Pinterest - As A Marketing Tool - ?

Good Morning -

I have been wandering around Pinterest and am confused to say the least -

Can it be used as a marketing tool? Does one create a theme board with things they find on the internet and slip some of the items they are selling onto that board? -

And then - once a board is created how is it seen by others than your followers and perhaps other Pinterest users who happen on it?

Are you using it as a marketing tool? and if so, how?

Thanks to Carolyn for inviting me into this very overwhelming world.

Marie

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jan Story on March 13, 2012 at 3:10pm

All this reminds me of the brouhaha some years ago over terms of use that appeared to give Yahoo ownership rights in anything people put on their Geocities pages - back when there was such a thing as Geocities. It didn't really mean that, and Yahoo later clarified it.

I suppose where the concern is - and again, this is mostly a concern of people who sell digital images and designs, not physical objects or services - is that someone could take a copyrighted image off their site, save it to their own computer, and upload it to Pinterest as an "uploaded by user" file. But that's not unique to Pinterest - they can do it on Tumblr or Flickr or Photobucket or anyplace else that can host images.

As for people unauthorizedly taking a copyrighted image off of Pinterest - they can do that anywhere an image happens to be. Absolutely nothing you can do to protect an image - short of keeping it off the Internet entirely - will protect it against someone who is determined to steal it. Watermarks can be cropped or Photoshopped out. No-right-click scripts are easily cirumvented. There are even ways to strip out metadata. By linking back to the original source - or at least the source where the pinner got it - and thus creating a trail, Pinterest probably gives more protection to image-owners than most of the Internet does.

I really doubt that Pinterest will become the next Napster. The economics are too different. Napster incurred the wrath of one or two well funded and organized industry groups whose members have historically exercised fairly tight control over their content. An attack on Pinterest over copyright infringement would almost have to be orchestrated by someone with similar organization and resources - and nobody like that is coming forward yet. All I'm seeing is what if, what if, what if.

I'm more worried that Pinterest will become spoiled by becoming too commercialized. Notice all the infographics about Pinterest marketing? Those aren't aimed at small businesses like us, they're aimed at corporations. I've already picked up one follower I think might be some kind of fashion-industry sock - though I'll take eyeballs anywhere I can get them. And congrats on the sale, Charmed - all I've got so far is lookie-loos!

Permalink Reply by Virginia Warren on April 3, 2012 at 10:49pm

Thanks for the discussion! I did create a board on Pinterest for different items in my Ruby Lane shop. I have had traffic and one sale. I did not think of putting the price on it though. I will try that next. Things are not flying off the shelf, but I have found it a way to put my Ruby Lane store in front of some people that have never shopped there. If they click the rubylane.com highlighted link, it does take them directly to my store. Interesting concept!

Permalink Reply by Holly Lane Antiques on April 3, 2012 at 10:52pm

So far none of my sales have referred to Pinterest so I really doubt it is helping any - though my pins are constantly being repinned - so maybe some day ----

Permalink Reply by Jan Story on April 3, 2012 at 11:14pm

Well, how many sales refer to where they saw it? There's probably no way to tell how much traffic you get from Pinterest unless you check your Google analytics. I haven't sold any Ruby Lane pieces yet, but I've sold a couple of pieces from my eBay store that were on pinboards. No idea if that's where the buyers saw them... but one piece was an "old dog" that I've had up for quite a while, so some new eyes must have seen it.

Permalink Reply by Ruby Lane on April 4, 2012 at 11:56am

Based on our reports Pinterest drives traffic to the site, which is why we add new Pinterest boards daily (except weekends) and we are adding boards under three different user accounts (I am telling you this in case you are following only the rubylanecom boards). Whether or not an individual will actually 'buy' the item is something else altogether. I have 'spot' checked a few of my boards (vintageartisan) to see if any of the items sold and am pleasantly surprised to see shoppers had purchased some of the items. Of course I have no idea if it is a result of an item being listed on Pinterest or not. What I do know is Pinterest drives traffic and that is a good thing.

You do need to continually work your Pinterest account by adding new boards and new items to existing boards in order to keep the 'flow' going in the feeds. To put up 5 boards and just let them 'sit' probably won't do as much for you as regular maintenance of your boards, etc.

Carol

Permalink Reply by Deborah Bank-Rowett on April 6, 2012 at 2:36pm

I just wanted to add that I was asked to join pinterest today and have. Right away I had someone comment on my choices. But I'm still trying to figure it out much like this site.

Permalink Reply by Holly Lane Antiques on April 6, 2012 at 11:13pm

So just what is the secret to having a pin with a price show up in the gift section?

Mine just never seem to make it - ????

Permalink Reply by Deborah Bank-Rowett on April 7, 2012 at 12:52pm

Can you put the web address to the item on Pinterest and still add the price? I"ve added several items and have a lot of likes and repinning (and found some relatives on there) but can I direct people to the item I've pinned?

Permalink Reply by Deborah Bank-Rowett on April 7, 2012 at 12:54pm

Holly Lane Antiques said:

So just what is the secret to having a pin with a price show up in the gift section?

Mine just never seem to make it - ????

It's really simple to do. Click upload and add some of your items and add a pice after the description. It just shows up.

Permalink Reply by Holly Lane Antiques on April 7, 2012 at 1:38pm

I do that but it seems they rarely show up - such a game of chance as to which make it to the gifts section - ????

Deborah Bank-Rowett said:

Holly Lane Antiques said:

So just what is the secret to having a pin with a price show up in the gift section?

Mine just never seem to make it - ????

It's really simple to do. Click upload and add some of your items and add a pice after the description. It just shows up.

Permalink Reply by Jan Story on April 7, 2012 at 1:58pm

The direction is automatic. Click once on the picture, it takes you to the pin; click a second time and a new page will open up with the original source. Also there's a link to the source on the pin. You don't need to do anything to "direct" people. Some folks put a link in as a comment, but IMO it looks spammy.

You can't rush things - you need to grow it as a social network, not treat it like you're marketing. Have boards for your own interests as well as for what you're selling . And pay back - try to follow people back when they follow you, and look at the people who like or comment on your pins to see if you want to follow them, or like or comment on something of theirs.

Permalink Reply by Marni Bakst on April 7, 2012 at 4:29pm