How to Maximize Your Pinterest Strategy

We love Pinterest. That said, it’s arguably an underrated platform as many businesses and content creators these days prefer to focus on Instagram, TikTok and using Facebook Ads. However, Pinterest might just be the best way to promote your products, your brand and drive traffic to your website. That’s because, Pinterest is not just a social media platform; it’s a search engine, so it can be used in powerful ways that other social platforms can’t.  If you’re ready to get started using Pinterest, here’s a checklist you can use to maximize your efforts.

1. Properly Set up your Account

• Create a Pinterest Business Account

• Claim your website.

• Enable Rich Pins. Note: This can be a bit of a tricky process and isn’t necessarily required to have success on this platform.

• Use a Pin plug in on your site to make your images pinnable.

• For each blog or article you create, add a pinnable image to the bottom to make it easy for Pinners to re-share content. Use a plug-in like Yeost SEO to enable automatic pin descriptions so your meta description shows up whenever anyone re-pins.

2. Create Your Boards Strategically

• Start with keyword research. What types of keyworks will people use to find your products and services? Similar to doing SEO keyword research, do some brainstorming on all the different keywords and phrases people would be likely to type in the search bar to find what you’re selling/offering. Next, go to the Pinterest search bar and start using these keywords and phrases to see what comes up on Pinterest. Make a list of the best keywords, the “suggested additional search words” and “additional search phrases” that Pinterest suggests.

• Optimize Your Boards. Based on the most popular keywords and phrases, create your Board Titles, Board Descriptions, and hashtags for upcoming pins. Use a cover to make your account look polished. Pinterest says that pin descriptions are one of the most powerful ways to be found.

• When you start pinning, 80% of your pins should be your own. If you add pins from other accounts to your boards, be sure to only add pins that show up based on a search related to the Board title. This will strengthen your Board ranking.

• Spend time on Pinterest if you really want to see results. Don’t JUST schedule pins, but also like, share, save, and comment on pins from other accounts.

3. Develop a Winning Pinning Strategy

• Create a set of Pin templates, using the ideal Pin size: Vertical format (2:3 – 1:2.2 ratio or 1000 x 1500 pixels – 1000 x 2100 px).

• Each pin needs to be visually compelling and include a strong call to action. Here are some examples of compelling pin styles:

  • Chakra Clearing Program by Liberate Your True Self

  • Luxurious, Canadian-made Furniture by Once A Tree

  • Recipes for Kids by Miraki Lane

• In addition to using your own product or brand photos in your Pin templates, you can use photos from Unsplash or Canva’s free image options.

• Create a strategy that aligns with life movements, everyday moments, and seasons. According to Pinterest, this leads to 22% higher online sales. Tip: Pin your holiday pins at least two months in advance of the season, so they have a chance to rank before the season hits.

• Use the pin description to share specific details about product or service. ALWAYS include a call to action.

• Make sure there’s consistency between each pin + the landing page it links to. Use similar imagery.

• Use Pin Titles strategically. The first 30 characters will often (but not always!) appear under your pin.

• Always use Title Caps (not all caps). Use important keywords in the titles. When using multiple images, use different keywords in each image title. Do not repeat your title in the pin description.

• Copy matters on Pinterest. Optimize your descriptions and Board descriptions to provide signals to help Pinterest deliver content to the right audiences.

• Include a few relevant hashtags. 6 is a good number.

• You can expect to see results by even spending a minimum of 1 hour a week.

• Pin to Instagram to cross promote your platforms.

4. Take Note of Product-based vs. Service-based Strategies

Remember, people use Pinterest to find key info like “How-to” or “Recipes with”. So always be sure to create content that’s relevant to how people use this platform. Depending on if you’re service or product based, you’ll want to approach your strategy accordingly:

Service Based Strategies: 

• Create content that leads your future client down the path to hiring you

• position yourself as an expert in your niche by writing how-to articles

• Create a local Pinterest strategy by using geographical keywords

• Positioning yourself as an expert in your niche area

Product Based Strategies

• Create content around what you sell vs. just simply pinning your products.” Feature your products in your clients’ homes. Etc

• Show people how to use your products

• Prove that you can make people’s live simpler, more enjoyable or solve a solution for them

5. Stay Current on the Pinterest Algorithm

• Stay up to date on Pinterest’s algorithm so that your Pins are seen by your target audience and you don’t get flagged as spam. As of January, 2021, Pinterest suggests this strategy: Each pin template can be pinned to three different boards over a seven day interval.

• Use your Pinterest analytics to see what’s working best, and revise your captions, images, and CTA’s to better reach and engage each month.

• We recommend striking visuals, and tasteful logo placement at the top or bottom center

• Each Pin should offer context:

  • Give a tip to show how to use product or service

  • Show someone wearing or using your product (25% higher conversion)

  • Use text overlay to conveys details (54% higher conversion)

  • Use your product or company’s brand name in the first sentence of the description (54% higher conversion)

  • Include strong calls to action. I.e. ‘Get yours’, ‘discover’. (70% higher conversion)

Now that is a pretty darn thorough list of what you’ll need to know to be successful on Pinterest, if we do say so ourselves.☺ Still feel like you could use some help getting started? We’d be happy to manage your Pinterest strategy for you. Let’s chat!