At the start of 2022 Pinterest had over 431 million active monthly users. The popularity shows that the space is crowded and that getting followers can be tricky, especially in a country like the UK.
However, some strategies can be implemented to help get more followers for your Pinterest. In this article, we will discuss some strategies that can help grow your Pinterest audience.
1). Use a Pinterest business account
Pinterest has certain tools accessible to business accounts. Using a Pinterest business account can help you gain more followers through tools such as unique content formats, advanced analytics, shopping features, and the ability to create an ad account to promote your content.
If you are creating a new account on Pinterest, you can opt to turn it into a business account during the setup process. You can also convert an existing account to a business account.
Below are the steps for converting your existing account to a business account.
- Log into your personal Pinterest account
- Tap your profile picture at the bottom right corner.
- Tap the three dots at the top-right corner.
- Tap Settings
- Tap Account management then tap Convert to a business account.
- Tap Convert account.
- Enter your profile name then click on Next.
- Enter your website URL and click on Next or click Skip this step
- Select from the list to describe your business ( blogger, creator, local service, publisher or media, etc), and click on Next.
- Select if you want to run ads then click Done
Related: 7 Easy Steps to Start an Online Business in London
2). Optimize your username and Pinterest bio.
Your Pinterest username and bio are searchable on the platform. Optimizing your username and Pinterest bio can also help you gain followers on Pinterest since it makes it easier for people to find your profile and learn more about you.
A descriptive and unique username can help people understand what your profile is about, and a well-written bio can help you stand out from other users and give people a reason to follow you.
Including search terms related to your niche makes it easy for people who know you from other platforms easily find you on Pinterest.
Additionally, including relevant keywords in your username and bio can help improve the visibility of your profile in search results.
3). Post idea Pins
Pinterest rolled out a multi-page video-based format in 2021 called idea pins. The Beta version of the idea pins feature was rolled out in 2020 and was called Story Pins. it was been used similarly to Instagram Stories.
The idea pin feature allows creators and businesses to record, edit, and share up to 20 pages of content in one post. The idea pin features also include the ability to record voiceovers, add transitions, tag other accounts and add music.
As a creator, you can use these features to grow your reach and engagement since, unlike the story feature, the idea pins feature does not expire after 24 hours.
4). Include text on your idea pins.
You can make your content more accessible and easy to understand by including text overlays it. Text on Idea Pins is also searchable on Pinterest.
To gain followers you will need to include keywords that your potential followers are searching for.
5). Focus on a specific audience.
Even if anyone can purchase your products or services, you will need to focus on a specific audience. As you narrow your target audience, the better you will be able to create content that best fits them.
You can expand your reach if you identify a niche and dominate it because your content will be consumed, shared, and recognized. The first step to defining your audience, humanizing them, and understanding their needs is by creating a buyer persona.
6). Post original images
Almost 84% of pinners use Pinterest to decide what to purchase. This means that as a seller you need to position yourself in front of them by creating original content for your brand.
It is important to post original infographics, graphics, or photos that reflect your brand’s message. When you re-pin content, make sure you re-pin content that is in line with your own brand.
7). Create a cohesive brand for recognition on the platform
Most people in the UK only do business with the brands they like, know, and trust; therefore, your goal should be to go from a stranger to being a recognized and trusted brand in the country.
Social media marketing and presence are important to succeed as a business in today’s world. You can market your products through Pinterest but you will need to have enough followers. You can gain followers by increasing the number of impressions your content earns from your target audience.
An impression simply refers to any time a prospect sees your brand. Without a consistent look and feel, your content won’t be recognized as being related, which means your brand will never build customer trust.
Forbes claims that color improves brand recognition by up to 80% and consistent brand presentation across platforms increases revenue by up to 23%. A consistent brand identity is powerful enough to increase ROI for your Pinterest marketing efforts.
Building a brand identity will help your business get recognition from your target audience through the niche. This is a very fast step in building trust between your potential customers and your brand.
8). Share new content weekly
With Pinterest, it is recommended to post at least one original pin per week. Posting more content and being consistent will help you gain more followers since your content gets more chances of reaching new people.
It’s important to keep in mind that the quality of your content is more important than the quantity and therefore it is important to make sure that you post high-quality, engaging, and informative pins that will appeal to your target audience and help you build a dedicated following on Pinterest.
9). Be active and engaged on Pinterest
Just like any social media platform, Pinterest favors active accounts. Your account is considered to be active on Pinterest by ensuring you pin regularly, manually pinning other’s pins, and following other boards.
Creating a social media calendar might also help you have a more focused and organized publishing strategy. You can also use the Tailwind tool which allows you to schedule your Pinterest pins ahead of time.
Repinning and engaging with other boards often helps increase your reach which means more followers on your Pinterest account.
10). Add a Pinterest follow button to your newsletter or website.
You can gain more followers on your Pinterest account if you embed a Pinterest follow button in an email newsletter or on your website. Since traffic to your website or subscribers to your newsletter are most probably interested in your product or services, they are the best audience to target.
11). Promote your pins.
Since at this point we assume that you already have a business account on Pinterest, you can promote your pin to increase visibility and reach. When you promote a pin it is more likely to appear on the first pages when a user searches the term on Pinterest.
Promoted pins have been proven successful with almost 50% of Pinterest users purchasing after seeing a promoted pin.
12). Use Pinterest Trends to Plan your content
Pinterest business accounts give you access to a tool called Pinterest Trends, which shows the trending keywords and topics across various niche areas.
You can use this tool to find out what your potential customers are searching for and let these results determine what content you share. Based on search patterns and unique data, Pinterest also creates an annual report called Pinterest Predicts outlining the topics most likely to trend on Pinterest in the upcoming year.
13). A/B test your pins to see what works
Testing different variables with your audience will help you to continually improve your campaigns as you learn more about what your customers like and need.
Some of the variables you can compare on Pinterest include alternating headlines for your pin title, alternating thumbnail images for your pin, and alternate post copy for your pin’s description.
Test one variable at a time, set a period to run the test, and then compare each post’s performance using Pinterest analytics. You have to ensure that your A/B test results are statistically significant before making your final decision.
14). Apply for Rich Pins.
Rich pins automatically pull in key data from your website when Pinterest Pins are created allowing existing pins to remain up-to-date with what’s listed on your website.
There are three types of rich pins which include
- Product Rich Pins which pull accurate inventory and product availability information from your website.
- Recipe Rich Pins which include a recipe name, list of ingredients, and pertinent cooking information pulled from blog posts featuring recipes.
- Article Rich Pins that include the title of an article, meta description, and the author’s information.
15). Schedule your pins.
Like any other social media platform, consistency is the key to success on Pinterest. Scheduling your pins in advance helps you:
a). Improved visibility: Scheduling your pins allows you to post them at the most optimal times for your target audience, which can increase the chances that they will see your content and potentially follow you.
b). Greater consistency: Schedules also allow you to maintain a consistent posting schedule, which can help you build a dedicated following on Pinterest. Consistent posting new content can also keep your existing followers engaged and returning to your profile for more.
c). More time to focus on creating content: Scheduling your pins in advance can also free up more time for you to focus on creating high-quality, engaging, and informative content, which is ultimately what will help you gain followers on Pinterest.
There are a few different tools and services available that can make scheduling easy and simple, such as Tailwind and Hootsuite. These tools allow you to schedule your pins at specific times and even automate the process. This can be very useful if you’re looking to save time and grow your following on Pinterest.
Conclusion
To grow in any social media platform requires dedication, patience, and consistency. We have discussed some of the major ways to gain a following on Pinterest.
We hope they will help you grow your audience.