How Pinterest can boost your online business: The complete beginners' guide

Introducing Pinterest! 

It’s the social media (come search engine) platform that’s taken the world by storm! 

With over 450 million active users, Pinterest has become the go-to source for visual inspiration and a powerful tool for online business owners. 

In this simple-to-digest guide, we’ll explore the incredible benefits of using Pinterest for marketing your online business, from setting up a business account to creating scroll-stopping content and growing your audience. 

If you’re new to Pinterest or want to optimise your existing strategy, you’ll discover everything you need to take your online business to the next level. 

Let’s get started!

THE BENEFITS OF USING PINTEREST MARKETING FOR YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS

Using Pinterest as a marketing tool can bring HUGE advantages to your online business.

Here are five key benefits:

Sky-high website traffic:

Pinterest can be a powerful source of website traffic, particularly for businesses that rely heavily on visuals. By creating scroll-stopping pins that link back to your website, you can attract people who are actively searching for what you have to offer. 

Additionally, Pinterest’s search function and recommendation algorithm can help your content reach an even bigger audience. 

Enhanced brand visibility:

Pinterest can help to get your brand in front of a wider crowd and raise its recognition. By consistently posting high-quality content and developing a solid brand identity, you can establish yourself as an authority in your industry and generate a loyal following.

Higher engagement levels:

Compared to other social media channels, Pinterest has higher engagement rates. People are actively looking for ideas and inspiration, which means they’re more likely to interact with your content if it’s relevant and useful to them. 

Engagement can come in many forms, for instance, saves, clicks, comments, and repins, and can help your content reach even more people.

Increased sales and profits: 

Pinterest users are often in a shopping frame of mind, and studies have shown that they’re more likely to make purchases than users of other social media sites. 

By creating pins that feature your products and services and link to your website, you can drive sales and grow your profits.

Access to valuable consumer data: 

Pinterest provides valuable insights into your audience’s behaviour and interests. By examining your Pinterest analytics, you can learn more about your followers, monitor the performance of your pins, and optimise your content to better meet their needs.

SETTING UP A PINTEREST BUSINESS ACCOUNT

Ready to tap into the power of Pinterest marketing for your online business? 

Here’s how to set up a Pinterest business account and optimise your profile so you can get the most out of the platform: 

  1. Go to Pinterest.com/business/create.
  2. Enter your business name and website, then choose a business type. 
  3. Verify your website to get access to Pinterest analytics and other business features. 
  4. Use a high-quality profile photo and cover image that represents your brand. 
  5. Write a clear and compelling bio that describes what your business does and how you can help your audience. 
  6. Create boards that are relevant to your business and your target audience’s interests. 
  7. Use keywords in your board titles and descriptions to help your content get discovered. 
  8. Organise your pins into cohesive boards and use board covers to create a visually appealing profile. 
  9. Make sure your website is connected to your Pinterest account, and add a Save button to your website to make it easy for users to save your content to Pinterest. 
  10. Use the Pinterest algorithm to your advantage so you can create content that resonates with your audience. 

Setting up a Pinterest business account and optimising your profile is your first step to success on the platform. From there, you can start creating content that’s relevant, engaging, and high-quality to make sure it resonates with your audience. Focus on using keywords in your pin titles, and descriptions to get your content discovered.

With a little bit of strategy and an understanding of the Pinterest algorithm, you’ll be well on your way to using Pinterest to boost your online business.

CREATING EFFECTIVE PINTEREST CONTENT

Want to succeed on Pinterest? Crafting visually appealing and engaging content that resonates with your followers is key. 

Here’s how to create content that will have folks clicking, liking, and sharing:

Types of content to share: 

Pinterest is a visual platform, so your content should be too. Share high-quality product images, infographics, how-to guides, and blog posts that your audience will love.

Creating visually stunning pins: 

When it comes to pins, high-quality images and graphics are a must. Make sure your branding is consistent, use eye-catching colours and fonts, and strive for a clean and simple design that stands out. Plus, make sure your pins are optimized for mobile devices since most Pinterest users access the platform on their smartphones.

SEO for Pinterest: 

Just like other search engines, keywords are essential for Pinterest’s search algorithm. Use relevant keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and boards. Plus, use descriptive language to clearly explain what your pin is about and how it provides value.

Analytics are your friend: 

Track your Pinterest analytics to see which types of content your followers are responding to. Use this information to optimise your content and create more of what your audience wants to see.

GROWING YOUR PINTEREST AUDIENCE

Ready to get serious about building your Pinterest following? 

Here’s the game plan: Once you’ve set up your business account and created effective content, it’s time to grow your audience. 

Here are 4 powerful ways to do just that:

  1. Promote your Pinterest account on other platforms. Cross-promotion is key to driving traffic to your profile and gaining followers.
  2. Join group boards and communities. This is a great way to reach a wider audience and generate buzz.
  3. Consider running Pinterest ads. You can target specific audiences based on their interests, behaviours and demographics, and drive traffic to your website.
  4. Stay active on Pinterest with regular pinning, responding to comments and messages, and engaging with other users. 

By consistently taking these steps, you can increase your online visibility and grow your reach on the world’s most powerful visual search engine.

MEASURING SUCCESS ON PINTEREST

To make sure your efforts are paying off, it’s essential to measure your success on the platform. 

Here’s how to track your performance:

First, take advantage of Pinterest analytics. This robust platform provides key metrics like impressions, saves, and clicks, so you can identify which content resonates best with your audience and make informed decisions about your marketing strategy.

Next, track your website traffic from Pinterest. This platform can be a great way to drive people to your website. With Google Analytics, you can see how much traffic you’re getting from Pinterest, which pages are being viewed, and how long people are staying on your site.

Finally, measure sales and revenue from Pinterest. If you’re selling products or services, use analytics from Google or your e-commerce platform to track how many sales are coming from Pinterest and the average order value.

By tracking your progress on Pinterest, you can find out what’s working and what’s not so that you can adjust your strategy and maximize your results.

With a bit of effort and know-how, you can unlock the potential of Pinterest and amplify your online business.

Want to use Pinterest for your business, but don’t have the time or the inclination to learn how to use it for yourself? Check out my Pinterest management services here!