Pinterest Marketing: How to Promote Your Business on Pinterest

Pinterest is a well-liked and useful channel for practically any small business, but because it differs so much from other traditional platforms, both producers and marketers are sometimes perplexed by it. “Pinterest Marketing“.

We'll cover all the essentials of using Pinterest for marketing in this starting guide, including how to set up your profile, how to make your pins as effective as possible, how to advertise on the site, and, last but not least, how to track your progress.

What is Pinterest?

On the social networking platform, Pinterest, users (also known as “pinners”) may store pins that include links, descriptions, and photos on various boards for later use. It's a sizable visual search engine where users can browse their favorite businesses as well as locate recipes and fashion ideas.

Eight in ten users of Pinterest believe the site makes them feel good, making it a place where people feel good.

Users may search for specific pins on Pinterest, discover pins they wish to see in their feed, or manually upload photos and links to create new pins. The last two offer fantastic chances to sell to potential clients.

In a way that other social media platforms aren't, Pinterest is made to store concepts and sources of inspiration. Most pinners use Pinterest to find and save content they want to see; they typically don't care if other people can access what they've tagged or archived because the platform isn't about fostering discussion or exchanging information. Users are encouraged to organize what they find into different board names for easy navigation.

Considering internal vs. external motivation This is the reason Pinterest gives users the ability to establish “secret” boards, which are exclusive to those who have been granted access and are private.

How effective is Pinterest for marketing?

If you're unsure whether developing a Pinterest marketing plan for your online shop is worthwhile, consider the following:

It has a growing international user base

With more than 478 million active members, Pinterest ranks as the 14th most popular social network. This number is rising even if it isn't quite as high as on other social networks. In 2021, Pinterest's advertising reach increased by 6.2% from quarter to quarter, and this trend should continue as it adds more users to its ad targeting options.

The user numbers for Q1 2021 increased by 30.2% year over year. Most of that growth was attributed to a 37% year-over-year increase in overseas users in 2021.

For an online shop, Pinterest may be a marketing force. In comparison to other social media platforms, users on Pinterest purchase items they come across organically at a substantially greater rate. This is partly because Pinterest users actively search for products rather than passively skimming through feeds.

There’s a place for every brand

On Pinterest, unbranded searches make up 97% of all searches. This indicates that when exploring the platform, visitors do not look for certain brands. Instead, they are seeking ideas and finding inspiration.

98% of those surveyed by the company claim to attempt new things as a result of what they discover on Pinterest.

To bring their goods in front of customers at the ideal time, brands might target those who are still considering making a purchase. On Pinterest, you don't have to push your product.

Ideal for product discovery

Users have saved more than 240 billion pins on Pinterest. What exactly are people pinning about, and what function do these pins serve? The bulk of folk utilizes them for product discovery. 80% of people who pin every week claim to have found a new company or item while using Pinterest.

We used the chance to update our Pinterest after relaunching our new website in June 2021 to give users more pertinent, interesting, and product-focused information. We decided to make all of our products accessible via Pinterest so that customers may pin them to their boards. This made it simpler for customers to discover AreYouGame, initiate the buying process, and raise brand awareness. With this strategy, we increased our impressions from 0 to almost 700,000 in just four months!

 Meghan Rogers, Digital Marketing Manager at AreYouGame.com

Pinterest is used by people to make plans. You can locate and connect with your target audience on Pinterest with a strong marketing plan. It's simple to adjust advertisements and make more successful pins using Pinterest's interactive insights into the demographics, interests, and behaviors of your audience.

It’s become a place to shop

Recent statistics from Pinterest show that “Shopping ad income once again expanded faster than our entire business and we observed a 6x growth in the number of businesses using the shopping ads format in Q4 [of 2020].” This shows that users aren't simply interacting with the platform's content; they are also looking around.

Compared to other platforms, shoppers on Pinterest spend twice as much money there each month. To reach your audience, you might mix free shopping options with paid advertising.

When marketers include Shopping or Collections advertising in their Pinterest mix, according to Pinterest, they get a three-fold boost in conversions and a two-fold increase in return on ad expenditure.

