Leveraging Pinterest for Local SEO

Pinterest is the new kid on the block in the social media world. People are flocking to Pinterest because of its unique twist of being highly visual and inspirational. This social network does a great job of combining the 2 factors that make social media so addicting, being highly visual while sharing with the world who you are. This network is still in the invite only stage but you are able to request an invite or log in with a Facebook or twitter account.

This sounds great but how do I use this to promote my business or help with Local SEO? Pinterest is not a resource for all industries. Pinterest can best be leveraged for brands and industries that are visually appealing, restaurants, bakeries, retail, home decor and remodeling for example. To get the benefits of pintrest you will want to have pictures and content that is visually appealing and can inspire people. With that it is a great way to get noticed, build advocacy for your brand or business, and build links. One of the many great features of Pinterest for SEO is the fact that they do not use No Follow links. This can help with rankings when Pinterest is used properly.

When setting up your profile it is important to make your company profile public. Put effort into your about description, use keywords and make it interesting to read. Add links to your website, Twitter and Facebook pages to your Pinterest profile.  When creating your boards, make a board for your geographic location, make sure to use the city name in the title of your board,  and a board for your product or services. Post interesting pictures of landmarks in your city and your storefront of your business. Begin following other Pinterest users that have areas of interest similar to yours.  When “pinning” photos to your boards, only select visually appealing photos. When adding pictures to your geographic location board, use descriptive keywords for the name. Design an infographic for your business to promote on Pinterest.

You will also want to promote your Pinterest profile. Add the Pinterest logo to your website with your other social media logos and links. Get a “pin it” button placed on your products page or services page to encourage website visitors to pin your products creating links to your site. Get your employees on board by suggesting they create Pinterest profiles and encourage them to promote your company boards as well as promote their knowledge and expertise in the industry.

Happy Pinning!