How to Use Pinterest for Business: A Comprehensive Guide

Pinterest is a visual social media platform that allows users to share and discover new ideas. It has over 200 million active users and is growing rapidly.

If you're not using Pinterest yet, you're missing out! In this comprehensive guide, we will teach you everything you need to know about using Pinterest for your business.

First, you need to understand how Pinterest works. Pinterest is a visual bookmarking site that allows users to save and organize images and videos.

Users can browse pins by topic, and they can also follow other users and boards to get new ideas.

Pinterest is described as a "visual search engine."

So, if you want to use it for your business, you need to know how to optimize your Pinterest account. FYI, Pinterest is still super relevant since people are using it a lot!

Therefore here's the secret to Pinterest success: you need to create nice images and visuals that appeal to people.

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. As a member of the Amazon Associates Program, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases. As a member of the LTK affiliate program, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Optimize your website or blog for Pinterest

If you want to use Pinterest for your business, you need to make sure your website is optimized for it.

Make sure you have high-quality images and videos, and that they are properly tagged with keywords.

You also need to create interesting and informative descriptions of your pins.

In addition, you need to make sure your website is mobile-friendly, as most Pinterest users access the site from their phones.

So, what do you need to do?

Create Pinterest-friendly content

If you want to be successful on Pinterest, you need to create content that is visually appealing and easy to share.

This means creating pins that are high-quality, creative, and informative.

Think about what kind of content would be most popular on Pinterest, and then create pins that are aligned with that.

And don't forget to add keywords to your website's metadata so Pinterest can properly crawl and index your site.

To do this, you will need to edit the code of your website. If you are not comfortable doing this, hire a developer to help you.

Create a Pinterest business account

To get started, you will need to create a Pinterest account.

You can do this by going to pinterest.com and clicking on the "Sign Up" button. Click the "Create a business account" option.

Once you have created your account, you will be able to start creating pins. To create a pin, click on the "+" icon in the top right corner of the screen. From there, you will be able to upload an image or video and add a description. You can also choose to pin from a website or re-pin someone else's pin.

Once you have created some pins, it's time to start building boards. To do this, click on the "Add +" button in the top right corner of the screen. From there, you will be able to create a new board and add pins to it. You can also invite other users to collaborate on your boards.

Now that you have some boards set up, it's time to start following other users. To do this, go to the profile of the user you want to follow, and click on the "Follow" button. Once you start following other users, their pins will appear in your home feed.

That's it! You now know everything you need to get started with Pinterest. Remember to be creative, and have fun!

By following the steps in this guide, you will be well on your way to becoming a Pinterest pro.

Pinterest now let's you upload 3 types of content:

1. Image Pins

2. Video Pins

3. Idea Pins (hint: this is what the algorithm prefers & many users too!)

Image Pins:

To create an image pin, click on the "+" in the top right-hand corner and select "create pin." You can then upload a photo from your computer or phone, or you can choose to import a photo from a website.

You will also need to add a description to your pin. Be sure to include keywords that describe your product or service, as this will help users find your pins when they use the search function.

I like to use Canva.com to create image pins.

The free version of Canva includes many free Pinterest templates. I recommend you change the images and use your own brand colors if you have them.

If you have a Canva premium subscription, you have more options and the pins will look better.

But I also like to purchase Pinterest templates on Etsy.com. These are quite affordable and you can find some really great designers on Etsy.

Best Canva Pinterest Pin Templates from Etsy

All you have to do is modify the image or text and you can even use Canva's free version to do this. It takes less than 10 minutes to create high-quality pins using templates!!

These are all digital files - you get a link to the products, download them and they open in Canva so you can start editing right away.

200 Pinterest pin template bundle - $14.99

10 Pinterest templates (feminine) - $3.60

Idea Pin Bundle Pack - $15

100+ Pin Power Template Kit for Pinterest - $27.96

Video Pins:

In addition to regular image pins, you can also upload video pins. To do this, click on the "Upload Video" button in the top right corner of the screen. From there, you will be able to upload a video from your computer or mobile device.

Rich Pins: Rich pins are a type of pin that includes extra information, such as the price of a product, or the ingredients in a recipe. To create a rich pin, you will need to install the Pinterest tag on your website.

Once you have done this, your pins will automatically include additional information when they are pinned. This is a good option if you are selling products on Pinterest from your own website or online shop (i.e Shopify).

Idea Pins:

Idea pins are a new type of pin that allows users to create short videos or instructional type content.

To create an idea pin, click on the "Create Pin" button in the top right corner of the screen. Then, select the "Idea" option.

It's best to use a smartphone to create Idea pins.

If you are creating an idea pin from scratch, I recommend using the app store on your phone to find video editing apps.

I also recommend using a tripod or propping your phone up against something so that it doesn't move around while you are filming.

If you are creating an idea pin from an existing video, I recommend using the iMovie app on your iPhone. This app is free and you can edit videos before you upload them.

Pinterest also lets you edit idea pins and you can record voiceovers, add text, and make the video shorter or longer.

One thing I don't like about idea pins is that they don't link to other pages. You have to add a manual text in the description and tell people where to go or what action to take. You can also paste the link in the description and hope they copy and paste it into their browser.

Most Pinterest users will just click onto your Pinterest profile to see others' pins or visit your website or blog from there.

How to ensure your pins are SEO optimized

For example, if you sell products on your website, you could create pins with beautiful product photos and compelling descriptions.

Make sure to also include a link back to your website so users can purchase the products they see on your pins.

Use keywords strategically

Just like with any other platform, you need to use keywords strategically on Pinterest.

When creating pins and boards, be sure to include relevant keywords so users can easily find your content.

You can also use hashtags to make your content more discoverable.

To find the right keywords, you can use the Pinterest search function and see what pops up.

You can also use Google Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords.

Just enter a keyword related to your business or product and Google will show you a list of related keywords with monthly search volume data.

This is a great way to find keywords that you can use on Pinterest.

Get creative with your boards

Your boards are where you pin your content. You can have as many boards as you want and you can name them whatever you like.

When creating boards, be sure to get creative and think outside the box.

Think about what kinds of things your target audience would be interested in and create boards accordingly.

You can also create collaborative boards, which are perfect for promoting content with other businesses or influencers in your industry.

To do this, simply invite others to contribute to your board.

This is a great way to get more eyes on your content and reach a new audience.

Promote your Pinterest presence on your other channels

Make sure to promote your Pinterest presence on your other social media channels and on your website.

This will help you get more followers and drive traffic back to your content.

You can do this by adding a Pinterest widget to your website or blog, or by adding a Pinterest button to your email signature.

You can also add a "Pin It" button to your website so visitors can easily share your content on Pinterest.

Conclusion

Pinterest is a great platform for businesses of all sizes. By using the tips in this guide, you can make the most of Pinterest and drive traffic back to your website or blog.

What are your thoughts on using Pinterest for business? Let me know in the comments below!