When you go to Pinterest, the large amount of pins and the monotony of it all can seem overwhelming and cause you to get lost in the digital noise. But what if there was a way to bring some organization to the clutter, thrill your audience, and turn casual browsers into loyal followers and customers?
As stated in previous posts, Pinterest is a visual search engine that is filled with potential customers looking for inspiration, ideas, and solutions. In a way, it is a goldmine waiting to be tapped by your business. However, to strike the gold vein, you need the right tools and strategies.
This post is intended to be your treasure map. Here we will discuss the essential best practices for creating Pinterest boards, your organizing secret weapon, that not only stop the scroll, but drive traffic, boost impressions, and in the end, help you achieve your Pinterest goals. By the end of the post, you will be ready to unlock the secrets of Pinterest success and watch your boards transform from lost in the shuffle to thriving hubs of activity.
Planning Your Pinterest Boards
Pinterest boards are your pin planners and lay the foundation for attracting your ideal audience and achieving your overall goals. Below are some of the steps to produce the best Pinterest boards.
Know Your Target Audience
We have talked about it before and we talk about it again now. You need to have a good grasp of your target audience in order to produce optimized Pinterest boards. Some questions to ask are:
- Who are you trying to reach?: Are the DIY enthusiasts, busy moms, fashion-forward millennials, or aspiring entrepreneurs? Understanding their interests, needs, and pain points is crucial in order to reach and engage meaningfully with them.
- What is your area of expertise?: What unique value do you bring the Pinterest world? For instance, do you know delicious recipes, home decor tips, or can you provide travel inspiration? Your Pinterest boards should be reflective of your niche and resonate with your target audience.
- Keyword Research is your best friend: Pinterest is a visual search engine, so understanding what people are searching for is paramount to get seen. Just like your blog posts. Keyword research tools, including Pinterest’s own search bar and other tools you would use for blogging can be used to identify relevant keywords and phrases. Like blogging, you want to think and prioritize low competition, long-tail keywords that appeal to specific niches.
Pinterest Board Titles and Descriptions
The title of your board can be thought of as a storefront sign and the description is your elevator pitch. As such, they need to be clear, short, and of interest to your audience. Some best practices for Pinterest board titles and descriptions are:
- Pinterest Board Titles:
- Keep them short, sweet, and to the point.
- Incorporate relevant keywords naturally.
- For example, instead of just “Recipes,” try “Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes” or “Healthy Vegetarian Recipes.”
- Pinterest Board Descriptions:
- Expand on your title and provide more context.
- Use natural language and avoid keyword stuffing. Do not do anything you would not do on a blog post.
- Highlight the value users will gain from following the board.
- For example, “Find quick and easy weeknight dinner recipes that the whole family will love! From healthy sheet pan meals to comforting pasta dishes, these recipes are perfect for busy weeknights.”
Why it Matters to Have Well-Thought Out Pinterest Boards and Descriptions
First and foremost, having a well-thought out Pinterest board and description helps to create a strong foundation and puts your business well on it way to achieving the goals you want. A well-built foundation is laid by having:
- Improved Search Visibility: By using relevant keywords in your titles and descriptions you help Pinterest understand what your boards are about, thereby helping Pinterest make it easier for user to find them.
- Increased User Engagement: Interesting titles and descriptions lure users to click and explore your boards, leading to more followers, saves, and clicks to your website.
- Stronger Brand Identity: Well-crafted titles and descriptions reinforce your brand and establish you as an expert in your niche.
The Need for Visually Appealing Pins
No talk about Pinterest boards is complete, without talking about the Pins that fill it. Creating pins that attract the eye are essential to get attention and drive engagement, not only to your pins, but to your boards and rest of their content. Use Pinterest Analytics to glean insight into which boards and pins are doing the best and learn from them. Read more about Pinterest Analytics in the section on it towards the end of the post. Some principles to follow for pins include:
- Mind the Image Quality:
- Vertical Formatted Pins do Best: Pins that are aligned in a vertical fashion do the best. Try to aim for a 2:3 aspect ratio (like 1000px X 1500px) to have them look the best in the feed.
