Pinterest is a powerful platform for bloggers, offering a unique combination of social media and search engine features. With over 450 million monthly active users, Pinterest is a visual discovery tool that can drive significant traffic to your blog. Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest focuses on discovery rather than just social interaction, making it an ideal platform for bloggers to share content, attract followers, and grow their audience.
Understanding Pinterest’s Potential for Blogging
Pinterest works as a visual search engine, where users (known as Pinners) discover new ideas, products, and content through images called Pins. Each Pin can link back to a website, making it a valuable tool for bloggers looking to drive traffic to their sites. When users search for topics related to your blog, your Pins can appear in their search results, leading them directly to your content.
Setting Up Your Pinterest Account for Blogging
- Create a Business Account: To maximise Pinterest’s potential, start by creating a Pinterest Business Account. This type of account offers features like Pinterest Analytics, which provides insights into how your Pins are performing, and the ability to create ads. If you already have a personal account, you can convert it to a business account easily.
- Optimise Your Profile: Your Pinterest profile is the first impression potential followers will have of your blog. Use a professional-looking profile picture, ideally the same one you use across your blog and other social media platforms, to maintain brand consistency. Write a clear and concise bio that explains who you are, what your blog is about, and what types of content followers can expect. Include relevant keywords in your bio to improve your search visibility.
- Create and Organise Boards: Pinterest Boards are where you save and organise your Pins. Create Boards that align with the main categories of your blog. For example, if you blog about travel, food, and fashion, you should have separate Boards for each of these topics. Be specific with your Board titles and descriptions, using keywords that your target audience might search for.
Creating Pins that Drive Traffic
- Design Eye-Catching Pins: Since Pinterest is a visual platform, the design of your Pins is crucial. Use high-quality images, bold text, and consistent branding to make your Pins stand out. Vertical Pins (with a 2:3 aspect ratio, such as 1000×1500 pixels) perform best on Pinterest, as they take up more space in the feed. Tools like Canva and Adobe Spark are excellent for creating professional-looking Pins without needing extensive design skills.
- Write Compelling Pin Descriptions: Your Pin description is just as important as the visual itself. Use clear, descriptive language and include relevant keywords to help your Pin appear in search results. Describe what the Pinner will learn or gain by clicking through to your blog. For example, instead of just saying “Delicious chocolate cake recipe,” you might write, “Discover how to make this decadent chocolate cake in just 30 minutes with our easy-to-follow recipe.”
- Use Rich Pins: Rich Pins are a type of Pin that automatically syncs information from your blog to your Pins. There are several types of Rich Pins, including Article Pins, which are particularly useful for bloggers. Article Pins display the headline, author, and a brief description of your blog post, providing more context and encouraging clicks.
- Include a Call-to-Action: Encourage users to click through to your blog by including a call-to-action (CTA) in your Pin description or directly on the Pin image. CTAs like “Read more,” “Find out how,” or “Get the recipe” can prompt users to take the next step.
Growing Your Pinterest Audience
- Pin Consistently: Consistency is key to growing your Pinterest audience. Aim to Pin regularly, at least once a day, to keep your content fresh and visible. You can use scheduling tools like Tailwind to plan and automate your Pins, ensuring a steady flow of content even when you’re not online.
- Join Group Boards and Tailwind Tribes: Group Boards are collaborative Boards where multiple users can Pin. Joining active and well-moderated Group Boards in your niche can help your content reach a wider audience. Similarly, Tailwind Tribes are groups of bloggers and content creators who share each other’s content, helping to amplify your reach.
- Engage with Your Audience: Just like any other social platform, engagement is important on Pinterest. Respond to comments on your Pins, follow other users in your niche, and engage with their content by saving and commenting on their Pins. This interaction helps build relationships and increase your visibility.
- Analyse and Adjust: Use Pinterest Analytics to track which Pins and Boards are performing best. Pay attention to metrics like impressions, saves, and clicks to understand what type of content resonates most with your audience. Adjust your strategy accordingly, focusing on creating more of what works and tweaking what doesn’t.
Leveraging Pinterest SEO
Pinterest operates much like a search engine, so Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is crucial. Here are some tips for optimising your Pinterest content:
- Use Keywords: Keywords are essential for helping your content appear in Pinterest search results. Research relevant keywords using Pinterest’s search bar. Start typing a word related to your blog’s topic, and Pinterest will suggest popular searches. Use these keywords in your Pin titles, descriptions, Board titles, and Board descriptions.
- Optimise Your Blog for Pinterest: Make it easy for visitors to your blog to Pin your content by adding Pinterest Save buttons to your images and content. This encourages sharing and helps drive traffic back to your blog from Pinterest.
- Create Pinnable Images: Ensure that each blog post has at least one Pinnable image with a vertical format, a compelling title, and your blog’s URL. These images make it easy for readers to share your content on Pinterest.
Conclusion
Pinterest offers a unique opportunity for bloggers to increase their visibility, drive traffic to their blogs, and engage with a larger audience. By optimising your Pinterest profile, creating compelling Pins, and engaging with your community, you can harness the power of this visual platform to grow your blog. Remember to be consistent, monitor your performance, and adjust your strategy as needed to maximise your success on Pinterest.