Why Retailers Should Be Interested in Pinterest
Imagine an online pin board where users can pin up photos of what interests them, and you have Pinterest, a rising star in the world of social networking. In just four months, the number of unique visitors to Pinterest.com was estimated to have grown 429%! So what does this mean for you, as a retailer? In a social space where people are virally sharing “interesting” items, they could be talking about your products! Let’s show you how to get in on the action…
1. Use the Best Product Photos
Pinterest is like a gigantic photo album, so the first step in convincing someone to pin your product photo is to make sure it’s a beautiful photo. An effective product image is vital to capturing interest.
2. Add a “Pin It” Button
Much like Facebook’s ubiquitous Like button, a Pin It button makes it easy for users to share your product on Pinterest. Use this form to generate a Pin It button for your site (you will need to scroll down).
3. Become a Pinterest User
At this point, Pinterest is by invitation only to cut down on spammers. If you know a person who is already a Pinterest user, you can ask them to invite you. If not, then you will need to request an invitation. Once you become a user, think about your brand and what inspires you. What lifestyle do your products represent? When you create your first pinboard, don’t fill it with your own products. Blatant self-promotion is frowned upon and no one will want to follow you. Find images that genuinely represent your interests, and people with similar views will soon start flocking around you.
4. Add a Follow Button
Much like following a Twitter account, you can also follow Pinterest users. If you become a Pinterest user, then make it easy for your website visitors to follow you by adding a Follow button.
How to Add a “Pin It” Button to Your Product Page
Nexternal is proud to announce that it has integrated the “Pin It” button into its platform. Here’s how to activate it:
- Log into your OMS.
- Click on Settings.
- Scroll down to Compatible Software and click Edit.
- Scroll down to Social Networking and place a checkmark in the box next to Pinterest.
- Scroll down and click the Finish button.
By default, the button will display the number of users who have pinned that product once someone has clicked on it. To remove that count, go back to the Social Networking section and click on Preferences. Locate the “Count Box Style” item and select “none” to hide the count.
Zoe is a web designer by day and a caped super-hero by night. Okay not really, but she really is a web designer at Nexternal with over 14 years of experience coding HTML, CSS, and other magical web things. She also enjoys helping others, which is a bit like channeling her inner hero. Google+ Profile
