Ultimate Guide to mastering Pinterest for blogging

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We often think of social media giants that promise us wider reach and engagement when we think of blogging. However, there is another player in the field that could be the key to our success – Pinterest. This guide explores the visually dynamic world of Pinterest, a platform that offers more than just pretty images. It provides a unique space where your blog can establish its presence and connect with a community actively searching for inspiration. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Pinterest for blogging to amplify your reach, carve out a niche for yourself in this exciting space, and engage with a community bursting with potential.

Why it’s a Game-Changing Tool for Blogging

Pinterest is not just another social media platform—it’s a game-changing tool for bloggers. Here are three reasons why:

1. Drive Traffic: Pinterest is an effective tool to drive traffic to your blog, with over 400 million active monthly users looking for inspiration, ideas, and solutions. It is the perfect platform to showcase your content.
2. Visual Appeal: Pinterest is a social media platform around visual content. Given its visual nature, users tend to engage more with eye-catching images. By creating compelling graphics relevant to your blog post, you can grab the attention of your potential readers and encourage them to click on your pins. This can eventually lead them to your blog and help boost traffic to your website.
3. Long-Term Exposure: Unlike other social media platforms where content tends to have a short lifespan, pins on Pinterest have long-term exposure potential. A well-designed pin can continue driving traffic months or even years after its initial posting—a benefit that bloggers cannot afford to overlook.

[Image- Pineterest engagement. Source: Pinterest]

Harnessing the power of Pinterest is essential for any blogger who wants to unlock untapped potential and reach new audiences with captivating content.

1. Setting Up Your Pinterest Account: A Step-by-Step Guide

Before using Pinterest for your blog, you need to create an account. You can sign up with your email or use your Facebook or Google account. After signing up, choose a username that reflects your blog’s brand and niche.

To optimize your profile, add a clear and professional profile photo and an engaging bio that highlights what your blog is about. Ensure to include relevant keywords to make it easier for users to discover your profile. I used ‘keysearch’ to find keywords relevant to my business and Nichesss to create a bio that was optimised using those keywords. 

[Image: Keysearch for keyword research]

Once you’ve set up your profile, start creating boards related to different topics within your niche. Use descriptive titles for each board to make it easier for users to understand the content they will find there.

To maximize engagement on Pinterest, take advantage of group boards where multiple contributors can pin relevant content. Joining these boards not only increases visibility but also allows you to connect with other bloggers in your field.

Setting up a Pinterest business account and enabling rich pins

Setting up a business account on Pinterest is a crucial step towards establishing a professional presence on the platform. Start by creating a new account or converting your existing personal account to a business account. This will give you access to valuable analytics and advertising features that can help you grow your brand.

Once you have your pinterest business account set up, fill out your profile with a clear and concise description of your business, and include a link to your website. This will help users understand what your brand is all about and encourage them to visit your website for more information.

Finally, verify your website to gain access to additional features such as rich pins, which can enhance the user experience and make your content stand out.

Now comes the fun part – start uploading pins! Create visually appealing graphics or use high-quality photos from previous blog posts as pins linked to those articles. Remember to optimize each pin’s description using keywords and hashtags to increase visibility.

2. Optimizing Your Pinterest Profile: Tips to Attract More Followers

If you’re looking to make the most of your Pinterest account and attract more followers, then optimizing your profile is key. Here are some tips to help you out:

1. Write a compelling bio that captures the essence of your blog and what makes it unique. Keep it short and sweet to entice potential followers.

2. Use keywords strategically by incorporating them in your board names, pin descriptions, and profile descriptions. This helps Pinterest understand your content better and increases your visibility in search results.

3. Create visually appealing boards that reflect the different categories or themes of your blog posts. Make sure to use clear and descriptive titles for each board.

4. Curate high-quality pins that include both original content from your blog and images from other sources that align with your niche or interests. Remember to aim for a mix of informative and inspiring content to keep your followers engaged.

5. Engage with other pinners regularly by liking, commenting, and saving their pins. Building relationships within the Pinterest community can lead to more exposure for your content.

