Let’s begin this Pinterest Tutorial for Beginners with some fun facts about Pinterest. Pinterest right now has 175 million active users but altogether they generate 50 billion pins and same page views for the concerned blogs. Isn’t it just HUGE?
Pinterest gives emphasis on views, not your follower count. You can have only 100 followers but your monthly views can touch 100k if you pin well. Isn’t it just amazing to fall in love with this platform?
With Facebook changing its algorithm every now and then, making the organic reach smaller, Pinterest is the best place right now to generate tons of traffic to our blogs.
But what is actually Pinterest? What’s the fuzz is all about it?
Well, Pinterest began its journey as a bookmarking site for fresh ideas from all over the world. Though most of us think it as a social media, it is a VISUAL SEARCH ENGINE. Throw boring stuff like keywords, SEO with some stunning visuals and great descriptions… that’s Pinterest for you!
Please note: This post is written as a Pinterest tutorial for beginners. If you are using the platform for your blog, you may find the post a little slow.
So, let’s dive in!
First things first – You need a Pinterest business account
Set Up Your Pinterest Business Account
Lots of us already have a Pinterest profile. But if you have just started or had a personal Pinterest profile, we just need to do a makeover of it. Presenting the Pinterest Business Account version that not only showcases you but also helps to promote your blog and give access to Pinterest analytics.
How to set up Pinterest Business account?
You do not have to create a different account for your blog/business. You can switch from the personal account to a business account in just three steps. Please refer to the images below and follow the instructions.
Change your business name to include your keywords as well as your name. My Pinterest profile showcases what I do and what to expect from my Pinterest boards.
Now, create your profile description or bio. Write who are you and what is your blog all about. Use the perfect keywords for your description. This is the first thing your viewers will notice and It’s important to use keywords in your descriptions so be sure to you are indexed by Pinterest algorithms for your main keywords. Use a quality image for your account. Please restrict the use of selfies here. Add your website and claim it. (More on it in the next paragraphs)
Claim your website
It is the verification done by Pinterest to make sure that you are the owner of the blog. To claim the website, follow the steps below.
Go to the settings > Claim your website > Insert your web address > Click on the claim > Get a code by Pinterest > Insert the code on your blog > Now, again come to Pinterest and verify.
It will take up to 48 hours to get over with the verification process. When you verify your website on Pinterest, it will collect the information about pins from your blog. You can also see insights about the audience and your pins’ performances.
Ok, now you are done with converting to a business account, setting up your profile and claimed the website. Now what? Should you just start pinning? No, dear friend! This was just the tip of the iceberg. Your real work would start with some research and create boards.
Research & Create Boards
As I have already mentioned that Pinterest is a Visual search engine. It relies on the usage of keywords to give you the best experience. That’s why, it’s important that you use a keyword in your Business name, Bio and the boards. But how to find what would work for you?
Pinterest will itself help you in this matter. Pinterest offers a detailed insight into what its users are searching.
In this video, I have searched about Pinterest on Pinterest. When I performed the search, it showed what the other things people are searching for. This feature helps you to go super niche and choose your keywords wisely.
Now, for example, you are a food blogger who writes about Indian cuisine. Perform a search about the Indian cuisine. Note down the ideas which come under the search bar. It may come with INDIAN RECIPES DINNER, INDIAN RECIPES SNACK, EASY INDIAN RECIPE, VEGETARIAN INDIAN RECIPE and like that.
Now, it is time to create your boards. If you have any personal boards from your non-blogging days, note down their names too. Compare the board names if you have a board name similar to a chosen keyword. If there is something which is not related to your brand, make it secret. Yes, there is no need to delete the board. You can just make it secret and visible to only you.
The first board you must create is a board exclusive to your blog. We call it the Blog Board. Pin your images from your blog into this board. This board should be your priority whenever a new blog post is published. Pin the image immediately to this board.
Create other boards according to the best-used keywords in your niche. For example, if you write about solo travels, create boards for TRAVEL GEARS FOR SOLO TRAVEL, BACKPACKING, MEDIAL AIDS FOR SOLO TRAVEL and other related topics.
Just imagine that your Pinterest account is the one-stop destination for everything about your topic. Create boards keeping this thing in mind. There are no restrictions on how many boards you can create. But for better convenience, create a manageable number of boards.
After creating the boards, it is now time to configure them. Follow the images to configure your boards’ categories, descriptions and keywords.
Now start pinning!
What do you need to pin?
Before you start pinning or even creating boards, follow the best accounts in your niche and its related matters. Make sure you follow people with amazing content that your audience is interested. You can also follow a single board or a single topic. Now pin related contents to your niche from your following to your boards. Caution: Never pin other people’s content to your Blog Board. Always pin to your other boards.
Always choose pins which would appeal to your brand.
Now, the question arises. Why should I repin contents from other blogs?
Well, good question, dear friends! It’s a common question new pinners ask generally. The answer is it helps you to rank better within Pinterest and visible to your prospective audience.
Your profile is attached to every pin that you repin from other peoples’ accounts. If those pins do well or go viral, Pinterest would give emphasis to the pins and every account attached. This is your chance to be viewed valuable by the Pinterest algorithms. Your account and the pins from your account will start coming in the smart feed and in search results.
But how many pins should I pin every day?
It depends upon entirely on your convenience. I pin 60-80 pins every day by manual pinning and by scheduling. According to Pinterest, here are the best pin practices you can apply.
In my next post, I will be sharing more about pinning and the group boards, Pinterest group boards are excellent mean to expand your pins’ reach and drive traffic to your blog. I chose to write an entire post on group boards as it is little complex and you need whole attention to them.
I hope this Pinterest tutorial would help you to master Pinterest. Share your thoughts on the platform in the comment section.
And, do not forget to follow me on Pinterest!
Pin this image to Pinterest now!
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