How to use Pinterest with an SEO Strategy

Pinterest has evolved to become one of the more popular social media platforms. With 150 million+ monthly users and over 2 billion monthly searches, the platform stands tall among the crowd.

It doesn’t end there. Pinterest currently drives 5% of referral traffic across the web, which is substantial compared to other social media networks. On average, the platform’s users spend $58.95 whenever they head out shopping online! This is a lot more than Twitter and even beats the spending “power” of Facebook users.

For these reasons alone, you can see why it makes sense for many businesses selling to consumers to use Pinterest in your overall SEO strategy. Wondering where to begin? Worry no more. Here are 4 quick steps to get the most SEO value from your Pinterest marketing campaign.

Optimize your Pinterest profile

As with most social media platforms these days, the first step is to create a Pinterest business account. Pinterest allows users to convert their personal accounts into business accounts. But, it’s advisable to create a dedicated business account from scratch and optimize it for business from the offset.

Among other things, the business account should have an SEO friendly username (in line with what your customers are likely to search for), a complete “about you” section with relevant details and a high-resolution logo, and at least one board where you’ll be adding your pins.

Optimize your website for the campaign

After you’ve created an account, the next step is to prepare your website for what’s to come. There are three main steps here. First, you need to add a Pinterest “tag” to your site. The process is a bit technical, so you may need assistance from your web team. But, once it’s set up, the tag will help you segment your audience, set up conversion events on your site, and report on your performance.

Secondly, you need to add a “Save” button to your site. Adding it requires some code so, again, you may need technical help. Once implemented, the “Save” button allows users to pin images from your site or app on their boards!

Finally, it’s critical you verify your site with Pinterest. A verified site is usually prioritized in Pinterest search results.

Spend some time on keyword search

This is the one thing Pinterest marketers often forget about. Although it takes outstanding pins to wow your audience, you need the right keywords to reach every corner of the audience base and break into new markets.

There are three main ways to find relevant keywords for your campaign. First, the guided search feature is meant to help Pinterest users find relevant pins by suggesting related topics. You can use the recommended items to guide your campaign. Secondly, check what keywords are used in promoted pins and try using those keywords in your campaign. Finally, use the topic categories provided by Pinterest to improve your targeting.

Aim for Pinterest engagement

With everything else in place, round off by making sure that as many people as possible see and engage with your pins. You want as many likes and re-pins as possible and should also aim for lots of comments.

Luckily, there are a couple of tips to help with this. For instance, consider linking your Pinterest account to your other social media networks to boost awareness. You can also leverage Pinterest influencers to expand your reach. Follow relevant and popular brands to take advantage of their vast traffic.

Oh…, and remember to keep your boards clean and appealing. An organized Pinterest board is worth at least a few leads every day!