If you’re aiming to strengthen your online presence on a visually-driven platform, Pinterest is the perfect place to start. With over 537 million active users, it’s a goldmine for connecting with your audience, driving website traffic, and increasing sales.
This guide will show you how to tap into Pinterest’s full potential. From creating a profile that truly speaks to your target audience to building boards that amplify your brand, you’ll learn how to design eye-catching pins and share your content for maximum impact. We’ll also dive into pin optimization, explore the benefits of tools like Tailwind, and walk you through using analytics to perfect your strategy.
Ready to take your business to the next level on Pinterest? Let’s get started!
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Creating a Profile
To start, go to Pinterest and sign up for an account. Then set up your profile by adding your name or your business name if you’re using it for a company. Pick a name that’s easy to remember so people can find you.
After that, fill in the rest of your profile. Add your website link (if you have one), a profile picture, and a description about what you do or sell. Use words people might search for to help them find your page more easily.
To avail the most of Pinterest’s services and features, verify your website. This can be done by including a code on your side and then visiting Pinterest to verify the code is recognized. Very easy step. This will allow you to get the most views of your profile possible.
Building Boards
You can at this point start creating boards. Boards are like virtual pinboards where you can save and organize content according to different themes. It’s important to create boards that align with your company’s services or the theme of your blog posts. For instance, if you have a blog about astronomy, you may choose to create boards with names such as stargazing, comets, and galaxies. This will enable you to curate and share content related to these topics, positioning you as an expert in your field.
When you upload pins, add as many keywords as possible to increase visibility. You may also want to add hashtags to your descriptions.
To find keywords for your pins, go to the Pinterest search bar and type a word related to your topic. Pinterest will show you more ideas with similar words. Use these words in your pins, but only if they really match what your pin is about.
Designing Pins
Creating visually appealing pins is crucial to attract users and drive engagement. However, designing pins can be challenging, especially if you’re not experienced in graphic design.
To create pins that stand out, we recommend two options. The first is to hire an experienced designer on Fiverr who can create high-quality, eye-catching pins that align with your brand’s aesthetic. This option is ideal for those who want to save time and ensure that their pins are of professional quality.
You can also work on creating Pinterest pins using a user-friendly platform like Canva. Canva provides a wide range of templates, graphics, and design tools that make it easy for beginners to create visually appealing pins. This option is ideal for those who want to have more control over the design process and prefer a more hands-on approach.
Sharing Pins
Once you have your pins created, the next step is to share them with other users on Pinterest.
One way to do this is by joining Tailwind tribes. Tailwind is a social media scheduling tool that allows you to become a member of various tribes, so you can share your pins with other members in your niche. This is an effective way to reach a wider audience and increase the visibility of your pins.
It’s important to read and follow the rules specified in each tribe to avoid being banned. Tailwind schedules your pins for optimal times when your followers are most likely to be online, giving you the best chance of attracting traffic.
Once you’ve created a business account, you’ll have access to a wealth of data about your visitors. You can use this data to determine which pins are getting the most repins and adjust your posting strategy accordingly.
A few years ago, it was commonly recommended to post at least 80% of pins from others boards and 20% of your own pins. However, times have changed. Now, if you’re using Pinterest to promote your brand, then you’ll want to post as many pins of your own as possible. Having said that, in the beginning stages, you may not have thousands or hundreds of pins of your own to share, so in that case the bulk of your sharing will be others pins at the start.
What makes an attractive pin? It’s important to first note that dimensions are important. The standard, most common size dimensions are, though larger pins of dimensions are preferred by some brands. We ourselves opted for smaller pins in the beginning, then switched to the larger ones in recent times, and have seen decent traction from them.
Pin Optimization on Pinterest and How to Do It
Pin optimization is crucial for maximizing your reach and engagement on Pinterest. Follow these steps to optimize your pins:
- Use High-Quality Images: Choose visually appealing, high-resolution images that resonate with your audience.
- Compose Keyword-Rich Descriptions: Write detailed descriptions using relevant keywords to improve discoverability.
- Optimize Pin Titles: Craft compelling and descriptive titles for your pins.
- Vertical Pins Perform Better: Create taller pins with a 2:3 aspect ratio for better visibility.
- Add Relevant Hashtags: Include relevant hashtags to increase the chances of your pins being found through searches.
- Create Engaging Pin Captions: Write engaging captions that encourage interaction and storytelling.
- Link to Your Website: Ensure each pin directs users to a relevant landing page on your website.
- Consistent Branding: Maintain consistent branding elements like logos, colors, and fonts.
- Utilize Rich Pins: Enable rich pins to provide additional context and information.
- Pin at Optimal Times: Post your pins when your target audience is most active.
Tailwind for Pinterest
Tailwind‘s scheduler optimizes your pins for the times when your followers are most active, increasing the likelihood of your pins being seen by a wider audience. This can lead to improved website traffic as Pinterest has the potential to reach millions of people. However, it’s important to create visually appealing pins that are likely to be repinned. You can hire a professional to create pins or learn how to create them yourself. Canva is a useful tool for creating visually attractive pins.
We didn’t notice any significant improvement in blog traffic until about two months after we created and uploaded our first pin, so please do not be discouraged if you do not see results right away. This is an investment that will reap rewards if only you take the time to pin high-quality pins, post consistently, and optimize every pin you upload.
A common question from those who are new to the service is whether pending manually or automatically via Tailwind is recommended. And the answer to this is that it would probably benefit you if you post manually just as much as if not more than on Tailwind. The reason is Pinterest would like to see that you were an active participant, and pinning manually show this. The results of manual pinning are that the algorithm will recognize you as an active participant and will show your pins to as many as people as possible.
Analyzing Data
Pinterest offers its own analytics tools, with insights into your audience demographics, top-performing pins, and overall engagement metrics. You can use this information to identify trends, refine your content strategy, and create targeted campaigns.
Combine the data provided by Pinterest and Tailwind, so your businesses can gain a more comprehensive understanding of your audience and improve your overall Pinterest marketing strategy. Whether you’re looking to drive traffic to your website or increase brand awareness, analyzing Pinterest data can provide valuable insights that help you achieve your marketing goals.
Conclusion
We hope that you have found our tutorial on using Pinterest for business helpful. Setting up a Pinterest account is a crucial step in expanding your online presence and reaching new audiences. Complete your profile, create relevant boards, and share engaging content, and you’ll be well on your way to connecting with potential customers and ultimately driving traffic to your website. So why not give it a try and see how Pinterest can help grow your business?
Featured Photo Credit: ASPhotohrapy@iStock