Pinterest for Business 101

Why Pinterest is the Key to grow your Business in 2023 and How to start from scratch

Pinterest has been around for a while now. You may already be a fan of this platform or at least have heard of it. But do you know how great Pinterest is for growing your business?  Well, it certainly is! Today, we’ll be talking about why businesses use Pinterest to connect with new and loyal customers. But first things first… let’s clarify what Pinterest is and how it works for those who are not yet familiar with this platform.

What is Pinterest all about? 

If you think Pinterest is only for finding the perfect banana bread recipe, let me tell you this couldn’t be further from the truth. Pinterest is a visual platform where you can share content and find inspiration. On Pinterest, ‘Pinners’ save ideas on anything they find interesting to nicely organized boards. In fact, it’s the first search engine based on images and is one of the world’s most active platforms. Today, over 400 million people around the world use Pinterest every month! So, we’re talking about a very powerful search engine for ideas, services, or products!

Suppose you’re planning a birthday party and seeking decor inspiration. Simply type “birthday party decor” into Pinterest’s search bar, and you’ll be presented with an overload of diverse ideas. 

You´ll find quotes, recipes, and home decor -essentially anything that resonates with you! People turn to Pinterest to find a solution to their problems. It’s a positive space where users love to plan, imagine their dream homes, and create boards with all the decor details they adore. Unlike other platforms on the internet, Pinterest is a place where people seek to spend time free from comparison while planning their own lives. This means Pinterest is about yourself and whatever you’re passionate about.  Perhaps that’s why 85% of Pinners claim Pinterest is their go-to platform to start a new project. But how does Pinterest work? As a visual content platform, as soon as you create an account, your home feed will immediately display images, videos, and products called ‘Pins’.

Every piece of content on Pinterest is a ‘Pin’, each leading to a source site that provides more information. Thus, when you click through a pin, you are directed to the website associated with that pin. Pinterest indexes its content and invests significant effort in ensuring the pin matches the source and that is honestly relevant to the audience it reaches -particularly in catering to Pinners’ interests. The reason for this? Pinterest aspires to be the go-to platform when people thing, “I need inspiration, I’ll visit Pinterest!” However, to realize this goal, each pin must be created in a way that helps Pinterest understand its content, optimization has crucial importance… but we will delve deeper into this topic later.

You might be curious about how “Pins” are organized. Each pin is grouped on a board related to a specific topic. When you come across a pin you love, save it to a board! Concurrently, all the pins you discover and save reside on the boards. Therefore, Pinterest boards serve as a space where Pinners save and collect their pins, akin to pinning pictures or videos to a digital mood board or scrapbook. 

Are you an entrepreneur? Then you should include Pinterest in your brand’s winning strategy 

Pinterest is The Content Creator’s Best Friend 

Pinterest is not only used for discovering new inspirational content. Entrepreneurs, bloggers, and content creators use Pinterest for Business. Why, you may ask? Because Pinterest can unlock a goldmine of traffic to your website, connect your brand with a targeted audience, and help your brand stand out. If you haven’t yet used Pinterest as part of your business strategy, you could be missing out on a valuable opportunity waiting to be seized!

The giant search engine

Would you dismiss the importance of Google? Likely not. Similarly, Pinterest, as the third-largest search engine and the premier image-based one, should not be overlooked. There are instances when Pinterest even ranks among the top results on Google. If you’re not offering your content there, rest assured that someone else will. As previously stated, Pinterest boasts a staggering over  400 million monthly active users! Therefore, establishing a robust presence on Pinterest is instrumental in fostering organic growth for your brand and enhancing brand visibility.

Boost traffic to ridiculously high numbers

Surprisingly, Pinterest often outperforms other well-known social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram when it comes to traffic generation. But what makes Pinterest such a potent tool for driving traffic and sales? The answer lies in its ability to link Pins back to websites, thereby expanding your business’s customer base. When a Pinner stumbles upon an intriguing Pin of yours, they can easily navigate to your website to explore further. The icing on the cake? This is all free organic traffic!

