We’re entering an era of strong visual marketing in which online video, photo-sharing and social networks such as Pinterest are increasingly important to brands. The visual nature of Pinterest accounts for its meteoric rise to the number three social network.

Thismoment, a San Francisco provider of social content management software for brands, has four tips for brands that want to leverage Pinterest.

Why does Pinterest matter to brands?

The inherent nature of the Pinterest experience yields an incredibly visual user experience with one’s pinboard content and consequently, much like YouTube, this visually oriented focus has been a key driver in its user growth.

By creating content that simplifies user interaction, this increases the likelihood of those content elements being pinned and, thus, going viral. Additionally, Pinterest stands alone by reaching the ever-elusive ‘middle-age female’ demographic more efficiently than any other platform to date.

4 recommendations for brands leveraging Pinterest:

• Create content that users will naturally share. Forcing an advertisement into a pin will inevitably be lose-lose for brands as users do not wish to inundate their followers with ads, and brands will lose return on their creative efforts. Pinterest is a network of “interests” and visually interesting content is easier for users to process and re-purpose.
• Create content that users will be proud to share. Because many Pinterest users automatically publish their pins back to their Facebook timeline, pinners want to ensure that any content being shared will be of value to their network. By appealing to a user’s pride and/or brand loyalties, brands can ensure that their content steadily remains on pinboards throughout the Pinterest ecosystem.
• Find your community and join them. While the users of Pinterest are collectors, the users themselves are a collection of communities. “Pinners” are self-forming groups pinning content across various interests, e.g. Wedding Dresses, Dining Tables, and Vacation Getaways. Identify your communities, create your boards, and join in on the activity.
• Consider who you’re targeting. (Hint, focus your primary message toward females age 30-45) As a social network primarily populated by women, brands that endeavor to leverage Pinterest should have a “female” oriented strategy. This varies depending on your brand so do your research.

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Tags: 4 tips for brands using Pinterest, Best Practices, Business advice, Marketing, social media, Thismoment