over the "Pin it" button on Pinerly you will see that it says "Pin it on Pinterest" and then lauches the Pinterest pin box with the text "via Pinerly - your Pinterest friendly dashboard ".

So I leave it up to you to judge, but you can get some great images from Pinerly. Here are two of my Pinterest boards: Favorite Places & Spaces and I Love Animals, that I created with images from Pinerly.

Andre W. Klein - For more Internet Business and Internet Marketing related articles and an INVITATION to Pinterest please visit Internet Business How To
You may use this Pinerly Invitation link: http://www.pinerly.com/i/Wsdqb to get started. This is no affiliate link or alike. I'm already a Pinerly user and will have no further benefits if you use this link, and you will get a similar link to "earn" your Early Access.

Interact - Get Organized - Get Pinterest

Pinterest is the hottest new way to increase your visibility and credibility on the internet. By interacting, getting organized, setting up interesting Boards and staying engaged, your Pinterest followers will be more than just loyal fans, they will be a free marketing force.

INTERACTING:

Engaging with your Pinterest followers is absolutely imperative if you want your community to grow. People truly do want to learn more about the human beings behind the pins, so strive to work at least a little bit of a personal touch into your pins. Because it is a social community, following others back shows that you are not just in it for yourself, but you are open to engaging with your Pinterest followers. This is what makes loyal followers and grabs you the most Pinterest repins. It also gives you more ideas and content for your own Boards.

Feel free to comment, like, and repin from other Boards. It shows that you are open and interested in what others are doing, and it also gives you a bit more exposure. Since Pinterest likes and repins are visible on both Facebook and Twitter, every effort you make has exponential benefits.

GET ORGANIZED:

The better organized your Boards are, the more likely you will get Pinterest likes for them. Do not be afraid to get very specialized on your Boards. For instance, some people use their Boards to plan their weddings, build their dream homes, save favorite recipes, and/or build their Christmas wish lists. Of course, there are inspirational quotes, favorite books, and lots of pictures of cute pets. Organizing your Boards into specialized subjects will enable you to attract Pinterest followers who are browsing by subject or keyword. They are more likely to become fans if your board is specifically speaking to their interests.

How does this work for your business? If you own a larger company, consider creating Boards for each department or based on the interests of different areas of your staff. Make sure you have Boards for each product line or innovative technology. Smaller businesses can create Boards for before and after photos of job sites, infographics about their trade, and links back to their blogs. One interior designer has a Board for each color pallet, for example. Her Boards are very pleasing to the eye and her account has something for everyone.

USE CAPTIONS:

When sharing a Pinterest pin, always include a detailed description in the caption/description field. Don't go overboard, but do provide enough vital information for viewers to find your site or product and give them a reason to consider purchasing (such as a coupon or other incentive). Make it interesting, enticing, and brief. Do not be afraid to include a call to action.

When you have all of these elements in place, the Pinterest followers you attract will be of the quality that best help you promote your business, program, or message.

INCREASING PINTEREST FOLLOWERS:

Ultimately, your goal is to get a high number of Pinterest likes and repins, which means you do need an army of followers. Some programs offer you the option to purchase blocks of followers for a small fee. You can buy Pinterest Pins, Pinterest repins, and Pinterest likes on your pins - all of which will help you get some quick traffic. Look for a service that targets specific subjects and keywords so that when your Boards are offered to potential followers, it's a mutually beneficial relationship.

Meanwhile, you will find it fun and educational to find, follow, and repin others on your Boards. So, remember to get organized and interact with your Pinterest followers by keeping your content fresh and interesting. It will boost your brand and build your authority. Make sure you integrate your Pinterest account with your Facebook and Twitter accounts to get all the exposure you can.

My name is David Stockholm and I have been involved with internet marketing for many many years. I find that Pinterest is the most enjoyable experience that one can have while learning about what other people are feeling and experiencing in their lives. The best thing is finding out about what's new in the world, what people are selling and what people are buying. I always want the next new thing out there. For marketers, sometimes you need a little help getting on board and I have found a company, GetRepins.com, that can do just that. Check out their site and also see more of my thoughts about Pinterest. Go to http://www.GetRepins.com.

Four Reasons Why Pinterest May Help Your Business

What is Pinterest and how can it help me grow my business?

