Applying Innovation Workshop at DEC

Let's Talk About Innovation 

Innovation is the difference between market leaders and their rivals. 

And yet, although we all know this to be the case, businesses regularly find themselves at a creative impasse for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we are full of ideas but lack the resources to implement them. Sometimes we let the need to innovate be pushed to the back-burner while trying to keep on top of a hectic day-to-day schedule. But we need innovation, not just for pulling punches against our competitors and signposting our organisation as cutting edge- we need innovation in order to streamline those very tasks that often prevent us from innovating in the first place. Innovation is the bread and butter of the thriving enterprise and deserves our attention. With this in mind Dungarvan Enterprise Centre is delighted to announce that in March we will be running Solutions Consultancy Ireland’s “Applying Innovation” workshop.

Bernadette Clancy and Dermot O’ Reilly of Solutions Consultancy Ireland have made it their business to sow innovation wherever they go. They acknowledge that to many people, innovation is a rather vague concept- “something to do with ideas”. This is certainly true but, as Dermot points out, innovation in an entrepreneurial sense tends to register with people mostly as an image of an early-stage entrepreneur tinkering away at some ingenious project. The thing is, in order for these ideas to ultimately succeed, innovation must be enforced across every aspect of your company or service, not just as your starting point. Solutions Consultancy Ireland hopes to teach entrepreneurs and businesspeople how to achieve this through their workshops around Ireland. If the testimonials on their website are anything to go on, this half-day workshop will prove invaluable by equipping participants with a strategic approach to harbouring creativity. 

“Overall, the combination of outside the box creative thinking and strategic insight was very impressive.” (Brand Led Growth, workshop participants) 

Bernadette and Dermot teach their approach to innovation through four simple steps:

• What IS (Your current product or service),
• What IF (Looking at the ideal version of your product or service- the sky is the limit!) 
• What will wow the customer, and
• What will ultimately work.

During the workshop participants will be guided through this process and explore the tools needed in order to implement the innovation process in their business. “It will make you more innovative in the long run and it will improve your market share and give you the edge on any competition you might have,” explains Dermot. “It could also help you come up with an idea that’s completely different to anything that’s been done before. So it’s a creative process, it’s a fun process, you should enjoy the day and you should come away having learned a hell of a lot to give your business or organisation the edge that you need in today’s world."

“Applying Innovation” will take place on Wednesday 23 March at 9:30am and Bernadette and Dermot are keen to stress that these workshops can be applied to all businesses, no matter what their purpose or what stage of development they are at. So whether you are a fledgling enterprise trying to establish a customer base, or a more seasoned professional looking for a new way to stimulate life and growth in your business, or even a potential future entrepreneur with nothing yet but an idea, this workshop could help you to achieve your aspirations and establish you as the only choice for your customers. 

The cost is €60 per person and includes light refreshments. For more information, or to book a place, please call Dungarvan Enterprise Centre at 058 23598 or email dungarvanec@gmail.com

Blitz Your To-Do-List By Working Smarter!

The humble to-do-list is an irreplaceable crutch in today’s hectic society. We use it as a reference point throughout our daily lives and it helps us to feel that we have things under control. Sometimes though, as our lives become busier our to-to-lists become correspondingly cluttered. This can damage productivity as well as morale and render the usually invaluable to-do-list counter-productive. Here are ten practical, fun and easy-to-implement ways you can get the most out of your to-do-list and maximise your productivity.

1.       Separate your work and personal to-do-lists.

It might sound obvious, but you shouldn't be spending your working hours fretting about the week’s shopping and whether or not your cat would prefer lamb-flavoured treats this week instead of salmon (for the record, always err on the side of salmon!). But neither should you be spending your precious wind-down time at home agonizing over looming work deadlines. We all know we COULD be doing more, but you’ll find yourself less overwhelmed and more productive- both at work and at home- if you separate the two and focus on them one at a time. The first step in doing this is to keep your personal and work to-do-lists physically separate from each other. Try, for example, keeping your personal to-do-lists in hard copy, like in a pocket-book or diary, and keep your work to-do-list in easily accessible digital form- speaking of which…

2.       Choose a to-do-list app or tool that works for you.

There exists, fortunately, an array of handy to-do-list tools and apps, many of which you can sync across all your devices, so you can instantly access your work to-do list wherever and whenever you need to. ToodleDo, for example, is a free task management tool which is very user-friendly and boasts several useful features. The Scheduler is one such feature. You can create a hotlist of your highest priority items, and so if you find yourself with a chunk of free time, ToodleDo can identify the highest priority task that fits into the available time slot. If that’s not what you’re looking for, here is a list of other tools and apps which might fit your needs. Whatever you end up with, make sure it's easy to use. The quicker you can add and remove tasks, the more time you'll actually spend doing them!