Your Shopify product catalog is connected by product pins. Once you post it, a Shop tab appears on your profile, making it simpler for customers to locate your stuff. On their search screen's Shop page, users may explore shoppable pins as well.

What types of businesses should use Pinterest?

Pinterest has the potential to be a valuable marketing tool for many companies, particularly online shops that sell tangible products that can be photographed.

Businesses that sell to consumers (B2C) often find it simpler to succeed on Pinterest than businesses that sell to businesses (B2B), but that doesn't imply that B2B businesses can't succeed there as well.

Let's examine more closely who now makes use of Pinterest.

Who uses Pinterest?

In the past, women utilized Pinterest more frequently and frequently than males. That is still mostly true, but there are increasingly more guys using the platform. 60% of the platform's users are now women, while younger males are starting to utilize it as well.

Look at the data that Pinterest has provided:

• Male and Gen Z pinners have increased by 40% annually.
• 35% More US millennials than ever before are using Pinterest.
• Over $100,000 is the annual family income of 45% of all pinners.

The household income figure is important since it shows that Pinterest draws users with more discretionary money. Additional information from Pinterest for Business reflects this and demonstrates that pinners are more inclined to purchase (and spend more) on everything from food to upscale items.

Set up your Pinterest profile for success

Creating a strong profile is the first step in using Pinterest for marketing. The core of your marketing is your profile, so getting it right now will save you a tonne of time compared to attempting to “fix” things afterward.

To use Pinterest analytics, rich pins, and other advertising and marketing tools available only to company accounts, make sure to create a business account for your store rather than a personal one.

A Pinterest business account may be created in a few different ways:

• Convert a personal account to a business one.
• Create a linked business account.
• Create a new business account.

Convert a personal account to a business one

You can change your profile to a business profile if you already have followers and material stored in it. Anytime you like, you may return to a personal account. Here are the detailed steps we took to convert your Pinterest account to a business account.

1. Log into your personal Pinterest account.
2. From the top right of your screen, click the directional chevron down icon, then click Settings.
3. From the left side navigation, click Account settings.
4. Scroll down to Account changes.
5. Under Account changes, find Convert to a business account.
6. Click Convert account.
7. Fill out the fields to Build your profile, then click Next.
8. Fill out the fields to Describe your business, then click Next.
9. Select if you want to run ads, then click Next.
10. Select where you’d like to start or click the X icon to go to your converted Pinterest business account.

Create a linked business account

Your personal and company accounts are connected through a linked business account. You may quickly switch between the two after logging in with the same email address and password.

1. Log into your personal Pinterest account.
2. From the top right of your screen, click the directional chevron down icon, then click Add account.
3. Under Create a free business account, click Create.
4. Click Create a linked business account.
5. Click Create a linked account.
6. Fill out the fields to Build your profile, then click Next.
7. Fill out the fields to Describe your business, then click Next.
8. Select if you want to run ads, then click Next.
9. Select where you'd like to start or click the X icon to go to your linked Pinterest business account.

Create a new business account

Follow these steps to create a new business account that is not linked to a personal one.

1. Head to Pinterest and create a business account.
2. Enter your email, create a password and enter your age.
3. Click Create an account.
4. Fill out the fields to Build your profile, then click Next.
5. Fill out the fields to Describe your business, then click Next.
6. Select if you want to run ads, then click Next.
7. Select where you’d like to start or click the X icon to go to your new Pinterest business account.

You can select the next actions once you've created a business profile. Choose from:

• Running ads
• Showcasing your brand
• Importing products from your Shopify store

Create your Pinterest marketing strategy

Building a foundation that will make Pinterest work for you and your business is essential before we look at the intricacies of how to sell on Pinterest. This entails developing a Pinterest marketing strategy that details your specific objectives, potential prospects, and target market before tailoring your profile and content to suit.

Set goals

What do you want to gain from using Pinterest for marketing? The 2021 Sprout Social Index reveals that community participation and raising brand exposure are the two most popular social media objectives (58 and 41%, respectively). Determining your Pinterest objectives is the first step in attaining them, whether you aim to increase your following or generate purchases.