This is taken right from the pinterest.com website. "Pinterest is an online pinboard. Organize and share things you love". Pinterest allows people to pin anything on virtually any subject on their virtual pin board. Beyond that it allows users to view what other people have posted on their pinboards. This allows visitors to discover new things about topics that they may be interested in, or discover topics they know little about. Since early in 2011, Pinterest has experienced significant growth and wide acceptance. The difference between Pinterest and other social sites is that Pinterest is much more visual and engaging than other sites, including Facebook and Google +. Users "pin" images and videos onto their pinboard, creating a collection of "pins".

I know what you're thinking. "Not another friggin' social site! Why in the world would I want to get involved with that"? The best way to answer that is to take a look at Pinterest's main assets for marketing.

1. It's aesthetically pleasing. Since it's primarily a site for visual presentations, people go there and stay there for a longer period of time than other social sites. Pinterest have five million users, who average 15 minutes a day on the site.

2. Pinterest has become a referral juggernaut. According to copyblogger.com, Pinterest referred more traffic in January 2012 than "LinkedIn, Google Plus, Reddit, and YouTube - combined. "

3. Pinterest's emphasis on visual content makes it a player for B2C businesses. Businesses that would find Pinterest a great fit include clothes stores, florists, hairstylists, furniture dealers, and other craft oriented enterprises. Showcasing beautiful images or videos of your product on Pinterest is an easy way to leverage the power of images.

4. It is easy to share content on Pinterest. The site prompts you to download a "pinmarklet". The pinmarklet allows the user to pin any content they found on the web to their pinboard. You don't have to copy and paste or switch between browsers and tabs. It is very easy to offer interesting content visually to your customers or visitors on Pinterest.

Pinterest does have drawbacks. Unlike other social marketing sites, Pinterest does not have the capability to produce a dedicated branding page. This creates quite a challenge. How do you create a marketing page without it looking like a marketing page? Because visitors don't always know that the link they clicked through links with a business, they may not be the hot referral you are looking for. To find out, use Google Analytics to tell you the referral path for your prospect. From there, you will be able to determine whether Pinterest referrals are interested customers or inadvertent visitors.

Another drawback can be the audience Pinterest attracts. According to hubspot.com, 83% of Pinterest visitors are females between the ages of 18-34. The types of businesses that might be attractive to this demographic are design, fashion, and home décor. B2B businesses will find it hard to develop an audience on Pinterest.

Pinterest can be a valuable marketing tool for those businesses that cater to retail customers, attract a lot of females and have visually exciting wares. To use Pinterest effectively requires the time and commitment to create visually exciting pinboards. Remember to track your referrals to determine if the referrals from Pinterest are the quality you want. Utilized the right way by the right business, Pinterest can be a enormous asset in your marketing toolbox.

J.A. Moffitt is the President of Elvin Web Marketing. Elvin Web Marketing is the source for online marketing. Whether you're looking for a high Google page rank, improving your site content, or blog writing, we can help! Call us at 203-882-0171. Visit our webpage at http://elvinwebmarketing.com.

Useful Marketing Pinterest Tools

Marketing analysts saw greater opportunities on the new social site called Pinterest. With more than 10.4 million users, 88.3 minutes spending time and 2 to 3 times more engaging compared to other sites, Pinterest is indeed an emerging powerful social media.

Besides sharing photos and videos, Pinterest can also tell the story of a business or brand and share more information through interacting and repinning. However, to fully experience the marketing advantages of Pinterest, managing any account or page must be done on a daily basis.

The pinboard owner must be observant and analyze how customers can interact with the content especially when it's about business. Good thing there are various Pinterest tools available to ensure that a business' Pinterest account will be influential, effective and updated regularly. Below are a few useful tools.

"Pinerly"

Pinerly is the easiest way to increase exposure. Though currently in a beta testing stage and can only be accessed by invitation, it is helpful in many ways. It can follow pinners by helping a user find and follow pinners that have similar interests as them. It can also unfollow a group of pinners.

In addition, it helps users view popular pins and get inspired by those pins. It can also help schedule pins by timing posts keeping the followers interested and updated regularly. Lastly, it can help a user know and understand how effective and influential the site is.

