Idioms consistently remind us that a picture is worth a thousand words and this means that they can be used to help convey a message far quicker than a written explanation. As a dedicated photo-sharing site, Pinterest offers users the chance to interact with others via photos – but why should small businesses use this service?
Small businesses and the internet
The internet is now used by more than 2 billion people worldwide, with the number of UK users steadily increasing over the years: growing from 26.2% of the population in 2000 to 82.5% of the population in 2010, meaning the number of UK users more than tripled over a single decade.
- Also Read : The Ultimate Guide to Pinterest
As a way of conveying even complex messages in instants, photos have become an area of strong growth. Reports from 2011 revealed that the number of photos displayed and shared online had increased, with an estimated 6 billion photos thought to be uploaded to sites such as Facebook each month.
What is Pinterest?
Whilst there are many sites and firms which offer photo sharing capabilities, Pinterest is the best option for businesses. For those who are unaware, Pinterest is a social site which shares photos through a ‘pinboard’ style format.
Images are managed in collections which center on themes. The option to ‘pin’ photos allows users to share content and images which they find interesting – an objective which was outlined in Pinterest’s original mission statement.
The benefits of Pinterest for businesses
Pinterest offers numerous benefits to businesses, with the simple format allowing companies to establish themselves in a more familiar and personalised manner.
The ability to create ‘boards’ (a collection of images under a set theme) means businesses can target specific areas of the market audience with greater accuracy. This not only makes the company more direct in its approach but also helps to deliver a higher quality of service to customers – something which is sure to win their custom.
The versatility of this site means that the boards can be put to any use. Whilst some use them to plan their wedding (‘pinning’ all of the relevant photos) others use it for interior designs or simply to share content on topics they enjoy. As every business must now make a website to address their online fan-base, the use of Pinterest allows them to provide inspiration and share content with ease.
For the small business, this site is invaluable and could help companies to get ahead of the competition with greater ease. The site is inherently linked with other social media sites, such as Facebook, and this means a small collection of images can be shared with numerous people instantly, with social bookmarking helping to distribute this important content over numerous formats.