Any marketing strategy may benefit from goal-setting since it enables you to assess your market and your business's position. It provides a guide for identifying advantages, finding weaknesses, and monitoring development.

Realistic goals for Pinterest include:

• Increase brand awareness, or make a name for yourself. Instead of merely posting commercial messages, creating awareness requires providing content that fosters relationships and demonstrates your individuality.

• Generate leads and sales. People may locate products and connect with companies via Pinterest. Driving traffic to your website allows you to manage the user experience and collect email sign-ups, among other things. Or you may use product pins to sell straight on Pinterest. The ROI of social media may be calculated with the aid of conversion rates and URL clicks.

• Build your audience. This entails figuring up novel methods to connect with and present your business to new consumers on Pinterest. Additionally, it entails engaging followers in dialogue and utilizing current trends.

• Boost engagement. According to the Sprout Social Index, 46% of customers believe that businesses that interact with their audience are the best in their field on social media. To get your followers' attention on Pinterest, play around with your messaging and content.

To begin, pick one or two of the aforementioned objectives. By keeping things straightforward, you can maintain focus and produce content that meets corporate objectives. Set SMART (smart) goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timely). For instance:

❌ Improve Pinterest ROI 

✅ Increase revenue from Pinterest by 10% each quarter until the end of the year

You can see clearly what has to be done thanks to precise goals. Additionally, it keeps you organized and aids in the creation of more effective planning techniques.

Research your target market

Knowing your target audience is the first step in effective Pinterest marketing. Build a mental image of your ideal Pinterest user by spending time analyzing the various demographic information and observed trends. By using this information as guidance, you may create content with a voice and tone that appeals to your target audience.

Your work is already simpler than attempting to appeal to a large audience on Pinterest if your company organically targets a certain demographic (such as dog owners). What we now know about Pinterest is as follows:

• 80% of US mothers use Pinterest
• 77% of Pinterest’s audience is female
• 50% of Pinterest users live outside the US
• 32% of Pinterest users are 18–29 years old
• 34% of Pinterest users are 30–49 years old
• 38% of Pinterest users are 50-64 years old
• 30% of US Pinterest users come from suburban areas
• Male pinners and Gen Z pinners are up 40% years over year

the most popular categories on Pinterest are those for food and drink and home décor. Women's fashion, health and beauty, and fitness all trail behind in importance.

Find out who the exact Pinterest audience is for your brand. Check out what rivals are posting on Pinterest. You will gather audience information when you start publishing and participating on the network, which you can check through Audience insights via Pinterest Analytics. To help you better plan your future marketing and advertising material, it will provide you with real-time information on who interacts with your pins.

Fill out your Pinterest business profile

Click the pencil emoticon on your Business center to modify your profile if you need to change anything.

Maintain brand consistency throughout your profile, website, and other social media accounts while designing it. If at all feasible, try to match your username to other usernames you have on websites like Facebook or Instagram. Use the same logo for both your profile image and your website, since doing so can help people recognize your business.

Click “Claim” on the left side navigation bar after entering your information. You may install the Pinterest app on Shopify and claim various company assets, including your website, Etsy shop, and YouTube channel, on this page.

Organizing your Pinterest boards

One reason why it's important to organize your boards is that you'll attract more followers if you divide them into subsections that focus on specific topics. This is why:

• You'll be optimizing for more keywords that users are likely to use to locate you.
• Niche boards will be more appealing to members of your target audience since niche hobbies receive a lot of attention on Pinterest.
• Users may immediately determine their interest by looking through your board's content.

To promote various product products and target groups, use distinct Pinterest boards. To facilitate organizing, you may also establish sections, which are effectively boards within boards.

Do you want to see how this would appear in real life? A jeweler might set up the following boards on Pinterest:

• Jewelry with birthstones and compartments for each month
• The Meaning of Gemstones, a website with blog entries and online resources regarding the symbolic significance and background of many gemstone kinds
• Parts of engagement rings that are organized by style
• Men's watches, divided into categories for various brands

Take keywords into consideration

We'll mention keywords multiple times throughout this tutorial since they're an important aspect of Pinterest marketing—all thanks to Pinterest's search tool.