"PinPuff"

One of the best Pinterest tools is PinPuff. This is a new site that is designed to accurately measure the influence and reach of a certain Pinterest account. It also helps users to track pinning activities regularly and suggest tips to get a maximum advantage of Pinterest. Moreover, it helps businesses by analyzing, creating and managing marketing-related activities. Lastly, PinPuff is completely free.

PinReach

PinReach, formerly PinClout is a fresh new analytics tool that measures the impact and pinning activity. It uses a so-called PinReach score or a numeric representation of the influence and impact of a Pinterest account.

"Url2pin"

Url2pin is a free tool that helps share various websites on Pinterest. It can share a website's screenshot that uploads to the Pinterest account.

Browser Extensions

To easily update a Pinterest account, Google Chrome has an extension called Pint It! that allows pinning posts using the shortcut. Another extension is from FireFox. It has a so-called Quick Pinterest used for easier pinning. Moreover, there is an application for an even quicker way to pin called "Easypinner" for Pinterest.

Apple App

With the demands of updating social network sites while on the go, a Pinterest app on iPhone and iPad is available. It allows users to like, re-pin and pin photos or videos anywhere.

The above Pinterest tools are only a few of the things one can use to achieve an influential Pinterest account. However, there are other essential elements that need to be considered. Apart from the tools, users should also post good content that customers, followers and random users will be interested in. Remember the more interaction a site gets the more influence it can obtain.

Langdon Trask writes about search, social media, technology, and marketing trends for SEO Los Angeles. If you would like to place a request for additional unique articles from Langdon for your site or blog, you can get articles here.

Social Meida Guide: What Is Pinterest?

In today's world, social media has taken over! With a variety of different websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, even Google+, there are few people in the world who aren't somehow involved with the new trend. It seems as though everyone is always looking for the newest and hottest social media phenomenon. And if you've hit this article, you've found the new phenomenon! It is called Pinterest. But what is Pinterest and who is it for? Let's take a look at the who, what, when, why, and how of Pinterest to help you become more familiar with the latest social media trend.

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest, the latest social phenomena to hit the masses, is a sharing platform in which you "pin" pictures to your board. The picture sharing site allows you to create categories of photographs, pin your pictures, and share them with other people. In addition to pinning pictures, you can also pin videos, share monetary gifts, and join discussion groups.

When would you use pinterest?

Initially, Pinterest began as a type of scrapbooking website in which users could post pictures of their family, pets, or vacation and share them with others. As such, it was seen as more of a spare time or hobby type website. However, as the platform began to grow, users started to see the potential that it really held. With new features included, individuals are now using Pinterest for a wide variety of things such as wedding planning, interior decorating, and even marketing.

Who uses Pinterest?

Now that we have answered the questions "What is Pinterest?" and "When would you use Pinterest?", let's answer the question "Who uses Pinterest?" The answer to this question is simple - everyone and anyone. As stated previously, Pinterest started as a platform for everyday users who wanted to organize and share their pictures with the world. Since then, business owners have began to see the potential of the platform and are now using it to market their products and distribute their brand messages.

Why use Pinterest?

There are several different reasons that one might use Pinterest:

To share photos with family and friends To share information - Many people use Pinterest to post their recipes and ideas, or showcase their talents through photographs. To gather inspiration - Individuals from around the world use Pinterest to showcase their best ideas. So whether you are looking for wedding ideas, cake ideas, decorating ideas, or other forms of inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to find it. To promote a business - Pinterest can be a great way to share your products with the world. Post your product pictures, or use Pinterest to showcase the talents that you have to offer. Even better, use it to create a visual brand personality for your business. Make people fall in love with who you are and what you do.

Now that you know "What is Pinterest?", who uses it, and why you would use it, there's one final question to answer:

How do you use Pinterest?

It's simple! Just head to the Pinterest website to learn how to set up an account. Then follow "MagneticSilvia" on Pinterest and enjoy the ride.

So what is Pinterest? It is the latest social media trend, allowing account owners to share and browse through pinboards of pictures. Who uses Pinterest? Everyone! Why use Pinterest? For personal interest or to promote a business. How do you use Pinterest? Check my website for more information!

Silvia Pencak is the Online Business Strategist and Magnetic Branding Expert. She works with small to medium size businesses who are looking to improve their positioning on the market and increase their profits. Her programs and services are designed to strategically move your business forward, helping you to attract and keep all the clients you need to run a successful business. Get your free Stand Out Now! Kit at http://www.magneticlook.com.

