1. Pinterest is a game changer.
The first true example of the perfect marriage between search and social, Pinterest is a collection of (largely photo driven) pieces of Internet content first discovered (search) and then re-shared or “pinned” (social) by the person who found the content and then by others (the pinner’s followers).
Imagine a human filtered Google, with all of the content neatly filed in beautiful folders by their human caretakers. The most popular pieces of content fly through Pinterest faster then the speed of light, while others wait, patiently, to be discovered but all the while are cherished by their “pinners.”
Each pin is one piece in a series of personal collections by the pinner, called boards. These boards include anything from boards on vacations, fashion, recipes and inspiration. The Co-Founder of Pinterest, Ben Silbermann, when speaking at SXSW Interactive explained the origin of the site came from his passion for collecting things as a child.
Rumored to have over 14 million unique users, but logging in at 11 million (what’s the difference really?), Pinterest is growing as quickly as its pins go viral. And as more male users join the largely female base, the boards are becoming more varied and creative. The Fake Mitt Romney account, for example, features a pin of a yacht on a board titled “Great Deals.”
The stats speak as loudly as the chatter about Pinterest at the water cooler, in the line for groceries or in the board room.
Thanks for the infographic, InternetMarketingInc.com.
#2 If your site isn’t optimized for Pinterest, this is what happens.
Someone, like me, arrives on your site. In this case, Converse.com. The visitor finds something she or he wants to share with friends and hits the “Pin It” button on the top of their Internet browser…
But this is what happens.
The pop up says, “Sorry, couldn’t find any large images or video on this page.” Or, in the case of Versace.com, the visitor goes to pin something and they are presented with every product within a category or on the Website:
Ideally, you want Pinterest users to have a seamless experience between your site and their board. Less is more, but a little bit of more is okay. 100+ pairs of sunglasses more – too much. Just a few options like this are better.
And the pin option looks like this:
Why does this matter? Because not only do Pinners see your site through this lens, so do Facebook users when they share a link and need to select a thumbnail image and so do search engine spiders, crawling your site and determining your rank for certain keywords. The more clear, concise and accurate you are about what you are displaying – the happier your human site visitors and the search engines.
Where would you be without either? In a cold and dark corner of the Internet universe where very few people are actually visiting your site.
#3. Still think Pinterest doesn’t matter? Which looks more appealing and engaging to you?
A search on Facebook for “Columbus, Ohio”.
A search in Google images for the term “Columbus, Ohio.”
Or, a search in Pinterest for the term “Columbus, Ohio.”
Did you notice that engagement ring second from the left in the top row there? That’s a post by a local business, Worthington Jewelers.
Still scratching your head, or just want to know more about Pinterest and why it is a game changer? Come to our free workshop on Pinterest for Business on April 26th. Here are the details:
Pinterest for Business
Make the most out of Pinterest for your business or organization.
When: Wednesday, April 25th, 2012 – 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Where: Cement Marketing offices, 15 E. Gay Street, Suite 2A, Columbus, Ohio 43215
Free entry includes food and spirits.