This bi-weekly series is dedicated to sharing real life examples of social media marketing. It’s an in-depth review of a business’s social platform with optimization suggestions. This series is not meant to criticize, but to offer insight into the complex world of social media marketing. But as the series name suggests, I will speak frankly. To have your business reviewed, click here and send me a message.
Brian and Anita Jackel are the fine owners of Indian Summer Leather Design, located on the beautiful Gabriola Island in British Columbia. The husband/wife team work hard to give their customers the very best with Anita designing gorgeous leather products and Brian making sure the business runs smoothly from an administrative level.
I met these fabulous folks in the midst of an online course and was impressed by the attention to detail put into the bag designs and the care with which the marketing is handled.
But of course, the Jackels are already wearing too many hats to maintain everything at optimal levels. Still, thanks to unique and beautiful products, there’s much that can be done!
1. Profile photo
The profile image is lovely and matches the other social media channel’s profile pics, but because neither the name or the bio include anything about who the woman is, the picture seems superfluous and/or random. It would greatly enhance the story of the brand to allude to the fact that the photo is the owner and designer behind Indian Summer Leather Design.
2. Bio
The bio describes the products and where they come from, but doesn’t express the most exclusive trait of the products – they are handcrafted!
Suggestions: The bio needs more description that articulates the uniqueness of the bags and introduces the beautiful woman in the profile.
In addition, it could include a call to action (Pinners get a discount for mentioning the account) or invite for pinners to check out the website to learn more.
And it’s great to see the account is verified, but where’s the Facebook link? Include every link to cross-market as much as possible.
3. Boards
Out of 14 boards, only five do not feature ISLD products – this is bad news. Pinterest can be confusing in terms of how it’s to be utilized for business owners, but contrary to popular belief, it’s not for direct marketing.
The marketing strategy behind Pinterest is to create a visual representation of the brand. This means to share photos of goods the brand uses, things that make it laugh, where in the world it wants to go, other products it likes, etc.
The secret to creating a successful Pinterest account is to sprinkle products or services throughout the boards in various places, blending them in with the others, so the promotion doesn’t seem intentional. Seem sneaky? Yea, it kinda is. But it works!
Board elements to modify:
Board descriptions
The boards that showcase products have descriptions, but the others don’t.
Every board needs a description and it needs to be classified as a category. The categorizing can be done on the backend upon clicking Edit Board. This is important for Search results on Pinterest.
The existing board descriptions are not very descriptive. Make the descriptions interesting, fun and describe what can be found on the board accurately.
This Home Decor board is misleading in terms of what it offers pinners, and that might not seem important, but inconsistencies breed words like untrustworthy or unreliable. Fill boards with pins that relate back to the name of the board, and make sure the board connects with the brand.
Board Naming Conventions
Create entertaining board names and go overboard to entice the user to check them out.
Abstract names like “Op-Art Collection” don’t explain much about the particular collection, where it came from, why it originated, the inspiration behind it, etc.
If you want to use abstract names or wording, explain it in the board description so that pinners understand what’s going on or what to expect. Take the time to create a title that beckons people and expresses the brand.
In addition, be consistent with all board naming and descriptions. There’s a mixture of “we” and “I” on the account which is confusing.
Board Subjects
There is an unlimited amount of board subjects that can be created and because Pinterest has such a huge depository of pictures, those subjects can probably be broken down even further into other subjects. Choose subjects that can feature products from the brand i.e. wallets we love, handheld clutches, over-the-shoulder bags, etc.
Break down subjects to create extra boards, i.e. “Leather Clothing” has clothing, jewelry and accessory pins – split those up!
Board Contents
Board contents on Pinterest is a big subject and can seem ambiguous to newbies, but it’s quite simple. Consider the Pinterest account a college term paper with the thesis being “the brand” and everything it stand for. Fill boards with pins that all relate back to that main idea.
And make sure every board is completely filled. Choose a board subject, create it, and fill it with a minimum of six pins before moving on. Unfinished boards don’t look tidy or interesting.
Telling the story
Tell the story behind Indian Summer Leather Design by creating boards that have an emotional connection to the brand. Consider a board of beach rocks, since this is how ISLD finds the pebbles for the purse clasps, a board about the different kinds of leather, different products that clean and care for leather, how to wear leather bags, etc.
This board for Canada is a great start, but the board description doesn’t tell us why we should care about Canada, and it should present pins like: places we love in Canada, fun things to do, places to go, sights to see, food we love, etc.
Don’t just create a board and fill it. Be purposeful in its creation.
Board Covers
Part of creating dazzling boards is making sure they are represented in an aesthetically appeasing way. Set board profile images that FIT and stand out – draw attention.
This quote image doesn’t fit well in the board cover.
Key takeaways from this review:
Pinterest was made to tell a brand’s story visually, not to directly promote. Indian Summer Leather Design needs to get creative about the never-ending ways to describe who their brand, rework the board names, add in descriptions, and mingle their products in with others.