10 ways PR and marketing pros can use Pinterest

Pinterest isn’t just for organizations in the fashion, food, sports, homes and retail industries.

A software organization started pinning its blog posts to Pinterest. Some images from the blog posts were original—infographics, its product in use, PowerPoint decks—and in others, it used a Shutterstock account.

It built boards based on brand personas, representing five different segments. On every blog post, there was a call to action, offering the free trial it already provided. Pinterest users are not their decision makers, but they do influence purchase decisions.

This organization knew that if it could get these people into the free trial, they would then recommend the software to their bosses. After just one month, Pinterest became its No. 1 social network referral source.

The company’s real goal was to drive people to take its free trial. In the four months that it tested Pinterest, 35 people visited directly and took the free trial. Of those 35 people, 10 became customers. A four-month test drove about $50,000 in new revenue.

This is a PR pro’s dream—using social media to drive new visitors and, ultimately, sales.

Here are 10 ways you can use Pinterest for business:

1. Say thank you.