6 Pinterest Marketing Strategies to Get More Customers

When we talk about social media for promotion, we usually think of Instagram, X (what used to be Twitter), and Facebook — mostly the popular ones. But what about Pinterest? You probably only go there to find the perfect color palette for your kitchen makeover, right?

Well, guess what? Pinterest is so much more than just a place for recipes and decor ideas.

And I’m not making this up. Stats and surveys talk loud and clear. See for yourself.

• Pinterest is a source of spending inspiration for many 83% of users have made a purchase from content they’ve seen on Pinterest.

• Talk about views now: Pinterest users watch nearly 1 billion videos per day on the platform.

• 80% of weekly pinners have discovered a new brand or product on Pinterest.

• Even better: Pinterest users are the shopaholics of the social media world, with 93% of active users admitting to using the platform to plan purchases compared to users of other networks.

Now, that’s the kind of thing we love to read, isn’t it? Business and the sweet smell of profits and engagement!    

Need we say anything more? 

I won’t go overboard here, but here’s the reality you can’t ignore. If you can really tap into what Pinterest can do with its diverse features, it’ll turn into a marketing powerhouse tool, pulling in customers to your brand or store like nobody’s business. Not exaggerating, seriously.

That’s already good news. But if that’s not enough, Pinterest Business offers even more, whether you’re running a big brand or a small quaint boutique in the suburbs. There’s something for everyone.

So, in this blog, let’s break down what Pinterest can do for your business and zero in on a few marketing best practices for using Pinterest to grow your brand. Ready to pin down some profits? 

Let’s get started!

Recommended read: How to Grow Your Business with Instagram

Benefits of Marketing on Pinterest

We’re not going to lie here: reading and browsing about DIYs and home decors, the word ‘PROFIT’ doesn’t get into our ears fast like it does with Instagram and Facebook and their slick social selling strategies.

But here’s the thing — if only you knew the full story….

Yes, if only there were people to explain why a Pinterest marketing strategy isn’t just nice to have for your brand, but essential?

Well, no need to wish any longer. We’re about to lay it all out for you in BIG, BOLD, SCANNABLE POINTS, showing you exactly why your brand needs to be on Pinterest today.

For Ads That Get Attention and Cut Through the Noise

Advertising on big social networks like Facebook and Instagram these days is like tossing a coin — you never know if it’ll work. It’s crowded, overloaded with similar ads, and extremely competitive.

So, how do you dodge the chaos on these overstuffed platforms? Simple: aim for the ones less swamped by brands. And what’s better than Pinterest? This platform has been less bombarded with marketing, giving you a real chance to stand out and make an impact. You won’t be just another fish in the sea. 

Plus, if you hop on Pinterest now, your timing couldn’t be better. Pinterest’s ad reach has exploded with a 12.5% increase over last year.

According to Shopify, 50% of Pinterest users have made a purchase after seeing a promoted Pinterest pin or sponsored posts.

So, what does all of this mean for you and your brand? It means Pinterest gives you the best bang for your buck when it comes to ads.

And being a marketer, if you’re looking to make your marketing dollars work harder, Pinterest is where you want to be.

The Longevity Advantage of Pinterest Posts

A lot can happen in four months. You could binge-watch several seasons of your favorite show. You could master the art of sourdough baking. If you’re like me, you could reorganize your entire house — twice! Basically, a lot could go down in that time.

And guess what? A single post can stay visible and vibrant on Pinterest for those same four months.

What does this mean?

Well, unlike Facebook, where your post might only be seen for about five hours, or Instagram, where it might get noticed for about 21 hours, a post on Pinterest can keep attracting eyeballs, views, engagement, and traffic for a much longer time — sometimes up to four months or more!

This extended visibility means your content has a greater chance of being discovered, saved, and shared over time, which maximizes your brand reach and impact.

So, if you’re looking for a place where your content won’t just vanish into the social media ether after a few hours, Pinterest is your ideal platform.

Tons of Audience and Market Insights

Pinterest can be your own crystal ball for telling you what’s hot and what’s not in the market. Imagine you run a home decor store.

By keeping an eye on what your audience is pinning — like those dreamy Scandinavian living rooms or quirky DIY garden ideas — you can see what’s clicking their interest in recent times.

Here’s how it plays out: Let’s say you notice a lot of people pinning mid-century modern furniture. That’s your sign! You can start featuring more of those sleek, retro pieces in your marketing campaigns and inventory.

Or, if you see a sudden spike in pins about eco-friendly home hacks, it’s time to spotlight your sustainable product line.

