For those unfamiliar, Pinterest is a free service which allows users to organize and share items they find on the internet by creating a “Pin.” Pins can then be organized by subject into “Pinboards” which can then be viewed and shared by other Pinterest users. Click here to find out more.

It can be easy to write off Pinterest as a service for “crafters and foodies,” but the reality is Pinterest users are sharing EVERYTHING. In addition to recipes and craft ideas, you can also find book club recommendations, local info, social media statistics, and financial advice.

According to an article in AdAge, Pinterest has become a huge source of web site referrals, driving more traffic to RealSimple.com than social media powerhouse, Facebook.

So how can your organization take advantage of the power of Pinterest?

I’m not going to tell you that your business HAS to be on Pinterest, and in fact I would recommend caution before you open an account and start setting up boards because, as with any new tool, you have to create a strategy for what and how you will managing the channel.

But there is one thing you can do right now to ensure that your content is “Pin-able.”

When creating a Pin, Pinterest looks for large images which will illustrate what the Pin is about. Let’s take the about page of our web site as an example:

Using the “Pin It” button installed on my browser toolbar, I’m presented with one image choice for my new Pin:

Our logo looks a little funky (because of the transparency required for the site design), and there is nothing unique about the image that will illustrate the content adequately for my Pin. So, I edited the page, adding our team illustration.

Now, when Pinning the page, I’m presented with one more image option.

Giving me the resulting Pin, complete with our adorable team illustration.

So how do you know if your content is Pin-able? First, know that sites that are designed with Flash, are protected from Pinning, or do not have images measuring at least 80×80 pixels cannot be Pinned. To test your content, just visit the page you want to test, then use the “Pin It” button to see the results.

After ensuring your content is Pin-able, you can encourage visitors to your site or blog to Pin your content by installing the Pin it button. You don’t have to have a Pinterest account to use the button, just a desire to invite people to share your content.

Have you looked to see if your content is Pin-able?

The four-hour workshop leads into the American Bankers Association’s annual Marketing Conference , entitled “Put it all together: Marketing your bank’s success.”

Click here for more information about the session and the conference which will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.

What are some of your digital marketing challenges? Share them here and we may answer your questions during the workshop!

I'm not sure books like this help either.

As I read a couple rants on the website Gawker.com entitled “Do Not Go Into Advertising” and “Counterpoint: What the F*** Makes You Too Good For Advertising?” I was forced to acknowledge once again the reasons people hold those like myself who work in advertising (and let’s face it, what we really mean is advertising agencies) in such low regard.

My first run-in with the negative perception of advertising agencies was over ten years ago when I attended the ABA’s School of Bank Marketing & Management. I initially received so many double-takes and suspicious looks from upperclassmen and classmates that I began to joke that I should be wearing a scarlet “A” for “Agency.” To this day I’m not sure what surprised them most – that I didn’t hit them with a sales pitch, or that I was attending the school for the same reason they were, to learn.

For more recent examples, one only has to check in to industry message boards and LinkedIn groups to see the suspicion with which many people regard those of us who work for agencies.

And, reading the Gawker rants, it’s hard not to blame them. Even while trying to defend our industry, Drew Magary compounds our perception problem with the statement “Clients are assholes who take every good idea you’ve ever had and piss all over them, forcing you to go back to the drawing board and think of even MORE sh**.”

Other accusations directed at those of us working at agencies – we are selling our creativity to the highest bidder; spending the entire budget (no matter how large); reselling or re-purposing ideas rather than coming up with something new; selling our services when we are supposed to be presenting, and using our skills to get people to buy things or services they probably don’t need or shouldn’t buy.

While it’s clear through the rants that the authors both worked in advertising agencies I can’t believe that their experiences, which inspired them both to “escape,” are the norm.

Because I love working in advertising.

I could say it’s because I work in a niche market at a family-owned agency, headquartered in the downtown area of a suburban town, rather than a mega-agency in a large metropolis. But I know of friends and colleagues who work in agencies large and small, who share my love.

And here’s why:

We like our clients. I’m not going to say that clients can’t be demanding. And they will disagree with some of our suggestions, take campaigns in directions we may not agree with, and shoot down ideas all together. But they are also nice people with whom we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying long-term relationships that go beyond projects and marketing plans.