6. Stay up-to-date with popular trends by following relevant topics and creating themed boards or timely pins related to current events or seasons.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to maximize the potential of Pinterest and drive more traffic to your blog

3. Creating Compelling Pinterest Boards

Now that you have set up your business account and you know how to optimise it. It is time to create interest boards. 

Your Pinterest boards are more than just collections of images; they are dynamic, engaging extensions of your blog. By curating them thoughtfully, organizing strategically, and engaging actively, you can turn your Pinterest presence into a powerful tool for growing your blog’s audience and influence.

Pinterest pros suggest initially setting up 10 to 15 interest boards. Begin by aligning your boards with your blog’s niche. This isn’t just about gathering content; it’s about creating a magnet for your target audience. Think of each board as a curated collection that speaks directly to their interests, challenges, and aspirations. 

The way you arrange your pins can significantly enhance user experience. Organize them in a manner that tells a story or follows a logical progression. 

Each board should narrate a story through its visuals, as visual storytelling can be a compelling way to engage followers without relying solely on text.

Also, remember to use relevant keywords in your board descriptions and pin captions to make your content discoverable. 

4. Crafting Pins That Pop

Let’s talk about making pins for Pinterest that stand out. When people scroll through Pinterest, you want your pins to make them stop and look. Here’s how to do that, even if you’re starting.

1. Bright and Clear Images: Start with photos that are bright and clear. If a picture is blurry or dull, people might scroll past it. Think about using photos with cheerful colours and sharp details.

2. Titles That Grab Attention: Your pin’s title is super important. It needs to be interesting enough to make someone want to learn more. Try to keep it short, but also make sure it tells people what your blog post is about.

3. Show Off Your Brand: It’s a good idea to put your logo or website name on your pins. This doesn’t have to be big or in the way; a small logo or your website in the corner can help people remember who you are.

4. Keep It Simple and Tidy: You don’t want your pin to be too busy or hard to read. A clean and simple design is usually best. Avoid putting too much text or too many pictures in one pin.

5. Try Different Types of Pins: Don’t be afraid to mix things up. You can use different kinds of pins like infographics (which are like mini posters with info), step-by-step guides, or before-and-after pictures. This keeps your content interesting and can attract more types of people.

Pro tip: Handy Tools: Canva & PlaceIt

[Canva image- Pinterest templates]
For making pins, Canva is a great tool; try Placeit too, especially if you’re new to this. They are really easy to use and have lots of ready-to-go templates that are perfect for Pinterest. You can pick a template, add your text and images, and you’re good to go. 

[Placeit image- Pinterest templates]

These tools will help you make awesome Pinterest pins to bring more people to your blog. Remember, your pins are like little billboards for your blog, so you want them to look good and get people interested!

5. Pinterest for blogging strategy tip: Join Group Boards to Collaborate and Expand Your Reach

Now, let’s talk about an incredible Pinterest strategy that can help get your blog noticed: joining group boards. Think of group boards like a team project, where you share your stuff with more people and discover what others post.
Look for group boards that fit what your blog is about; a great tool to use for this is PinGroupie. If you blog about healthy recipes, find a group board about healthy eating or cooking. This way, the people who see your pins are likelier to be interested in them.

Once you find a good board, ask who made it and if you can join. You can do this by sending a friendly email or a direct message. Be polite and tell them about your blog and why you think you’d be a good fit for their board. Remember that not everyone says yes immediately, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries.
Being part of a group board means your pins can be seen by all the board’s followers, which is a fantastic way to get your blog in front of more eyes. Plus, you’ll be pinning alongside other bloggers’ content, which can be inspiring and give you new ideas.

5. Understanding Pinterest Analytics

So, you’ve been pinning away on Pinterest, and now you’re curious about how your pins are doing. That’s where Pinterest analytics comes in! It’s like a report card for your pins, showing what’s working and what’s not.

Think of Pinterest analytics as a tool that gives you a peek into how people interact with your pins. It tells you which pins are popular, how many people look at them, and even if they click through to your blog.

Here’s a Simple Breakdown:

Impressions: This is how many times people saw your pins. It’s like counting how many people walked past a shop window.

