POST UPDATED April 2023
Are you thinking about putting your business on Pinterest but unsure if you are ready or even should be there?
Here is a CHECK LIST of things you need before considering being on Pinterest. This list moves beyond what others talk about which is having a business account and Tailwind and jumps into the real KEYS TO SUCCESS. Let’s begin!
(Please note: there are expectations to this and I would love to chat with you before you write off the platform).
Pinterest Check List
What you need to know before considering Pinterest Marketing for your small business
1. Is your Target Market even ON Pinterest searching for your Product or Service (or pins that are related to your business)?
Knowing if your target market is on the platform is a must. Knowing what their pinning habits are is also important because they may not be interested in what your actually trying to promote on Pinterest.
EXAMPLE:
I recently worked with a client who while on the outside seemed to have a service that would do very well on the platform (it was in an industry that is very popular on Pinterest), but after some deep digging into stats we discovered that they were not a good fit (their target was looking for everything but their service on Pinterest. So no click thru’s to their website). So we decided to put a stop to spinning the wheels (they had been on for months doing “all the right things” with no results) and move onto other channels.
That is sometimes hard to figure out, so let me help. Drop me a line!
TIP – How to figure out if your target market is on the platform: Type into the search engine on the platform and see what comes up for your industry. Are people searching for what you sell? Looking for answers on what you can help with? This search bar is a beginner research into whether you should be on the plaform.
2. Do you have a Blog (especially important if you don’t have lots of products or you are a Service)?
1st up..BLOGS ARE STILL IMPORTANT! (rant over).
Blogs are really helpful to get seen not only on Pinterest but also on Google (hello SEO!). I tell my clients all the time to start up a blog if they don’t have one. It’s a great way to showcase your products or services while not sounding “sales pitchy” and to show potential clients or customers that you are an expert in your field.
On Pinterest, many people use the platform for education and to research a future purchase. They look for topics on cooking recipes, how to decorate a patio, home décor tips, makeup tutorials and more. They plan wardrobes for summer (months in advance), future trips etc. They then SAVE these pins to boards for future reference (and for future click thru’s).
They will also click on pins that really interest them right then and be taken directly to the website. This is where they will read your blog post. THEN it’s your job to move them thru the sales funnel (get them to signup for your newsletter, move them to purchase etc. etc.). Well crafted CTA (Call’s to Action) in your blog post can make this happen. Remember to EDUCATE..Not Give them a Sales Pitch!
Having a blog also allows you to have content for Pinterest that you might not of had before and that you can keep on sharing (which helps spread the word about what your selling).
When you create the post, you need to then create an image that represents the post and share it on the platform. You can create new imagery for a blog post over and over again (this is encouraged for further exposure and to catch someone’s eye that maybe was not liking the last Pinterest image you created). This is what is really cool about Pinterest!
Even if you have lots of products (say for an example your a lighting company), having a blog to show off those lights while supplying helpful tips to your target audience is a good thing! So don’t write off blog if you do have lots of other content for Pinterest. It can be very helpful in getting you found in other ways.
FURTHER READING (April 2023 New Blog Post): The Reasons Why Blogging is More Crucial Than Ever for Website Traffic
Blog Post Ideas. Note: you don’t have to be a strong writer to write a blog or even need to write a book. Here are ideas!:
- Tips
- How to
- Trends
- How to use your product
- How you got started, why you do what you do
- Holiday shopping ideas
- Etc.
We can talk about blog topics, so don’t worry!
Blog Tip: Add lots of really good Imagery to your posts. Why? You want people to share your images onto Pinterest (remember those future click thru’s that will come in handy months and even years down the line?).
3. High Quality Imagery of your Products (or Service)
Pinterest is a visual platform and you need images & videos (plus Idea Pins) that draw attention to the Pinterest Scroller. Vertical Imagery is Key. Is this something that can be achieved?
Pinterest likes and wants vertical images & videos from Pinterest creators. They stand out in the feed and they look really good. Plus you can get way more “content” on the image if needed as opposed to a square image (Note: don’t crowd an image, but you can have a bit more content or better imagery with a vertical layout).
Now I have seen success with Pins from other sources that were not vertical (and from clients images), but for the most point vertical images are they most successful (plus they look so nice in the homefeed and truly stand out).
Don’t have lots of imagery due to your business being a Service? See Point # 1…Get a blog!
Pinterest Insider Tip: It’s Very important to drive traffic to your website from the platform so creating as many useful Pinterest Pins that go to your website is the key to success. Pinterest also wants to see “FRESH PINS” which are pins from your website that look different from the pins you have done before. They can point to the same URL, they just have to look like a new pin (as discussed in the blog section).
See examples below from GLAD, who I think does a SUPER Job of creating new and engaging imagery (both pins go to the SAME URL).
4. Create Short Videos!
“People come to Pinterest ready to try something new, which makes it an ideal platform for businesses to feature helpful products and services, how-to videos and tutorials, and to tell an interesting brand story.” – Pinterest
Video Pins are a great way to tell a more comprehensive story about your brand, idea or project. Video Pins have a cover image that captures your audience’s attention. They play in users’ feeds, so keep in mind that your audience may or may not have their volume on when they see your video. The videos also need to be VERTICAL and 4 seconds – 15 minutes in length (I recommend to tell your story in as short of time frame as possible).
Plus, video Pins on Pinterest ARE clickable, giving you a real opportunity to drive traffic to your site (NOTE: IDEA Pin videos are not clickable and I will be discussing this in a future post).
PRO TIP: TikTok Videos & Instagram / Facebook Reels are PERFECT for Pinterest. Think about resharing them to the platform!
For more details on how to start creating videos for Pinterest, CLICK HERE.
If you have don’t have lots of content that is okay, they can be built up over time (and we can pin other relevant content to your boards, which is encouraged. But more pins pointing to your website, as opposed to others, the better). I will evaluate what you have at the time and we can talk about whether you are ready to move forward or not.
And there is your checklist of items that I believe are very important for success on Pinterest.
Still think your small business should be on Pinterest? Reach out and lets talk. I offer a free 15-30 min consultation so you don’t have to pay for a service you don’t know if you even need yet.
Liz-Owner Killer Diller Social/ Pinterest Expert