We shine a light on alternatives. We’re not selling something that people don’t need, but instead introducing alternatives that, in the case of our clients, are locally owned and often can provide better service and better value than the more well known financial brands.

We provide perspective. Because we work with a diverse client base, we can can give perspective to a conversation, project or campaign that wouldn’t be available to the client.

We solve problems. While creating big, new campaigns is fun and exciting, it’s not what we do day-to-day. Instead, our role is to help clients solve problems regarding how to communicate with customers. How to meet regulatory requirements. How to make connections. And how to achieve goals in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.

We support artists. By hiring people like Len Peralta, Scott Johnson and Alecia Labeda, we give artists the opportunity to earn money which they can use to support themselves while they can work on their personal projects. (Because last time I checked, not many businesses accept original art in lieu of payment for groceries.)

We’re happy to share. We serve on the marketing/communication committees of community and professional organizations. We give presentations at our alma maters and conferences, write articles for trade publications, and blog about what’s not working within our industry. We meet with friends and family and let them “pick our brains” (although sometimes there’s much in there to pick through). And before you say it, most of the time these activities do not lead to new business.

It’s fun. Call me an advertising-nerd, but sitting around trying to figure out ways to create messaging that resonates with customers, prospects or the community is my idea of a good time.

Contrary to what was portrayed in the Gawker rants, I don’t have aspirations to write a book, sell my photographs, or become a professional blogger or speaker. I knew I wanted to be a professional communicator, and eventually after trying book publishing, magazine publishing, comic books, and publicity,  I discovered that my personality and skill set was well suited to advertising.

And I love it.

During two break out sessions, Kristin will be addressing the “Role and Risks of Social Media in Retail Banking.”
It is understood that “social media” can be a powerful tool for reaching customers. Many banks are already using it, but how can retail bankers successfully take advantage of popular social media channels, and what are the potential risks to the bank?

From account and customer acquisition, to customer service support and brand monitoring, we will explore how community banks can use social media to support an attention grabbing retail banking strategy, with a specific focus on Facebook and Twitter.

To find out more, or to register, visit the MassBankers.org.

While there has been a lot of negative feedback about the new Timeline, I’m going to go on record and say that I like the new format. Here’s why:

Goodbye Fan Gates – With the upgrade, we lost the ability to force non-Fans through a “Fan Gate” or custom tab encouraging visitors to “Like” the Page. As a marketer, I found Fan Gates were extremely useful for ensuring that visitors saw any terms and conditions our clients wanted read before visiting for the first time. But as a Facebook user I thought the custom pages were disruptive (making me feel as if everywhere I turned I was running into a billboard), and a wee-bit desperate (cue Sally Field’s Oscar acceptance speech). And it turns out, I’m not alone in this opinion.

Hello Cover Images – Before the upgrade, owners were given a limited amount of space on the Page to apply their branding, primarily through the profile picture on the left hand side of the screen. With the new Cover Image, we have been given a much larger, more prominent canvas on which to work, with only a few and not entirely unreasonable restrictions. While it can be a challenge to pick the “right” image for the top of a new Facebook Page, the new Cover Image can provide new opportunities to convey  a business’s brand, without turning it into a virtual billboard.

United Bank – After Timeline

United Bank’s Page – Before Timeline

Added Flexibility and Functionality – There has been a lot of focus on what we lost, but let’s also look at what we gained with the new layout:

• Tab Apps – Custom apps are displayed more prominently, and can be customized with your own image. Plus, you are now only required to have one Facebook-mandated app, Photos, show on the top level of favorite apps. Additionally, the App Pages have been widened to 810 pixels wide, giving us more space for our messages, contests and more.
• Highlight & Pin – With the new option to “pin” and “highlight” posts, we have more flexibility than ever to draw attention to items of interest or special priority.
• Message – The new Message button gives us the opportunity, for the first time, to privately speak with visitors to our Pages as the owner, rather than as the individual. In the past, private messages could only be sent through personal Facebook accounts, limiting opportunities to provide customer or client support.