- Images are Crystal Clear: Images that are blurry or pixelated are a big no-no in a place where other images are looking their best. Use high-resolution images that are sharp, well-lit, and are visually appealing.
- Branding Matters: Wherever possible, incorporate brand elements consistently across your pins. These elements can include your logo, color scheme, or fonts. Having brand elements helps to build recognition and makes your pins recognizable to loyal followers.
- Stock Photos can Help: If you do not have images of your own, there are plenty of stock images to be found on websites such as Unsplash, Pixabay, and Pexels).
- Design Your Pins Like a Pro:
- Use an Eye-Catching Design: Use text overlays, graphics, and whitespace to create visually interesting pins that draw the eye. Canva is a great tool that makes graphic design easy for beginners.
- Make Your Pins Consistent: Use a consistent style across all of your pins within a Pinterest board. This creates a cohesive look for the board and strengthens your brand identity.
- Have a Call to Action: Make sure you have a clear call to action on your pins. Have something like “Learn More,” “Shop Now,” “Download the Guide,” or anything that moves users to take the next step.
Why it Matters to Have Great Pins
- First Impressions Count: On Pinterest, first impressions count a lot. There are a lot of great pins and the visual appeal of your pins is the first thing people will see. A stunning image will make them stop scrolling and want to learn more. Your whole goal is to stop the scroll. So stand out!
- Increased Engagement: Beyond stopping the scroll, visually appealing pins are more likely to be saved, clicked, and shared with others. As a result, you can have more views and reach.
- Brand Recognition: Consistent branding across your pins helps build awareness and makes your pins instantly recognizable.
- Improved User Experience: Pins that are well-designed are easier to read and understand, providing a positive user experience.
Writing Pin Descriptions for Pinterest Boards
Your pin descriptions are where you add the story that goes with your image. The following are ways for you to write descriptions that will convert.
Use Keywords Effectively
- Place your Keywords Strategically: Put the keywords you want to use throughout the pin description in a natural way.
- Put the most Important Keywords First: This helps Pinterest quickly understand what the pin is about.
- Use Low Competition Long-tail Keywords: These are longer phrases that allow you to target niche searches and attract the most interested visitors. For example, instead of “chocolate cake,” use “basic gluten-free chocolate cake recipe.”
Engage and Entice Your Audience
- Write Attractive Copy: Write in a way that is friendly, informative, and persuasive. Put a spotlight on the benefits and features of your pin. Ask yourself, what would make your target audience click on a pin?
- Focus on a Solution to a Problem or Need: Put a focus on the problem or need that your pin fulfills for the user. For example, “This easy weeknight dinner recipe is ready in 30 minutes and uses only 5 ingredients!”
- Have a Call to Action: Always have a call to action that is clear and encourages users to engage further.
Why Your Writing Matters
The writing on your Pinterest board and pin is your opportunity to enter your brand’s voice and tone into your descriptions to make them unique and memorable. Your writing is also important for:
- Improved Search Visibility: Pinterest can understand better what your pin and board are about.
- Higher Click-through Rates: Users are encouraged to click your pins with good writing.
- A Call to Action Drives Traffic: A strong call to action on your pin can bring users to your website where they can learn more about you and your business.
Organizing and Managing Your Pinterest Boards
The way in which you organize and manage your boards is crucial for creating a positive user experience and showcasing your best content. Here are some of the key elements to use in organizing Pinterest boards.
Categorize Your Boards
- Group Similar Boards: Just like you put similar pins on a single board, you will want to also place similar boards into categories. Use the “sections” feature to organize boards and to create subcategories on boards. The categorization makes it easier for users to find what they are looking for and makes them want to explore more.
- Use Clear and Understandable Category Names: Use descriptive category names that clearly communicate the content of the boards within that category. For example, a food blogger might have categories like “Dinner Recipes,” and “Healthy Eating.”
The Order of Your Pinterest Boards
- Prioritize Those Boards that are Important First: Place the boards that best represent your brand or niche at the top of your profile so they will be the first to be seen.
