If you know me, you know that my obsession with Pinterest marketing is slightly out of hand. It's not just because I'm a Libra, who appreciates a good aesthetic more than most (although that is definitely a huge part of it), but it's also because marketing on Pinterest feels aligned to my business. First, it's a much slower form of creation where the pace of scrolling mirrors my conscious marketing mission. Second, it's far more passive... meaning that I don't have to be "on" as much and can be far more present. Third, it really works with a lot more effort than other social media platforms. So, it's slower, it means I can switch off more and my marketing can be more effective... what's not to love!?
So, how is Pinterest used for marketing?
Pinterest marketing needs to be different from other platforms. Mostly, because the formatting of posting and being content being discovered is not the same. Carousels won't work over here... and longer video content probably won't either. Aesthetic is far more important on Pinterest and visuals are what capture attention. Where Instagram has focused more on reality, Pinterest marketing is still rooted in aspiration. Levels of escapism are far higher and people are looking to be inspired rather than get lost in a doom scroll where anything goes.This means your content needs to be more bigger picture, skies the limit, balmy for the nervous system and a snapshot of a deeper expression.
This is great for marketing because you meeting people at a totally different energy. Where they may be fast-scrolling and zoned out on other platforms, Pinterest tends to invite a slower scroll, deeper engagement and a more inspired mind. A huge element of marketing is considering how people are receiving your messaging... something I dive into in my FREE Connect to Creation masterclass.
This means people are more receptive to receiving content, taking their time exploring it and exploring your other channels. Which leads us onto...
Does Pinterest marketing work?
What a lot of people don't know is that Pinterest is actually a search engine. Whilst ranking on Google is a pretty relentless task that usually involves a lot of time and money, ranks on Pinterest are actually within reach (depending on the topic/search-ability/competition, of course). A well written/designed pin has far more chance of being seen by people searching, thus increasing its effectiveness.
The algorithm is a lot easier to navigate too. With Instagram, your posts have a shorter shelf-life in that they move through people's feeds and disappear. Pinterest marketing boasts far greater longevity in that they can appear whenever anyone searches, or have searched similar. This means your Pinterest marketing strategy can be a lot slower. You don't need to post relentlessly, constantly try to keep up with what is trending and update on every little thing. You can create far less and still reach people just as much (maybe more).
It is also far more effective at promoting your longer form content, directing people to your website, or selling a service with it's direct-link function. Arguably the biggest downfall of Instagram marketing is the need to add "link in bio" to just about anything. When people are doom scrolling they can be really lazy and even just having that as a barrier is enough to put them off. If you have a masterclass, meditation, blog post, service page that you want to direct people to, Pinterest marketing is incredibly effective.
So, what is an effective Pinterest marketing stategy?
The great thing about developing a Pinterest marketing strategy is that it is actually less of a guessing game. When you work on a grid and a chronological newsfeed (like on Instagram), you need to be posting with variety and in a way that ties all together. You do still need to do that on Pinterest, but there is also far more room for experimentation. If you have a post you want to share, you can test out multiple graphics and phrases to see what type lands for your audience... something I highly reccomend doing.
Then, just like on Instagram you have different kinds of pins. Think of "idea pins" like your "story". Here you can share snippets and more "real-time" focused content. Then, your actual pins are the main event... the graphic/picture/video that invites people to tap onto it and continue their journey with you. To encourage that "tap", keyword research is your best-friend on Pinterest. You can start by typing your topic into the search bar... the things that come up are what people are looking for, so pinch that wording in your title and it will boost its chances of being found! The same can be applied within the descriptions, the tags and the "alt-description" (all of which can be found when you go to add a new pin).
After testing some different strategies and exploring what lands, Pinterest marketing doesn't require you to be overly innovative, or always on top of trends like other platforms do. You can relax in a much slower approach to marketing. If you have a freebie, or something you want to promote, posting ads on Pinterest is far easier too. Make sure your profile is a business one, then tap "promote" on a pin - select the Pinterest automated targeting and watch the magic happen. I experimented with a few pins and got these results in just a couple of weeks!
Want to give it a try yourself, but feel like you might want a bit of strategy support? You can book a 90 minute call with me here.
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