So you know that social media and online marketing is a fact of life for blogs and most businesses today. Many of us are using these sites to share our lives, catch up with friends and family, network for our business and more. It’s important for you as a blogger or business owner to have an online presence, but utilizing everything out there would be impossible. You’ve heard about how good Pinterest can be to gain followers and customers as it’s one of the top search engines. But will it work for you? Check out the information below for some insight as to whether Pinterest might be the right platform for your brand.

Research Your Audience

Some demographic research is necessary to find out whether your target audience falls into the demographic of the average Pinterest user. Research the latest information regarding who’s using Pinterest. The majority of Pinterest users have been female, with a median age of around 40 however the majority of active pinners are below 40. It’s a good idea to spend some time reviewing Pinterest demographics for further insights to determine if you can reach your target audience through this platform.

According to Pinterest

“Pinners span the globe, but they all share an important trait: they’re actively seeking helpful, inspiring ideas. People use Pinterest to plan for what’s important in their lives, whether that’s easy dinner recipes, home renovation tips or the perfect pair of shoes.”

Think about what your target audience is looking for. What you can offer that will inspire them and want them to keep coming back to you for more?

Decide Whether Your Brand Lends Itself to Visual Content

Pinterest is a curation site in which users pin the blog posts, articles and products that interest them. Pins must be visually appealing if they’re to stand out among the crowd. Some topics do very well visually on Pinterest such as home décor, recipes, fashion and beauty. It is possible to create graphics that are related to your product or service if you don’t have a large variety of photo-worthy content. Sometimes you have to think out-of-the-box to figure out what you can create as a visual that will tie in to what you have to offer.

Creativity is necessary when it comes to using Pinterest. Remember you will need to generate pin-worthy content on a regular basis.

Evaluate Your Time

Take into account the time needed to manage a Pinterest profile. It’s not just pinning some photos and walking away. This platform takes much more time then your social media sites. You will need to create a Pinterest business account with a great profile, boards and pinnable images, all of which need keyword rich descriptions. Pins need to be added throughout the day to make an impact and to extend your reach. You can manually pin or schedule them using a scheduler like Tailwind which I use myself. This can be a huge time saver. You will also need to monitor any comments and maintain your boards. Pin creation is an important factor and there is a “science” to designing pins that make people want to click on them, which of course is your ultimate goal! Do you have the time to manage all of this? If not you’ll need to decide if you would like to hire a Virtual Pinterest Assistant (VPA). As I’ve mentioned previously, Pinterest is not a social media site and needs a specific set of Pinterest services that a VPA can provide. Therefore, your budget will also be a factor if you decide to go this route.

Pinterest can be an incredibly successful platform to use. With 200 million people using Pinterest every month it can be a game-changer for your blog or business. Think about your marketing strategy, time and budget to make an informed decision. Need some help deciding? Contact me and we can have a chat.