Knowing how to use Pinterest for bloggers can be an extremely useful tool – here’s what I’ve learnt from my Pinterest so far!
If you’re looking for ways to grow your blog and generate more traffic to your website, there are many ways in which this can be done.
Bloggers generally have two strategies for developing traffic. Through Google Search, and through Pinterest.
I prefer to target my readership through Pinterest, which is why it has become such a valuable tool for me. It’s made a huge difference, even in the few months I’ve been more dedicated to blogging.
Although I’m not dealing with crazy numbers yet, it’s still made a noticeable difference in my overall readership and traffic to my blog.
Today I’m going to be sharing everything I’ve learnt as a new blogger on Pinterest, so you can see first hand how to grow a blog from the very beginning!
Why use Pinterest for bloggers?
Did you know that Pinterest is a powerful, visual search engine?
Whilst some people will go to Google for their questions, many will go to Pinterest to research topics. Here they’ll be able to find new ideas and information through the endless supply of pins.
Because it is a visuals-based app, it’s an ideal place to showcase blog content through attractive images and graphics. With aesthetic content and descriptive words, you can draw a wide range of users to your blog.
Pins last a long time on Pinterest, resurfacing for a range of different searches. This means that you can consistently generate traffic to your blog posts, even ones that were posted a long time ago.
It’s a great way to sustain and organically grow your posts, sending traffic to both new and old.
Lastly, it can help you to better target your niche and audience, by reviewing your analytics and pinpointing your audience through their demographics.
You’ll be able to see what people respond positively to, through outbound clicks and saves, and how your audience is engaging with your content overall.
How to get started?
It’s very easy to get started on Pinterest!
One of the most important steps is going to be setting up a business account. This is essential to be able to view your analytics, and to see what’s working and what isn’t.
You can either choose to set up a brand new business account, or convert an existing personal account.
However, I would say that the only benefit from converting a personal account is if you already have an established following.
You will need to be cautious of the fact that this following may not be interested in your new blog posts. That’s why I think starting fresh is best.
Creating a business account is actually very simple, and can be achieved in a few steps:
- Start by going to: https://uk.pinterest.com/business/create/
- Fill out your email, create a password and add your date of birth
- Create your account and build your profile
And that’s it! For more information about opening your business account, make sure to check out this article from Pinterest.
Optimising your profile
Now that you have your business account set up, you need to optimise your profile.
You want to make sure your branding is clear, with an obvious link to your blog. I have used my blog logo as my profile picture, to ensure that clear connection.
Within your bio you also want to ensure you’re getting your main keywords in there. As I have a lifestyle blog, I have tailored my bio to read:
“Exploring lifestyle themes, tips and ideas about Self Care, Organisation Hacks, Productive Routines, and Writing Advice.”
That way, followers know exactly what they’re getting, and the whole profile is more concise and relevant.
Lastly, you want to create 3-5 boards that focus on your main themes, that you can save your pins and other people’s content to.
That way, there are clear links to all aspects of my blog posts, and there is a clear focus about what I am exploring. It will draw interested readers to my blog directly too.
Important tips to consider
Now that you’ve set up and optimised your account, it’s time to get pinning!
Here are 3 of the most important tips to consider:
Create content that stands out
There is endless content available on Pinterest, so you need to make yours stand out. Use bold fonts, eye-catching colours and fun imagery to make a point, and draw people to your blog posts.
Don’t over-pin
After I set a new post live, I create 3-4 pins to share over the upcoming week. I also like to pin 3-5 from other creators, exploring similar themes. That way I am creating or engaging every day, to help build an audience. But don’t pin too many each day as that can come across as spammy, causing more harm than good to your account.
Use your keywords
Always remember to use your keywords in every pin. Put them in the title, description and alt text, and make sure that they are highlighted on every pin you create.
Keep learning about Pinterest for bloggers
Lastly, don’t forget to keep learning. It’s one of the best things you can do, not just for Pinterest but for every aspect of your blog.
As I said in the beginning, I’m not dealing with crazy numbers, but Pinterest has already made a massive different to my overall readership.
So, as well as sharing my own experience and tips with the app in this post, I’m also on the lookout to keep learning. I don’t think you should ever stop learning!
You can learn best practices from other bloggers, see what works well and what doesn’t, learn from people’s mistakes and their successes.
Blogging is a great community to be a part of, and I think we can all learn something from each other. What do you think?
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