It’s like having insider information. By identifying these trends early on Pinterest, you can tailor your marketing strategy accordingly.  This not only keeps your brand relevant and fresh but also positions you a step ahead of the competition.

After all, relevance and timeliness go hand in hand in marketing.

What Marketing Content Tanks on Pinterest?

To save you time and effort, here are some types of marketing content that just don’t fly on Pinterest. Avoid these pitfalls to ensure your pins are not just seen but loved!

🚫 Thought Leadership and Personal Stories

People come to Pinterest for inspiration and information, not to read your deep thoughts or personal anecdotes. Save your think pieces and personal stories for Facebook and LinkedIn.

🚫 Overly Promotional Content

Pinterest users are looking for ideas and inspiration, not hard sells. Avoid posts that are too salesy or pushy. Instead, focus on providing value, whether it’s through DIY tips, recipes, or style guides.

🚫 Irrelevant or Clickbaity Titles

Titles that don’t match the content or are just clickbait will turn users off. Be honest and clear with your titles to build trust with your audience.

🚫 Content That Doesn’t Align with Trends

Pinterest is all about trends. If your content is outdated or doesn’t tap into current trends, it won’t perform well. Stay updated with what’s hot on Pinterest and tailor your content accordingly.

Alright, now that you’ve seen why Pinterest is valuable and which types of content will tank, let’s dive into how to market effectively on this platform.

In this section, I’ll list six Pinterest marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes — small, medium and large.

Good to know: Why Is Social Media Important for a Business?

Quick Start: Set Up Your Pinterest Business Account

But before we explore the strategies, here’s a must-do: You need to set up a Pinterest for your business account. It should be separate from your personal Pinterest profile — your DIY project boards and decor ideas can stay private.

Don’t worry, you can set up your business account in five minutes, tops. 

Yes, that easy. With a Pinterest business account, you’ll be able to unlock social media analytics, run ads, gather performance reports, drive traffic to your website, and activate those fancy rich pins. 

Ready for some Pin-spiration? 

6 Best Marketing Strategies for Pinterest

Let’s get you started. Here are some best marketing strategies for Pinterest that you should consider in 2024 and beyond.

Optimize Your Profile

So you’ve created your business account. Great. Now it’s time to make it look amazing and catchy. Think of your Pinterest profile like the front window of a boutique — it’s the first thing people see, so you want it to look flawless and amazing. Remember, first impressions last long:) So make sure you have the best profile yet highly optimized.

Here’s what you need to do: 

✍️ Write a short and catchy description and bio of your business. This is where you tell people who you are and what you do as a brand. The trick is to keep it snappy and interesting.

📸 Pick high-quality images for your profile picture and cover photo. These should look professional and match your brand’s style and vibe. Don’t go overboard with the colors please.

🌐 Add your website to your Pinterest profile and get it verified. This step is important because it shows Pinterest (and your audience) that your account is legit and trustworthy.

📲 Include links to your other social media accounts, like Facebook, Instagram and X. This helps people easily find and follow you on all your platforms.

Become a Visual Storyteller Who Knows How to Weave SEO Posts

You are exactly what you reflect so make sure you take care of that reflection with high-quality and SEO-optimized visuals. Don’t forget,  Pinterest is basically a visual search engine. And just like Google’s algorithm loves some good SEO, Pinterest does too. The look of your pins is just as important as the words in your description and title. They’re what will make someone stop, click, and dive into your blog post or product page.

So, how do you make sure the Pinterest algorithm loves you? Easy. Include your high-ranking keywords in these three places:

👉 Craft a catchy title. Make it snappy and clear.

👉 Write an enticing description. Explain what your pin is about in an engaging way.

👉 Don’t forget to add alt text. Use straightforward language to describe your image.

Here’s a quick pro-tip: Don’t go crazy with keywords or hashtags. Be specific and human. Use words and phrases that truly describe your pin. Keep it relevant.

For example, let’s say you’re a travel agency and you’ve released a 2-week itinerary to Singapore. Here’s how you could nail that perfect title and pin description:

📌  Pin Title: Two Weeks in Singapore: The Ultimate Singapore 2-Week Cruise Itinerary

✅ Pin Description: Explore Singapore with this 2-week itinerary featuring three ports, lush cloud forests, thrilling zip lines, and amazing wildlife.

📝 Alt Text: Discover the ultimate 2-week Singapore itinerary with ports, cloud forests, zip lines, and wildlife.

See the difference? It’s clear, engaging and tells both the audience and the algorithm exactly what your pin is about.

Only Delve in Rich Pins

Rich Pins make your content stand out and perform better on Pinterest. They’re efficient, effective and essential for anyone serious about leveraging Pinterest for business. 

