Pinterest may seem daunting, however it’s one of the best ways to search, find inspiration and connect with others on a platform that is unlike any other. We are sharing our best tips for tapping into Pinterest and using it like a pro!
Pinterest is ultimately a search engine. From recipes to DIY’s…from parenting tips to style, there is something for everyone to explore and learn from. So if you have anything to offer up, this is the place to share! ***Spoiler alert, you do have SO much to offer up!***
- Start with a strategy: are you looking for more action on your website, or more engagement on your social platforms? Take the knowledge you have of your audience on each of these and use this to target your Pinterest audience.Most likely they will be the same and will be there to see what you have to share. Consider looking into your competitors and people you admire – what are they doing on this space and what love that you can adjust to your market and what could you do better?
- If you have a website, you should be linking all content to Pinterest – and the simplest [ and best for SEO! ] way to do so, is add a ‘Pin it’ button to your site! By utilizing the website connection to Pinterest, the user is easily able to hover over an image and save to a board to be inspired at a later date. So, get that pin it button installed so readers can easily save and look back on posts! Along with this, website SEO can be linked to Pinterest by linking back and forth to each platform. Click through is important and by researching your Pinterest analytics, you can see which is performing well and adjust as needed.
- Another tactic, and one you should use in conjunction with pinning directly from your site is uploading organic images and video directly onto the platform. Think of it as another platform you are more familiar with…you know how Instagram rewards you for using all media – images, reels and video, Pinterest will look to you to diversify what you are sharing and uploading. So think outside of the box, and add a mix of it all!
- Story [ recently renamed to ‘Idea Pins’ ] is the new king. Just like stories on Instagram, these pop up at the top of your feed and are fun and interactive. These can be a mix of video or still images – but are meant to capture your audience right from the start and can be linked to your site, social or commissionable platforms.
- Make sure your pin descriptions are on point! Get creative but explain what your following is looking at so it is clear from the very beginning! Even when you re-pin from others, it’s good to add a little bit of your own branding to the caption – just make sure to give credit where credit is due.
- Keep your secret boards, well…a secret! One of the best ways to stay inspired is to pin, right? But sometimes a pin or board may not fit our brand or may be inspo for upcoming content or you may need to have something private for a brand. Utilize the privacy of secret boards to keep your audience excited for the content you DO publish!
- Share! Let your followers know you’re here, and active. Share on your other platforms that you love what you do on Pinterest and that they can find more ideas, content and more of YOU on the platform!
- Keep the focus on what you see: Uncluttered, high res, clear and eye – catching images get the most re-pins and engagement. Vertical works best for Pinterest – if you notice, the entire platform is designed to keep your eyes going from top to bottom – so keep that in mind!
- And as with all other platforms, be brand conscious. Just as you would with your site and social, try to stay on brand – and not just with colors, but content that is important to you and goes with your business manifesto. Whether that be pinning from your own content platforms or finding the inspiration for your next dinner party – your pins are ultimately a reflection of you. Stay consistent with your boards as you would with other pillars of your business or brand. And if you find something that you want your eyes to see only or may not fit exactly what you are ‘doing’ here, then pin to those ‘secret boards’.
- With everything, consistency is important – Tailwind in an excellent app / site that allows you to schedule your own pins and re-pin others in advance so you can block out a chunk of time to focus on scheduling and then you can check that off your list and not have to think about it!
- Educate yourself and utilize analytics – see what is performing well and pivot to share more of those engaging posts!
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There are Pinterest strategists out there who are ready to take on your profile, so if it seems overwhelming, tap into your community and see if you can ask a friend or look for a freelancer to come on and help!
And finally, have fun with it – I think of Pinterest as one of the most creative outlets because as you pin, you are curating your own feed so the beauty of you is connected in a gallery of images – use it as a place to be encouraged and visionary!