How to Use Pinterest to Promote Your Business

Social media changes on a regular basis and it can be difficult for small business owners to keep up. You've got a Facebook page? Check. Your twitter feed is regularly updated? Check. Well here's something else to keep you busy - Pinterest.

The issue with technology changing so swiftly is that you do not always understand what horse to back. You may have wasted your dollars getting your MySpace site custom-designed, only to find all your potential customers have moved onto Facebook. So when you read about a fresh social media experience, you're right to pause and ask yourself, ought I be worrying with this? So, should you be bothering to use Pinterest?

Pinterest (rhymes with interest) is an online virtual pinboard. Items which you stick on your pinboard or freezer at home, you are able to stick on Pinterest. I'm not really speaking about a piece of paper stating 'Buy Milk' - more beautiful/interesting/inspiring stuff. If you were getting married and came across a great idea for bouquets you might stick that on the site, or if perhaps you're a fashionista, you may use Pinterest to show a high-heeled shoe you love.

Whenever people 'pin' these pictures on Pinterest, other individuals will be able to comment. So when you stick up the wedding flower design you believe will make your eyes look fabulous, your bridesmaids can give their suggestions, as well as suggest alternatives.

Ideally, consumers link through their pin to the source, so high heeled shoe ought to link to the company's webpage, or the style blog page you found it on, though not everyone does this.

Profiles on Pinterest may be public or private, and individuals can follow other people's boards. All this is visually good, is intuitive to navigate round, and is filled with cool youngsters publishing stuff other fashionable individuals have made. But do you need it?

The first thing you'll notice when you visit Pinterest.com is it is visually stunning. The web page has photos of beautiful food, clothes, architecture and everything else that's pleasing to the eye. It's really a very visual social network website, which ought to offer you an idea of what sort of business might benefit from a presence on Pinterest.

Aesthetically eye-catching merchandise will work well on Pinterest. If you're in an artistic niche, it's worth investigating promoting your merchandise via the site. Unquestionably anyone who offers a service for the wedding industry needs to look into it - brides looking to plan their special day appear to be big consumers of the service in its early stages. The primary users of Pinterest at the minute are women aged 25-44.

If you supply via eBay or Etsy then you definitely ought to be investigating what Pinterest could do for you. Indeed Etsy recently added a 'Pin It' button to their item listings, allowing members to effortlessly share their items in the social network.

If however you happen to be an accountant, solicitor or other skilled professional who is offering a specialised service, you probably won't identify much of interest for you professionally. Focus instead on working on your LinkedIn profile.

Should you feel Pinterest may be of interest to you, then the next issue is how may you use it to PR your business? Pinterest is a social network site, thus rather than directly marketing your products, the emphasis should be on encouraging visitors to share your items. Direct promoting of your products won't go down well and will not boost your brand.

Should you be providing craft items or clothing, it will be straight-forward. Inspire your customers to pin your items via your email list or Facebook account, and think about including follow and 'Pin It' buttons to your results next to your other social networking buttons. You can do this by following the instructions on the Pinterest website.

Some other industries will have to be a little more original about promoting their products. Should you operate a cafe or catering service you might share some recipes on Pinterest. Ensure that you've got a good, enticing photograph of the dish, post the recipe on your own website and add a Pin It button. Hopefully customers will pin the shot on the site and others may click through to your website.

Don't forget - the key to being successful on Pinterest, and making it to the high traffic homepage, is to always have appealing photos. Make sure that your visuals are first-rate and you will thrive.

A possible problem for you is that you are unable to easily join Pinterest at the time of producing this article - it isn't open to the public. The fastest method of getting onto it is to ask a friend who is on the website for an invitation. If not you should ask for an invitation from Pinterest and simply wait patiently by the pc.

To conclude, creative people have to have a look at Pinterest. Get an invite today and have a play around to see whether it will work for your enterprise. It's definitely going to grow in popularity within the coming months, so by getting on the website nice and early you might with a little luck manage to steal a march on your competition and grow a presence on the website.

Robbie Knox writes about public relations at How To PR, a blog that offers free PR advice to small businesses interested in boosting their brand using the media. Visit the site for more articles like this, and learn how to PR your business.