Is Pinterest right for Your Small Business?

This year's biggest social media buzz so far has the amazing rate of growth of Pinterest. Many are saying that Pinterest is "the next big thing".

So just what is Pinterest?

Pinterest describes itself as "a virtual pinboard". On Pinterest, you can create different boards with names of your choice and "pin" photos of items that you find on the internet. You can also look at other pinners' boards and "repin" photos that they have pinned on their boards.

I think of Pinterest as browsing through my favorite magazines and ripping out photos of room designs, clothes, or recipes and putting them in a folder. I have an actual bulletin board where I keep pages I’ve cut out of magazines of kitchen designs I like for when we redo our kitchen. Well, Pinterest is much the same, only virtual.

How does Pinterest work for a small business?

The top retail pinners, according to Pinterest, include Nordstrom, Barney’s, Vera Bradley, Neiman Marcus, Gap and Urban Outfitters. The more images they put out there, the more they will be pinned and repinned - and orders for the items will follow.

So, if you are selling products that allow you to tell your story through pictures, then Pinterest is an excellent option for you. Wedding and event planners, crafters, bakeries, jewelers, vintage clothiers are all perfect businesses for Pinterest.

Other businesses can make use of Pinterest too. Salons can pin pictures of new hair styles. If you’re in the fitness industry, you could pin recipes of healthy foods or new classes you’re offering.  If you are an author, pin a picture of your book.

Pinterest is still by invitation only, but an invitation is easy to obtain or you can ask Pinterest to invite you. Join the “next big thing” online!