You may have social networking profiles on Facebook and Twitter and possibly even Google+, but have you considered creating a profile on Pinterest? Pinterest is the baby social network that is taking the online world by storm. With Pinterest you have your very own board that you can customize however you want and then you can Pin various media to it. The network is a favorite amongst women who love to share recipes and dress designs and feel good photos and images, but the network is steadily growing to encompass all demographics and interests. Before you get started, you may want to consider the Pinterest pros and the Pinterest cons so that you’re never taken off guard once you dive in.
Pinterest Pros
Let’s start with the good aspects of Pinterest. First, there’s the traffic aspect.
High Amounts Of Referral Traffic: When it comes to generating a lot of referral traffic, you may think of platforms like Twitter or YouTube. In fact, one of the greatest Pinterest pros is the fact that Pinterest outranked both Twitter and YouTube in referral traffic. When looking for new and innovate ways to send traffic back to your website, Pinterest is a great way to do it.
Built-In Search Engine Optimization: Pinterest creates a stored link every time a user posts an image to a Pinterest board. These stored links act just like inbound links, which will boost your search engine results listings.
Visually Driven: Another great Pinterest pro is the fact that Pinterest is based on sharing media, such as photos, images, videos; even infographics. You likely already use visual content on your websites and on other social media platforms. That means making the switch to Pinterest should be an easy transition and a natural progression in your online marketing efforts.
The Female Market: According to recent estimates, Pinterest is comprised of 65% women. Furthermore, it’s stated that 85% of traffic to Pinterest is driven by women. This means that if you are marketing mainly to the female demographic, you’ll feel right at home at Pinterest. This would not be a Pinterest pro if you were marketing primarily to guys, on the other hand.
Speaking of Pinterest cons, let’s look at a few downsides to the social network so that you can make an informed decision before you log in and create your profile.
Pinterest Cons
Only For Fun (For Now): Unfortunately, Pinterest doesn’t cater to business interests just yet. So far it has just been a social network where users can share inspiring messages, heartwarming videos and funny photos without having to worry about ads or being sold to. Things may change in the future, however. As a Pinterest marketer, it is best to get in on the game early before business-related features get added. That way you will be ahead of the curve, despite this Pinterest con.
Copyright Issues: As long as you are posting your own photos and images to Pinterest, you shouldn’t run into any trouble. The moment you start posting others’ images, you may get into trouble. There have been some Pinterest copyright issues and it’s still unclear what media violates the platform’s terms and conditions. While this won’t become a Pinterest con unless you choose to use others’ images, photos and other media, it’s always best to be aware of copyright issues so that you don’t face any problems in the future.
The Men Aren’t There – Yet: If you are marketing primarily to men, you can see how Pinterest’s mostly female audience would pose a problem. Still, as it’s been stated previously, Pinterest is still growing and more men are coming to the site every day.As the site evolves and more features are added, you may find an entirely new demographic of males ready to absorb whatever Pins you decide to post.
Now that you’re more aware of the Pinterest pros, how the site can help you generate more traffic and it allows you to show off your brand, products and services with stunning visual media, as well as the Pinterest cons, how there’s mostly a female audience and how the site isn’t optimized for businesses, yet, you’ll be much more prepared to make a decision. Do you make a profile on Pinterest now or do you wait until the site matures a little bit before jumping on board?
The experts understand that getting in on any new technology early is often the key to getting ahead. As your competitors are reading up on the Pinterest pros and Pinterest cons, you’ll already have your Pinterest profile established, putting you way ahead of the game. Get in now and you’ll likely see great things in your Pinterest future.