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06 July 2012
by Web Bureau
It is no secret that search engines are using social media interaction as a measure of search authority within their algorithms. Since users can share “pins” on both Facebook and Twitter, there is an obvious benefit from an SEO point of view.
Pinterest works best when you’re regularly active on it. Help drive more traffic to your site through Pinterest by establishing your presence there—putting your domain front and centre in your profile, pinning your own content, pinning interesting content from elsewhere on the Web, creating keyword-rich board titles and descriptions and connecting with other users to build your community.
One of the largest untapped benefits of using Pinterest for business is search engine optimisation (SEO). The SEO power of Pinterest starts in the users profile and is found in full force among the pins.
Creating Your Pinterest Profile
When setting up a business profile on Pinterest the company name should be placed in the First/Last Name fields, splitting the full company name between the two. This will show the company name at the top of the page verses the showing the name of the person who has set up the account.
Optimise Your Pinterest Profile
The content placed in the about section is important to the optimisation of a Pinterest profile. This information shows at the top of a profile under the user’s name and is valuable for being found in searches. The about section allows users to add 200 characters explaining what they do. Place some keywords describing the company in a concise business description here.
Once your profile is set, you are ready to pin. Every pin made and each re-pin gives the website source a backlink. With over 80% of pins being re-pinned the SEO effects can be tremendous.
So how do you get your pins re-pinned? Optimise their descriptions! Take advantage of the description field that goes along with each pin. In it you should place simple keywords (or search terms) marked by a hashtag. Pinterest then activates the hashtag used so that when it is clicked on, pinners can view other pins pinned with the same keyword.
Website URLs can also be placed in a pin’s description. Currently, Pinterest hyperlinks these URLs. While some users may not always click on the photo to visit the source site, many are used to clicking through on hyperlinks and will take the bait. These clicks can create unique visitors for your website and the possibility of online sales if you participate in e-commerce.
Keep in mind that no matter how well crafted a hashtagged description is, no one will re-pin content that is dull. Make your images say something. Infographics are a particularly popular item to pin. For starters, they provide useful information with visually appealing delivery. Infographics also tend to be longer in length, giving them more real-estate on the page and a better chance of being noticed.
Another tip that can help with using Pinterest for SEO lies in the source link. When making a pin, the user has the ability to change the URL the photo will direct users to if clicked on. Perhaps a photo came from a press release but you want it to direct users to the homepage of your website, it is possible to alter the source url when making the pin.
Pinterest is well worth taking note of. With over 9 million Facebook connected users the site has become a major player overnight. Don’t wait to add Pinterest to your social media marketing plan. Get in the game early and gain the upper hand against the competition.
So as they say ‘happy pinning’