How to Use Pinterest for Business (and Massively Increase Page Views!)

Do you use Pinterest for your business? If not, you are missing out on a huge marketing opportunity! Pinterest has become one of the biggest website traffic-drivers out there. So let’s look at how to use Pinterest for business (and massively increase page views!)

Pinterest is often referred to as a social media platform, though it works completely differently than any other social media out there.

All other social media platforms are dependent upon connection with people. The entire point of the other platforms is for users to see your posts, and then interact with you.

Pinterest is different in that regard. Although you are able to follow people and even comment on their pins, honestly… that’s not the point of Pinterest.

Pinterest is a giant search engine with a visual component.

Just like you head to Google to search for topics that are relevant to you… you head to Pinterest for the same reason.

All of that may have sounded techy or theoretical, but trust me…. it’s important! 

You see – the reason articles are found through Google is because these articles have the same words in their titles and text that people are searching for.

This is the same on Pinterest!

When you head to Pinterest and search for something, you type in a relevant word or phrase into the search bar. Then pins with that same word or phrase (in the titles or the descriptions) show up in the search results.

The words that people search for are called “KEYWORDS.”

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Then…. let’s follow down the path of a Pinterest user a little further….

After you – Pinterest user – are served the search results, you then click on the pin that has the most relevant title and the best visual appeal.

Both of these things matter significantly, because THESE are the criteria you use to decide whether to click on the pin or not!

Now, let’s jump into the shoes of a marketer.

You  – marketer – are wanting to drive massive traffic to your website or blog, and so you start using Pinterest for business marketing.

There are 3 things that matter above ALL else when you are pinning for your business.

• properly keywording your Pins
• creating scroll-stopping visuals
• being consistent

Let’s break these 3 things down into detail.

How to Use Pinterest for Business (and Massively Grow Your Page Views!)

#1. Properly Keyword Your Pins

When you head to your Pinterest account, you can create a pin. You load the image that you’ve created for your pin, and then you enter a whole bunch of descriptive information.

Entering this information is a HUGE part of the process!

You will start by giving your pin a TITLE at the top. 

Make the title something descriptive, so that people will know exactly what they will find by clicking through to your website or article.

It should be a title that grabs their attention and makes them want to read more. Even better – it should include words or a phrase that people are searching for on Pinterest.

How do you know what people are searching for on Pinterest? Glad you asked!

Head up to the search bar at the top, and let’s do a little research.

Type in something relevant to your pin, and see what ideas populate below the search bar. These are the most searched-for phrases that are related to what you started typing.

For example, I typed in “Facebook marketing.” I now see that “Facebook marketing strategy” would be a good phrase to use, as well as “Facebook marketing tips.” And so on.

When you start to do some searching on Pinterest, it can become clear what people are looking for! You want people to find YOUR pin when they search, so it’s a good idea to use those same phrases in your pin titles and descriptions.

You will then give your new pin a DESCRIPTION.

At the top, include a sentence or 2 that describes what the article or link is about, and really grabs some attention.

Something that works well is to ask a leading question, and then answer it with some great keywords.

For example:

“Would you like your Facebook marketing strategy to be simple? Here are 10 simple ways to improve your Facebook marketing.”

Then after your 2 sentence description, you have more space that you can fill in with keywords and hashtags. Here’s where you get to put all of your keyword research to use!

Start listing keywords and phrases below your description, that will show up in search results.

Here’s what I might include under my “Facebook marketing” pin description above.

Social media marketing | small business marketing | entrepreneur | blog | blogging | online business | marketing ideas | social media tips | business tips

Putting these keywords at the end of your description allows your pin to come up in the search results when someone searches for ANY of those terms or phrases. Fit as many relevant keywords in as you can.

As a note… Pinterest tried adding hashtags to their platform a while ago, but it never seemed to catch on. I recommend not worrying about including captions in your pin descriptions.

#2. Create Scroll-Stopping Visuals

When you are creating a pin, it’s important to make it really appealing and simple to read.

People scroll quickly, and you want them to be attracted to your pin!

You can use all kinds of design programs to create your pin. My personal favorite tool is Canva. Here you can simply create something as the “Pinterest Pin” size, or even use one of their premade templates.

You can search for stock photos that will work for your pin and put in text over the top.

Make sure that the pin is easy to read, and that it will attract your idea customers.

Not sure what to design?

Head to Pinterest for a while and do some research! Scroll along, search for things in your niche and see what catches your eye.

When you see a pin that you really like, take a screen shot. Do this for a while, and you will have several “looks” that you’d like to try to reproduce.

#3. Be Consistent.

As with ALL things social media…consistency is the most important factor.

You will not see the effects of your regular pinning right away. In fact, it may take a couple of weeks to see much difference at all in your traffic!

But, pins live a very long time on Pinterest, and they will continue to get saves and clicks long after you’ve pinned them.

So the game is to be on Pinterest, putting up new content every day, or at least several times per week.

Show the Pinterest algorithm that you are there regularly and an active participant in the platform. Pinterest will then reward you by showing your pin more often!

Show up, be consistent, and watch the results come in.

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