What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a visual search engine and a social network, with over 2 billion monthly queries and 433 million monthly users. It has become more popular than ever! It’s time to leverage this source of free traffic, and we’ll see how to create your own organic Pinterest strategy!
More digital marketers understand the potential of this search engine and how it can benefit SEO, drive traffic to their websites and build a strong brand presence.
Users can search, explore, save, and add pins to their accounts organized on boards.
If you’re unfamiliar, these pins are made up of a visual (picture, video, graphic…) and a link to the content’s source, such as:
- A recipe for tacos taken from a food blog.
- A jewelry product page…
Users can either pin (i.e., publish) their content or save it directly to folders from websites.
The outcome is Pinterest boards, which are themed galleries.
So let’s get down to business!
Pinterest’s three most important components are:
- Pins,
- Boards,
- And then there’s the feed.
The Pin
A user can store (aka pin) a picture, design, or video to their account. Because each Pinterest pin has a URL, it may be linked to its source (great for link building!). Pins come in various types, which I’ll go over in more depth later.
The board
Pinterest boards allow users to organize their favorite pins. This is a folder, photo album, or image gallery. Users can put similar pins together to make it easier to find them on their boards. There are boards for wedding planning and travel ideas, for example.
Boards give potential customers a taste of the products and services you offer and the passions surrounding your company. It’s your storefront.
The feed
A Pinterest feed resembles a Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter feed, and it shows you the pins of people you follow and adverts that the algorithm thinks you’ll appreciate.
The “For You” and “Today” tabs on the user’s home page provide access to two feeds. They can, however, use a search engine to find material or subscribe to automatically created feeds.
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How is Pinterest different?
Even if Pinterest and Instagram seem similar because of the visual content, Pinterest is more of a combination of Google for searchability and Instagram for the feed.
People on Pinterest are looking for new ideas and inspirations, unlike on Facebook or Instagram, where people just share their daily life like a journal.
It allows people to search for visual content by typing in keywords instead of scrolling through an endless list of articles.
What distinguishes Pinterest from other social platforms:
Pinterest is designed to be a huge visual bookmark
Easier to do research and find relevant content
Vertical images work better on Pinterest
Images with words on it perform better
What has Pinterest in common with other social platforms:
Need to have a regular activity
Take into consideration the engagement rate of your content to make them rank.
Need to socialize with other users
Why is Pinterest a good option for my small business?
Let’s dive more precisely into how Pinterest can be a huge asset for your business:
Use Pinterest as a traffic generation tool
If you have a blog and want to attract more traffic, I suggest using Pinterest to generate traffic because each pin has a link to the source page. If many people on Pinterest are interested in your niche, it’s a great place to start.
To use Pinterest to generate traffic to your blog, I recommend creating boards that focus on topics related to your blog and publishing pins with an eye-catching visual, which will generate a lot of engagement.
Moreover, you can make your pins rank on the first page of Google (including SERP and Google Image results).
Just like Google, SEO is essential on Pinterest. You will have to optimize your pins and boards with your target keywords to reach your target audience.
Furthermore, Pinterest allows you to add one clickable link, so you can easily direct people from one idea to action. The best way to redirect traffic to your site directly!
Better Conversion
So what is the ultimate goal of any business? To generate revenue. If you’re selling anything, you should always ask yourself, “how can I generate more sales?”
It also means you will need to figure out how to generate more leads, generate more interest in your product, and get more customers. There are many ways to accomplish this, but if you’re going to be successful, Pinterest is a great way to get a better conversion rate.
Brand awareness
You will increase interest in your brand, products, and services if you publish relevant solutions, ideas, or inspirations. Even if you don’t receive a lot of subscribers right away, if your pins are well-optimized for search, your content will find its way to your target audience. This establishes your brand’s reputation, distinguishing you as a thought leader among competitors.
So, if you want to increase brand awareness and visibility and differentiate yourself from competitors, Pinterest marketing is a must.
Using SEO on Pinterest to be founded
A massive aspect of Pinterest is SEO. Without an SEO strategy, your content won’t work… So let’s dive in!
What makes Google and Pinterest look alike?
You must search for keywords to rank your content on these platforms first. For that, you can use the Pinterest search bar, look at the suggested research, or use the Pinterest Ads tools (same as Keyword Planner of Google).
Recently, Pinterest launched a Trend tool, perfect for seeing when a subject is seasonal (similar to Google Trends).
Like Google, Pinterest loves new and fresh content! So don’t be afraid to publish a new pin per day. Furthermore, Pinterest will promote high-quality content just like Google.
