Pinterest? Instagram? A Mini-Guide to Marketing with Images

Article Contributed by John Boudreau

Most small businesses have enough trouble keeping up with the fierce foursome (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+) of the social media world, let alone thinking of ways to reach web visitors with images. The good news is this: you can handle it all. With just a little bit of planning and some understanding, you can be a social media guru, too!

First things first, you might be thinking: what does Pinterest and Instagram have to do with selling something? Well, you’ve heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” before, haven’t you? If you could use a photo to get your marketing message across, then why not try it! People respond well to graphics and images, and as a business owner, you want just that: a positive response.

The Social Media 4-1-1

Before I delve into some strategies you can implement to take advantage of photo-based platforms, let’s get up to speed on the basics of each platform.

Assuming you understand the fierce foursome already, let’s skip right to Instagram and Pinterest.

Instagram

• Instagram is an image-based social network.
• Users can access the social network on Smartphone devices, as well as their computers – however, they can only post images through their phones.
• Instagram accounts can be linked to users’ Facebook and Twitter accounts.
• Users take photos on their iPhone or Android devices and can choose filters and borders before posting. Instagrammers can tag friends and followers, use hashtags, and blast out their images on their other social media networks.

With well over 100 million users (and counting) Instagram is on fire! With trends such as #tbt (Throwback Thursday), users have integrated the network into their daily lives.

Pinterest

• Online pinboard where users can curate content – complete with back-links within images.
• Users of the site “pin” photos of things they find online to their personal pinboard and others can “re-pin”, “like” and comment on those photos.
• The most popular pins relate to food, homes and children.
• The social network has been praised for being highly engaging and rapidly growing – it was the fastest website ever to break through the 10 million unique user mark.

When it comes to Pinterest, the most important thing to note is this: when people visit the site, they stay there. The average time spend is nearly 15 minutes per visit – users are engaged and they’re also motivated to visit other sites from Pinterest.

From January to February 20132, referrals increased from .85% to 1.05%.

Implementing a Strategy

Now that I’ve convinced you to add another platform or two to your social media strategy, you are probably wondering how you can do that. First, we’ll talk about best practices and ideas for your own content generation, and then we’ll touch on a system for managing your new strategy.

Photo-Worthy Best Practices

Start with some research. Search for your products on Pinterest and Instagram. Note which hashtags users are associating with them. Make use of those tags when you upload your own unique content. Find out two important things:

• What are people interested and engaged with?
• Where is there a lack of quality, engaging content? Can you provide your expertise?

Remember, although your end result is to sell something (of course, you are a business owner after all), you also want to think like a customer. The more you can engage the customer, and provide them with information and content that they want to be viewing, the better off you are at building a relationship. And when it comes to successful marketing strategies, relationship building is half the battle.

Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas that you can utilize on both Pinterest AND Instagram:

1. Infographics – Your company can utilize these to demonstrate statistics, fun facts, and other relevant information to your industry.
2. Photo Challenges – This can help your business reach out to existing clients as well as prospective clients. It does cost less to retain a customer then to earn a new one after all, right? With Fall approaching, maybe you want to start a photo challenge – what house is ready for the Fall with the best décor? Popular back to school outfits you found for less while shopping? Create your own hashtag for your company and encourage people to get involved by tagging their photos with it (and sharing on ALL of their social networks) and get people involved!
3. Connect To Local Events – When something is going on in your community, or at your business, the photos can be worth more than a lengthy email or newsletter. Show off what you’re doing.

How can I manage all of this at once?

I have two words for you: editorial calendar.

• An editorial calendar is a useful tool that can include all relevant information for curation and production of content for your social media marketing strategy.
• Use an Excel spreadsheet to get started.

What should you include?

1. Who – is responsible for this task?
2. What – type of content/image/strategy are you looking for?
3. Where – Is this going to placed (what platform)?
4. When – Will this be posted?
5. Why – is this going to help with the marketing effort of your company?

Ready, Set, Go!

Getting started is as easy as committing to creating the calendar. So get out there, do some research, and get excited!

Remember, your marketing efforts need to be focused on where your target market is – if social media is how to engage them, then what are you waiting for?

About the Author

John Boudreau, COO and Co-Founder of Astonish, has been in the insurance marketing and technology business for nearly 10 years. He works closely with local insurance agencies across the country to increase their share of the digital landscape through online marketing. For more ideas on using Pinterest in your business, check out Astonish Results reviews Pinterest, part of a blog series on the newer social media platforms. Before Astonish, Boudreau honed his problem-solving abilities while working as an environmental analytical chemist. He also founded Ion Marketing Group, a digital marketing company focused on the real estate industry. An avid musician, John plays the drums, the bass and the guitar.