You don’t need me to tell you that people are constantly plugged-in and on the Internet. But what exactly are they doing for all that time they are scrolling and tuned-in to their phone?
Well, if you’re like me (and approximately *100 million other active Pinterest users), you’re probably #pinteresting. Yes, I’m making it a verb – the act of using Pinterest. The new-media technology has taken the online world by storm by providing users the options of “pinning” and “liking” images, potentially with captions and embedded links.
With the average user spending approximately 15 minutes each day on Pinterest (more if you’re a professional procrastinator like myself), your garden center needs to be on Pinterest.
Ways to Utilize Pinterest for Your Garden Center
I can speak from experience when I say, I pin things to remind myself of all the neat outdoor and garden projects there are to do. You need to create pins that catalog all the cool displays or customer completed projects you have. Get people inspired to be outdoors and try their hand at plant-care. Not only can you be inspirational to your followers, but it can be inspirational to you to see what is trending recently in the industry and what’s popular among your followers.
Another way to utilize Pinterest to your small business’s advantage is by linking your personally generated pins (as previously mentioned – customer completed projects, unique displays in store, new shipments, etc.) back to your website. Thus, creating more traffic to your webpage, and hopefully, resulting in more e-commerce for your business. It is said that 93% of active pinners use Pinterest to plan for purchases and 87% said they’ve purchased something because of Pinterest.
One of the most enjoyable parts of #pinteresting, for me, is finding pins with quotes. Find funny gardening quotes or garden signs that might relate to your followers. These can be an assortment of pins that range all the way from funny to inspirational. This is an easy (and #authentic – something we mentioned in our previous blog post with Arrow Coffee Co.) way to show your customers that behind your business are real people.
Beneficial to Both Your Followers and YOU!
As I said earlier, Pinterest is a great way to see what your target market wants and what’s popular.
Pro-tip: One of the most popular things people like to re-pin are garden inspiration signs. Be sure to start a board that keeps your followers motivated and inspired.
Another added benefit is being able to use content you found on Pinterest and cross-promoting it to your Facebook page. Make sure to share your Pinterest link on your Facebook profile. Since you already have a Facebook following, why not let those folks know you are on Pinterest as well. My guess is they are too. This also helps with finding followers in your specific area.
An example would be finding a useful infographic and sharing on your Facebook page.
Pinterest also makes it easy to personalize and share your business’s brand with others through the use of hashtags, types of images/photos, variety of boards, etc.
I have nothing but marvelous things to say about Pinterest, but watch out for…
- Check the details of the pin’s plants/products before you re-share it to the worldwide web and all of your followers. Nothing can bring down your credibility as an expert than a hiccup like this. This could be in the form of enhanced coloring on photos, plants blooming in the wrong season in pictures (misleading to a customer on what their outdoor setting could look like), mislabeled products, etc.
- Set a specific amount of time for Pitnerest. The average user may only spend 15 minutes on Pinterest, but this gal could get on Pinterest for hours. (I wish I was exaggerating.) Just like any other task you do, set a time frame and stick to it. Otherwise, if you try to perfect your page, you will never be done!
- Another aspect of time is figuring out what time of day works best for your followers. I find I am on Pinterest mostly during the evenings when I get finished with class/work. However, this could be different for your audience, so try pinning during different times and see what gets the most engagement (re-pins/likes).
Pinterest can be one of the most beneficial sources to your online marketing, if you take precautionary steps and use it to the fullest. Be sure to be inspirational, link it back to your website for potential purchasing, and be authentic with people through your pins. With tasks like #pinteresting, you’ll find that new-media marketing, it can be fun too!
*to see the sources for the statistics, visit Omicore Digital Marketing Agency’s website and Digital Marketing Ramblings’s website.