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5 Great Pinterest Marketing Resources

pinterest marketing resourcesIs your brand getting great marketing results from Pinterest?
Check out these handy Pinterest marketing resources to do even better.

Pinterest is a fantastic marketing tool that is under-utilized by countless brands. By now, it’s likely that you at least have a brand account setup on Pinterest for your business, but maybe it’s just sitting there, just a handful of pins on a board or two, quietly waiting for something to happen. But what if you spent just a little more time on Pinterest?

Would you be surprised if I told you that Pinterest can be a huge driver of highly-engaged traffic to your website? Would you be happy to achieve an SEO boost? Would you like to see conversion rates on your site go up?

Pinterest can deliver all those things and more. As a visually-oriented social network, highly focused on lifestyle categories, Pinterest can also have a huge impact on your brand position. There are a lot of reasons to kick up your Pinterest activity, and fortunately, there are also a ton of great Pinterest marketing resources out there you can use to crank up your Pinterest performance in almost no time. Here are some of the best articles and resources I’ve found recently that you can use to leverage this powerful marketing opportunity:

1 – Interesting Pinterest Stats You Should Know About – Business 2 Community

It’s always helpful to understand the current state of a social network if you’re going to get the most out of your time there. This handy list of important stats compiled by the folks at Business 2 Community highlights some of the most current and interesting facts about Pinterest. Check out this article.

2 – How to Drive Traffic to Your Website With Pinterest – Social Media Examiner

Social Media Examiner is a wealth of information, and this podcast definitely delivers some extremely valuable tips. Pinterest is a massive driver of website traffic, and this podcast/article covers a selection of great tips on how to structure your pins for maximum engagement. Check out this article.

3 – How to Drive Traffic and Reach New Users with Pinterest – AddThis

If your website doesn’t have a functional and effective social media sharing tool on it, check out AddThis. They have several valuable articles in their knowledge base, such as this one that features a bunch of tips for setting up your Pinterest profile, setting up ‘rich pins’, and properly integrating ‘Pin It’ buttons throughout your website. Check out this article.

4 – How Pinterest Drives Online Commerce [Infographic] – Shopify

Not only does Pinterest drive a ton of traffic, but that traffic is extremely engaged and much more likely to convert on ecommerce sites. Shopify has crafted a beautiful and informative infographic detailing some significant points for marketers managing ecommerce sites. Check out this article.

5 – How To Drive 3x More Traffic To Your Blog With Pinterest – Blogging Wizard

Just because you may not be selling a physical product or marketing a lifestyle brand doesn’t mean you can’t capitalize on Pinterest. Bloggers can, too. Elna Cain produced this great article at Blogging Wizard highlighting some great tips for generating traffic to your blog using Pinterest. Check out this article.

In addition to these great Pinterest marketing resources, why not check out this episode of the Marketing Doubleshot podcast where we talk about how Pinterest often functions more as a search engine than what we would consider a pure social media site. – Listen to Ep.11 – Pinterest the Search Engine & Agencies Making Software

So don’t wait. Pinterest is ready and waiting to start pouring traffic in to your website. Just be sure to follow solid tips like these and you’ll be reaping the benefits soon enough. If you’re already seeing gains from using Pinterest for your brand, why not jump in to the comments here and let me know your best Pinterest tips. I’d love to hear them!

Marketing Doubleshot Podcast – Ep.11 – Pinterest the Search Engine & Agencies Making Software

In this episode, Jonathan Barrick and Josh Muirhead discuss how Pinterest and its search mechanics combine with other key aspects of the platform to bring power to digital marketers, and a recent article about how marketing agencies should be taking a good hard look at software as a competitive differentiator.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Pinterest – pinterest.com

25 Pinterest Stats, Facts & PR Best Practices – www.cision.com/us/2015/01/25-pin…r-best-practices/

Jim Dougherty – twitter.com/leaderswest

Why ad agencies need to become software companies – www.businessesgrow.com/2015/10/13/ad…re-companies/

Mark Schaefer’s {grow} blog – www.businessesgrow.com/blog/

Marketing Doubleshot Podcast – Ep.10 – Ad Blocking & Missing out on the Mobile Moment

In this episode, Jonathan Barrick and Josh Muirhead discuss the latest in digital ad blocking developments, and the ‘mobile moment’ that many brands and marketers are approaching from the wrong angle.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

