Are you getting the most juice out of Pinterest when it comes to getting eyes on your work and driving traffic to your business? Pinterest is one of the most popular platforms for visual inspiration and discovery, making it a valuable tool for photographers looking to grow their business. With over 400 million monthly active users, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity to showcase their work, drive traffic to their website, and connect with potential clients.
In this blog post, we'll look at the different ways you can use Pinterest to increase your visibility, build your brand, and grow your business. From creating eye-catching boards to optimizing your profile so you show up in more searches, we'll share tips and strategies for leveraging Pinterest to reach your target audience and achieve your business goals.
Let’s dive in! (this is a long one but I promise it’s worth it!)
Before we get started, lets first clarify this one very important point about Pinterest. It is not a social media platform, it is a search engine. Why is this important to remember? Keeping this front of mind when creating content and posting on Pinterest will help you approach it with search engine tactics, rather than social media tactics, which will result in more traffic to your website- the main goal of using Pinterest!
Purpose: One of the biggest differences between search engines and social media is their purpose. Search engines are designed to help users find specific information, websites, or products based on their search queries. Social media is primarily designed for users to connect with others and share content, ideas, and experiences.
Search vs. Feed: Another key difference is the way that users interact with content on these platforms. With search engines, users actively search for and select the content they want to view. With social media, users are presented with a feed of content that the platform's algorithm determines is most relevant to them based on their interests, past behavior, and other factors.
Paid vs. Organic: Search engines and social media also differ in terms of their approach to advertising. Search engines offer paid search ads that appear at the top of search results pages based on keywords or phrases. Social media, on the other hand, offers paid social ads that appear in users' feeds or in other areas of the platform based on targeting options.
User Intent: Search engine users typically have a specific intent or need in mind when conducting a search. They are actively looking for a solution or answer to a problem. Social media users, on the other hand, are often browsing or seeking inspiration, and may not have a specific intent or need in mind. Huge win for Pinterest here- most Pinterest users head to the platform with a very specific intent in mind- to buy (or book) something they are already looking for.
Content Types: Finally, search engines and social media differ in the types of content that perform well on each platform. Search engines prioritize informational content that answers users' questions, while social media is more geared towards visual and engaging content, such as images and videos, that can be easily shared and interacted with.
Here are some tips on how to optimize your Pinterest profile so you show up in more searches, #goals.
Since your Pinterest profile picture and bio are the first things potential clients will see, it's important to make a good impression, and you only have a very small area to make that first impression in. Your profile picture should be a high-quality photo of yourself or your work, and your bio should be clear, concise, and informative. Be sure to include your name, what you do, and what you offer. You can also include a link to your website or portfolio, or to really amp up that traffic to your website mojo, add a link to a lead magnet to your bio instead of just a link to your website so you can collect emails- leads anyone? You can also add a link to a digital product, course, or your current mini session offerings or booking events.
Here are some tips for choosing the right profile picture and bio for your photography business Pinterest account:
Ahh the magical keywords again! SEO and the importance of doing keyword research will always be key to showing up in any search engine, including Pinterest. Here are 3 things you can do to get the most SEO juice out of your keyword research.
Take advantage of the autocomplete search feature in Google. This is free and it is super useful to get an idea of what people are searching for online. Also, anytime something wants to do part of my work for me, I’m all-in- let’s work smarter, not harder.
To get more ideas as to what people are searching for, look to the “people also ask section” of Google search results. This is another wealth of informational golden nuggets that Google offers up. You can find some great long tail keywords in this section, which make for great pin descriptions or titles. You can also optimize boards with these.
Last but not least, check the top 3 search results and see what keywords they are using in their posts. Incorporate these into your descriptions and optimize your chance for showing up in search results.
Free or paid, keyword research tools are a valuable tool for finding which keywords to use. Both Moz and Semrush offer free versions of keyword tools to get you started. When it comes to Pinterest, I find the combo of the above Google and (below) in-app Pinterest search tactics to give you a more impactful result as to what people are searching for on the platform.
Pinterest is a search engine after all, so why not use it? This is one of the most underused ways to find keywords imho. Use the autofill method in the Pinterest search bar and it will give you a bunch of keywords that people are searching for. This is a huge tell for what you should be using as a keyword for your pins- if people are already searching for this keyword, you want to try to rank in there as well. You’ll also want to make your keywords a mix of very popular, middle of the road, and more niche keywords to increase your visibility in search results.
For the best results with your keywords, use a mix of these tactics and you will get a clear picture of what people are searching for.
Tip: Be sure to use keywords in your title as well as in your Pin description for the most impact.
Consistency: Consistency is key when it comes to building a following on Pinterest. Aim to post new content regularly and on a schedule that your audience can rely on.
Quality: Make sure your content is high-quality and visually appealing. Pinterest is a visual platform, so investing time in creating beautiful, eye-catching images can go a long way in attracting followers. (Photographers, see how Pinterest is made for you?! It’s a traffic driving machine using skills you already have 🙂)
Test, track, and adjust- Always be looking at your analytics to see what your audience is responding to, and what is driving the most traffic to your website. Don’t be afraid to try different things and see what works best for your business and brand.
