Pin to Win - Social Media Explorer
Pin to Win
Pin to Win
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We live in the digital age. It has some positives, it has some negatives, but there is no denying that online is a big part of the new normal. If you’re in business and haven’t at least considered some sort of involvement then you could be missing out in a big way. Whether you’re a small business in a niche industry, a freelancer, or a globally recognized brand, there is almost always some space for discussing your service or product or just getting your brand out there.

There are lots of fantastic platforms which can be perfect for subtle (and free) self-promotion online if you use them to their full potential.  It is simply a matter of knowing when and where you should look. Social media can also be used to boost careers, and the results can be great when you get it right. Everyone has a mobile phone and on most of them you’ll be able to access the internet. In combination with reputable marketing agencies you can make sure that you make the most of the internet to build a brand.

Using modelling as a model of how brands can use Pinterest

Social media can be used for a lot more than just speaking to friends, looking at kittens and stalking celebrities; it’s an opportunity when you tap into the right areas.

Take the example of a modelling agency, for example. It used to be that if you wanted to succeed in modelling agencies you’d have to lug around a portfolio of professionally snapped images. Those days have gone, and as it seems everything else in the word has moved online, so have modelling agencies, who now favor easily updated and cheaper e-portfolios.

Portfolios are meant to show an accurate representation of the model, and for modelling agencies that deal with talent who grow and change on a daily basis, keeping it updated can be a nightmare. Phone photos and Instagram snaps make it far quicker to access these sites and get started with social media. It’s really in every industry’s best interests to get involved online; everything can be done much faster and even networking and customer service is so much easier.

Social media sites are dominated by women. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr all have a higher percentage of female than male users – not only this but they’re also more likely to use social media several times a day. As a result, any online marketing is likely to benefit from a bit of a feminine touch. That said, you shouldn’t alienate your male followers either, because they are still a part of your market.

Baby ModelsSource: www.pinterest.com

Pinterest is a fantastic platform for all sorts of social sharing particularly if you’re involved with a visual industry. It allows you to ‘pin’ images from other sites, as well as uploading your own. It’s one of those things which works best if you engage as you’re more likely to gain followers, and it will be easier for people to find your snaps.

Pinterest is there to be browsed. Its users have time to go through the boards and find pictures they like, and unlike some other platforms they have money to spend. It makes it the perfect place for ecommerce businesses to advertise because people build boards of things which they want to buy or things which interest them.

Key terms:

Pinner – Pinterest user.

Pin – an image uploaded from a website or a computer to a board.

Board – an online scrapbook where you group collections of images. Organise thoughts and images.

Like – as it sounds, you are telling another Pinterest user (‘pinner’) that you appreciate their pins.

Mention – you can mention another pinner by typing @ followed by the user’s name. They’ll be notified that you’ve done this.

Getting started

Start by building a few boards. You can group your images by whatever seems most appropriate photographs from individual shoots then you could make each of these into a board as well. How you organise your page is really down to you.

Other board could be one with ‘behind the scenes’ type pictures which you’ve captured on your phone during shoots. Giving a unique and interesting perspective will make people want to follow your boards and by extension form a way of raising awareness. This would work for any industry. Giving some insider information or a peak behind the scenes makes people feel like they can relate more to your company.

Never just login to pin your own images and do a bit of self-promotion. It won’t work. You should also follow and engage with other users. Also repin boards of other elements which are likely to interest your target market. In the case of a baby modelling agency this could be clothes, parenting tips or toys, really anything which is likely to interest other mums (that is your key demographic) as well.

You can even do a bit of market research on Pinterest. What boards are your target market building? Are any of your competitors on there?

Pinner beware

 Natashas Kitchen

Source: http://natashaskitchen.com

If you’re using social media for anything business related at all you’ll need to be careful what you say. Everything that you share will be in the public sphere and once it’s out there it can be really hard to get rid of so make sure you choose which images you share with caution. It will negatively impact on the brand if you get too involved with anything which could be considered offensive or controversial your company could be implicated.

It’s just not worth the risk.

SME Paid Under

About the Author

Maddie Russell
Maddie Russell is a content creator at Square Social. Maddie also works as an SEO consultant at Models Direct, one of the UK’s  premier modelling agencies.

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