What Makes a Great Pinterest Pin?
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Pinterest is my favorite way to drive traffic to a shop’s website. With over 440 million monthly users, your audience is on the platform, just waiting to find you!
As a search and discovery engine, Pinterest strategy relies on a combination of visuals and keywords to be successful. You need to have great pins!
So what makes a great pin, anyway?
Fresh Pins
Fresh pins simply means an image that has not been on Pinterest before. This was a change to the Pinterest algorithm that happened during the summer of 2020. They saw that users responded positively to new content, so they gave it more weight in search results.
Captivating Image
The Pinterest user is scrolling through a sea of images. What are you doing to stop the scroll? Try to use your own product photography over stock images. Test using flat lays vs. modeled shots vs. lifestyle images to see what your audience prefers.
Text Overlay
Adding text to your pin gives the users context.
When they see the pin with an image of an office, will your pin be about the desk chair you sell? Motivational boss quotes? How to organize your work day?
Not only will you attract the right type of pinner, but you will help the platform index your pin. Pinterest crawls the image, and can actually ‘read’ the words on the pin. This is not the place to use loopy, swirly fonts, since it may cause Pinterest to mis-read the text.
Keywords
Since people are searching on Pinterest, keywords are how they find you. They are a crucial component to your Pinterest marketing strategy. You’ll want to include them in your board names, descriptions, pins, and profile.
Branding
Branding, using the same color palette and fonts, can be helpful for pinners to identify your pins, so they can consume more of your content. However, there may be times when it is useful to go off brand. For instance, if a user is looking for Christmas Cookie Recipes, your neon pink pin may stand out in a sea of red and green pins. This is a great opportunity to test, and see what your audience responds to.
Call to Action
Did you know that people want to be told what to do? Tell them! “Shop here,” or “read more” are simple and effective CTAs. I often use something like “Visit ShopExample.com for more ‘keyword’ and ‘keyword’ to help you ‘keyword.”
Use these tips as a guide when creating your pins for Pinterest, and attract more leads in your Pinterest marketing.
