Monday, December 16, 2013

8 Ways to Optimize Your Pinterest Presence

PinterestOptimized
Pinterest is all the rage right now and for good reason. Pinterest is a powerhouse network. Use it strategically, and it can really boost your traffic and sales. While there is no doubt that Pinterest and retail go hand in hand, it shouldn't be ignored if you aren't an online retailer.

As with any social network it comes down to using it correctly to communicate with your audience.
Here are some quick stats and facts about Pinterest:
-Conversion rates for Pinterest traffic are 50% higher than other referring traffic. (via VentureBeat)
-Pinterest users spend more money, more often than any of the other "BIG 5" social networks. (viacomscore)
-There are 70 million users worldwide (via TheNextWeb)
-80% of pins are repined. (via ClickZ)
-Pinterest refers about 20% of all commerce traffic. (via AllFacebook)
-Users spend an average of 14.2 minutes per visit. (via Mashable)
-Pinterest shoppers spend $140-180 per order. (via ReadWrite)
-Pinterest is the 3rd most popular social network. (via Wishpond)
-47% of U.S. online shoppers have made a purchase based on a recommendation from Pinterest. (via Blogher)
If you ask me, those are impressive numbers!
Now, here are some of my key tips on how you can optimize your profile for maximum exposure and success so you can start benefiting from Pinterest traffic in your own business...

How To Optimize Your Pinterest Presence

1. Make Your Boards SEO Friendly
Not only do Pinterest boards show up in search, they also allow users to connect with your business in a non-cluttered manner. When naming your Pinterest boards, think about how people search for that type of content and go from there. Do not, I repeat DO NOT, use the default board names that Pinterest provides. Doing so will just mean you'll be harder to found and lost in the noise.

2. Include A Call To Action In Your Pins
By including a "call to action" in your Pinterest descriptions you'll increase the likeliness that someone actually clicks through to learn more and visit your site.

3. Optimize The Images On Your Site
The images you use on your site are the images you'll see on Pinterest. Make sure they have the correct descriptions and for an extra boost, think about adding your Twitter handle to them. This way when people pin content from your site and don't change the description, all of your info will already be inside.

4. Balance Your Pinning & Repinning
80% of pins are repinned, which means you have an excellent chance to be repined when you pin original content. Remember that Pinterest, like all other social networks is best when it's a two way stream of content. You don't want to be perceived as selfish if you only Pin your own content. Repinning others is also a great way to build relationships and get on another user's radar.

5. Make Your Descriptions Keyword Friendly
This is probably your best opportunity to get found, so use the keyword section wisely. While you have 500 characters to work with, social scientist, Dan Zarrella, says the most repinned content's descriptions fall within the 200-310 character range.

6. Include Rich Pins On Your Site
Rich Pins are dynamic pins and require a little code on your site. However, they are great because all the content you want to show up on Pinterest will automatically. Plus, they show exclusive content, such as price and shoppers will get notified when you have a sale for the items they pinned.

7. Verify Your Account
With a verified account you can have access to Pinterest analytics and it will help people locate your business easier. It also looks legit and gives you an edge.

8. Use The Map Feature
Pinterest recently added a map feature. Not only does it look really cool, it is also a great way to increase foot traffic for a local business.

(via)

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