However, to ensure your content reaches the right audience – those genuinely interested in what you offer – and to foster early engagement with your Pins, optimizing your Pinterest profile for SEO and having a sound Pinterest marketing strategy is essential. But we’ll delve into this aspect later

Let’s examine some data for context. One of our client’s websites witnessed a remarkable surge in traffic during 2020, following the implementation of one of our Pinterest content creation and management plans. This case study not only demonstrates how their website traffic escalated and sheds light on the sources of this traffic.

So, what can you see?  62.64% of the website traffic in 2020 came from Pinterest! Magic? not! It’s all about real and organic growth.

Pinterest positivity environment pays out!

Have you ever felt drained or uninspired by the online world? It’s a sentiment many of us can relate to, which underscores the importance of understanding Pinterest’s influence on every stage of the purchasing funnel. Recent studies indicate that negative spaces can deter consumers from engaging with brands. Amidst a global pandemic and social uprising, it can be challenging to internet platforms devoid of anger, negativiness, or unsettling news. Such sentiments may encourage people to argue but not to buy. Pinners often report a heightened ability to recall a product, trust a brand, or even make a purchase when in a positive frame of mind. Therefore, regardless of whether your goal is to drive conversions or bolster your brand’s presence, it is incredibly important to ensure your brand appears in positive spaces to avoid negative perception. In today’s world, people are more aware than ever of negative contexts, and your business simply cannot afford to ignore this! 

People crave a different type of online experience and Pinterest is one of the most positive platforms out there. Pinterest is the place people go to relax and find new inspirational content to create a life they love. According to recent research, nearly 5 to 10 Pinners say this platform feels like an “online oasis” to them so why would you miss the opportunity to share your content with over 400 million people and build awareness in such a positive space?

The goldmine of shoppers

Conversion rates on Pinterest often surpass those on other platforms like Instagram or Facebook. People typically visit Pinterest with an idea or purchase intent in mind. Pinners utilize the platform with a goal, often seeking inspiration to buy something – thus, Pinterest becomes their go-to destination for solutions and discovery of new interests, and crucially, how to act upon them. It’s a platform that pinners use to decide if they want to make a purchase. A staggering 80% of pinners report finding new brands or products on Pinterest, and 85% of weekly Pinners claim they’ve made a purchase based on content discovered on Pinterest – that’s impressive! The crux here is that Pinterest provides access to a high-value audience of shoppers waiting to discover your brand. Frankly speaking, missing out on sharing your unique content on such a platform would be a regrettable oversight!

Ok, I’m in! But, how do I start?

Earlier on this post we talked about how Pinterest works: that was from a personal user’s point of view but, as we anticipated, in order to be on Pinterest as an online marketer you need to set up a Business Pinterest account, this will open a large professional toolbox. You can sign up for a business account from scratch  but if you already have a personal Pinterest account you can easily change it to a Business one following this instructive but don’t worry, it’s free and it’s not hard to grasp at all! 

Once you set up your Business account profile you’ll have access to some extra perks like claiming your website, scheduling your content, ability to advertise, Pinterest Analytics, some  really useful educational material as well as many other features such as Rich Pins. Oh and, about these last ones, they’ll be your ally on your Pinterest Marketing Strategy journey to make your numbers go up so I know you don’t want to miss them but don’t worry, we’ll be talking in depth about them on another post (I bet you’ll love them).

We know this may be a lot of information up to this point but here’s some things you must pay attention when you are setting up a Pinterest Business account. 

Make sure you’re using SEO!

Pinterest is definitely worth your time. Its content is indexed, which allows it to appear in search engine results like Google. However, resources are limited, aren’t they? Time is precious, and your business can’t afford to waste it. Therefore, you must ensure your content is searchable. Given the importance of being a trusted source, optimization is crucial. It helps Pinterest to understand exactly what your content is all about. 