A word about Pinterest home feed
Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest’s Home Feed shows you posts from what you already looked for and things that interest you. That’s why SEO matters.
It provides a fantastic opportunity for brands to reach highly engaged audiences who are already interested and looking for products or services related to their business.
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11 steps for a successful organic Pinterest strategy
It’s time to come to the actionable part of this organic Pinterest strategy guide!
Optimize profile
A great way to increase your Pinterest visibility is to build a Pinterest business profile optimized for search and appeal.
If you’re just getting started on Pinterest, make sure your profile is set up correctly:
- Add a logo and a high-resolution banner to your page.
- Create a captivating bio,
- And make sure your boards are in line with what you’re selling, with an appealing cover.
Create boards based on your products and/or services and the values you want to portray, so you can start pinning.
My recommendation is to use your keyword list when building your profile and boards and to include them in the title and description of each board…
Optimize boards
Consider boards to be store shelves and pins to be goods… You’ll need more shelves if you wish to expand your store’s inventory. Your pins on the same board should be related to each other.
Don’t forget to add a cover to your board to make them look more professional.
You can publish the same pin on several boards many times. However, each board must have at least 5 separate pins.
Consider including pins from other people on your boards if they are relevant. Certainly not those of your rivals…
Include your keywords in the title and description to make your boards simpler to find. It’s good to be precise, and your boards can be divided into sub-boards.
Don’t build too many if you want to keep your boards active. It’s a massive undertaking with over 100 boards.
Optimize Pins
There is multiple aspects to consider for an optimized pin.
Let’s start with the basics: you must always use high-quality images! Today, there is massive competition on Pinterest, but one way to avoid it is to produce high-quality pins. No need to be a professional photographer, you can just use royalty-free bank images or Canva!
Moreover, you should keep visual consistency. Your pins must have to be memorable and recognizable.
To get a higher engagement rate, your pins must follow 6 rules:
- Helpful – Make it easier for pinners to find your pin by providing a detailed description. Pinterest claims that useful pins generate 30% more interaction. If someone is looking for a green carpet, then show them one. Your keywords and content must be correct.
- Detailed – Explain what your pin is about in one or two sentences. You will entice pinners to click on the link to your website if you provide adequate information. You can also put the product description, price, and name in your pin.
- Interesting – Pinners will be more engaged if you use emotional language and pleasant thoughts. Make them dream by describing the scene… “Nautical-themed lamp with blue and white stripes that is sure to strike the eye,” rather than “Blue and white table lamp.”
- Actionable – Make your description actionable by including a call to action. Using phrases like “check out…” or “click to learn more” can increase engagement by up to 80%.
- Vertical Image – Make sure the image is sized at 2:3 or 4:5. The more time you have, the better, and you also take up more room in the feed.
- Pretty image – Lively colors (red, orange, or pink) with a light and bright feel and a relevant background get increased attention. You should add the text.
The best part of Pinterest is that you can post multiple variations of the same pin! Experiment with different images if a pin leads to the same product page, blog article, or landing page.
Pinterest is a fan of new stuff. So use a variety of hashtags, photos, and titles to make the pin appear fresh or new. You don’t always pin the same pin to the same board; instead, you pin that pin and its modifications to multiple boards over time.
Don’t also forget to optimize your pin description with your target keywords.
Social media: being sociable and engaging with other users
Pinterest is one of the best social media platforms for marketers because it allows you to connect with potential customers directly. If you look closely, you will notice tons of interactions happening on the site. People are talking about your brand, sharing pins, and engaging with each other.
This is why you must take part in those conversations.
You don’t necessarily have to reply to every comment or question, but make sure you are active on the site and engage with others. Don’t forget to check out the profile of other users, as well as their boards and pins. Replying to comments and questions will help build trust and credibility among your followers.
Join a group board
Group boards are, by far, the best part of Pinterest! It allows you to share your pins to a larger board with thousands of followers already! You increase your reach in no time.
Be careful when posting your content on certain group boards because they might have specific rules, guidelines and/or moderation policies.
To find a great group board, you can check pingroupie.com.
Pin Consistently
It’s time to talk about your content strategy now that you have an optimized profile, relevant keywords, and an understanding of the material you want to provide:
- How often do you plan to pin?
- What are your plans for pinning?
- What are your objectives?
I recommend starting with just 5 pins per day. This way, you won’t overwhelm yourself too early and burn out. But feel free to choose what you are the most comfortable with.
