5 Ways To Promote Your Blog On Pinterest That Actually Work

Do you want more blog traffic?

Of course, you do!

Social media is continuing to be a hub for people to connect with others around the world. Moreover, Pinterest is paving the way for bloggers to drive referral traffic and increase audience engagement.

Research shows that “the half-life of a pin is 1,680 times longer than a Facebook post.” This means more people are interacting with your content months after you post it.

“Interaction is so easy on Pinterest that other networks have a reason to envy it. The recipe of a successful interaction is a smooth delivery of information across the board… All you need to do is create new boards, add new pins, invite others and like and re-pin other’s pins,” writes Mike Dane, a digital marketing professional.

It’s time to send Pinterest users to your blog. Here are five ways to get you started.

 

1. Create Multiple Boards

On Pinterest, visibility is vital to attracting new individuals to your account.

Even with a targeted audience, there are several interests that your pinners will possess. So, make sure you’re catering to those needs by developing multiple boards to gain their attention.

For instance, if your blog is dedicated to all things cooking, create a board for slow cooker meals, one for dishes made under 30 minutes, and maybe another for desserts. This segmentation gives someone an opportunity to pick what they want and find it quickly.

For example, HostGator has several boards devoted to website inspiration, ranging from blogging tips to design ideas for an arts & craft blog.

 

Another pro tip? Don’t limit yourself to posting your articles in only one board.

More than 80% of pins are re-pins. Thus, sharing the same pins in several boards can help more people find your blog via Pinterest’s search function and category algorithms.

“It’s okay to pin your blog articles to more than one Pinterest board, but spread them out over time and pin other content in between so your Pinterest feed isn’t just you pinning five pins of your blog post to different boards,” says Peg Fitzpatrick, co-author of The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users.

Want to give your fans a chance to find your blog posts? Drive traffic with multiple boards.

[bctt tweet=”80% of Pinterest pins are re-pins. Pro tip: reshare pins on multiple boards to increase visibility.” username=”hostgator”]

 

2. Post Creative Images

Photos make up 92% of all Pinterest posts. So, you should really focus your energy on producing creative images for your followers.

Start by formatting images properly.

The ideal aspect ratio for Pinterest images is 2:3 with a minimum width of 600 pixels.

Add a story-filled background to your images.

For example, a recipe blogger might post a bowl of fruit on a checkered tablecloth in front of flowers. You want to set the mood for the person looking at the image, to entice them to want to read the blog post.

Take photos up close, suggests blogger Ali at Gimme Some Oven.

People should feel like they can actually experience the object on your Pinterest board.

 

Tie your images to seasonal or holiday events.

Pinners are two times more likely to celebrate events and holidays. Plan your marketing strategy around pinning images that connect to special occasions, like Valentine’s Day or Halloween.

Experiment with your pin images and track which photos resonate with your fans. Then create more of those.

[bctt tweet=”#Pinterest Photo Tips: Add a story line, take photos up close, and tie in seasonal events.” username=”hostgator”]

 

3. Write Descriptive Copy

Pinterest isn’t all about photos. There’s space to write text to make people take a second glance at your work.

For instance, article pins include a headline, the author’s name, and story description. These rich pins let you shape how people perceive your board.

The headline should stick out to the reader.

Use catchy, bold language that appeals to your audience. What would they like to read? If you have to shorten the original article title, do it!

Use the same brand name on your blog on your Pinterest account.

So, if everyone knows you as Betty the Gardener, keep the consistency. You don’t want to confuse followers.

Lastly, write a description that’s interesting to the individual.

You want people to feel compelled to click to learn more.

Check out this example from the New York Times:

 

Freelance writer Elna Cain offers some additional tips to boost traffic:

• Make it easy for pinners to find your pin with a spot-on description.
• Give enough information to entice a pinner to click through to your blog.
• Draw on the emotions of the pinner by using sensory-related words and positive sentiments.
• Add a call-to-action in your description, like, “check out…” or “click to find out more.”

Words matter, too. Take advantage by using descriptive copy.

 

4. Focus on Timing

Research revealed that to optimize audience reach on Pinterest pinners should post 10 to 15 times per day. As your fan base grows, deliberately timing pins becomes important to providing a consistent brand message to your platform.

You’ll soon learn that pinning at any time isn’t a good strategy. Bloggers can waste lots of effort posting pins whenever they think is the best.

Instead, take a pragmatic approach. Examine your website traffic to uncover when are the best days and times to post your pins.

[bctt tweet=”When’s the best time to post on #Pinterest? Look to your blog traffic for the answer.” username=”hostgator”]

“The smart strategy is to look at your traffic stats for your own blog to see when you consistently get the most traffic, and then plan to pin during those times, because that’s when your audience is surfing the web and most likely to spread the word,” states Beth Hayden, a social media expert.

And remember, every sector is different. The time that works well for retail bloggers might not work best for financial bloggers. In the chart below, experts found that the best time for the food and beverage industry pinners is between 11am and Noon Eastern time.

 

Gain more traffic by optimizing when you post your pins. It will help your followers and your blog.

 

5. Engage With Your Community

Similar to most social media networks, engagement is always critical to influencing people to visit your site. The interaction shows people you’re interested in their opinions.

Use the comment section of your pins to answer questions and thank your followers. And encourage people to like and save pins and follow you. By doing so, you’ll gather information on what they enjoy most and how to better cater to those desires.

The average user stays on Pinterest for close to 15 minutes at a time. That’s remarkable since most people get bored on social media after a couple of minutes.

For your active fans, ask them to curate your board with you. It’s an effective way to collaborate with people and lets their followers discover your blog.

Here’s a group board focused on blogging. It has more than 50+ people adding their voices to the Pinterest conversation.

 

Involve your community in the creation of your boards. It helps with engagement and brings new fans to your blog.

 

Start Growing Your Blog Traffic

Bring attention to your blog today with the help of social media. Use Pinterest to attract people to your posts.

Create multiple boards based on your readers’ interests. Post eye-catching photos that will make people take a second look. And engage with your community to lure people to your site.

Grow your blog now. Update your Pinterest account (and while you’re at it, follow HostGator!)