But what about the Timeline?
Of course the big change everyone is talking about is the actual Timeline, which gives Page owners the opportunity to back fill their Facebook Page with events and milestones. There are many great examples of how company’s are using this new function, including my favorite from Captain Morgan’s, which “created” milestones with supporting photography.

It may surprise readers to know that my feelings on Timeline are mixed. While I can certainly see how Timeline can be useful for sharing moments in a company’s history, I’m afraid we’re going to see many organizations get caught up in the “irrational exuberance” of Timeline. That’s because I’m not sure how much people care about the history of most organizations, especially on a platform like Facebook.

That being said, if updating Timeline ties into a strategic objective or ongoing marketing strategy, I’m all for it. For example, a bank client celebrating their 100th anniversary could use Timeline to not only redistribute content they are collecting for other materials, but also to solicit milestones and photos from their history. But it there is no tie into what you are doing now, I would suggest keeping updating your Timeline on the “things to do when I have nothing else to do” list.

As we finish updating the final client Pages, we’ll continue to explore new ways to utilize the format to connect our clients with customers and community. And, we will continue to share what we learn here, as well as on our various social media channels.

What do you think about the new Facebook Timeline?

It’s also easy for someone like myself to justify not attending the event which is not focused specifically on our industry of banking & finance.

On the flip side, SXSW is a communicator’s dream, with brands of all sizes doing their best to grab attention of attendees, with often incredible (and incredibly terrible) results.

In addition to attending several amazing sessions about not just social media, but also women in technology, the future of money, and social media and money (presented by four female financial services rock stars), I participated in a round table conversation about mobile hosted by Urban Airship with our own local social media rock stars, C.C. Chapman and Ann Handley (I’m told video will be coming).

I was able to connect with marketing professionals from organizations big and small. And here’s what I learned – in many ways we’re all dealing with the same issues and challenges. Often, it’s just a matter of scale. (I’ll admit, it was really cool to be able to have dinner with Chris Perry and Kevin Mayer, where we “talked marketing” and discussed how Chevrolet can connect with women).

So, was attending SXSW worth the time and resources?

As one who skipped most of parties, went to bed early, and worked to make the most of my time, I’m going to say the answer is yes. I made new connections, was inspired by new ideas (even the bad ones), and found myself thinking about all the ways we could bring some of the big ideas to our clients.

And that’s why I went to SXSW.

Have you ever been to an event like SXSW? Would you do it again?

Featured in this television spot, we have plans to get the CashBack Fairy flying through additional channels soon!

But you know what they say – a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why as we upgraded the Sundin Associates Facebook Page, we took the time to document some of the most notable changes, with a eye towards figuring out what’s moved, what’s new, and what’s missing.

Click on the images below for a full size view of the changes:

What changes have you discovered while settling into Timeline?

Since then, Facebook has continued to make upgrades to the user interface, most recently through the introduction of Timeline, a more colorful presentation of user information.

As it did last year, the user upgrades were a sign of things to come for companies utilizing Pages, with Facebook introducing the new Timeline to Pages this morning.

While rolling out the new look is voluntary at this time, the new Timeline for Pages will become the default layout as of March 30th, giving everyone one month to figure out what’s new, and what’s changed.

For admins looking to get started on updating their Page, there are several great resources available including the following:

• Pages Product Guide (Facebook)
• Facebook Timeline Brand Pages Are Here (Mashable)
• Facebook Timeline for Pages: Which Brands Will Win and Lose? (Mashable)
• How to Use Facebook Timeline for Brand Pages: New Feature Details (TechCruch)

(Want more? We’ll be collecting more articles of interest on our Pinterest board).

Throughout March, we will be working with our clients to to determine how we can customize the new Timeline to meet their needs, incorporating branding and accommodating for any regulatory requirements. As we roll out new Pages, we will share them here and through our agency Facebook Page.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the new Facebook Timeline, or need assistance with your business’ social media strategy, please don’t hesitate to contact me, or a member of our staff.

Working with the client and Intuit Financial Services, the Bank’s web host provider, we developed a site which corresponds with, and provides support for, ongoing marketing and communication efforts. Utilizing Digital Insight’s content management system, the site features a clean design, improved navigation and increased functionality for visitors and customers.