- Reorder Your Boards Strategically: Rearrange your boards periodically depending on their performance and relevance. Move boards that are getting more engagement to the top based on current performance.
Strategy for Your Pins
- Pin Consistently: Frequently add pins to keep your boards active and current. Aim to have a regular pinning schedule that is either daily, a few times a week, or weekly. Do not do any less.
- Use Automation: Use scheduling tools like Tailwind or Later. These tools allow you to schedule pins in advance, saving time and giving consistency in pinning.
- Repin with Purpose: Do not just pin your own content. Find high-quality content from other users and pin it to add variety to your own boards and provide value to your own users.
Why it is Important to Organize Your Boards
- It Enhances the User Experience: Organized boards makes it easy for users to navigate your profile and find the content they are interested in.
- Users can Discover Your Boards and Pins: Categorization helps Pinterest understand the structure of your content.
- Increased Interest: Active boards that have fresh content are more likely to attract and retain followers.
- You can Achieve a Stronger Brand Identity: A well-organized profile gives you a professional image and reinforces your brand identity.
Promoting Your Pinterest Boards
Your boards and their organization help to promote your pins, but you also need to promote your boards. Below are some ways to promote them.
Use Other Social Media to Cross-Promote
- Share with Gusto: Promote your Pinterest profile and individual boards on your other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X, and Linkedin.
- Embed Boards on Your Website: Put some of your boards directly on your website or blog. Visitors on your website can get a taste of your Pinterest board content and give them the impetus to follow you for more.
Engage in the Pinterest Community
- Follow Users who are Relevant to Your Niche: Find and follow other users and boards in your niche. Being active in the community can allow you to stay up-to-date on trends, discover new ideas, and potentially get your Pinterest boards noticed by others in the industry.
- Be as Active as You Can: Like, comment, and repin content from other users. Your participation can build relationships and increase your visibility within the Pinterest community.
- Join Group Boards: Being involved in a group board can help expand your reach and get your pins seen by a larger audience.
Use Paid Promotion
- Pinterest Ads: Give your boards an extra boost by using Pinterest ads. This allows you to promote your pins and boards to a wider audience based on specific interests, demographics, and keywords.
Reasons to Promote Your Pinterest Boards
- It Builds Brand Awareness for Your Business: Board promotion increases awareness in your brand and establishes you as an authority in your niche.
- It Grows your Following: You can attract new followers and grow your Pinterest community.
Analyzing and Tracking Your Board Performance
When you are promoting your boards, you need a way to see how your promotion efforts are actually working. By being able to see what works and what does not, you can make improvements and become more effective over time. Here are some tools to use in your quest for effective Pinterest boards.
Pinterest Analytics
Use Pinterest Analytics to its fullest potential to see how your pins and boards are doing. Some of the key metrics to keep track of are:
- Impressions: How many times your pins were shown to users.
- Clicks: How many times a user clicked on your pins to view the linked content.
- Saves: How many times users saved your pins to their own boards.
- Engagement: Total engagement (likes, comments, saves) on your pins.
- Top Pins and Boards: Look at what pins and boards are performing the best.
- Audience Insights: Learn the details about your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors. These insights can help you tailor your future content and strategy.
Use A/B Testing
- Test Different Formats: Experiment with different pin designs, descriptions, calls to action, and even the times when you pin.
- Track and Compare the Data: Monitor the performance of different variations to see what works best. Pinterest Analytics can help you compare the results.
Why the Data Matters
- You Can Make Data-Driven Decisions: You can make more informed decisions based on the data rather than a gut instinct or other means. You can also set specific goals and track if you are meeting them.
- You can Optimize for Success: You are better able to identify areas for optimization and refine your approach to achieve better results.
- You can Measure Return-on-Investment (ROI): You can track your return on investment and have more success with your business.
Conclusion
Making the best Pinterest boards is a continuing journey that changes as time goes by. When you follow the best practices discussed in this post you can transform your boards into thriving hubs that help you build a stronger brand identity for your business.
Pinterest is a dynamic community and is it necessary to stay curious, experiment, and never stop learning what you can do next.