3.       Batch similar tasks in the same time-frame.

We all know how disorientating it can be when you suddenly shift from, say, summarising a report to doing online research, and even a few minutes spent “getting into” each different task can amount over weeks or months to an awful lot of wasted time. One study by the American Psychological Association found that constantly switching between tasks causes temporary mental barriers which can deplete our productivity by as much as 40%. So, instead of completing your tasks in chronological order, consider “batch-processing”. This means batching together similar tasks such as scheduling posts on social media and writing up promotional material such as blog posts. Start by paying attention to which tasks may be damaging your overall productivity and try organizing them into groups with their own time slots. Consider taking a short break between each batch, which will help revitalize you and clear your head of one set of tasks before you embark on another!

4.       Physically remove distractions.

While we’re on the subject of shifting your focus between tasks, it’s worth noting that unnecessary interruptions such as phone calls, notifications, excess noise and disturbances in the office can be detrimental to getting work done. Gloria Mark of the University of California, Irvine found that a typical office worker gets only about 11 minutes of work done between each interruption, while it takes an average of 25 minutes to return to the original task after an interruption, which is alarming to say the least! Interruptions are part and parcel of office life and there is only so much we can do to

minimize distractions, but we can start by removing those that are not necessary to work, such as mobile phones where any calls, texts or notifications will be personal and can be dealt with later. Try setting your phone to airplane mode when you are in work, or keep it in your bag while you are working. Similarly, it’s worthwhile to keep your desk clear and uncluttered and to remove any object that you find distracting. Suppose you have a habit of straightening or flicking through papers on your desk? Keep them in a folder instead and put them away until you need them.

5.       Set blocks of time in which to complete tasks.

Speaking of interruptions, it’s a good idea when you have an important project that needs to be done to literally reserve a block of time on your online calendar for that task. It means others will know not to interrupt you during that time and you can work for long stretches without being disturbed. Need to do some last-minute prep for a presentation at 4 p.m.? Block 1-2 hours in the morning or after lunch so no one bothers you during that time. Need to do some research before an important call? Block the half hour before the call starts. Do you feel you have to answer every call right when it comes in? Set aside time blocks to deal with non-urgent calls, and let your voice mail tell callers when they can expect to hear from you.

6.       Write out your to-do-list the day before.

This is a good idea for several reasons. First and foremost, and before you even get into the office, knowing that you have everything organised for tomorrow will help you get a good night’s sleep tonight. Studies have shown that when we lose just one night’s sleep, our cognitive capacity is roughly the same as being over the alcohol limit- not ideal for productivity. Secondly, you’ll be able to get right to work first thing in the morning, kick-starting your day. Also, planning out your day in

advance can help you spot obstacles ahead of time. You’ll get so much done during the day that you can afford to spend a few minutes at the end of each work day looking over your calendar and compiling your to-do-list for tomorrow!

7.      Work in “sprints”.

There have been several studies on the benefits of working in “sprints”- working intensely for short periods of time with breaks in between. Tony Schwartz, an engagement consultant who's worked with the likes of Google, Facebook, and Coca-Cola, makes an intuitive argument: that since quality work requires focus, and you only have the energy to focus for so long, you need to be conscious of how and when you focus in order to do your best work. Your mental energy is a renewable resource. It doesn't refresh on its’ own. Aside from that, your time away from work allows you to prioritize, so that when you do get to work, you know exactly what needs to be done.  This step outside the box allows you to differentiate between minutia and the real actions that will get you closer to accomplishing your important tasks. The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity-boosting technique developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 80’s that can help you concentrate for longer periods, avoid distractions, maintain higher energy throughout the day, and lower your stress levels. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals,

traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. These intervals are called pomodoros, which is Italian for tomato (named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Cirillo used as a university student!). The method is based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility.