When it comes to measuring success on Pinterest, many people focus on either their number of followers or their number of views. But which metric is actually more important when it comes to growing your photography business? Let's take a closer look at followers versus views on Pinterest.
Followers can represent a loyal audience who have chosen to subscribe to your content. But, a high number of followers can also represent someone who has been on the platform forever and Pins the ever loving heck out of everything on the platform without any business intent behind what they are doing. So, on Pinterest, followers are kind of like a gravy boat- nice to have, but you’re not ruined without them.
On the other hand, views are more important because they represent the number of people who have seen your content, regardless of whether they are following you or not. A high number of views can increase brand visibility and help your content reach a wider audience.
So, which is more important? For the purpose of getting more traffic to your website, more views and clicks on pins is the winner.
The idea pin has been a pain point for pInterest users in the past because you were not able to add links to these pins. When your goal is to have people view your pin and then click to your website, you can see how this is problematic and causes many website and blog owners to really get a bad taste in their mouth as their traffic to their site declines. Good news, kind of. You can now add links to idea pins, if they are affiliate links or links to the products in your idea pins. Pinterest is focusing on ecommerce, and this update is great for anyone who offers affiliate programs , sells courses, or digital products.
So while you can’t get site traffic from idea pins if you have any affiliate or product links you want to promote, this is a good opportunity for that. These are great to promote digital downloads you may have, such as what to wear guides, or a guide on how to prep for your upcoming photoshoot.
When it comes to video, Pinterest is still pushing users to create video content and share it on their platform. With video pins, you can add links to your website. You can also add product or affiliate links to video pins.
All in all, using a mix of idea pins and video is the answer. Especially if you want to nurture a passive source of income in your photography business with an affiliate program (you can check out Picsello’s ambassador program here 🙂) you’ll want to add in idea pins to your Pinterest strategy.
Optimize Pins for Search: By using relevant keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and boards, you can optimize your pins for search and make them more discoverable to potential customers. Be sure to use descriptive, keyword-rich captions and add relevant hashtags to your pins to make them easier to find.
Create Eye-Catching Pins: Pinterest is a visual platform, so it's important to create eye-catching pins that will grab the attention of potential customers. Use high-quality images that showcase your work and create attractive graphics or collages to showcase multiple images in one pin. Also, consider using text overlays on your images to add more context and encourage clicks. Don’t be afraid to play around with different pin styles, find a few that get good click throughs and then use those as your templates to save time. Down the road you can always add more or change things up.
Promote Pins with Paid Advertising: Paid advertising on Pinterest can be a great way to get your pins in front of a larger audience and drive traffic to your website. You can create promoted pins that target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. You can also use retargeting to show ads to people who have already engaged with your content on Pinterest or visited your website.
Use Clear and Compelling Calls to Action: Encourage your audience to take a specific action with a CTA, such as clicking through to your website, or making a purchase. To create effective CTAs, use clear and actionable language that encourages users to take action. For example, "Click to Learn More" or "Shop Now" are clear and effective CTAs. Try to keep it to one CTA per Pin.
Create Vertical Pins: Pinterest recommends using vertical pins with an aspect ratio of 2:3 or 1:2.1, as they take up more space in the feed and are more likely to catch users' attention. Also, use high-quality images with bright, bold colors and eye-catching graphics to make your pins stand out.
Optimize Pin Descriptions: In addition to using clear and compelling CTAs, optimize your pin descriptions with relevant keywords that will help your pins show up in search results. Be sure to use descriptive language that explains what your pin is about and how it relates to your brand or product. Also, include a URL in your pin description that links back to your website to make it easy for users to click through. If you are using an Idea Pin, you can take advantage of linking to an affiliate program or product.
The easy answer? Only if you are collaborating on something and want to drive traffic to that person. Pinning other people’s pins will not have any affect on how much traffic you get to your own website.
Pinterest groups have been a very important part of growing your Pinterest account and of getting more eyes and clicks on your Website for a while. Today, they are not as important as they used to be. Groups can take a lot of time to find and maintain, so you are probably better off optimizing your own boards then hunting down group boards on the regular. That said, joining groups on Pinterest will not hurt you, they just won't have the same impact on your growth and views as they used to.
Yes! Make clearing out underperforming pins as well as pins that have broken links part of your regular Pinterest workflow. Removing these fall-flat pins will raise your ability to show up in more places on the platform.
Pinterest’s Business Profile has some pretty useful tools for analyzing the data for your account. Here are the most important numbers to pay attention to and why each is important.
Every platform, search or social, will have its ups and downs, its positives and negatives. In the case of Pinterest, the benefits still win out for photographers. Because Pinterest is such a visual platform, with users who visit with a clear intent to find and purchase (or book!), you should definitely be optimizing your Pinterest account!
In addition to growth, Pinterest analytics is a pretty decent tool for taking a look at who your audience is (demographics), what they are searching for, and what parts of your photography business drives them to click through and visit your website.
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