Pinterest, the popular social media image and video sharing site, has recently rolled out pages intended exclusively for businesses. If your business is new to Pinterest, you can sign up for a business account immediately. If you already have an existing account you can convert it. These new business pages presently still look the same as personal pages but now display a verification badge, allow you to add widgets and buttons to your website and has an updated terms of service for businesses.
Presently, there are three "new" features for businesses:
- Verified Website - When your account is verified, a little red circle and white checkmate will appear next to your business' URL on your company's profile page.
- Profile and board widgets - Companies can now add buttons to their own websites to make it easier for visitors to pin to their own boards or easily follow their feed on Pinterest. These widgets are designed to increase engagement and drive traffic back to company sites.
- Clarified terms of service and educational material - These terms of service do not change how businesses post or how content is treated but they are helpful in that they explicitly state what businesses can expect from Pinterest. Along with these new terms, educational materials will become available for businesses. Brands and merchants will soon be able to gain access to reports that can help them analyze and understand their followers better. Businesses will also get updates on future products and services to help them optimize their Pinterest accounts.
Here's how to sign up if your business is NEW to Pinterest:
Go to the Pinterest for Business Account Creation page.
Provide the necessary and relevant information regarding your business to complete the signup form.
Agree to the Business Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Click create account and voila! you've got yourself a brand new Pinterest business account.
The conversion process is really simple and only takes a few steps. You are allowed to distinguish yourself and get listed in one of these relevant categories:
- Professional
- Public Figure
- Media
- Brand
- Retailer
- Online Marketplace
- Local Business
- Institution or Non-profit
So, if you're converting your current account to a business account, here's what you need to do:
- Verify your website. Go to your settings page and click the Verify Website button. Only top-level domains are supported.
- Download the HTML verification file. Upload it to your web server. Once this process is complete and your account is verified, users will see a checkmark next to their domain in search results along with the full website URL on your profile.
While there currently isn't much noticeable difference between personal and business accounts, Pinterest is definitely setting up for positive changes in the future. The folks over at Pinterest want to help business get the most out of their site. They have alluded to "future products and services that will provide more powerful ways of reaching and understanding your audience on Pinterest". These products and services may include promotional or analytical support and will make Pinterest a great tool for businesses and revenue opportunities.