The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center is teaming with social media coach Kathy Sipple to present a new workshop on Pinterest for Business from 8:30 a.m. to noon Thursday Sept. 13 at the Purdue University Calumet Academic Learning Center, 9900 Connecticut Drive, in Room 221.
Pinterest is an online pinboard that allows users to share, view and “pin” images to their profiles as well as organize the pins into groups based on tastes and interests. According to Quantcast.com, Pinterest is ranked No. 15, which is higher than LinkedIn at No. 27.
“Pinterest is a visual social media site similar to an online magazine that collects the best articles in a pictorial fashion,” Sipple said. “It is among the most viral of social media platforms and it has risen to popularity especially within lifestyle, food and beverage, travel, fashion, home, real estate and decorating industries.”
Sipple will outline basics of the social medium including: Pinterest overview and uses, the best businesses that will benefit, examples of how it is used effectively, creative uses and how it can be part of a social media marketing plan.
Sipple said Pinterest content can have a longer shelf life vs. Facebook and Twitter as the boards can have value beyond the original post date similar to old issues of magazines. Also, the boards can be an easier way to find content due to the nature of how pins are organized. “You can create value through original content or spotlight boards that will be of value to your followers. You can also get user-generated content through boards seeking input. It can be highly interactive,” she said. “Also, it can be an interesting source of information for Twitter and Facebook.”
The cost of the workshop is $50 and pre-registration and pre-payment are required. To register, visit http://www.nwisbdc.org/, click on seminars and events, the workshop, and follow instructions or call 219-644-3513.
Serving seven counties in the region, the NWI SBDC offers no-cost assistance for entrepreneurs starting or expanding their businesses.
Through one-on-one consulting, the NWI SBDC helps guide small businesses toward their goals by offering referrals, workshops, training opportunities and other essential business tools. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Small Business Administration, the State of Indiana and other local partners.
For more information, visit http://www.nwisbdc.org/.