The Verge – Welcome to hell: Apple vs. Google vs. Facebook and the slow death of the web – www.theverge.com/2015/9/17/933896…death-of-the-web

Mark Schaefer’s {grow} blog – www.businessesgrow.com/blog/

Luke Wroblewski – Product Director at Google – twitter.com/lukew – www.lukew.com/

Hotel Tonight – http://hoteltonight.com

Marketing Doubleshot Podcast – Ep.9 – Content Calendar Strategy & Being Adaptable in the Gig Economy

In this episode, Jonathan Barrick and Josh Muirhead discuss ways to be more strategic when planning your content calendar, and how important it is to be adaptable in the current digital marketing career economy.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Content Marketing Institute

CMI Content Calendar Template -> How to Put Together an Editorial Calendar for Content Marketing

Gary Vaynerchuk – Gary on Twitter @garyvee

Marketing Doubleshot Podcast – Ep.7 – SEM Reporting with Causation & Some Brands “Going Dark” on Social Media

In this episode, Jonathan Barrick and Josh Muirhead discuss how marketers can get better understanding of their SEM efforts by mapping actions and events in their reporting and finding true correlation and causation, and explore why some brands have made the puzzling decision to ‘go dark’ on social media and shift to an advertising-only model.


Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

3-Part Introductory Guide to Adwords & SEM by Sean Clark:

  1. http://seanclark.com/pay-per-click/a-guide-to-adwords-making-ppc-work-for-your-business/
  2. http://seanclark.com/google/a-guide-to-adwords-creating-your-first-adwords-campaign/
  3. http://seanclark.com/google/a-guide-to-adwords-launching-your-first-adwords-campaign/

Sean Clark’s website: http://seanclark.com and on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seanclark

Digital Marketing & Analytics: Five Deadly Myths De-mythified! on Occam’s Razor Blog by Avinash Kaushik: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/digital-marketing-analytics-deadly-myths-de-mythified/

Avinash on Twitter: http://twitter.com/avinash

Marketing Doubleshot Podcast – Ep.6 – Brands Mixing with Social Causes & The Optimized Personal Digital Brand

In this episode, Jonathan Barrick and Josh Muirhead discuss some of the latest news in social cause marketing, including Dove’s latest and greatest campaign, along with the dangers of not being prepared for what comes with social cause marketing. Also, we take a look at what it means to have an ‘optimized’ personal digital brand, and how you can start optimizing your own digital presence.

Links and resources mentioned in this episode:

Dove’s ‘Choose Beautiful’ campaign -> www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DdM-4siaQw

Chipotle’s social marketing -> www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtnas5ScSE

LinkedIn -> linkedin.com

Sam Fiorella -> twitter.com/samfiorella

Sensei Marketing -> senseimarketing.com

Marketing Doubleshot Podcast – Ep. 5 – Brands as Media Companies & Google’s Doorway Page Update

In this episode Josh Muirhead and Jonathan Barrick discuss brands evolving in to full-fledged media companies, putting customer experiences and user-generated content at the forefront. Additionally, Jon and Josh discuss the news of Google’s latest algorithm change, taking aim at doorway pages, and what it means for your SEO strategy.

Links & resources mentioned in this episode:

5 Predictions for GoPro As A Media Company –www.edelmandigital.com/2015/02/19/friday5

Google To Launch New Doorway Page Penalty Algorithm –searchengineland.com/google-to-laun…gorithm-216974

Sammy Ganz, Author or ‘5 Predictions for GoPro As A Media Company’ article – twitter.com/sammyganz

Jay Schneider & the team at Brilliance Business Solutions –brillianceweb.com, twitter.com/emediavangelist

Molson owns Canadian team pride with epically shareable social pics

Molson Canadian has always been an iconic brand up here north of the 49th. The now legendary “I AM CANADIAN” rant is ingrained in our national heritage as ‘much more than a commercial’. It was a rallying cry for Canucks around the world to raise a glass and toast to what a freakin’ awesome place Canada is.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMxGVfk09lU]

True to form, Molson has produced a brilliant collection of inspiring ‘GO TEAM’ graphics during the 2014 Winter OIympic games in Sochi. They’ve been saturating my Twitter feed every day, and it makes me smile. Molson is doing a fantastic job of showcasing Canadian pride, and having a great time owning each and every stereotype that most Canadians are proud to admit are actually quite true.

