I'm a big fan of Pinterest and use it extensively both personally and professionally. Here are my top 10 tips that will having you pinning like a pro in no time.
Verify your Pinterest Account
This is a simple process, requiring you to download a file and upload it to the root of your server. This helps to instill a sense of trust and authority in you and of course, displaying a link to your website on your Pinterest profile makes a lot of sense.
Think keywords when you name your boards
Make sure you think carefully and give each board you create an informative, keyword focused name. Also make sure you include a compelling, keyword rich board description. Pinterest is an excellent provider of backlinks, and remember that individual boards will get indexed by search engines.
Pin frequently
In general it's better to pin a few things every day than it is to pin loads of things once a month. If you pin every day you will have more visibility in the Pinterest feed for more of the time.
Schedule your Pins
You might get 10 minutes to Pin mid afternoon, or just before you go to bed, but that doesn't mean it's the best time for you to Pin. Once you've figured out the best times for you to Pin (see previous tip) make the process easier by scheduling Pins in order to optimise your visibility.
Analyse your Pin responses
Keep an eye on the amount of engagement your activity generates, different types of content will be more popular with your target audience than others so keep an eye on what you do, and just like timing, find out what works for you.
Add Pinterest to your website
Make sure your website makes it clear that people can follow you on Pinterest, but don't just include a link, give people a reason to follow you by outlining a few key benefits.
Make it easy for people to Pin your content
Make sure you have a Pin button on key content and product pages on your website. Making it super easy for people to share your content on Pinterest is important, but it's amazing how many retail websites don't have a Pinterest button installed on their product pages!
Make use of the lack of height restriction
Keep the width of Pinterest images to a maximum of 554px but make the most of the fact there is no vertical size constraint. Narrow, long Pins are much more eye catching than short images - the longer the better as you'll instantly grab more screen space, making your content really stand out!
Choose awesome cover images!
On every board you set up you are able to select a cover image. Go through each board and choose images with the wow factor to help your boards stand out and look as appealing as possible.
Don't just Pin products, Pin your latest blog articles or eGuides
Arty shots, great photography and the latest must-have products are all very well and good, but don't miss out on the chance to Pin a greater range of content. Blog articles, eGuides and eBooks are gaining in popularity and are being more frequently Pinned as people realise it is a great resource for collecting all sorts of content, not just pretty pictures.
My best advice for Pinterest, and the unofficial 11th tip in this article, is to show personality and have fun!