Hey, remember Pinterest? I know the excitement has died down quite a bit since it initially took the Internet by storm a few years ago, but it’s still a very active community with plenty of potential for businesses. That is, if you know what you’re doing.

Before you venture off into the world of Pinterest with a newfound gusto though, let me first set some expectations for what this picture-sharing platform can do for you. Even though you can Pin photos of products, that doesn’t mean you should. Unless you’re running an Etsy store, your primary goal should be branding and link building, not direct selling.

Pinterest isn’t Amazon, or some other online store, it’s a place where people share and save ideas relating to travel, food, DIY, crafts, fashion, etc. The trick is figuring out how your products fit into those broader topics, and then building out your boards from there. Just think lifestyle, not yard sale.

Brainstorming Pinterest Board Ideas for Businesses

Let’s pretend your business is a car dealership. Now keep in mind, Pinterest is not the next AutoTrader or inventory syndicator. It is, however, a place to foster connections with people who have an interest in things related to the products you sell. Or more simply put, in this instance, what people can do with a car.

With that being said, below are some basic Pinterest Board ideas for car dealers:

Travel / Road Trips

The most obvious thing anyone can do with a car is go places, and what’s more fun than planning an adventure on the open road? From scenic routes and landmarks to day trips and cross-country treks, there’s an endless supply of places to go and things to do.

Bonus Tip: By adding locations to your pins and selecting map view, you can display locations of interest in a more visually-pleasing manner.

Car Games

You know what goes great with any road trip or a long drive? Games! Whether they’re for the kids in the backseat or for everyone onboard, there are plenty of things you can do to keep boredom at bay. Pinterest is full of printable bingo boards, I SPY ideas, and license plate game templates.

Pro Tip: Enlist the help of your graphics person and make your own printable games, then feature them on your company’s website or blog. Once they’re published, share them on Facebook, Twitter, and of course Pinterest.

Snacks

Whether you’re on a road trip or simply driving to and from work, on-the-go snacks are essential. Whether you’ve got your own recipes to share or opt for the tried and true Google search, it’s a breeze to build up a board revolving around food. After all, everybody likes snacks!

Collaborative Tip: Ask your co-workers for ideas or recipes to share; this way it gets everyone involved and takes some of the brainstorming burden off of you. Plus, fellow employees are more likely to share content that they’ve helped create.

Those are just a few broad topics you can begin to build Pinterest boards from, but obviously there are plenty more ways you can go. Here’s some more ideas to get you started: accessories & gadgets, life hacks for keeping a car tidy, even with kids, Trunk or Treating car designs, and parade float how-tos.

Basically, as long as you embrace the core values of Pinterest, you’ll fit in just fine. Take the time to think about what your products can offer people, how they fit in with our everyday lives and take it from there. Like any other marketing effort, the more you put into it, the more you can get out of it. So while creating boards and sharing pins is great, producing your own content to be shared is even better. Happy pinning!

About the Author

Jamie Paton is a Project Manager at PCG Digital Marketing by day and a TV connoisseur by night. As an SEO strategist she spends a lot of quality time on social media sites and with Google Analytics and Search Console.