Pinterest is a unique platform because the SEO and social hybrid are ripe for shopping.

Lauren Petrullo, founder of Mongoose Media

Pinners frequently use the site to research purchasing selections and to make direct purchases. You want to make sure your pins appear when people search for products similar to yours. One effective method is to optimize for many keywords inside a single pin.

In the pin description, use pertinent keywords that relate to the website you are connecting to. By doing this, Pinterest can deliver your content to the users who are most interested in it. For the most impact, these keywords should ideally be positioned at the start of the description or very close to it.

Ahmed Samir founder of as-educate

Let's imagine you provide a dog toy subscription service similar to BarkBox, but for the sake of this example, let's give it a made-up name and call it WoofCrate. Your description can sound something like this:

“Have dog toys delivered to your door once a month, and spoil your pup with gourmet dog treats.”

Decide on your content mix

We'll examine the various formats and how to utilize them effectively as we look at the different sorts of material that do well on Pinterest.

Keep in mind that every pin must include a visual element, a link to another website, and should go to the most pertinent page. Typically, you want to steer folks away from your catch-all homepage.

Product Pins

Product pins include images or videos of certain products, which drive people to the store to make a purchase. These are among the most often used pin kinds, and they will undoubtedly yield the most return on investment.

These pins have been structured and enhanced with metadata to make it clear to Pinterest users that they may purchase from them. For instance, if an item is the most popular one in a Pinterest product category, a pin can indicate “Bestseller.” If it's the most popular item on Pinterest, it can also say “Popular.” These labels do not accurately represent your particular sales activity.

Blog posts and content

Pinterest has the potential to be a great platform for blog postings. For your primary picture, you should follow best practices, which include adding text to the image itself (canva can assist with this) and creating a description that explains why the content is worthwhile.

Infographics

Infographics are naturally visual, therefore they are a perfect fit for Pinterest. If your infographic doesn't adhere to the platform's best practices, it may appear too tiny to read.

Videos

videos are getting increasingly popular on Pinterest, and if you already have a channel on YouTube, you may import videos there easily. Since autoplay videos are presently only available for sponsored pins, you might gain a following with video material if you can help pinners. DIY videos and tutorials typically do well on Pinterest.

Story Pins

A more recent kind of pin called a story pin allows you to make stories using video, narration, photos, and text overlay. Imagine them as longer-lasting Instagram Stories. Story pins are discoverable over time and may be saved to boards for later.

Text on Pinterest: What part does it play?

Because Pinterest is a visual medium, visual material will always command attention. Users are after all given a wide range of condensed visuals, and they browse until something catches their attention.

This is not to say that text is never beneficial. Contrarily, the description of a pin can influence a user's decision to click, even while the aesthetic aspect would draw their attention. It may also aid in the proper users finding your pins, which is equally crucial.

interest gives you just a few seconds to captivate a potential buyer with a single image. Deliberate consideration must be given to how your one picture will best direct them to your website and ultimately your purchase page.

Ahmed Samir founder of as-educate

If you don't inform users (and the Pinterest algorithm) what you have in store for them with the appropriate keywords and content, they won't even see your image. For this reason, keywords should be imaginatively included in pin descriptions, board descriptions, profile descriptions, and board names. However, avoid crafting material that appears to be low-effort keyword stuffing.

For best results, your pin descriptions should:

• Be front-loaded. Users will only view the first 75 to 100 characters in pin descriptions without clicking, even though they can have up to 500 characters. Put the crucial information that creates context and value first to encourage clicks.
• Read naturally. Although it's crucial to include keywords, you shouldn't forgo creativity or overburden consumers. People may find pin descriptions that are nothing more than a list of keywords off-putting and will stop interacting with you.
• Sell the pin. Users may think the adorable t-shirt you're selling fits their style, but if you mention in the description that it's made of superior organic cotton and that a percentage of the sales will go to charity, it may tilt the scales in your favor. Pinterest is a visual platform, but strong writing will always be important.