Here’s a quick info about rich pins: These  are special posts that pull extra information directly from your website. They’re like the VIPs of Pinterest, and they’re only available for Business accounts. If you’re not using them, you’re missing out big time. 

Here’s why:

Boost Your Visibility: Rich Pins are a favorite of Pinterest’s SEO algorithm. They automatically pull in detailed info from your site, making your pins more informative and relevant. This boosts their chances of showing up in searches and getting noticed by more users.

Save Time: Rich Pins do the heavy lifting for you. They automatically include all the important details from your website — like product info, recipes, or article snippets. This means you spend less time crafting each pin and more time focusing on your business.

Not to be missed: 15 Innovative Solopreneur Ideas to Start a One-Person Business

Create Niche Pinterest Boards with Keyword-Friendly Titles

Did you know your Pinterest board titles are searchable? Yes, these boards are not just for show and eyeballs.

When users type something into the Pinterest search bar, the platform scours through board titles, pin descriptions, and profiles to find the most relevant content based on the keyword typed. So, having keyword-friendly titles isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a must-have!

Here’s how it works: Imagine you’re a user looking for vegan recipes. You type “vegan recipes” into the search bar. Pinterest will then look for boards, pins, and profiles that match those keywords. 

Now, if your brand has a board titled “Vegan Recipes,” it’s more likely to show up in those search results.

Does that make sense? Need more clarity? Let’s break it down step-by-step.

✅ User Searches for a Topic: A user types a keyword or phrase into the Pinterest search bar.

✅ Pinterest Matches Keywords: Pinterest scans board titles, pin descriptions, and profiles to find the best matches.

✅ Relevant Boards: Boards with titles that closely match the searched keywords appear in the search results.

So, how do you make sure your boards are coming up on the top search results?

Simple. Use specific, keyword-rich titles for your boards. By focusing on keyword-friendly titles, you’re not only making it easier for people to find your content, but you’re also giving your boards a better shot at showing up in search results.

Need an example? Here you go!

Instead of having a generic board titled “Tasty and Yummy Foods,”  go for something like “Healthy Vegan  Low Cal Recipes” or “No Egg No-Sugar Desserts.”  These titles are specific and relevant and likely to match what users are searching for.

Focus on Educational Content

We all have a little MacGyver in us. Don’t we? Always figuring out creative solutions and hacks for everyday problems (“Can I really repair my leaking sink with a packet of baking soda?”)🙈

Even though it’s comforting to have the vast knowledge base of the internet at our fingertips. It’s not always the source if we need a good, reliable source of tips and tricks. Raise your hands if you agree with me. I mean, how many times have you opened a tipsheet on Pinterest to just skim through the DIY and cleaning hacks?  I’m sure it must be more than ten times.

So, for all things DIY and other smart tricks, Pinterest can be your go-to and, of course, for your audience. I won’t be exaggerating if I were to say that Pinterest is the ultimate go-to platform for all things DIY, tutorials, infographics, and guides. It’s like a goldmine of knowledge and inspiration! 

And posting this kind of content regularly not only boosts your visibility but also keeps people engaged. They don’t just glance at it and move on — they save it, bookmark it, and come back to it over and over.

“But I run a small bakery store,” you might be thinking, “What can I possibly teach my audience?”

Oh, so much! How to pick the best ingredients for cheesecakes? Share your killer red velvet recipe. Create a tutorial may be, or an infographic. Pinterest takes all kinds of fun and educational content.

There’s always someone out there who’s interested in what you have to share. That’s the beauty of Pinterest. It connects you with people looking for exactly what you offer.

So, dive in! Your audience is waiting. Create those how-tos, those stunning infographics, and those handy and colorful guides. They not only drive traffic but also build a loyal audience that keeps coming back for more.

Worth Knowing: How to Use Facebook Marketing for Small Businesses

Plan and Schedule Your Pinterest Pins

Now that you’re all set to create those fabulous pins, your brand deserves to be seen by the world. And guess what? We have an bonus tip to help you get there:

Schedule your Pinterest Pins with flair and finesse! 

Yes, you can use social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite to schedule your Pinterest content just like you do with Facebook and Instagram, all from one convenient place.

But wait, there’s more! Social media management tools like Hootsuite and HubSpot give you access to some amazing features like social media listening, social media calendar, analytics, and a whole lot more. It’s everything you need to master social media marketing and boost your online presence.

So, why wait? Jump right in and start scheduling those pins. Who knows… your brand might just become the next big “Pinte-fluencer”! 

The world is ready to see what you’ve got! Whether you’re planning to start a business with no money, or are already running a successful business, Pinterest is your answer to boosting brand awareness.

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