Pinterest has rapidly emerged as one of the hottest new social networking sites, and has made history by becoming the fastest stand-alone site to reach 10 million users.

Unlike other social networking sites, Pinterest is a visual based social network, where users can create, share, and repost their images and videos (or ones they like from the web) by pinning them on virtual pinboards.

Many have already seen the business potential in Pinterest, but in order to take full advantage this particular social networking site, there are some important things to bear in mind.

Take some initial steps

-Set up your account properly using your logo and with links to your business website and social media pages

-Research what your ideal client is pinning

-Make sure to integrate with other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter

Create original content as well as repinning

-Most images on Pinterest have been repined, so creating original content will make your page stand out and drive up traffic

-Keep the content simple, with engaging images, text and videos

-Share other people’s content through repining, especially if it is relevant to your business (This also helps build followers)

Promote creatively and employ business strategies

-Create competitions on your Pinterest page dependent on pinning or repinning

-Showcase your business’s latest offers by pinning them on a pinboard

-Allow other fans and users to post on your pinboards

-Employ SEO by adding categories and keywords to your profile and pins, as well as interesting captions

Don’t spam

-Don’t overdo it. Pinterest can suspend your comments if it feels you are doing heavy commenting that they deem to be spamming, so make sure space out your comments and promotions properly

Measure the results

-Monitor the activity of your followers, as well comments and what is being repinned

-Use Google Analytics to determine how many visits are coming to your site from Pinterest

Check out Socialmedia.ie on Pinterest