Most people dismiss Pinterest as the place where moms go and share food pictures. But in reality, it is a powerful medium still waiting to be harnessed – if only you know how to use Pinterest. While platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become standard for sharing posts & pictures, there is a demand for other options too, and Pinterest has always been there. So, it is time to know more about it and how can you increase web traffic with Pinterest.
What is Pinterest?
If you are into digital marketing, you almost certainly know about Pinterest. Like the name cleverly suggests, Pinterest is similar to a pinboard, only digital.
Users find images and videos across the internet and pin them in boards in Pinterest under appropriate categories. Most of these are clickable and redirect to the original website where the image was posted.
It is natural to ask “So why Pinterest when the same could be done through Google Image Search?” Yes, Google Image Search is indeed an exhaustive way to find images, even the ones that are seemingly impossible to find. But Pinterest works differently. The Pinterest feed works similar to YouTube feed: You just keep exploring without any fixed objective in mind. So the most accurate way to differentiate between the two engines is “search vs. explore”.
How to Get Traffic from Pinterest?
Many people still disregard the potential of Pinterest, but if used in the correct way, it can make you or your brand famous. Let’s check out how you can get traffic from Pinterest.
1. Sign Up for All Great Things
The beginning of the journey matters, so make sure you are well-prepared for it. Assuming you already know how to use Pinterest, you should get the appropriate tools in your arsenal when you sign up for an account.
• Go Business
You are a professional, not a casual wanderer. Hence, sign up for the business account. It gives you many perks, some of which we will discuss below.
• Pinterest Analytics
As you might be aware, analytics are very important tools today for gauging the traffic and other metrics. With the business account, you get access to Pinterest Analytics. Once you verify your website, it would perform the necessary analytics and give you the insights.
• Rich Pins
You should apply for Rich pins right from the beginning, as they are much more expressive than regular pins. These rich pins are of different types and each comes with a further set of features like a direct link to your website.
• Article Pins
In case you are a blogger looking to increase traffic on your WordPress blog site, article pins come in handy. You can use them with plugins like Yoast SEO by enabling Open Graph on your blog.
2. Make the Right Description
While Pinterest might seem like all about images, the description also plays a vital role.
Analytics over Pinterest content has revealed that certain descriptions make the image more pin-worthy and get more traffic. As a general rule, here is what you should strive for to get more traffic from Pinterest:
• Detailed
Descriptions are the place where you could explain what the pin is all about. Make it count by describing everything about the pin in a concise way.
• Interesting
While the image has to be pin-worthy, the description too must put efforts to capture everyone’s attention. You must use words that invoke emotions and positivity.
• Actionable
The only way to drive traffic from Pinterest is if the images are clicked. You should not remain at the mercy of user’s will and instead introduce call-to-action in the description that would prompt them to click on the pin.
3. Pin at the Right Time
Let’s understand one thing: Pinterest sees a huge traffic. Every second dozens of pins are added to the site. It is very easy for your pin to get lost unless you pin smartly.
To ensure your audience is active when you post your pin, you must know “when” they are active. The rules are both general and specific.
Generally, working hours on weekdays are the worst opportunities to post pins since everybody is busy in the office. Evening 8 pm to 11 pm does see a spike in viewership. Saturday late morning is the best time to post since people devote maximum time to check their notifications. Specifically, you can try to gauge the best times for the audience you are targeting. For instance, college students are generally the most active at late nights.
4. Create Pin-worthy Images
Okay, let’s be honest: the whole point of posting images is so that other people might pin them. Apart from the obvious stunning factor, there are many other things that contribute to increase web traffic on a pin:
• Image Size
The primary platform of Pinterest users is mobile, so the platform naturally favors vertical images. While the resolution is entirely your choice, the aspect ratio should be optimized for mobile viewing. Generally, 2:3 or 4:5 ratios are preferred.
• Charm Factor
In the end, it is your image that attracts the viewers, and viewers are those who drive traffic from Pinterest to your website or blog. There are certain things that make a pin attractive. Since people come on Pinterest to relax from Facebook and Instagram, having human faces in the pins is quite undesirable. Colors are also vital; vibrant colors make a pin quite adorable, but the tone should be kept light rather than dark.
• Include Text
Okay, here is something you should be careful with. When done right, the text is the best call-to-action there is, long before anybody reads the description. It gives a more professional touch to the pin. But too much text would be both distracting and boring. So, you must find the right balance.
5. Join Pinterest Boards
Pinterest is what happens when Google Image Search falls in love with Facebook. The platform has entire group boards dedicated to specific topics. However, getting into them could be a little tricky, as, unlike subreddits, they are not open for all.
You can gain the trust of group creators by pinning their content and commenting on their images.
Once you are inside a group, it is time to use it for driving traffic. The easiest way is by being a regular contributor. Sooner or later, people would notice this and check out your Pinterest profile. You can also reuse the previous strategy and comment on other people’s pins, thus gaining their attention. However, the most important use of Pinterest boards is getting a following, because where else would you find such a huge pool of like-minded individuals?
Conclusion
Overall, it is really not hard to understand how to get traffic from Pinterest. Just a mix of creativity, strategy, and vision can get more traffic from your pins. The platform promises a lot.
Also you can get traffic from Reddit. Learn how!
