Few academic studies have examined how Pinterest can be best used to connect,
engage, and build relationships with target publics. The current study aims to explore
how most followed brands on Pinterest build relationships through the dialogical
communication framework. Broadly, through the two research questions advanced, the
study contributes to the stream of research that explores the dialogic features present
on social media sites. A content analysis of organizations’ Pinterest profile pages and
individual pins was conducted to determine the extent to which dialogic principles were
present as an attempt to build relationships with their publics. The findings indicate
social media do have the potential to foster relationships with organizational publics.
More specifically, the study identifies Pinterest as an up-and-coming social media tool
with which practitioners can utilize to cultivate relationships among their publics in a
visually stimulating way. The current study can offer guidelines to those organizations
that want to utilize Pinterest to better foster their relationship with target audiences,
filling a gap of literature that is needed to bridge the gap between academic literature
and the public relations practice
