How Pinterest Can Send Dream Clients to Your Creative Business on Autopilot
Pinterest is the social media platform you think of for finding new recipes and art projects, right? Well, you’re not wrong, but there’s SO MUCH MORE to Pinterest.
First of all, Pinterest isn’t technically even a social media platform. It is actually a powerful search engine (think Google with a prettier interface and a highly visual search feed).
Chances are, you’ve casually used Pinterest but didn’t realize it could be a strategic marketing tool used to attract your dream clients. Or maybe you are using Pinterest for your small business, but you need some tips on how to grow the RIGHT audience.
No worries - we will dig into the power of Pinterest, how to use it successfully, and what you need to strengthen your online presence as a whole. Read on, friend. We’re about to cover it all!
Pinterest Profile Checklist
If you’re ready to dive straight in and start your Pinterest marketing strategy, download the Pinterest Profile Checklist and set up your account to convert pinners to purchaser!
Why Pinterest is the perfect marketing platform for creative business owners who don’t have much time to spend online
Pinterest is the ideal platform for creative business owners who are ready to share their killer content and find a steady stream of new fans and potential customers online.
According to their website: “Pinterest is a visual discovery engine for finding ideas like recipes, home and style inspiration, and more. With billions of pins on Pinterest, you'll always find ideas to spark inspiration. When you discover pins you love, save them to boards to keep your ideas organized and easy to find. You can also create pins to share your ideas with other people on Pinterest.”
To sum it up for you - Pinterest is the perfect place for showcasing beautiful handmade products, baked goods, and tutorials!
Creative businesses succeed on Pinterest because they already have large amounts of high-quality content. They just need a new place to share it - and re-share it. Pinterest is the place that can give your content a much longer lifespan than an average social media post.
You can establish yourself as an expert in your industry by sharing tutorials, inspiration, or behind-the-scenes secrets. Pinterest is also an excellent place to share product listings from your online shops, original posts from other social media platforms, and long-form content like blog posts.
Here’s the BEST part: Pinning is very easy to batch (create an entire week or month of posts at once and schedule them for later). Pinning consistently (i.e., daily) is highly recommended for a growing account, but you can schedule a month’s worth of pins in a couple of hours!
What is unique about Pinterest?
When people search Pinterest, they are often in the “idea phase” of a new project. They’re not logging on to socialize like on Facebook and Instagram, and they tend to be more focused on finding what they’re looking for.
One interesting fact is that 95% of Pinterest searches are unbranded. Pinterest users are open to finding inspiration and new ideas from anyone, regardless of whether they’ve heard of your business before or not. Pinterest users are more likely to do a general search for “macrame earrings” than they are to search for a specific brand name. They’re also more likely to click on an image that appeals to them instead of one with a prominent logo.
One more thing - women aged 24-35 years old make up 30% of Pinterest’s ads audience (according to Hootsuite). If this is your target audience demographic, you better start pinning!
Pinterest is ideal for...?
Marketing on Pinterest is an excellent idea for EVERY creative business. But specifically, this is the best place for you to start marketing your business if you can’t commit to posting and engaging daily on Instagram or Facebook. Both of those social media platforms are valuable for small businesses, but Pinterest can give you steady views on your content and products without requiring regular engagement.
This “visual search engine” can yield tremendous results if you don’t mind practicing a little patience! Just don’t go into it expecting to become an overnight star. Commit to 90 days of pinning daily, and watch your brand take off!
Annnnd if that still feels like a lot, don’t worry! With professional templates and the right tools, you can show up daily on Pinterest without even logging in. Want to get a jump-start on your Pinterest game? Download my free Pinterest Profile Checklist!
How to be successful on Pinterest as a creative business
You, my friend, are tech-savvy, creative, and on-trend. You’ve got an eye for beauty and professionalism. You love your business, and you need a powerful way to promote your handmade products!
Knowing how to approach Pinterest in the “right” way can feel overwhelming. But the best bet is to get clear about your goals and take ACTION (instead of overthinking & procrastinating).
Cheat-sheet for acing your Pinterest strategy:
Get crystal clear on WHO your ideal client is. When you think of your dream customer, what characteristics do they have (male/female, age, married/single, family, income, hobbies, style)? Think about what they love and how your product speaks to them or solves a problem for them.
Stay on topic. Think about what your customers need and want, and stick to it! You want to be known for your “thing” on Pinterest. Don’t post cute puppy memes when you’re selling sugar cookies. I know it’s easy to get off track, but it’s crucial that your messaging stays crystal clear.
