New Pinterest v Old Pinterest
Have you been using Pinterest in your marketing but aren’t not seeing the results you want? Then it’s time to switch things up! Pinterest has evolved significantly over the past few years, especially in how it supports businesses and what it expects from users.
If you’re still using your business Pinterest account the same way you use your personal one or you’re still following the Pinterest “rules” from three years ago, it’s no wonder you’re not getting the traction you’re after.
Here’s a quick guide to help you catch up with the new (and in my opinion better) Pinterest way of doing things.
Don’t do this on Pinterest:
1. Pin other people’s content Sharing other people's pins used to be a common strategy, but it's no longer effective and isn’t a good use of your time. If people find these pins on your profile you’re potentially sending them off to your competitors. Focus on creating and sharing your own original content.
2. Don’t pin the exact same pin across multiple boards Avoid repeating the same design, pin title, pin description and, if possible, pin URL across different boards. Pinterest rewards fresh content. Duplicates are just not going to be pushed out by the Pinterest algorithm. Instead, switch up your designs to keep your content fresh and engaging. Change the text (Pinterest reads text on images) and images and switch your brand colours around. Make sure you’re creating unique pin titles and descriptions – ChatGPT is your best friend for this!
3. Don’t pin to group boards While group boards were once a popular feature, Pinterest no longer rewards this practice. Plus, you don’t need the pressure of feeling obliged to re-pin content that doesn’t truly align with your brand.
4. Don’t use hashtags Hashtags on the platform became overused so Pinterest stopped reading them. Instead of hashtags, focus on getting as many keywords into your pin titles and descriptions.
Do this on Pinterest:
1. Create, don’t curate Unless you’re putting together a mood board, focus on creating unique content rather than curating others’ work.
2. Create original content Pinterest ranks original content higher in search results. Use tools like Canva to design engaging pins that stand out. There are loads of lovely templates in there that you can easily customise with your brand fonts and colours.
3. Create video pins Video content is gaining traction on Pinterest. Repurpose your Instagram Reels and Stories as video pins to take advantage of this trend but remove the watermark first. I use SnapInsta to do this.
4. Use lots of keywords Everything on Pinterest is searchable (even the file name of your pin images and videos), so load your descriptions, titles, and board names with relevant keywords to increase your visibility and get you in front of the right people. Again ChatGPT will help you with this.
In essence, Pinterest wants you to be as original and creative as possible. By focusing on creating unique, high quality content and leveraging keywords, you’ll make the most of your precious time on the platform and see better results.
How have you been using Pinterest for your business? Are these new practices something you’ve already implemented, or is this news to you? Get in touch, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