Profile

When you are promoting your brand on Pinterest, it’s essential that your profile compels users to explore more of your content. Think about making a competition research, how they present themselves on Pinterest and what specific words they use to get noticed.  Pick up your display name and your bio carefully thinking about what your audience is looking for. Your bio is your chance to tell people what you do so use the first sentence to explain what you do and think, you could use the second sentence to add your personal spark, you could inject some humor or add tagline, whatever you think sintentizes your brand essence.

In other words, think well how you want to present your brand and try to be fresh but simple! You should also think about your profile photo and cover image, these are the first things people see when they visit your profile so choose your images wisely. All these items are ways to embed your business branding so make sure everything makes sense together as a whole.

Pay attention to your Boards

Setting up your boards correctly will help your pins get better distribution within the algorithm so you want to make sure everything makes sense together! 

Your boards serve to organize pins, much like folders for documents. This setup allows ‘Pinners’ to browse your profile and explore all your content in a visually pleasant manner. Ensure that all the content within each board is relevant to its category. If I already have boards, there is no need to worry. You can always optimize existing boards. If a pin doesn’t fit into its current board, you have the option to move it to another board or delete it. However, we recommend moving it to the most relevant board.

Keywords are vital, as they form the core of any search engine, and Pinterest is not the exception. It’s important to carry out extensive keyword research to find that align with your target audience and are relevant to your content. You can use keyword research tools for inspiration. These keywords should be reflected in the title and description of your boards. Consider using a board planner to help organize them. 

Pin smarter! 

So, how important is the image of your pin? Pinterest’s algorithm scans and interprets your images, so it’s crucial to upload an image that Pinterest can easily understand. By optimizing your pins, you increase their chances of appearing in the initial search results and being discovered by potential audiences. These viewers might even explore your profile further and visit your website.

The keyword research you’ve conducted for your boards should also be applied to create captivating titles and descriptions for your pins. Remember, your pin titles and descriptions should be compelling and as detailed as possible. Use a few carefully chosen words and keywords to encapsulate the idea behind the board, helping Pinners determine if your content is relevant to them.

Although pin titles can be up to 100 characters, try to keep them simple and relevant. Pinterest suggests using only one or two sentences for descriptions, despite allowing up to 500 characters. Make those words count and share the most pertinent information first. Craft a compelling message and then consider how to communicate it effectively using your keywords.

Choosing the right font can make a significant difference as well. Ensure it’s legible and scalable. Remember, most users won’t spend more than a few seconds trying to decipher a sentence, and your goal is to capture that fleeting attention!

As for infographics, there is no need to stress about creating Pinterest graphics from scratch, Canva templates are perfect for creating those! Don’t struggle to come up with Pinterest infographics and make sure you download the ultimate free Pinterest cheat sheet infographic we offer. But hurry up! it won’t be available for too long!

Put your heart on your content 

Amplify your audience engagement by crafting organic content that is both authentic and engaging. Real content is the most powerful tool when you are building a community. In today’s digital world, the emphasis is on fostering positive interactions, as doom scrolling has become a common habit. Audiences are seeking high-quality content, so consistency and passion are key.

Consider what your audience is interested in and aim to inspire them with every piece of content you share. They will undoubtedly appreciate your efforts. Bear in mind that your creations on Pinterest will not only reach a vast number of people who have an interest in your topic but will also be placed alongside other captivating content. Therefore, contemplate how you can enhance your content to make it truly distinctive and memorable!

Delegate is an investment

Despite Pinterest’s user-friendly nature, we understand that setting up a Pinterest Business account from scratch and staying updated with Pinterest’s ever-changing best practices can be overwhelming. But here’s the silver lining – you don’t need to be an expert to nail it or achieve success. Recognizing when to delegate is always a wise investment!

Acknowledging when to delegate it’s always an investment! Searching for a Pinterest Manager is a great way to learn and see results as they manage your business. Don’t forget, we’re here to make your content pop and significantly boost your traffic. Have a look at our services and kickstart your journey today!

We’ve shared a wealth of useful information in this post, and we hope it inspires you to embark on your Pinterest marketing strategy journey!