Pinterest is one of the best free marketing tools that you can market your small business, Etsy store, or blog. No matter what profession you are in, Pinterest is a place where people go to get answers, to learn and to be inspired. Pinterest has just about everything you need in one platform. If you want a good dinner recipe, planning your wedding, getting ideas for a home makeover, raising kids, learning how to do something you always wanted to do, or learning how to start your own business. It is an easy go-to platform that so many people use throughout their life. This is why it is a great marketing platform for all businesses.
As a Pinterest marketing manager, I see what a difference it makes for business owners to market themselves on Pinterest. It’s a platform that is meant to be informative in one way or another. The reason why I like Pinterest so much is because it is a passive way for people to find businesses and information. It’s not a pushy sales tactic or gimmick to get you to buy something. Most blogs that you read do contain affiliate links but as a viewer, you have the choice to decide if it is something you want to pursue further. If you are interested in learning more about Pinterest marketing check out my services page.
So how do you start promoting your business on Pinterest?
This step-by-step guide will go over everything that you need to do to set up your Pinterest business account. Along with resources to help you get started.
First, you want to have an established website because you are going to want to claim it on your Pinterest business account. If you want a website for your business or to start writing blogs but have not set one up yet, I highly recommend Squarespace. The reason Squarespace is a great platform to start is that you do not need a ton of experience setting up a website. Squarespace has hundreds of website templates you can choose from. When I started my business I wanted a website where I could visually see everything and format it the way that I envisioned. As a creative individual, I needed that type of formatting to be able to create something that I love for my business.
Once you have your website created you will want to create a Pinterest business account. You can either convert your personal Pinterest account or just create a new business account. In some ways, it's easier to create a new account specifically for your business. Start by setting up your Pinterest profile. You will do this by going into your settings page and creating a username for your business account. This username should include something about your business. It can be initials and words, or your business name, just make sure you keep it professional and use something that contains an SEO keyword. Once you have your account set up, you will want to claim your website.
If you have a Squarespace account here are the steps to claim your account on Pinterest.
1. Go to your Pinterest account and click on settings
2. Click on Claimed accounts
3. Select Claim your website and copy the HTML code injection
4. Go to your Squarespace website
5. In the settings tab in the search bar, search code injections
6. Paste the code injection to the back end of your website
Note: It may take up to 24 hours for your website to be claimed on Pinterest but you will know that it has been claimed when an internet symbol shows up next to your website on your account.
After claiming your account you're going to want to set up your boards and profile. I see so many Pinterest accounts that are struggling because these two steps were not set up correctly. When setting up your profile let people know what type of services you provide and incorporate top SEO keywords for your profession. You can find trending keywords with the Pinterest search bar and the Pinterest trends tool that is accessible through your Pinterest business account.
Once you have your Profile set up you will want to set up your boards. When naming your boards again only use top SEO keywords and keep it professional. If you want to have boards that do not pertain to your business, make sure you hide them. You do not want to have business boards and then boards about dinner ideas. This is why keeping your personal Pinterest account and business Pinterest account separate is a great idea.
Note: When setting up your Pinterest business boards it's alright to pin other people's pins but you have to be careful doing this. Make sure the pin is not a scam pin and that it leads to an actual website. Having someone else's pin on your board that is a scam can lead your Pinterest account to get flagged.
Now that your Pinterest account is set up the next step is creating pins, learning about the different types of pins, and how to schedule pins. To learn more about creating pins I offer Pinterest and Canva Zoom coaching sessions. In this coaching session, you will learn everything from how to set up your business Pinterest account properly to creating and posting pins. Plus you will get unlimited support, so later on, if you have any questions you can always get answers about your Pinterest account.
If you feel like you need even more support I also offer full Pinterest marketing management services by setting up Pinterest business accounts from start to finish, creating and scheduling custom pins, offering Pinterest account audits, and much more. This is great for business owners who would love to use Pinterest as a marketing tool but just don't have the time to do so. If you are interested in learning more about the services offered schedule a free discovery call.
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