Sin 7: Abandoning followers
Once you've decided to take the plunge into Pinterest, slowing activity or stopping to focus on something else for a while could have real ramifications for your brand reputation. With any social channel, fostering a community with two-way conversation takes time. Brands like Under Armour and SkyMall launched on Pinterest with good intentions, but they have let boards lie dormant for weeks. If you've established a following, leaving a ghost town behind can leave a bad taste in the mouths of your followers.
Before investing in Pinterest, evaluate if you have the resources to keep your presence going strong with new content and user engagement. As part of this, evaluate the social media management and analytics tools available that can keep your program streamlined and effective. On pinning, be sure to keep on top of industry trends and news events to authentically incorporate into content while, of course, adding your own spin or opinion to spark conversation.
If you can avoid these common pitfalls, your Pinterest campaign is off to a great start. Remember to re-visit the goals set at the beginning, looking at the key metrics ultimately tied to driving traffic and sales. Focus on the areas that are working, where you're seeing the most re-pins and related site-referrals, and don't be afraid to change tactics.
Raj Kadam is CEO and founder of Viralheat.
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