This year offers a new marketing opportunity for small businesses on Pinterest. As of January 1, 2015, the Promoted pin functionality is now available to every U.S. business.

Much like the targeted advertising that shows up in Facebook News Feeds, specific Promoted Pins will show up that match user interests and relevant search results. For example, a Pinterest user who has a lot of pins about gardening, might see a Promoted Pin featuring the photo of a garden sponsored by a company that makes gardening products. A Promoted Pin looks like any other pin because Pinterest wants promotional posts to blend in with the rest of its content. The only difference is that on the very bottom of the pin it says, ‘Promoted Pin’.

By using this new program, your pins are put in front of a wider audience. As more people are introduced to your products and business, you have the opportunity to increase your following. Promoted Pins will take your audience back to your website, which means an automatic boost in website traffic. It’s a domino effect – more people see your pin, visit your site, learn about your business, and buy your products.

On average, Promoted Pins are shared eleven times, which can boost the number of people who see your pin by 30 percent. That could be a big bonus for small businesses looking to boost their exposure and sales through social advertising.

You won’t be able to simply sign into your Pinterest business account and get started, at least not yet. Pinterest is asking all interested business owners to sign up for the service on its website. Pinterest has a set of rules on its website that you’ll want to check out.

Do you plan to use Promoted Pins in 2015?