Businesses have been setting up presences on Pinterest and integrating the network into their marketing for some time, but until now the site's terms have explicitly limited activity on their boards to “personal, non-commercial use.” Because the network was created for individuals, developing a consistent professional presence was not entirely easy. You can, of course, pin your own content and prompt others to pin it as well. While this could prove to be productive, firms wishing to tap into the network's potential had to sign up, create boards, pin items and follow others as individual attorneys. In order to collaborate with other lawyers or staff at the same firm, someone would have to create a group board and invite others to use it.

Despite the challenge, retail companies and service providers have continued to show increasing interest in utilizing Pinterest for business promotion. Pinterest has certainly been aware of this illicit enterprise, and now they have embraced it by allowing individuals, companies and organizations to sign up for business accounts. In their official announcement on the company blog, Pinterest noted that thousands of companies were already part of the network and indicated they wanted to make the process easier for businesses that wish to participate.

Attorneys with business accounts will be able to specify a firm name (rather than just a first and last name) and can have their websites verified. Pinterest will provide a verification badge that lets others know which profile is the official account for your firm. You will also be able build custom “pin” and “follow me” buttons for your own website and incorporate new profile and pin board widgets into your content.

Since Pinterest is making it easier, what should attorneys pin?

While the law may not seem like an inherently visual topic, there are plenty of opportunities for attorneys to set up boards and share interesting pictures, graphics and content. Consider some of the following topics:

Community involvement. Every time someone in your firm participates in charity, volunteer work or other activities – either as a group or as individuals – document it. This type of engagement is great for both press releases and visual marketing.

Educational outreach. This can include speeches, seminars, educational programs or even webinars. If you cannot personally take pictures, make sure someone is there to cover the event. Get screen shots of webinars. If your firm has done research into certain areas, create interesting charts or graphics to share. Let everyone know your firm is a knowledgeable go-to resource.

News of interest. Try devoting a board to stories that are relevant to your practice. Studies have shown that social media users are often more interested in information that is relevant to a firm than they are to posts that are directly about it. Environmental or business news, stories about high profile cases or dangerous products and even human interest pieces might be some options to consider, depending on your practice.

Candid camera. What goes on at your office? Do you have a mascot (usually of the furry variety) who comes to work with one of your attorneys? Does you staff participate in lunch time yoga? Do you have unique decor? Whatever it is, chances are your day is probably not all work and no play. Giving people an inside (but still professional) look can make your firm more approachable.

Humor. Attorney jokes are a dime a dozen, and they should probably be relegated to the dustbin they deserve. But that does not mean that lawyers cannot use humor. Sometimes a particularly funny comic or cartoon related to the law – or to some topic relevant to one of your practice areas – pops up and provides fun content to share. The Rose Law Group Reporter, for example, shares a cartoon and a photo of the week every week. Sometimes they are related to the law, sometimes less so, but they do provide another visually interesting way to drive traffic.

Firms wishing to create a Pinterest business profile can set up a new account or convert an existing individual account. Pinterest appears to be serious about soliciting feedback and ideas for new features and is providing ample opportunities for businesses to comment on the new service. Learn more here.

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