On most social networks, you have the option to “pin” or “stick” a post. No matter when that post was made, pinned posts will appear at the top of your feed when readers visit your profile.
Pinning a post is a remarkably simple feature that’s become ubiquitous in the latest generation of social apps. It’s so unassuming that it’s easy to overlook. Why and when should you pin a post? Let’s dig in and look at some of the most common posts to pin:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
As any sales pro can tell you, most people have the same questions – over and over again. Figuring out what those questions are and synthesizing them into a convenient post is a great way to show your care and commitment to customer service.
Sales & Promotions
Have a special offer you want everyone to know about? The pinned post spot on your feed is some of the best real estate. If you have enough traffic, statuses promoting sales can get a significant bump in visibility with this method.
Urgent Info – Especially Downtime
Having problems with a critical service? Maybe your site is down or a key application is offline? The first thing anyone does is try to figure out whether others are experiencing the issue. Pin a post so they can get all the info they need fast.
Brand Engagement or Contest Winners
If a user sends in a great photo of your product in action, you might want to highlight their work with a pinned post. People love to be recognized, and this can spur spontaneous engagement with your brand. Running a contest? Be sure to honor the winner(s) afterward!
Quick Words on Pinned Tweets
Many social networks offer the pinned post feature, but optimizing it on Twitter is more challenging. Tweets are short and tend to become outdated faster, so you have to be more careful about choosing your “best work” – something that quickly shows what you’re all about.
Remember these best practices:
- Use images – they raise retweet rates by about 33%.
- Promote valuable content that people will want to click, like and share.
- Use more verbs than nouns to generate excitement.
Pinned posts might not be the cornerstone of social strategy, but they’re another useful tool for connecting users with content that matters. Don’t overlook them!