Pinterest is ALL the rage right now. It has over 70 million users. Nearly 80% of those are women. And the average visit to Pinterest is over 15 minutes. That’s a lot of time to stumble onto some good content. In short: Pinterest is a BIG DEAL. But is right for your business? Both Pinterest and Instagram have unique audiences that put a little twist on marketing. These can be ideal for your business. But maybe they’re not right for you. If that’s the case, you shouldn’t be wasting your time with them.

GuavaBox created an interesting flow chart to help you decide if Pinterest could be good for your business. This is a nice place to start. However, this infographic is nearly two years old now and things have changed. (Like the number of users doubled.) And using Pinterest is not limited to the types of companies they suggested. If you get creative, you are likely to find a way to promote your business on Pinterest. If you can generate followers on a board, you have an audience that will see everything you pin to it. Pinning interesting content can generate followers. Interesting content can include pretty pictures or catchy titles. Or anything that will jump out and catch a Pinterest browser’s interest.

Instagram is also pretty hot. It’s replacing Facebook for a lot of people. There’s less traffic and less flack in your feed. If you can generate followers on Instgram, you have a unique reach….. Our clients, Crossfit Bolster, have a hoppin’ Instagram account and it’s worked really well for them.

A couple notes if you decide to try Instagram:

• Remember than Instgram means pictures not a bunch of words. Get your hands on some good pictures/graphics and keep words to a minimum. People are more likely to read everything on it if you choose your words carefully.
• Hashtags are also a super big deal on Instagram. Use them. Use them often. But don’t hashtag overload

There you go. Facebook and Twitter are good places to start if you’re just starting out. If you’re looking to expand, Pinterest and/or Instagram may be a good option—but don’t go in without a plan! Try it out. See what you like. Let us know. Good luck!