Do you use Pinterest? I love it. No, that’s a lie – I don’t love it, I’m obsessed with it. And I’m not the only one.
If you aren’t sure what Pinterest is, then let me quickly explain: it’s an online bookmarking system for images that are arranged in ‘boards’ where you ‘pin’ ‘interesting’ photos (Pinterest, geddit?!) you find online. It really doesn’t sound all that enticing until you give it a go and then a few minutes later find yourself pinning like a maniac and drowning in pretty things – flowers, jewellery, food, shoes, fashion, travel and so much (much) more.
Today I’d like to let you in on a little secret I recently discovered (thanks Darren!). It’s a great resource for bloggers who want to know which of their posts are being pinned on Pinterest, as well as a great tip for regular folks to see which posts are most popular on any particular website.
How can I check which of my posts are being pinned on Pinterest?
It’s really easy to see which of your blog posts are being bookmarked by fans on Pinterest. Simply type this link structure into your favourite browser: http://pinterest.com/source/www.YOURWEBSITE.com/
As an example, this is my food blog‘s link: http://pinterest.com/source/figandcherry.com/ (shameless plug, I know!). Just replace /figandcherry.com with your website address, or the address of a website you would like to snoop on, and Pinterest will show you everything that is being pinned from that site – in real time! Cool, huh?
Why should I care about what is being pinned on Pinterest?
As a blogger, or website owner, there are quite a few reasons why you should consider checking out what people are pinning from your site. Here are just a few:
- Free Market Research. Use this information to see which of your products or blog stories are most popular and why. Often people add a comment to their pin which gives you more information as to why they like a particular photo. For example, an image of a green might have a comment that says ‘Love this shade of green and it’s just the right length. Perfect party dress’. This is gives you valuable information about WHY customers like and buy your product, and gives you the green light that you’re on the right track.
- Viral Potential (*cringe*). Not that pesky medical condition *virus*, we’re talking about viral/popular content on the internet. Something going ‘viral’ is an online marketers wet dream, even though it elicits a quick eye roll from some of us due to the annoying amount of times the phrase gets bandied around in meetings. None-the-less, Pinterest is a great way to see which of your content or products is getting re-pinned or shared. You might consider an offline marketing campaign or a specific online one based on this helpful information to increase sales or readership.
- Personal Feedback. Not only can you see what people like from your website, you can tell them you can see it too! There is a commenting function on Pinterest that allows you to interact with your fans and customers. I personally comment on most pins with a quick note thanking the person for pinning one of my recipes and let them know I’m here to answer any questions they may have. This kind of interaction forms a good impression for your brand and will most likely result in long term readers or brand ambassadors.
- Demographic Information. This is a no brainer. Every Pinterest user has a profile with a photo and personal details which you can usually use to determine their sex, age, location and more. This is very important when you are considering a marketing campaign (who are you selling to?) and even how your company voice comes across.
Did you know about this trick? If so, how have you been using it for your blog/business? If not, which of the above reasons appeals to you most? Let’s discuss in the comments.