Saves: This counts how many people liked your pin enough to save it for later. It’s a good sign they found it interesting!

Clicks: This is the number of times people clicked on your pin to see more. If this number is high, your pin is doing its job and getting people to your blog.

Engagement Rate: This is a bit of math that tells you how well your pins are doing overall. It’s worked out by adding the saves and clicks, then dividing by impressions, and then multiplying by 100. A higher number here means your pins are catching people’s attention.

By looking at these numbers, you can determine what kind of pins your audience likes. Maybe they love infographics or step-by-step guides. By knowing this, you can make more pins and get even more people to your blog.

6. Collaborating with Influencers

Getting your blog noticed on Pinterest can get a big boost when you team up with the right influencers. These are people who already have a lot of followers on Pinterest and can help share your content with even more people. Here’s a simple way to work with influencers on Pinterest:

1. Find the Right Influencers:

Look for influencers who post about things similar to your blog. They should have many followers, and their pins should get lots of likes and comments.

Before you start looking, think about who reads your blog. What kind of people are they? What do they like? This will help you find influencers who have followers similar to your audience.

• Search on Pinterest

Start by searching for keywords related to your blog on Pinterest. Look at who’s creating popular pins in your niche. These could be potential influencers.

Once you find some potential influencers, look at how much engagement their pins get. Are people commenting, liking, and saving their pins? More engagement usually means they have a strong connection with their audience.

• Use Brand24

Brand24 is a tool that can help you find influencers already talking about topics related to your blog. It’s great for finding influencers who are a good match for your content and audience. They have a detailed tutorial on their blog- be sure to check it out.

• Look at Group Boards

Group boards are where multiple users pin content on the same board. They can be a goldmine for finding influencers in your niche.

• Check Blogs and Other Social Media Platforms.

Sometimes, influencers on Pinterest also have blogs or are active on other social media platforms. Checking these can give you a better idea of their influence and style.

2. Plan Your Collaboration

Once you find some influencers you like, think about what you want to do together. Maybe they can make pins about your blog or share them with their followers. The idea is to make things that both their followers and yours will like.

3. Offer Something Good:

Influencers are likelier to work with you if they get something in return. This could be free stuff from your blog, a special discount for their followers, or even a chance to be part of something fun and interesting.

4. Keep the Relationship Going:

Don’t just work with an influencer once and then forget about them. Keep in touch and think about ways to help each other in the future. This way, you both keep getting benefits from working together.

5. Share and Engage:

When influencers make pins about your blog, share them with your followers, too. Also, join in the conversation by commenting and liking posts. This helps more people see the pins and makes the collaboration even better.

7: Boosting Your Pinterest Game with Cross-Promotion on Social Media

Expanding your Pinterest reach can go hand in hand with using other social media platforms. It’s like telling friends in different circles about your cool Pinterest boards. Here’s how you can use cross-promotion to drive more traffic to your blog and make your Pinterest presence stronger:

Share Your Pins on Instagram: Choose the most eye-catching images from your Pinterest boards or blog posts and post them on Instagram. Write an attention-grabbing caption that makes people curious and directs them to your blog. Use relevant hashtags and tag other accounts in your niche to reach a wider audience.

Highlight Your Boards on Facebook: Share posts about your most popular Pinterest boards on Facebook. Group boards by theme and share them as albums on Facebook. This makes it easy for your followers to find content they’re interested in.

Link Back to Pinterest: Include a link back to your Pinterest board or specific pin whenever you post on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. This helps drive traffic to your Pinterest account.

Engage with Your Audience: When people comment on your posts, respond to them. This builds a community around your content.

Consistent Branding Across Platforms: Use similar colours, fonts, and styles across all platforms to create a consistent brand image. This helps people recognize your brand no matter where they see it.

Pinterest is more than just image sharing; it’s a community for creativity, inspiration, and discovery. Consistency, creativity, and engagement are crucial to success. Experiment with different content, stay active and interact with your audience. Keep an eye on emerging trends and stay agile to maintain a dynamic and compelling Pinterest presence.