8.      Reward yourself!

For a variety of reasons, sometimes breaks alone are just not enough to motivate you to keep focused. In any case, a rigid system can get boring, so shake things up by allowing yourself rewards! Try, for example, allowing yourself a coffee break with a co-worker or a snack after you've knocked a set amount of items off your to-do-list. Shake things up a little and try to vary your rewards week by week, as well as setting rewards that are proportionate to the intensity of the work you have done. Not only will this obviously help motivate you to complete tasks, but it will also reward your overall mental health by not allowing your work days to become too gruelling and monotonous. You can implement the work/reward system on both a small level and a larger one- small rewards on a day-to-day basis as well as planning larger rewards for the weekend when you know you have a tough week coming up. If you can get a co-worker on board, wherein both of you plan an activity together which you can partake in once you both have a set amount of work done, you can mutually keep each other accountable in a way that is fun and rewarding for both of you. A more enjoyable workplace makes individuals perform better, in almost every aspect of their lives.

9.       Share your to-do-list.

Even without the work/reward system, it’s a good idea for co-workers to keep each other accountable for work done by sharing their to-do-lists. First of all, the mere fact of having to share your to-do-list will force you to prioritize and will create a healthy amount of pressure to complete your work in a timely fashion. Living in the age of technology means that it is very easy to do this, as you probably already use collaborative project apps such as Trello or others mentioned in this article.

10.   “Gamify” your to-do-list!

Finally, a wonderful way of simultaneously putting pressure on yourself while also making your work more enjoyable- two concepts which are so often at odds with each other- is to “gamify” your work. Gamification is the application of game playing elements to non-game environments- more specifically, introducing game-playing elements into the workplace. There have been a number of studies examining the effects of gamification on employee wellbeing and productivity, with mixed results insofar as the benefits and drawbacks are concerned when applied to groups of workers. However, you can introduce elements of gamification into your individual work where practical. Try, for example, the “Dead Battery Countdown”. This is an interesting productivity trick I came across in this article. Try unplugging your laptop and resolving to complete your to-do-list, or at least a number of items from it, before the battery runs out. This is a useful trick as it creates a sense of urgency which is hard to replicate within the environment of your usual daily activities. It is also a way of gamifying your productivity, which can be invaluable in keeping you focused and working smarter.  

Tools and Tricks for Social Media Marketing

Tips For The Social Media Marketer

Do you find it difficult to juggle all your social media pages? In this digital age, we have a whole new platform from which we can advertise and receive feedback. Sometimes however, it’s hard to keep on top of changing trends, which is why I have compiled this list of useful tools and apps that I have found invaluable in keeping on top of things. The tools social media marketers use are constantly evolving to help us do our jobs more effectively and efficiently. All the apps, add-ons and tools in this list are either free or offer a free version subject to limitations, and all of them have the potential to save you time and help you get the most out of your work.

Working on the Move

#1: Raindrop

Raindrop is a free cloud-based web, desktop and mobile app which syncs across all your devices. It can be used to organize and share content, and allows you to access your files anytime, anywhere. The extensive list of visualization options allows you to personalize your content and the Share Sheet button will allow you to instantly send web pages to raindrop for later if you come across something online and don’t have time to look at it right away. You can also use it as a collaborating tool by setting up shared folders, much the same as Dropbox.

#2: Scannable by Evernote

This free iOS app basically functions as a built-in scanner on your smart-device. Simply pull up the app and t will automatically scan and crop any document you hold the camera over. Even more, Scannable can scan business cards and save the person as a contact, even amassing their data from their LinkedIn profile if your Evernote is connected with LinkedIn.

#3: Trello

Trello is a free project management system that works with Dropbox and Google Drive and allows you to link together project documents and even people involved in a project, simply by using the @ symbol to tag them! Project group members receive immediate notifications on the smartphone app and browser versions, with no email sent where the notification is acted upon quickly. No need to worry about a cluttered inbox after an intensive working session! All involved can attach notes and comments as well as image files, cutting out the need for a project group to be physically in the same place in order to work together.

#4: Canva

Canva is an online graphic design platform which allows users free access to a variety of design tools and options. Unfortunately, you must pay to access the premium options, but even the limited free version is extensive enough that you can use it for web or print designs, blog graphics, presentations, Facebook covers, posters, invitations and so on. Its drag-and-drop interface is easy to use and the designs look professional. I’ve found it far easier to manage than many other free image editors or graphic design programs that are currently available. Canva is available as an iPad app which operates like, and offers as much as, the original desktop version.

Keeping Track

#5: SumoRank

SumoRank.com is a free tool which analyzes the rank and content of your Facebook page, supplying you with invaluable information on your page statistics, such as when during the day or week your page reaches the most viewers, as well as what type of post is most popular. You can review the level of engagement with your posts over short and long time periods and discover what elements in a post, such as photos or video links, result in a higher engagement level from your customers.

