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.