Do you want to get the most out of your Pinterest business account?
You are in luck because that is exactly what this blog post will teach you. We will go over how to optimize for success on Pinterest, so you can increase the reach and engagement of your company's content. To start, we have some quick tips on how to analyze your boards.
You've probably heard that Pinterest is a social media site where people pin and save images.
And you're not wrong! But it's also so much more than that. If you want to use your Pinterest business account to its fullest potential, you have to understand who is pinning your images and how they are using those pins.
If you want to take your Pinterest business account to its fullest potential, then this blog post is for you! We'll talk about the best ways to optimize your account, as well as some tips on how to increase engagement with followers. With these hacks in mind, make sure not only to maximize your reach but also grow your follower base - all with minimal effort!
Know Your Pinterest Audience
Knowing who is re-pinning from your Pinterest boards will help you understand what they are interested in. There's a variety of ways to do that. My favorite strategy is simply clicking on the profile of anyone who likes my pins or follows me. Going to their Pinterest profile will give you so much insight on what this particular client is interested in. Over time, you will probably start to notice trends that can inform your Pinterest Strategy.
Another option is to utilize Pinterest Analytics. Within Pinterest analytics you will be able to see specific demographic information about your Pinterest community: age, gender, location - even affinity interests. The best tool for this is "Audience Insights', which is located at the top of the page when you are in your Pinterest business hub.
Once the audience has been figured out, use this information to tailor future pins and board content so it better fits their interests. This increases engagement with posts which leads to more followers and ultimately, more sales.
Optimize Your Pins with Keywords and Visuals
The pinnable images you use on your Pinterest business account are extremely important. The images should indicate what the pins link back to, and they should be of good quality. This builds trust with your audience and pinners interested in your product or service. It's best if you use high-resolution photos, too.
When it comes to copy ON the pin, less is more in this case: avoid using too many words and stick to the point.
You want to utilize keywords in your pinnable images, but don't go overboard! Make sure there is still a clear image of what you're pinning so that people know exactly why they are clicking on it.
This also helps Pinterest understand what your content is about. Fun fact: did you know that you can include keywords in your image file name and the ALT text of the pin? All of these elements work together to help Pinterest distribute your pins to pinners most interested in your topics.
Why You Should Optimize Your Pins for Pinterest
If your pin is not optimized, it might still show up when someone searches for a specific keyword or phrase, but the chances of this happening are slim. Optimization increases the likelihood that your pins will be found by people who are actively searching Pinterest with relevant terms - which means more eyes on you and your products!
Finally, keep in mind how each pin fits into the overall brand image of your business. Are they aesthetically pleasing? Do they fit within existing color palettes? These elements all work together to build trust with followers and sell more of your products and services.
Connect Your E-Commerce (Shopify) to Pinterest
If you've been following me for more than five seconds, you know that my preferred e-commerce platform is Shopify. Shopify has a simple and fast connectivity with Pinterest. You can create shoppable pins and a nearly seamless shopping experience on Pinterest when you complete the process for the Verified Merchant Program.
Shopify makes this SOOOO easy! See my blog article on troubleshooting unapproved Verified Merchant status. Once the correct elements are in place, Shopify makes it easy to get started on Pinterest right away!
Pinterest is a fun, positive place. Don't take yourself too seriously!
It's important not to have negativity in any content you share because Pinterest users will turn away from that type of thing - and the Pinterest algorithm itself may target you with some sort of spam ban.
The best scenario would be that pinners continue scrolling through their feed, past your negative content, if they see something negative come up. On Pinterest, people want to look at things that are lighthearted, funny, happy and unique! Pinners go to Pinterest for inspiration and ways to improve their lives.
So now that we know this about how Pinterest operates as a website let's talk more about what I mean by personality shining. How does one do this?
It's fairly simple and straightforward:
- Show your face. People want to know who they are dealing with
- Think about how to showcase your ideas in a fun way.
- Keep trying even if you feel like you're not getting a lot of impressions or engagement.
- And remember: if you can't post a lot on Pinterest, don't worry. Just focus on creating ONE Idea Pin per week and you will be just fine!
Get More Eyes On Your Content With Pinterest Through Consistent Pinning
Find things to share on Pinterest that work for your blog posts - they don't always have to focus on your products. You want to focus on making your dream client's life better - and ideally position your content around your products in a way that makes it a smooth transition for your readers to use your products as well.
Consistency of content centered around your client's life and consistency of the actual pins are important. A good rule of thumb is to make 3-5 unique pins for each blog post. If you are not blogging weekly, creating an idea pin that is inspired by that week's social media is an easy way to maintain consistency.
***-=
Create boards around topics like that relate to your blog posts or social media content buckets.
In order for you pinning efforts to be effective it is important make sure the pins are reaching the right audience. Create boards around topics you know your audience will be interested in. Pinterest is all about sharing beautiful photos, so it makes sense that the Pinterest users are there to scroll through beautiful images for inspiration for home decorating, cooking and fashion ideas! So make sure pinning relevant content is a value-add to their Pinterest experience.
The difference between those who pin on business for vision boarding vs those who pin for business is represented by two things: text overlays and calls-to-action. If you are selling something, you want to make it clear that you provide the solution - you're not just sharing something that you want to DIY. A strong call to action on the pin AND in the pin description will help your community understand that you are a business and not just an idea-sharing machine!
Pinterest has grown to more than 400 million monthly active users since 2020.
So if your blogging or social media marketing strategies focus on visuals you’ll want to give Pinterest serious consideration as part of your distribution plan in 2022 and beyond. If user engagement is important to you then starting an account at Pinterest can really help increase user interaction with posts - particularly if you utilize idea pins and their new interactive features: takes.
All of these practices should lead directly to increased website traffic from Pinterest referrals.
Which one of these stand out to you the most?
Good luck and happy marketing!
Crystal, The Pinterest Pundit
About the Author:
Crystal Waddell is a Pinterest expert and marketing strategist who helps creative entrepreneurs build profitable businesses. Crystal started her own company in 2013 and went full-time with it in 2021. Her mission is to help other online business owners grow their website traffic and revenue through Pinterest Marketing and strategic SEO. Each month Crystal hosts a hands-on workshop for business owners who want to learn to use Pinterest effectively for their businesses. For more tips on growing your business with Pinterest and SEO, check out www.pinshop.com or follow @pinshopify on instagram!