How to Use Pinterest to Drive Traffic to Your Blog
Pinterest has become a juggernaut in the social media landscape. It’s one of the fastest-growing social-media sites, and it is responsible for generating an enormous amount of traffic every day.
If you aren’t already on Pinterest, you should be. The site can help your site explode in traffic if you use it to its full potential. Not sure where to get started? Here are just a few ways that you can use Pinterest to drive traffic to your blog:
Create Pinnable Content
There are some types of blog posts that are more likely to be pinned than others. Tutorial posts are among the most popular — whether they be recipes or home decor projects or fun crafts you can do with your kids. This is good news for cooking blogs. Write posts with unique and interesting recipes, step-by-step tutorials for cooking techniques, or even DIY projects such as canning or pickling.
The more useful and unique the post, the more likely it is to be share on the site.
Post Pinnable Photos
Pinterest is a visual bookmarking site. The best photos get the most pins. You can increase your chances of having your posts pinned (and then re-pinned over and over again) by including compelling, visually stunning photos on each of your posts.
Take the time to stage your own photos and to produce the highest quality visuals that you can. Don’t rely on stock photos or boring product shots. Be unique. Be creative.
Encourage Pinning
You can get more of your content shared on Pinterest by including a call to action on each of your blog posts asking your readers to pin them. Don’t expect your readers to know what you need them to do: Make sure you end each post by asking readers to pin your content if they’ve liked it, and you’ll be surprised at how much more you see being shared.
Make it easy for your readers to pin your content by including “pin it” buttons on your posts and a “follow me” button in your sidebar.
Amass a Large Following
The bigger following you have on Pinterest, the more likely your chances are to get your content in front of new people and to get more exposure for your brand and traffic to your site. You can get a bigger following by sharing a lot of Pin-worthy content — not just your own content — and by becoming an active participant on the site by liking, commenting on and re-pinning other content. The more you interact with others, the more they will interact with you and notice the content you have — and the more likely they will be to share it.
Hold Pinterest Contests
Contests are a great way to get a lot of traffic. Everyone likes to get something for free, and you can build a lot of buzz quickly. You can offer up your free item and ask people to pin your content or follow you on Pinterest in order to enter. The more entrants you have, the more exposure you will get for your content and for your brand. The better your prize, the more exposure and the more traffic you will get.
Pinterest offers businesses a lot of possibilities for building exposure and driving traffic. Use these tips to start getting noticed on the site and to start getting your blog the readers it deserves.
Are you using Pinterest to promote your business? Share your tips for success in the comments!
Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for Culinaryschools.org, where recently she’s been researching culinary schools seattle. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.
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Thanks for these great Pinterest tips! I admit that I don’t use it that much on my blog because I’m not crazy about the format. I do appreciate what you’ve laid out here, it’s definitely food for thought!
Jenna Em recently posted…Disney Valentines – Printable! Wreck-It Ralph & Disney on Ice!
Thanks for the great tips! I just need to learn where or how to put together the long pic strings, those seem to get repinned a lot on Pinterest. Any idea which program to use?
I am currently working at increasing my following. It is steadily growing, but maybe trying a contest will help bump up those numbers. Thanks!
Andrea Kruse recently posted…Mini Heath Chocolate Cakes Recipe #IDLove
I have just recently gotten into Pinterest more and want to continue. Thanks for the great tips!
Chrysa recently posted…Keep Organized and Keep a Clear Head
It never occurred to me that simply asking readers to pin my content could be an effective strategy!
Deanna T. (@MapleLeafMommy) recently posted…Lazy’s Moms 2-Minute Peanut Butter Cup Pudding {Recipe}
Thank you for sharing these tips, I have been wondering how I can get some of my posts shared on Pinterest without always doing it myself. I will bookmark this post to come back to and even share with some blogger friends! Thanks again!!!
Great tips! I read another blog that suggested the pinterest was a good way to drive traffic but it never explained how! Thank you for your clear cut explanations! This is definitely an area i need to work on!
@Mommy_Jennof3 recently posted…#BellLetsTalk Depression
I love the idea of a pinning contest! I should try that for my blog and business.
I’ll tag this post on blogs facebook page. Love it!
Everything Mom and Baby recently posted…Cleansing your childs Amber teething necklaces and enter to win!
These are absolutely great tips, will be using some of these today!
thanks for these tips. To be honest, I am not a big pinterest user….I should probably start paying more attention to it.
ashley picco recently posted…Anne of Green Gables
Those are great tips. Especially the using great content and good pinable photos. Without those two key aspects, no amount of following or attention to Pinterest will help your traffic. I see a lot of people pushing pinterest exposure, but the content isn’t there and the photos are not enjoyable. So really no one wants to pin or promote the posts.
Amber Edwards recently posted…What Men Want,Top 5 Gift Ideas for Him, Get him what he really wants this #Valentinesday
I love Pinterest, I can spend way too much time on it though
And I totally agree that Pinterest can be an awesome source of traffic for our blogs. I need to work on Pinning more articles.
Amanda recently posted…Show Your Plastic Challenge: Week 7
Thanks for the tips! Very timely as I`ve recently started using Pinterest more myself and have been mulling over how best to use it to drive content.
Manager to Mom recently posted…Wordless Wednesday: V-Day Treat!
Thanks for this information. I’m just beginning my blogging career and it’s great to have good information!!
I’m happy you found it helpful