By: Aubry Hawks, Account Coordinator
The holidays are a time for traveling to grandma’s house, consuming way too many delicious calories (like peppermint mocha lattes), cold weather and— thanks to new social media advancement — Pinterest! This year, Pinterest gives the holidays a whole new meaning. Long gone are the days of writing or emailing your wish list to family and friends. Traditional lists have been replaced by pinning beautiful images of one’s most wanted nick-nacs. Santa better check those Pinterest boards, and check them twice! Cue music to “we wish you a Merry Pinterest…”
The holidays provide a reason for anyone to log in, search for what they love and pin all day long. It’s typical for new pinners to go from one or two pins a week to 20 per day. Many boards will be full of DIY Christmas sweaters, holiday décor, and delectable recipes and for those fitness addicts, exercise routines and diet jump-start cleanses for their New Year’s resolutions. However, the possibilities are endless.
If you find yourself lacking in the inspiration department this year for gifts, recipes or home projects, Pinterest has good news for you. This month, they have launched “30 Days of Pinspiration” with holiday-themed boards showcasing inspiration from famous pinners, nonprofits and brands. When your creativity is feeling low, visit Pinterest’s 30-day calendar site to see holiday-themed boards from celebrities, businesses and more! Katie Couric holds the first slot on the calendar and has all sorts of helpful and inspiring pins, eagerly waiting for you to re-pin, like or share.
There’s more great news fellow pinners and future pinners— the company has now added private, or “secret” boards! Have you ever wanted to re-pin something that was borderline inappropriate? Do you ever get embarrassed about pinning on your dream wedding board when still far from having found your prince charming? Relax, Pinterest’s secret boards now allow you the convenience of pinning freely without worrying about being judged by others. Pinners have the option of using three secret boards, where they control exactly who sees what they pin. Although secret boards were most likely intended for Christmas shopping, the new boards can also be used for your business or organization! Here is a helpful tip to utilize this new Pinterest tool in the PR world:
Secret Santa: Create a secret board for your business and send it out with your weekly or monthly email. This could be a great way to alert customers about one-time deals on your products or services. Because it’s an email, your customers have the choice to open it, which makes it feel less spammy and invasive. The exclusivity will also make them feel more important and more likely to take advantage of the deal.
Whether your company is in the healthcare industry, a non-profit or a PR agency, utilizing Pinterest can have a big impact on your company’s holiday marketing. Because the holiday season creates a surplus of online traffic, it’s important to use both of the new Pinterest tools showcased above. Don’t forget to share the crafts you’ve made too and pinspire somebody else!
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and we hope to see your board light up with ideas like a sparkly tree! And with that we’ll say – Merry Pinterest to all and to all a good night!