Choose a publishing schedule

Continuously post to Pinterest. How many pins you should publish each day is not governed by any rigid rules. One to five, according to some sources; 15 to 25 according to others. The easiest way to approach it is to think of it like any other social media platform: if you pin too little, your followers may become disinterested. A lot of pins run the danger of overloading them.

Start with what you can handle in terms of time and fresh material for pins. You may later modify your plan in light of Pinterest Analytics's observations as you post. Post more frequently throughout that time if you find that publishing five times a week during the daytime demonstrates improved reach and engagement. Test other times and pin frequencies if results at other times are less satisfactory.

Schedule pins using social media management software to streamline your life. Sprout Social and Tailwind are two well-known applications. They work well for automating the challenging aspects of Pinterest marketing so you can expand more quickly.

Run Pinterest ads

In essence, Promoted Pins are Pinterest advertising. Advertisers can place bids to have their adverts displayed to their desired audience in an auction-style format.

You may pay to have your pins appear in users' feeds when they are browsing or in their Pinterest search results by using sponsored pins. Promoted pins resemble ordinary pins but include a little “Promoted” tag at the bottom and can contain photos or videos.

You may optimize for various objectives with promoted pins. The user behaviors you pay for will depend on your goals and may include:

• Video views
• Conversions
• Catalog sales
• Consideration
• Brand awareness

You may set daily and overall budgets using the promoted pins system. Your advertising may be displayed in searches, feeds, or both. Additionally, you may set the beginning and ending dates of each campaign.

Choose a lifetime campaign if you want to distribute your campaign donations fairly over a lengthy time. Make a daily budget to establish the amount paid each day. The budgets will need to be adjusted automatically based on how long you want your ad to run.

Ahmed Samir founder of as-educate

You may use demographic and geographic targeting together with sponsored pins to build bespoke audiences from email lists for retargeting.

However, interest targeting and keyword targeting have greater utility than they do on other platforms. For both ad targeting and ensuring that your content appears in the appropriate searches organically, selecting the proper keywords is crucial. By selecting the appropriate interests, you may direct Pinterest to display your adverts to individuals who are most likely to be interested in them while surfing.

Ad placement in search results is a worthwhile option. You will be able to access individuals with high intent who are actively looking for information. Similar to Google Ads, but with a customer base that makes frequent purchases and adaptable, powerful images.

You cannot get this type of benefit from any other social media marketing strategy. Whether your target demographic uses Pinterest, it may be worthwhile to test out sponsored pins with a portion of your advertising budget to see if it is effective.

How to market on Pinterest: tips and tricks

Are you prepared to discover the techniques for Pinterest marketing? Explore the following tips and best practices to expand your visibility on Pinterest and boost sales:

Become a verified merchant

People may buy from vetted merchants on Pinterest with the aid of the Verified Merchant Program (VMP). When you are a certified merchant, customers who are looking for products on the site may see your pins naturally.

To become a verified merchant, you’ll need:

• Functioning tag
• An active catalog
• To meet Pinterest’s merchant guidelines

The creator of Sawinery, a one-stop store for anything related to woodworking, Robert Johnson, suggests becoming a certified merchant. In addition to getting a gleaming blue badge that gives your company a professional appearance, you'll also receive a Shop tab in your profile to house products.

The program's merchants may be found on Pinterest shopping trips. Your products may appear in similar pin experiences, placing them in front of the appropriate products who are on the lookout for new brands.

The program is free to join. Apply to become a verified merchant here.

Add Follow buttons

People may follow you on Pinterest by clicking the Follow button. With only one click, people may access your profile and explore your products or follow your company. Include this button on your website, blog, emails, and other communication channels, like in the Modern Citizen example.

Cross-post videos to Pinterest

Cross-posting is the practice of simultaneously sharing material from one platform (such as a TikTok video) across multiple social networks, such as Pinterest. It keeps your account current and saves you time and effort while publishing content.

