Have you been hovering your cursor over the refresh button on your inbox, anxiously waiting for one exclusive email invitation to arrive? If you enjoy food, clothes, DIY projects, weddings and anything else creative and inspiring, then you know about Pinterest. And before this week, you had to be “accepted” into the realm of pinning, which could take anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Well, good news. The wait is over. Pinterest is now available and accessible to the public, which means its popularity is going to grow even more.
Not only did Pinterest lift its invitation only policy this week, they also introduced mobile apps for Android, iPhone and iPad. The folks at Pinterest wanted to make pinning faster and easier for its users and what better way than to offer a better Pinterest experience on your smartphone or tablet.
In a recent blog post from Pinterest they said, ““iPad owners may have the best Pinterest experience yet. Our new iPad app is perfect for sitting on the couch, on a train, or in bed where users can effortlessly discover, save and organize the things that interest them. The app offers users new ways to engage with pins, whether swiping the screen to resume browsing after viewing a board, or using the embedded browser to see what others are pinning from their favorite sites.”
While Pinterest is a great creative outlet to use for your personal life, keep in mind that it can also be used to drive traffic, engage audience members and gain exposure for your business. But remember, only pin things that make sense for your business–be selective. Here are six ways to use Pinterest for your business:
- Use original pictures to drive traffic
- Pin other people’s content to build a wider following
- Create catalogs to bring in sales
- Host competitions
- Get fans involved to help spread the word
- Pin offers