This week, we want to talk to you about Pinterest and tell you everything we know about the platform! But before we get into how Pinterest works and why you should be using it to promote your blog, let’s learn a little about what the platform really is about.
What is Pinterest?
For many, Pinterest is that social network where only women hang out and spend their time sharing beautiful pictures from all walks of life. But turns out, it is much more than that. If you know how Pinterest works, then, as a blogger, you can use it to your advantage. Pinterest is a social network where people can find inspiration and ideas for their interests and hobbies. The social network is huge, and there is an endless supply of ideas for everyone.
As you keep learning about how the platform works, a whole new world opens before you. You start to think outside the box and apply marketing ideas that you never thought were possible. You begin to see opportunities that were previously invisible to you.
Now that that’s covered, let’s dive into the interesting world of Pinterest and try to learn a little about how the platform really works.
Have you ever created a photo album where you have all of your favourite pictures at the same place? Pinterest is essentially just that but with an added twist.
Pins
The pictures in this “photo album” are called “Pins”.
Every idea on Pinterest is represented by a “Pin”. The platform lets its users post original content in the form of photos and other types of visuals. It also lets you bookmark or “pin” images from all over the internet. These could be posts, recipes, DIYs, etc. from other users that you might like and want to look over later. Pins can also be used to bookmark ideas you come across while scrolling through Pinterest itself.
A unique feature of these Pins is that they can also link back to websites, which is why Pinterest is great for driving traffic to your blog. While the visual is an attraction for the user, the link that follows it is what you as a blogger should be interested in.
Now, as you get familiar browsing through Pinterest, you will realise that it is home to a huge variety of topics. You might be interested in more than one topic and it helps to categorise them accordingly so they’re easier to find just like you would create different photo albums for different events in your life.
Boards
Each “photo album” on Pinterest is called a “Board”. Pinterest allows users to organize all their Pins into relevant collections to make it easy to find these pins later. All the Pins you save live on your boards. In short, Boards are basically where you save, collect, and organize your Pins. You can create new boards from your profile and choose which Board to put a certain pin in. Boards also enable people to easily browse through your profile and explore your ideas.
While by default, all Boards are visible to the public, Pinterest offers the option to make your board private or “secret”. Only you and anyone you invite can see your secret boards.
Now let’s talk about your Profile
All the Pins you save and the Boards you make can be found in your Profile. Here you can also see who follows you, and the boards, topics and people you follow. Your Profile is not just a collection of the ideas you love - it's a reflection of who you are. It's where all your ideas and inspiration for projects past, present, and future live. It'll grow and evolve just like you with every Pin you save.
Your Home Feed is where Pinterest will display Pins, people and brands that they think you will like based on your activity on the platform. Here, you can also search for anything that you’re looking for in particular.
Strategize before you begin
Well, you’re all set! We brushed you up with the basics and now it’s time for you to start your Pinterest journey. But before you jump on the bandwagon and go crazy with your pinning activity, it is important to strategize.
Anyone who creates a Pinterest account is given two options:
- Individual Account
- Business Account
While most of the features remain common between the two, having a business account offers a plethora of tools to optimise your presence on Pinterest and reach your target audience.
Want to know more about Pinterest business account or why you should make one asap? Well, stay tuned! We’re discussing all about Pinterest for the next few days and we have a lot in store for you. Starting with a #Blogchatter chat tomorrow on Twitter at 8.30 PM. See you there!