Here’s some of the top pics they’ve sent out so far…

Their timing is perfect, their captions brilliant, their graphics spectacular. It’s no wonder these are easily some of the most-shared images from any brand participating in Olympic marketing. Nicely done, Molson Canadian. You’ve once again assured your place as one of the definitive Canadian brands. Kudos, and I can’t wait to see what you’ve got in the hopper for when Canada inevitably wins the last gold of the games!

Oh, and here’s my personal favourite … . so far. 🙂

You’re gonna have a bad time on social media in 2014

This post exists because of this Tweet…

Yes, I know it’s a dated meme that’s been driven in to the ground, and I’m ok with that. In fact, because this is a meme from ancient internet history, it makes it even more appropriate for this topic because this is something that should just not happen anymore, and yet it happens all the time.. So, here’s a post inspired by that all-too-true tweet from 20kGroup and Matthew Carberry, along with couple more things that still happen in social media that should have been wiped from existence ages ago.

It’s 2014, everyone. These things need to stop.

If you fight your customers on social media… (Thanks to @20kGroup & @matthewcarberry)

Don’t pick fights with your customers. Ever. Because you will lose more than you think. Yes, you’ll lose that customer, but you’ll also lose something much more important: RESPECT. Nobody wants to do business with someone who’s confrontational and too proud for their own good. Your brand can’t win here so take it offline, solve the problem, and move on.

If you still send Auto-DM’s… (Thanks to @erinbury)

Why does this still happen? Auto DM’s are the least-social way to say anything in social media. Proponents of Auto-DM’s say it’s simply the easiest way to show appreciation for a new follower. Well,  I’m sure your followers are truly grateful that you’ve put forth the absolute bare minimum of effort to thank them. If you really appreciate new followers, then take the time to thank them personally. And in the name of all that is good in this world, don’t tell me to follow you on Facebook too.

If you think your personal posts don’t impact your employers brand… (I came up with this one)

I’ve got news for you: If I see someone swearing a blue streak in the parking lot of a store, you better believe that it will change my opinion of that store if they walk in and stand behind the counter for their shift. Same thing applies in social media. On or off the clock, on your own account or on theirs, you are intertwined with your employers brand, not because your boss says so, but because the CUSTOMERS say so.

A City’s Brand – It’s about more than Rob Ford

I take branding really seriously. It matters. And not just for the company in question, but for everyone connected to it. Customers, distributors, partners, suppliers, etc. And what I see happening to the great city of Toronto is one of the most tragic examples of unjustified brand damage in recent memory.

There’s no reason for Toronto’s brand to be going through what it currently is, and I think that this is due partially to the parties involved not truly realizing the long-reaching effects this could have on the city as a whole.

For example, let’s take a quick look at what happens when the CEO of a major corporation goes off and makes an utter mockery of a once-proud brand. Simply look at what’s happened to brands like Lululemon, Abercrombie & Fitch, Kenneth Cole, and the likes simply due to some callous and ignorant comments made by their CEO’s. Their brand value has taken a major hit, and one could argue strongly that their position in the mind of their customers and in the marketplace may never be what it once was. Competitors with stronger, cleaner, more honest brands start looking really good to your customers.

What if that happens to the largest city in Canada? How will this stigma of the hot-headed crack-smoking mayor in a constant state of denial label Toronto to the rest of the world?

What will be the economic impacts? Will investments in business and infrastructure be scrutinized more closely before commitments are made? Will this result in businesses considering alternatives with renewed interest? There are factors at play here that go far beyond just ‘the mayor’. Some might need help with figuring out how to sell your company.

Right now, Toronto is a joke worldwide. It was funny for a while, then it got sad, then funny again, and now it’s truly distressing. And it won’t be something that is forgotten quickly. A city’s leadership matters just the same as a business’ leadership matters. Every brand has a figurehead, for better or worse. They embody the brand. If they aren’t aligned, there are consequences.

He needs to go, if for no other reason than Toronto’s brand can’t afford him. The city needs a leader reflective of the true nature of the city, and Ford is not that leader. He needs help, that much is certain. And at this point, so does Toronto.