Businesses have been posting and pinning on Pinterest since the website was launched, and last week that activity was formally acknowledged with the creation of business accounts for Pinterest. The new resources allow companies to enter their business name instead of a first and last name and verify their account.Verification occurs by adding a line of code to the company website, and the business receives a verification badge on their Pinterest profile once the code is recognized. The program also encourages businesses to add 'Pin It' and 'Follow' buttons as well as Pinterest widgets to their sites, both in an effort to drive more traffic to the social network.
To support these new pages, Pinterest has launched a business resource page at business.pinterest.com which provides brands with the resources they need to set up and best use their new business pages. The website offers tips and tricks, case studies from brands including Allrecipies and Etsy, and additional resources. Allrecipies achieved great success through Pinterest via a 'Pin It' button with a prominent placement on their website. After adding the button, 50,000 recipes were pinned in only 3 months, driving 139 million impressions and a 900% increase in clicks on Allrecipes' Pinterest content.
To check out a new business page in action, visit Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation's Visit Philly Pinterest page. Their business page is verified (notice the red check mark next to their URL), offers nearly 20 boards with a variety of information, and boasts over 2,000 followers.
As users continue to actively pin items they would like to buy, Pinterest remains a prime opportunity for brands. More business-exclusive features will be launched as the professional segment grows on the platform. Don't let your brands be late to the party.