Page 232 - Social Media Marketing for Dummies

Don’t forget that if you want to pin to any of your boards from your mobile device,
you need to download the iPhone app in the iTunes store https://itunes.apple.
com/us/app/pinterest/id429047995?mt=8 or the Android app from Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pinterest&hl=en_US.

Setting up your profile

In this section, you can explore how you might set yourself up as a business user.
As a business user, you want to make your brand clear and understandable. If you
have a business, there is no real reason not to set your profile as a business user.

This section looks at how two lifestyle companies list themselves on Pinterest.
One uses a person as a brand, Martha Stewart, Inc.; the other, L.L.Bean, uses the
company brand. Both do a great job of conveying what their brand has to offer, but
they do it in different ways. By looking at each type, you can see what might work
for you.

You don’t have to be a giant conglomerate to succeed. Millions of people are
enjoying and buying from small and midsized businesses, too.

When you sign up as a business, in the profile section for Pinterest boards are
Name, Picture, Username, About You, Location, and Website. Here’s what Martha
Stewart and L.L. Bean do to communicate with customers.

Example profile: Martha Stewart Living

Martha Stewart (MS), who is known for her beautiful presentations of food, crafts,
and home design, uses Pinterest to full visual advantage. Her main page, at
http://pinterest.com/marthastewart is shown in Figure 14-3.

» Picture: The name you chose previously would dictate the picture. If your
name and face are part of the brand, you use your own picture. If you’re not,
you use your logo. Even though some companies have a logo, they use their
CEO’s picture because that person has “celebrity” status. For Martha Stewart,
you see her picture, for L.L. Bean you do not.
» Name: Obviously, Martha Stewart uses her name on her profile rather than
Martha Stewart Inc. She names her boards in a way that helps her bridge the
gap between personal and business. Give some careful thought to the name
you want to use to identify your company. If you are a “solopreneur” or small
business owner, you can use your name and, in the description, list the name
of your business. It depends on how closely you’re identified with your brand.
» Location: The headquarters of your company. For MS, it’s New York.

216 PART 3 Reaching Your Audience via Mainstream Social Platforms