#6: BuzzSumo Chrome Extension

BuzzSumo is an extension for Chrome which allows you to track the share counts for a piece of content on any social media network you are using. BuzzSumo is important because its’ function extends to Twitter, which recently shut off the API which allowed third-party tools to collect Twitter counts on articles. The only requirement is a BuzzSumo account- the extension itself is free.

Broadcasting

#7: Live Streaming Apps

Live Streaming is nothing new, but with the advent of live-streaming apps such as Meerkat and Periscope, it is becoming a popular way not only to connect with people on your personal social media accounts, but an engaging and interactive way for businesses to connect with potential customers. Meerkat and Periscope are two popular livestream app options- both are free and available on a variety of devices including Apple and Android. To complement this phenomenon and make it even easier for you to utilize live streaming in your marketing campaign, Katch is a free platform which automatically collects and archives your Meerkat and Periscope broadcasts shortly after they are aired. This happens automatically as long as you have Katch hooked up to your account, so it couldn't be easier to create and keep track of a whole new aspect of your marketing campaign.

#8: Blab

The most recent social networking venture by the team that created Bebo, Blab is a live-casting platform similar to Meerkat and Periscope, with the additional feature of being able to bring multiple people from all over the world into your conversation. Like Meerkat and Periscope, your Blab broadcast is free and available to watch as soon as you’ve finished recording it. It also sends you downloadable MP3 and MP4 files. It can be used to hold interviews and discussions, create podcasts and even talk to customers.

#9: Overcast

Speaking of podcasts, Overcast is a free iOS app which improves the way you listen to podcasts. Its’ voice-boost feature automatically normalizes the audio levels in a podcast you are listening to. You can also avail of Overcasts’ smart-speed feature which shortens the length of pauses in conversations so the show isn’t any longer than necessary, saving you valuable time. It can be connected to your Twitter feed and will help you find shows that your Twitter followers have been tweeting about. This is useful as it can enable you to keep on top of trends within your customer base and any episodes you share can be upvoted so you can view how shared podcasts rank among your followers.

Keeping it Simple

#10: Reverse Image Search

This surprisingly little-heard of tool allows you to instantly source any image by simply dragging the image, or it’s URL, into the Google Images search bar. As of March 2014, Bing Images also offers the same function. These free tools are incredibly useful as they not only allow you to source images that you would otherwise be unable to source, but if you have uploaded a unique image such as an advertisement you can use the reverse image search function to see if your image has been posted anywhere else on the internet.

#11: Reader Mode

Another feature which is gaining popularity and which you may not be aware of is Reader Mode. Reader Mode is becoming available in a range of browsers including Firefox, Chrome and Explorer is. This free app easily allows you to adjust the text size, font and background of webpages and articles, as well as removing pictures and graphics, to make them easier to read online. If a page is available in Reader View, an open book icon will appear in the URL bar. I use Firefox Reader mode which allows you to save pages to you reading list for later. This function is also available as an add-on for Android. Safari is an Apple download which offers similar functions.

#12: Opera Mini Browser

We’ve all experienced the frustration of not being able to sleep on a work night, but did you know that your smartphone can interfere with your brain’s ability to switch off? This is because the blue light that is given off by your smartphone is scientifically proven to stimulate your brain in the same way that sunlight does, tricking your brain into thinking it’s daytime and making it harder for you to power down. Opera Mini Browser, available on iOS and Android, has a possible solution to this problem. It offers an extension which will allow you to adjust the brightness of your screen, and also includes the “reduce eye strain” mode, which adjusts the tone of light from your browser from blue to orange. This is easier on your eyes and shouldn’t interfere with your brain activity and sleep patterns, so you can continue to work from your smart device in bed if needs be without jeopardizing your performance the following day. I’ve found that it does make night reading easier- however the extension can be a little unreliable and it doesn’t work in all versions of Opera.

#13: MileIQ

For when you do need to travel, Mile IQ is a smart drive detection app which tracks your miles for you. You know those fitness apps that log the amount of time you spend working out and calculate the calories you’ve burned? MileIQ is essentially the same thing for driving. It was designed to simplify mileage reimbursement for companies, but even if you are a freelancer this app can be useful in enabling you to get the most value out of every mile you travel. You can use it to calculate the shortest driving distance between locations as well as the cost of each journey, and you can save and categorize drives into personal and business trips. MileIQ is available for iOS and Android, and has a free version which offers 40 drives per month.