If you haven’t already, you should:
- Make a schedule for publishing your content, and stick to it. Use Tailwind App to schedule ahead of time.
- Visuals on Pinterest and landing sites should be in sync.
- Also, participate in a group board.
You need to be persistent when using social media. Keep posting regularly, so people become accustomed to seeing your posts. Encourage your audience to engage with your pins by posting comments and sharing them.
Be Patient
Pinterest is one of those social media platforms that requires patience. If you want to see real growth in your account, it takes time. You need to start and build slowly; success doesn’t happen overnight.
When you’re ready to step up your game, here are some tips to help you along the way:
- Create a schedule
- Set goals
- Pay attention to what works best for your audience
- Experiment a lot to find the right time to post, type of post…
- Don’t give up
- Remember to enjoy the journey
Always redirect to valuable blog posts
Pinterest’s most important rule is to ensure your pins are helpful—and don’t just drop into people’s feeds without some thought. You want to be helpful. But what does that mean exactly?
That depends on the type of pin you’re making. For instance, if you’re sharing a recipe, it might be appropriate to include a link to the original source. But if you’re sharing something like a DIY project, it’s probably best to focus on providing instructions rather than directing people to another site.
Moreover, in content marketing, always place quality over quantity!
Use Rich Pins
Rich Pins are one of the most powerful tools to help improve your site’s visibility. They allow you to add additional information to the pin, such as images, videos, reviews, ratings, prices, etc.
There are 6 types of Rich Pin right now: app, movie, recipe, place, product, and article.
Generally speaking, they tend to rank better in the search results.
Pin Vertical Images
Although there are many ways to optimize pins, one of the most important things to remember is that you want to make sure that your image is large enough to fit into the feed. This way, people won’t scroll down to see the rest of the pins.
If you want to use vertical images, make sure they are large enough to fill the width of the pins feed.
The ideal size for a vertical pin should be roughly 736 pixels wide by 2,000 pixels high, which means it takes up the necessary space in feeds and provides all the required information.
Use Idea Pin
Recently launched by Pinterest, Idea Pins works exceptionally well! It’s a mix between Instagram carousel and TikTok.
I use them as there are TikTok, and my Pinterest account has over 900.000 monthly views!
If you are starting, I highly advise you to start with this format first. You will grow your account in no time!
Analyze your competitors
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not knowing what your competitors are up to. So, when you wonder what your competitors are doing on Pinterest, don’t just look at how many people are clicking through to their site from Pinterest.
So, start by investigating your competition, whether you’re new to Pinterest or just starting your exploration.
- What kind of stuff do they pin and share?
- What method do they use to organize their boards?
- Is there a lot of interaction with them?
- You don’t have to do everything they do precisely.
On the other hand, this preliminary study can assist you in better understanding how to approach your account.
Be cautious: your competitors may have a Pinterest presence without a strategy. If that’s the case, don’t be inspired by what they’re doing…
To summarize, getting to know your competition is an excellent start. If your competitors are there, you should be as well.
Important metrics to track on Pinterest
You’ll want to dig into a lot of the details that come with using Pinterest Analytics, but here are a few of the most important ones to look at: how many clicks, impressions, engagement, and visitors your pinning have driven. These metrics will give you a sense of whether or not Pinterest is working for you.
Top Pins
Top Pins is the filtered data that makes the most engagement with viewers. This includes both organic and paid traffic. You can use metrics to see what kinds of posts are getting the most attention. For example, you might notice that specific topics drive more interest than others.
Impressions
Track impressions to maximize the reach of your content on Pinterest, and it will help you identify what kind of design works better for your content.
Click Links
To increase sales, you’ll probably want to get how many people click on links.
Saves
If the goal is to raise brand recognition, save metric may be the way to go.
Click Rate
Pinterest’s Click Rate metric measures how many people clicked on a pin or ad to view the promoted content. A high CTR indicates that people click on pins and ads because they want to see the content they promote.
Let’s wrap up this organic Pinterest strategy guide!
In conclusion, this is a straightforward guide for anyone just starting on Pinterest. I’ve taken essential strategies I used for my success and broken them down into steps so you can start making money with Pinterest immediately.
This blueprint for organic Pinterest strategy has helped me make over $300,000 in commissions with my own business and get new clients. It will work for you, too.
Because integrating Pinterest into your social media strategy can help you to:
- Generate traffic,
- Have a better conversion,
- Increase the visibility of your brand,
- Get to know your target audience better…
