February 16, 2012 9:58:52 AM CST
The newest and fastest growing social media tool is Pinterest. It permits you to post photographs from anywhere on the web and to share them with others. It also permits you to share other people's photos and for other people to "re-pin" yours.
Are you using it and how are you using it and what are your thoughts on how it can drive traffic?
February 16, 2012 10:10:31 AM CST
Good Morning Daye...you bet I'm using it and although I cannot really track the visits..the items that I am pinning or others are pinning for me...the traffic is way up and better yet, my sales are WAYYY up...
February 16, 2012 10:12:58 AM CST
That is fantastic news Carolyn! First, congratulations! I have not been using it as much as I should but that will change as our Ruby Lane store opens (yes, still not done with my first 10). I think some exciting things are going to happen to those that are using it.
February 16, 2012 11:28:16 AM CST
Just started using Pinterest and tying it in with Facebook, Twitter, my blog and more! So many great ideas, so much fun, and definitely will pay off with sales and visits to my store!
February 16, 2012 12:02:28 PM CST
There are some terrific articles recently written by people in the know...those that follow SEO and on line marketing trends...I'll post a link to the latest if it's OK?
February 16, 2012 11:17:33 PM CST
I most definitely agree Carolyn - integrating your social media DOES work to drive more traffic.
Yes Carolyn - please share!
February 17, 2012 9:20:00 AM CST
http://www.copyblogger.com/pinterest-marketing/
This one is the best I've found so far...I think if we are serious about selling online..we need to explore all avenues of promoting. That is what it's come down to. There are so many of us selling Vintage that we HAVE to stand out from the crowd....
February 17, 2012 10:48:15 AM CST
Great article Carolyn - Thanks!
February 18, 2012 9:14:45 PM CST
I love Pinterest!
It ranks #4 for the source of where most of my traffic is coming from. I get an average of 4,000 page views per day. My website is less than 3 months old.
Here is the link to the images that people are pinning (and repinning) on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/source/freevintagedigistamps.blogspot.com/
February 23, 2012 5:42:00 PM CST
Have you seen any of the recent concerns with Pinterest? Including the most important one to me: that Pinterest 'owns' your content, can sell it, but YOU are responsible for any copyright issues AND by using Pinterest, you're represent that you own that which you 'pin'.
Hmmm....
February 23, 2012 7:06:09 PM CST
Hmmmm...indeed. I will do some research on this topic.
February 23, 2012 7:12:32 PM CST
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February 23, 2012 7:17:26 PM CST
Oh, well....
February 23, 2012 7:17:51 PM CST
Now if we could get someone to decipher the legal jargon...
February 23, 2012 7:41:32 PM CST
You know what...I'm not going to worry about this. I post 100's of items to Pinterest every week and I've had ONE person reproach me. And that reproach was on The Vintage Village...she was worried that her item price might change inbetween the time that I posted it and when someone, somewhere, in time might see it...let me tell you...Pinterest moves so fast..we do not have to worry about piddly little shi.like this. The people that need to read 20 pages of legal jargon concerning agreements with your cell phone provider, your internet provider, your car insurance company, your mortgage company and on and on and on...I tell them...you go for it...while your busy reading the 2nd legal disclaimer, I've sold 3 pieces of my vintage items because someone on Pinterest happened to click onto my Ruby Lane shop and happened to find the perfect piece they were looking for...
February 24, 2012 10:17:13 AM CST
Well said Carolyn! And I think if one is using it to sell their product, Carolyn's right. Now if you are using it for personal use - well, then that may be something entirely different. Just like I do not splash my personal life all over FB, I cerainly would not splash my life over Pinterest either.
February 25, 2012 8:41:12 PM CST
All very true, Carolyn, unless you *happen* to be the one picked for the legal eagles to make an example of - like that poor woman downloading the music from what's that company. Paying thousands of dollars in fines would break many of us. Hell, the legal fees alone would break most of us! For what it's worth, my bet is that Pinterest will fix the small print before it comes to that, but I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig, and I really wouldn't pooh-pooh it, either.
This post was edited by Martin & Aleta Curry at February 25, 2012 8:42:06 PM CST
March 25, 2012 8:16:50 AM CDT
I rather figured the "uproar" over their terms of service would get straightened out and it looks like it has. ""Our original Terms stated that by posting content to Pinterest you grant Pinterest the right for to sell your content. Selling content was never our intention and we removed this from our updated Terms.""
In the meantime though a lot of traffic has been created and sales have increased through active participation. Is there any reason now to not use Pinterest?
March 30, 2012 7:30:28 PM CDT
None at all. But there's still a reason to be circumspect about making sure you have copyright over or permission to post that which you pin.
That said, post away!
April 5, 2012 8:12:03 PM CDT
The News Hour on PBS just ran a segment on Pinterest. Unless you want your friends to think you've beeb living in a cave, you'd better check out Pamela's video in the archives before someone asks you about it. Some of the statistics discussed on PBS were: Pinterest grew 53% in February alone, 90%+ of the users are women, both the Obama & Romney campaigns are using it to great effect. Pamela's demonstration is probably the best presentation of Pinterest online. Gary
April 7, 2012 8:41:39 PM CDT
Just read on a CBS blog that Pinterest is now the 3rd largest social networking site; knocking out LinkedIn and Tumblr.
April 7, 2012 8:59:56 PM CDT
I know...that is why I jumped into Pinterest in the very beginning...I'm glad I did...my recent sales are evidence of my connections with Pinterest...in this online business...you cannot sit still and sit on your laurels...you must keep moving on...
April 21, 2012 10:41:52 PM CDT
Pinterest has become a great Promotional Tool for The Vintage Village. Plus it is very very addictive!!! :)
April 24, 2012 10:54:47 AM CDT
Gary & Carol Stover said:
The News Hour on PBS just ran a segment on Pinterest. Unless you want your friends to think you've beeb living in a cave, you'd better check out Pamela's video in the archives before someone asks you about it. Some of the statistics discussed on PBS were: Pinterest grew 53% in February alone, 90%+ of the users are women, both the Obama & Romney campaigns are using it to great effect. Pamela's demonstration is probably the best presentation of Pinterest online. Gary
Thank you Gary! I am truly flattered! ;)
-pamela