Kyle Dulay, a co-founder of the influencer marketing platform Collabstr, has seen this tactic to be common on social media. According to him, cross-posting short videos from YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels to Pinterest is a current possibility for ecommerce brands.

“You may include links to your website in your Pinterest posts for those who want to learn more about the product they are seeing in the video. For prospective clients and website visitors, Pinterest is a great passive acquisition tool because of this”.

Here's an illustration of how the FaceTory Shopify company uses short videos on Pinterest to drive traffic to its website.

Avoid shortening website links

It's customary to include links from a pin to your website or product pages. Direct links from pins to your business can boost website traffic and conversion rates. Make sure all links are active (don't go to a 404 page) and aren't shortened with a program like bit.ly.

In your Pinterest descriptions, Patrick Crane, the creator of Love Sew, advises against reducing the links. “A Pinterest user frequently gets a spam alert when they click on a shortened link. Due to the perceived security risk, this causes friction for the user, who is less inclined to visit your site”.

Keep your linkages in their original minimize to reduce the likelihood of resistance and friction developing.

Collaborate using group boards

Adding collaborators to your Pinterest boards may have caught your attention if you've previously made some. Strategically using this can result in excellent outcomes.

To use group boards to your advantage, you can:

• Create a board with more influencers or subject-matter experts, “hosting” the board on your profile as they contribute their knowledge and excellent content. This works effectively with influencers with a specific audience that includes members of your target market as well as influencers with a broad appeal and sizable audiences.
• With each consumer, create a private board where you may exchange ideas. On a private message board, a business that creates bespoke designs or does engraving work may post several examples of what they can accomplish.
• Ask clients to post images of their interactions with your company on Pinterest. You may provide rewards for doing this, such as a Pinterest competition with a prize at the conclusion if their post has the most re-pins from other users. Sending clients an email with a link to the message board is a good way to start.

It's simple to invite a guest collaborator. Click the grey icon next to your logo on the group board. By using their Pinterest account's connected email address, you may invite particular individuals.

Pay attention to Pinterest Analytics

You may obtain a summary of your presence on Pinterest using Pinterest Analytics. It demonstrates which sponsored and organic content is popular with consumers and uses statistics to assist you in choosing future ads. You may also utilize the Video report and Conversion Insights to learn how well videos perform and how they affect your company objectives.

You may examine your performance, the most popular pins and boards, and particular stats like:

• Save rate
• Pin clicks
• Video views
• Impressions
• Engagements
• Total playtime
• Outbound clicks
• Total engaged audience

Having this knowledge will enable you to optimize your Pinterest approach and make wise content selections. To draw in comparable audiences, you might, for instance, identify the pins that receive the most views and clicks to your website and then make more pins with those same themes and visual cues.

Use the Pinterest app for Shopify

Do you need a simple way to manage both your Shopify and Pinterest accounts? Install the Shopify Pinterest app to rapidly import your product catalog and post pins for your merchandise. A Pinterest tag makes it simple to monitor performance and keeps pins automatically updated each day.

Through Shopify, creating a Pinterest business was simple. It pulls your Shopify catalog so you don't have to manually add new products, which is a clear benefit for shops. We offer hundreds of SKUs to Asian Beauty Essentials, one of our clients. The pricing and/or photos are instantly synced to Pinterest whenever we make a change.

 Lauren Petrullo, founder of Mongoose Media

People may find, save, and purchase products from your business on Pinterest when you submit a catalog. From your Shopify admin, you may also develop ad campaigns to raise awareness, encourage contemplation, or generate transactions. Installation is cost-free. Ad running is the only thing you have to pay for.

Make the most of Pinterest

Because users are as driven to save items for themselves as they are to share them with others, Pinterest is unlike any other social media platform.

It has extraordinary selling potential, especially for an online business. To thrive on Pinterest, you must have a thorough grasp of the target audience you're attempting to attract, maintain consistency with your pins, profile, and boards, and stay informed of best practices and platform updates. Have fun pinning!

Pinterest marketing FAQ