Social media has invaded our lives. In fact, it now consumes more minutes of our day than any other location on the web.

As Americans, we so enjoy our social networking that we spent 121.1 billion minutes socializing in just one month as opposed to the 88 billion we spent the previous year.

Is it any wonder that a visually graphic and exceptionally appealing site like Pinterest has grabbed our attention?

While there has been a huge surge in usage by consumers, businesses and brands have yet to embrace and capitalize on the power behind Pinterest.

Boost SEO With Pinterest

Why Pinterest? In a word – it’s simple. Members easily “pin” an image, video or article and share with followers as well as other social media sites. It is a fabulous way to share ideas and common interests with friends, potential clients and team members.

For example, if someone “pins” an article to their Facebook page, and several of their friends also “pin” or share that item, the sharing can continue indefinitely. As you can imagine, Pinterest can also have a substantial effect on driving traffic to a website, raising brand awareness, and an eventual increase in sales.

Make the most of this visual wonder with these 6 quick and easy ways to boost your SEO with Pinterest!

  1. Link Building

As Pinterest traffic continues to increase, so do the link building and SEO opportunities. As marketers, we all understand the importance of building backlinks to our website and content. With Pinterest you can edit the the description and add a direct link to your blog article or website which then gives anyone interested a direct link to your website and a little SEO kick-in-the-pants!

  2. Pin Your Own Content

There is no better way to ensure that Pinterest SEO works for you than to promote your own content. By pinning your proprietary content, you are creating a direct link back to the original source. This means that you are not only building traffic back to your website, but creating a resource for anyone researching your topic.

You are also using the power of Pinterest to spread your message. Imagine the viral potential if even a few friends share and “pin” your material, then their friends share, and so on. More shares equals increased traffic to your website which improves your chances that potential clients will means more potential “pins” from others.

  3. Use Keywords To Your Advantage

Make your content stand out in the search results by using effective keyword targeting. This will ensure that anyone searching for a specific topic is able to locate your content. The goal is to allow consumers within your niche to easily find and share your pins.

Using keywords will increase your standings within a specific search and just like other search engines, the higher up you appear, the more likely you are to be found.

  4. Cross Promote Multiple Channels

Cross-pollination between social media websites is a great way to increase consumer loyalty. If you have a Facebook account, sync that with your Pinterest channel. This will allow anyone connected with you on Facebook to see your Pinterest pins within their newsfeed. This provides an additional level of visibility and leverages your already established presence on Facebook.

You are also able to tweet each of your pins and drive traffic back to your Pinterest boards via Twitter.

  5. Categorize Your Pins Correctly

Make Pinterest SEO work in your favor by using the categories feature to your advantage. Keep your boards neat and tidy with a specific niche or focus.

As you create your boards, pay special attention to the titles of each board you create. Determine what potential consumers would be searching for when it comes to your content. For example, if you are an Interior Decorator, would clients be more inclined to search for home décor or something more specific such as “2013 home décor trends?” Don’t be afraid to get creative and have a little fun with your board names either. People connect with people — not robots.

  6. Comment on Other People’s Pins

Commenting on user pins is an underutilized tool within Pinterest. While it is common practice to interact on Facebook, it is still lacking on Pinterest.

Commenting on pinned content related to your business can pique curiosity and raise personal brand awareness. It can also lead to conversation which in turn can blossom into meaningful, beneficial relationships that result in increased shares and traffic.

Begin by searching for users pinning similar content to yours and leave a comment, like their pin or repin to one of your own boards. The law of reciprocity is not lost within a community like Pinterest. You must share others content in order for others to share yours.

Use Your Pinterest Account To Build A Following

By setting up a Pinterest account, you can take advantage of Pinterest SEO perks and begin to build a solid following. As your following grows and your reach expands, more and more users are likely to “pin” your content, sharing it with many others. In turn, when someone gives you a comment or a like, be sure to return the favor. Not only is it polite, but it’s also a great way to gain more exposure for your website, topic, business, product, article, or whatever it may be.

Pinterest is a great way to help build traffic, links, and gain interest in your website. Pinterest SEO perks also have the positive outcome of getting your content noticed in the search engines, giving your website a higher ranking. How will you boost your business SEO with Pinterest?