Commit to a CONSISTENT posting schedule. Just like everything else, finding a posting schedule that works for YOU is the key. Most experts recommend a minimum of 5-10 pins/day. That might sound like a lot, but with the right tools and a simple system, you can schedule them in advance in less than an hour/ week.
Follow complimentary accounts! Another perk of Pinterest is you don’t have to post ALL original content. You should also mix in helpful/ relatable posts from accounts similar to yours. Re-pin posts that will serve your ideal customers without being in direct competition with your products. For example: If you teach cookie decorating classes, you might also pin about fancy sprinkles, decorating tools, and maybe even cake decorating.
Use the right tools! Having the right tools can make a huge difference too! Check out this post with my must-have tools for marketing your creative business online.
A few common Pinterest mistakes to avoid:
Getting distracted. Listen, Pinterest is fun… and beautiful! And before you know it, you have a pin board for your future wedding, and another for house remodel ideas. The problem is unless your business is directly related to these industries (do you make custom wedding veils or wallpaper?), then you’re driving your potential customers away. By all means, use Pinterest to your heart's content - but I suggest creating a personal account for saving pins that are unrelated to your business or industry.
Create a business account. To expand on the last point, make sure you actually have a business account for your business! Pinterest offers excellent features on their business accounts (like audience insights and profile upgrades).
Skipping hashtags. Hashtags and keywords are an absolute MUST with Pinterest. Remember how it’s a search engine? We want to optimize your pins for your ideal customers’ searches. Creating a solid hashtag strategy takes time, but once you land on your hashtags and keywords, you’ll keep using them over and over. If you need help, I offer hashtag research in my 1:1 Strategy Sessions!
Not setting your account up. Before you start pinning, review your bio! Do you have a clear description of what you offer (and who you serve)? Is there a link directly to your best-selling product? Pinterest users are ready to find new shops, so let’s make it easy for them to get to yours!
Need help with account setup?
Download the free Pinterest Profile Checklist to get started the right way!
Alright, time out.
How are you feeling?
We just went over a LOT of stuff, but try not to be overwhelmed! Pinterest is an incredible tool for your creative business, but the only way to get started is one step at a time. The key is to have pins scheduled daily and stay on brand with your messaging and pins. The best part? You can set it and forget it! You can work ahead, schedule content, and move on. With Pinterest, you don’t have the added pressure of engaging and commenting.
Going beyond Pinterest:
I know we JUST started talking about Pinterest and how you’re going to start sharing quality content consistently. BUT! I always encourage my clients to think about working smarter, not harder.
One huge perk of Pinterest is that you don’t have to constantly engage with your followers as you do on Facebook and Instagram. Your content also has a much longer lifespan. As a result, Pinterest is the ideal platform to pair with another social media platform like Instagram or Facebook.
Quick tip: I recommend setting up business profiles for Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, even though you will focus most of your efforts on one platform at first. It never hurts to start building a presence on a second platform if you decide to add it as you grow! You will show up when potential clients and customers search for you - no matter what platform they prefer. And on a more practical note, you’ll claim your username on all platforms so no one else can take it, and it will be ready for you when you want to expand your marketing efforts or outsource your social media content creation later down the road.
Pinterest Powerhouse Wrapup
Learning ANY new marketing platform can feel like a lot. You’re a busy business owner, creating projects and running a shop. But this is why Pinterest is such an excellent system for when you are just getting started!
Remember to take this one step at a time. Pinterest is a powerful search engine that can help boost your growth by leading your dream audience straight to your business.
Sounds magical, right?
There’s only one catch.
Without a plan or strategy in place, you might spend hours a day figuring out what to pin and when, stressing over what images to use, and googling “what size is a pin supposed to be?” This approach will eventually lead to overwhelm and burnout. I’ve seen this repeatedly happen with the bakers and makers I serve.
Here’s the truth - YOU are the Boss. Pinterest is your marketing assistant.
Once you get a high-level action plan in place, she will reach out to the exact group of people you’re looking for - with only a short amount of your time! And Pinterest is clever! She’ll keep sharing your pins over and over without you even asking! What are you waiting for? Let’s go!
Need help creating a customized online marketing strategy to take your creative business to the next level? I am here to make your life easier & your online game stronger! Grab your free 15-minute call now!
Pin it for later!
If this was helpful, make sure you pin it to your “business boards” so you can find it later. 😘