#14: World Clock

When you are working with customers or colleagues from all around the world, a World Clock app can be very useful indeed. Rather than having to keep track of or constantly check up on the time difference in locations across the globe that you are working with, a World Clock app will let you know instantly and with most of these apps, you have the option to save your favourite cities. The greatest advantage to this from a marketing point of view is that you can use it to schedule your broadcasts at peak times in the areas where they will be most relevant, thus maximizing the effectiveness of every publication. Depending on what device you have, there exists a variety of free World Clock apps to choose from.

#15: Spritz/Squirt

Ever heard of Optimal Recognition Point reading? No? Neither had I. OPR reading is where, instead of traditionally reading a paragraph of text the way you are probably reading this one, the words are fast streamed one at a time in front of you. The idea behind this is that in traditional reading, your eyes have to constantly search for a specific point in each word (this is the Optimal Recognition Point) in order to understand it. As the Optimal Recognition Point of each word varies depending on the length of the word, your eyes often have to jump from right to left while trying to identify a word, akin to reading backwards. This could happen an infinite number of times in any given piece of text, so not only do you lose valuable time while reading but your brain is so focused on trying to identify words that you typically aren’t absorbing as much information from the text as you could be. In 2014, Spritz was launched- the first app to stream words one by one, always centred on the Optimal Recognition Point so that your eyes can focus on the one spot while reading. Spritz is available for Android, and Squirt is the more recent version for desktop. I’ve tried Squirt, and it certainly enables me to read much faster than I usually do, although there are some definite downsides in that coughing, sneezing or blinking can cause you to miss words (startlingly there is no rewind function), and it’s necessary to pay much more attention to the text in order to remember and process everything you have read- although this may be no bad thing! The jury’s still out as to whether or not this is something I will use regularly but if gotten used to, it could certainly save a lot of time. In any case, it’s free, quick to install and easy to use so why not give it a try?

If you’d like to read the full article from Social Media Examiner, you can find it here.

6 Ways to Increase Twitter Engagement

6 Ways to Increase Twitter Engagement

Another useful article about how to increase Twitter engagements  written by Shayla Price. In this article you’ll discover six ways to increase engagement on Twitter.

• Offer Personalized Encouragement 

The author draws the attention ''the best engagement is sometimes a simple response. Customers are thrilled when you devote time to interact with them''. We all get excited when our tweets are acknowledged. And of course stay away from disingenuous comments. If your business isn’t known for encouragement, your customers may be confused by the message. 

• Share Their Tweets  

It’s human nature to want to be validated, so retweet your followers to show you recognize the value of their content. Let them know that what they’re saying or posting online matters.If your business is an extension of your personal brand, you may want to retweet content on your personal account.

• Run a Contest

People love giveaways:), so running a Twitter contest for a chance to win free swag is a good way to encourage engagement. Plus, all of the social mentions will boost brand awareness.To create a Twitter contest, choose a contest theme that resonates with your followers and decide how people will enter the contest. It’s important to keep a low barrier to entry to make it easy for people to participate. Make sure you promote the contest on multiple social media channels.

• Include a Relevant Hashtag

Create and promote a hashtag campaign to reinvigorate your community and spark conversation around your brand.To start a hashtag campaign, decide on the goal of your campaign and how it will relate to your customers. Then research what your audience is talking about to come up with a hashtag that they’ll identify with.

• Link to Problem-Solving Content

One way to grab your followers’ attention is to provide content that will help improve their lives. This is a great way to integrate your brand into their lifestyles and strengthen the bond between you and your customers.

• Answer Customer Calls for Help

There will inevitably be times when your company doesn’t meet customers’ expectations and they’ll need your assistance. Helping to solve their problems is a way to provide good customer service and at the same time strengthen customer relationships.

Each of these ideas will will help you get your followers talking about and to you on Twitter. Use one or all of them to build more engagement with people on Twitter. If you would like to read all the article click here 

  

3 Ways You’re Making It Harder For Yourself To Make Money

Article is written  by Claire Mitchell who writes about mindset and money. She has worked with thousands of ladies on her website, The Girls Mean Business, and she sees the same issues coming up time and time again. Issues that are definitely making it harder for you to make money in your business. 

In the article you will find some good advice about how to make money. Here are 3 Ways you're making it harder for yourself to make money:

1. Not Knowing Your Numbers 

The first way that women business owners make it harder for themselves to make money is by not knowing their numbers. Do you know yours?

