Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Most of the time when companies and organizations think about diving into social networking as part of their online marketing strategy, it’s these three big names that often come up first.
“Strategically Social” is TBH Creative’s new series of reoccurring social media case studies. We’ll look at groups successfully implementing smart social technology strategies in unique ways. Though some ventures into social media fail—like Mashable being banned from using question-and-answer website Quora, we’re going to highlight success stories.
Social bookmarking and dream kitchen designing
Pinterest is a relatively new social bookmarking website. When describing it to friends, I tell them Pinterest incorporates the best features from Tumblr and EverNote. Pinterest users set-up accounts to create virtual bulletin boards for different themes and follow other users “pins” to their personal bulletin boards. “Pins” are photo-based links to comments and information online. The “pins” archive by date-order. You can create boards for your “pins” based on preset classifications or new topics that you specify.
Most Pinterest account holders use the social bookmarking website as a place to log their dreams—whether it’s to catalog recipes they want to cook someday or to archive ways they want to make improvements on their home. It’s this latter, popular reason for using Pinterest that makes the website a perfect venue for social media outreach by Kitchens.com editors.
Kitchens.com is a Chicago-based online repository for inspiration and information about kitchen-design. Beyond simply helping connect contractors with home owners, Kitchens.com’s website features videos, Q&A’s, slideshows, product reviews, tutorials, and more to help educate their audience. After already successfully extending their brand through their Kitchenology blog and e-newsletter as well as through Facebook and Twitter, Kitchens.com’s editors recently joined Pinterest to further extend their brand as resource for ideas and inspiration in kitchen design.
Kitchens.com editors use Pinterest boards to link to ideas on hot topics related to kitchen design, including color and organization. Kitchens.com not only shares content from their website but they “pin” content created by others, too. This smart strategy allows Kitchens.com to reinforce their position as an authority while also building a community among new audiences and strengthening ties with existing followers.
Does part of your business include making recommendations to clients? Used strategically, Pinterest can support your existing efforts to position yourself as an expert in your area and give you a way to share inspirational ideas.
Some examples:
- If you’re in public relations, create boards to pin your favorite marketing campaigns and event promotions.
- If you’re an interior designer, build boards to pin new kinds of furniture and space organization ideas.
- If you’re nutritionist, develop recipe boards to promote healthy eating.
- If you’re a landscape services provider, use boards to show gardening solutions.
Not sure if social networking can help you meet your company or organization’s goals? If you need assistance coming up with ideas, making policies and procedures, and creating guidelines, TBH Creative can help. We specialize in strategic social media solutions. We keep up with best practices so that we can help you maximize your online marketing potential.
