Pinterest started in 2010 as a closed launch, but after nine months the platform attracted 10,000 users. Pinterest holds a special place in a brand’s digital marketing strategy because it provides a personal space for users and can also earn a high ROI for brands.

Here’s how to leverage Pinterest:

Strategy: The three primary pillars of a Pinterest strategy are to create a strong community of brand followers, distribute the brand’s content and engage with similar content on the platform, and set up a digital shop and product showroom.

Creative: Pinterest is a completely visual platform, and it allows a brand to showcase the best ideas and creatives in the form of Pinterest boards. Invest time in creating categories and organizing creative on boards to gather a following and start a conversation.

Community: Pinterest offers a community of 433 million active users. Brands should promote accounts using other platforms, run targeted influencer campaigns, and create two-way communication to build a highly engaged community.

Sales: Pinterest allows users to create links to websites. This feature is great to drive traffic to your website to increase sales. Present products and services creatively in a catalog format and use website links to close the sales loop.

(This is the ninth of 10 Digital Digest articles, provided courtesy of the MPE Caribbean Report, which offers travel and tourism news weekly. It is published by US-based integrated marketing agency Marketplace Excellence, which has an office in Richmond Hill, Ont. www.marketplaceexcellence.com)