• What it costs you to make/provide your product service including time, materials, overheads like rent, rates, electricity, water and staff
• What you therefore need to charge JUST TO COVER COSTS (this is your absolute minimum, if you’re not covering costs then STOP RIGHT NOW)
• What you need to charge to make a decent profit and give you a business that makes you money.
• THEN CHARGE IT (and put your prices up at least once a year)

2. Not Knowing What You’re Aiming For

The second way women business owners make it harder for themselves to make money is by not knowing what they are aiming for.

''If you’re not sure what you’re trying to achieve then how the heck are you going to achieve it? You need at least some basic targets in your business or you’re just pootling along aimlessly, wondering why you’re not getting any further forward.''

3. Not Setting Boundaries

The third way women business owners make it harder for themselves to make money is by not setting boundaries. 

By NOT setting boundaries you don’t protect your work time, you tire yourself out, you fritter away precious time and you wonder why you’re not getting any richer.

Set boundaries. Make your work time count. Get good at getting very productive, very quickly and then have time off in between. Time for you and time for your family. The better you get at this, the easier it will be to build your business, stay sane and make more money.

If you would like  to read the whole article simply click on the link here and learn how do it. 

Christmas Instagram Marketing Tips

Christmas Instagram Marketing Tips

1# Highlight Holiday Sales and Discounts,

With many more people willing to spend money during Christmas time,

promoting sales and discounts could be beneficial.

2# Run Instagram Ads,

Carousel ads and video ads perform well on Instagram, Carousel ads allow you to add multiple images, normally showing off products or creating short stories. Video ads are the more popular choice to promote.

3# Partner with a charity,

Giving back is always good for both your community and your reputation.

With focus on giving to others, customers will not only take more notice of 

your charitable work or donations, but may participate alongside you.

                                         

 4# Ask your followers to choose their favourite,

It's always a good idea to engage with your followers/community but you can take that strategy one step further by asking them to choose between items.

To read more into this go to this article 

How to Grow Your Pinterest Marketing Results

6 Tips to Grow Your Pinterest Marketing Results

Pinterest is an online service that allows you to share images through social networking. Pinterest is the website where you have a "pin board" that allows you to post ideas that you want to remember and then share them with your friends through Facebook.

Here we have six smart tips to teach you how to grow your Pinterest marketing results. The article by Mitt Ray who is the author of the book White Paper Marketing and the founder of Social Marketing Writing. If you wonder what is wrong with your Pinterest because you have no marketing results this article is exactly what you looking for.

Is your Pinterest account working for you?

Want to take your Pinterest marketing to the next level?

1: Optimize Your Page- You have to fill your profile very exactly with a town where you are but don’t write a book about you and your business. Match your nick name with a business name to make easy for everyone to find you.

Make sure that your page has at least 10 boards. Place your most important or popular boards in the top row. That way they’re displayed above the fold, and people will see them immediately when they visit your brand page. To apply this tactic to your boards, use similar cover images for all of your boards but choose a unique image for your most popular board (or the one you want to drive followers to).

2: Design Content to Support Goals- Before you can determine what to pin, think about your goals. They might be to drive engagement and build an audience or to drive traffic. Most businesses choose a primary goal (such as driving traffic) and a secondary goal that complements the primary goal (like gaining more followers).

3: Be Strategic with Your Pinning Schedule- on Pinterest, people can follow you or follow one or more of your boards. So posting only to your most popular boards won’t keep all of your followers engaged. It’s important to post to your less popular boards, too. If you have boards for various categories, you can pin specific images for different days of the week.

4: Design Skinny Images- About photos on Pinterest you have to know are some rules. The Pinterest team did some research and the results are suggest that you should put photos with red and orange colours and that photos with no faces are better than photos with faces, it’s funny but that is confirmed by a detailed examinationJ.

5: Write Detailed Descriptions- Accompany your pins with good descriptions. According to Dan Zarrella, pins with descriptions of around 200 characters get the most repines. End the description with a call to action that’s relevant to your goal.

6: Test Various Pin Times- Schedule your most important updates from 2 pm to 4 pm and 8 pm to 1 am. These are the best times to pin, according to this infographic from Social Marketing Writing. The best day to pin is Saturday.

 

Pinterest recently hit 100 million monthly active users. The platform is driving high amounts of traffic and engagement for websites and blogs. The most productive way to reach your goals on Pinterest is to create and follow a plan.

As you become more active on Pinterest and optimize your website, your audience will expand, and new people will follow you and pin from your website. To keep up with new platform features and design changes, regularly check your analytics and modify your Pinterest plan. Do this every one to three months at minimum.

If you are interested to learn more click here and read whole article.