How Your Local Business Can Leverage Pinterest To Display Its Video Content

Pinterest is the newest significant social media platform, and in this role, how to use it is still largely being defined for local business owners. With the addition of a video integration (via Vimeo), Pinterest is now growing in popularity for video content. If your local business marketing includes video, it is important for you to understand how utilizing Pinterest may be a great addition to your marketing strategies.

Grant Crowell provides general suggestions on how to leverage video content in his local business marketing article on Mashable. Five suggestions, based off of Crowell’s article, you may want to incorporate with your local business are:

1.) Include videos on the appropriate pinboards rather than lumping them together on one pinboard. In essence, you’ll have video pins as well as other pictorial pins on the same board. With this approach, you’ll be targeting individuals with interest in a particular area of your business rather than trying to just lure people in to watch videos about your products.

2.) Make the thumbnail for the video visually appealing. Search for an image that is representative of the theme of the video which will resonate with your local business customers. Make sure the play icon doesn’t obscure or distract for the thumbnail image.

3.) Think about the length of video you’re adding to Pinterest. As video content is a new, but growing addition to Pinterest, it is good to keep your videos shorter in length (less than five minutes). One idea, if you have a great longer video to share, is to create a condensed version for Pinterest and then link to your full length video that’s located elsewhere. This approach may garner more attention from Pinterest viewers as you’re giving them a sneak peek and reason to go watch the longer version of your video. As with any other video you place on the internet, make sure the file clearly displays its play length. Video viewers have grown accustomed to being able to see how long a video is as soon as they click on it.

4.) Have your social media views “pin” your local business content for you. If you have great videos elsewhere on the internet such as on YouTube, include a “pin it” button so you’re fans are able to share it with others on Pinterest. There is no better way to get out information about your local business than through customers!

5.) Give Pinterest viewers a reason to watch the video with a great description. Although Pinterest is a social media built around images, it is still important for you to include a description of your video which explains what the viewer will learn or gain by watching the video.

Remember, Pinterest is an ever evolving media just like other platforms. Therefore, it is important for you to test and explore what works for your local business and remain up to date on changes and new features.