Image sharing sites seem to be all the rage these days. Pinterest has quickly become one of the top social media networks in the world. In fact, research shows that Pinterest has reached 10 million monthly visitors faster than any other individual site in history, and 85% of SMBs that have taken advantage of Pinterest saw an increase in their overall market reach.

The value of promoting your products and services on a thriving platform cannot be questioned. However, many business owners, big and small, are scrambling to figure out whether or not investing time in building an audience on Pinterest will give them a justifiable return-on-investment.

Your target market may fit Pinterest’s audience, but will your ideas correlate into Pinterest exposure? Will your images be attractive to develop a following, and where do you begin creating a Pinterest page? Well, before you keel over from anxiety, it may help to realize Pinterest is not suited for every business. A business cannot target everyone it wants to reach nor should you have to. Many businesses question if an active Pinterest presence is the right move for their website. In some cases, it is best to follow an educated guess rather than a gut feeling that Pinterest MIGHT be successful.

Whether you are a small business wading into the Pinterest waters for the first time or looking to improve your Pinterest usage, this post is for you. We’ve collected 20 of the top Pinterest blogs and divided them into three parts: Blogs to read before late-night pinning sessions, Pinterest Boards to follow, and recommended groups to join.

Blogs About Pinterest

1. Constant Contact – This social media marketing blog creates stellar job of compiling information about all the major social networks. Spend time reading news and watching Constant Contact’s free Pinterest webinars.
2. Curalate Insights – Learn about the art of visual storytelling on the Curalate Insights blog. In addition, read up on Curalate’s expert knowledge of brand strategy and image optimization.
3. Epreneur TV – Tehmina Zaman is the author of Epreneur TV, which showcases episodes on management and social media strategy. The website’s Pinterest section is a goldmine, detailing the personal case study of the Epreneur TV website.
4. Hello Society – Hello Society is an all-purpose Pinterest management tool that helps business owners acquire customers, drive traffic, and manage relationships. This informational blog gives weekly tips for even the utmost Pinterest beginner.
5. Jeff Bullas Blog – Jeff Bullas has helped several companies with their marketing efforts across numerous social networks. The buck doesn’t stop with Pinterest; Absorb Jeff Bullas’s opinions on how Pinterest benefits your marketing.
6. Marketing on Pinterest – Jason Miles curated this blog to become the definitive resource on Pinterest marketing. Click to read articles and listen to discussions regarding the Pinterest platform.
7. MCNG Marketing – Wondering how a Pinterest campaign works? The MCNG Blog has you covered with how to measure conversions and pin images relevant to your business. This blog is the deep end of the Pinterest pool, folks.
8. Oh So Pinteresting – As the creator of the Oh So Pinteresting Blog, Cynthia Sanchez records a Pinterest podcast, writes articles, and delivers progressive thoughts covering business growth and search impact.
9. PinLeague Blog – PinLeague provides big-time analytics and marketing tools for brands. For the more experienced power users, this blog contains plenty of meaty content. Don’t leave the PinLeague blog without checking it’s SEO Guide for Pinterest.
10. Pinnable Business – Looking for THE authority on using Pinterest for business? At the time of this writing, the Pinterest Business Blog is still pretty sparse, but Janet Thaeler and Paul Wilson’s blog,Pinnable Business is more than enough to tide you over. With interesting case studies, presentations, and feature reviews, their blog with provide you with a wealth of knowledge in the many use cases of Pinterest marketing.
11. Pinster Blog – The Pinster.me software provides detailed analytics for dedicated users. Read the company blog often to find high-end hints on image optimization, mobile marketing, and reporting.
12. Pinterest for Business Official Blog – Small business owners interested in using Pinterest for their marketing strategy will bookmark this blog. While still relatively new to the scene, we look forward to reading this blog as the platform’s focus on brands and businesses continues to evolve.
13. Pinterest Official Blog – Quite simply, the Pinterest Blog is the go-to resource for Pinterest. Learn about the platform, and keep up to date on current events.
14. Piqora Blog – If you’re interesting in learning how analytics and pin tracking benefit your business, the Piquora blog is worth a look. It’s a well-collected knowledge base that examines statistical data and trends occurring on Pinterest.
15. Social Media Examiner – Social Media Examiner articulates comprehensive information about every social media tool. Take a good, long look at their Pinterest content, and you will be well informed in no time.
16. Vertical Response – Vertical Response offers top-notch insight regarding Pinterest and social media marketing. If you’re looking for some quick strategies to leverage for your Pinterest page, browse through this articulate blog.

Groups About Pinterest

17. Pinterest Networking Group (LinkedIn) – If you are an active LinkedIn user, this group encourages its members to ask questions about Pinterest, participate in web chats, and post links to interesting articles about Pinterest in the press or other blogs.
18. Pinterest on Quora – With nearly 30,000 followers, the Quora group is a great resource for asking questioning to all kinds of Pinterest users. Whether communicating with a Pinterest enthusiast or a fellow business owner, you will gain a plethora of knowledge.

Pinterest Boards

19. How to Leverage Pinterest For Marketing ~ #IntDesignerChat – This Pinterest board highlights the global discussions that are hosted every Tuesday on Twitter. It includes a bevy of infographics that will keep you informed and engaged on the power of Pinterest.
20. Marketing on Pinterest – In addition to his blog, Jason Miles runs an informational Pinterest board. He shares thought-provoking content on the evolving practices of Pinterest marketing.
21. Pinterest Training & Tips – Krishna De’s Pinterest board shares high quality information and interesting graphics all relating to content marketing and relationship management (also, as a BONUS, check out this awesome case study she wrote about Nissan Europe and their Pinterest campaign).

We are certain that after reading these recommendations on a consistent basis , you’ll be one of the few Pinterest experts among your fellow small business owners and will begin to stand out from the crowd.

How have you considered using Pinterest for your business’s marketing plan? Are there other Pinterest resources we may have missed? Let us know in the comments below.

Meet John Anyasor

Get your business more free web traffic. Visit UpCity.com to begin your free trial. Check out our daily tips blog at http://upcity.com/blog