With the introduction of place rich pins, Pinterest dove head first into the online mapping game. While Places Pins were created primarily so travellers could map out their travels, it is great news for local businesses!
Contents
How to Create a Pinterest Map Board
1. Click the plus button and select create a board
2. Name your board, add a description, choose a category and select yes for add a map. Click the create button.
How to Convert an Existing Board to a Places Map Board
The video below outlines how to convert an existing Pinterest board into a map pin board. The process is as simple as setting up a Places board, unfortunately you do need to map your current pins.
Ideas for your local business Pinterest map boards
Your Places map board will be very boring if all you do is pin your own single location! It’s time to start thinking a bit outside of the box.
Places boards can be embeded as a widget on your blog or website. A shame the map doesn’t come with embeded board. I quite liked this Places map board from Time Out “Where to Enjoy Christmas in London“
How can you put this to use as a local business?
- Multi-location businesses can map all their locations
- Service area businesses can map their service area by local landmarks
- Map events you are organising or taking part in
- Map your local area businesses including your own
- Map images of people eating/wearing/using your products (Ask for submissions – who doesn’t like a bit of Interwebz fame? Err me, but I’m not normal!)
- Create resource maps – cycle or walking routes, pet friendly hotels, best places to eat or drink, where to buy your products, suppliers
Over to you…
What will you create a Pinterest map board about?
How to Create and Use a Pinterest Map Board by Jan Kearney
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Hi Jan,
Wow, lots of ideas for a map board! Getting to know Pinterest is exciting – looking forward to learning by actually doing it. Need to think how I can apply it to my business now. Thank you for the free education! 🙂
Galina
Hi Galina, you hit the nail on the head – how does this apply to my business? Social is great fun, but at the end of the day it does come down to business goals and using the tools available to get you there. I think Pinterest has a lot of potential for local businesses to increase online viibility and drive traffic (online and footfall).
Thanks for popping in 🙂
Very cool watching all this new stuff on Pinterest lately. Do you see any benefit to this for online businesses who aren’t necessarily pushing a local area?
Hi Misty – oh yes, Pinterest can be a great online traffic driver.
As for Pinterest maps I think it can be used to encourage interaction with your online community. For example, your photography start-up kit… Photography is a great fit for Pinterest because it is so visual. You could start a map board for images you have taken and ask for submissions from your list/book buyers. In the description of the board put a link to a page where people get info on how to submit photos (buy the book or sign up to your list etc), then promote the board to get the followers – which in turn promotes your book/builds your list.
Thanks for popping in 🙂
So much to learn an Pinterest! I’m not sure how making a map would benefit me as of yet, but it’s definitely interesting to learn about.
Hi Salma – making a map board on Pinterest may not fit in with your business goals as yet – but working online is a never ending learning curve! Thanks for popping in 🙂
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve never used pintrest before, but maybe I’ll have to give it a try. It looks like it has a lot more to it than I imagined.
Michael
Hi Michael – the only thing guaranteed online is it always changes! yes, there’s a lot more to Pinterest than meets the eye… keep an eye on this series, I have a great video I found coming up about Pinterest for non-visual businesses.
Thanks for popping in 🙂
Interesting! I don’t think it will be of much use to me; but I can see where it would really benefit others.
Hi Tammy, it does depend on your business goals as to how Pinterest maps fits in for you. Although, with your blogging and activities with your kids, I am sure you could do a local area kid friendly map 🙂
Thanks for popping in!