Call me crazy, but I just don’t think Pinterest marketing has to be hard – or complicated.
I just don’t.
Sure. You can complicate it….
But if you do, nine times out of ten, you won’t get started. Or you won’t stick with it long enough to see (those juicy, amazing, brag-worthy 😉 results.
Today let’s chit chat about three specific tactics you can use – to make your Pinterest workflow a breeze. Implement these, and each time you sit down to create Pinterest content, you’ll be done in a jiff.
(So you can go take a nap, soak in a tub, play with your dog… You know. The simple pleasures.)
Take a deep cleansing breath… and here we go…
1. Don’t reinvent the wheel each time you create a Pin graphic.
Some people relish the idea of spending an hour in Canva. (Ahem… maybe it turns into two hours? Time flies for those Canva lovin’ ladies!)
Others would rather have a tooth yanked. 😉 Or be forced to watch a movie with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 14.
But seriously… Whether Canva is your boo or not, having templates set up in Canva will make EVERYTHING easier and faster.
I recommend you create a folder in Canva just for your pin designs. (Bonus points: Add the folder’s direct link to your Asana project or workflow checklist for Pinterest! This way, you’ll land right where you need to… You’ll save a few minutes hunting in your folder, AND avoid the risk of getting way-layed by other shiny Canva objects!)
Then, in your pin design folder, create 4 different “designs” with 3 to 10 different on-brand design “pages” within each design. Label them A, B, C, and D – and rotate through them so you can easily achieve variety.
Press play for a quick video that shows what I mean…
Lastly here, (this is key, so lean in…)
Keep your designs simple!
Simple designs (with fewer words) typically perform better on Pinterest. And keeping the designs simple allows you to quickly change up this month’s templates (A, B, C, or D!) You’ll just update the text overlay, change up colors if desired, drag in new photos, etc.
Boom.
Okay, then onward…
2. Take the time to set your Pinterest account up for success – from the beginning.
When I think about setting up your Pinterest account (choosing the right boards, keyword optimizing them, visually branding your profile, etc…), I’m reminded of this quote from John Wooden…
(He’s the famous basketball coach; he won ten NCAA championships in 12 years as head coach… so he was doing some things right!)
“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”
Indeed, doing things right in the beginning makes things easier – and more efficient, too.
And, conversely, skipping over the foundational pieces in the beginning will set you up for more work (and less clarity) as you build.
So… It’s going to serve you reeeeeaaalllly well to:
- Invest some time in planning your Pinterest strategy up front (What do you want people to do next when they discover you on Pinterest?)
- Do some keyword research and document what you find – for future use (More on this below!)
- Use those keywords NOW to optimize your profile basics – BEFORE you start pinning! (Add keywords to your profile name, your bio, you board titles, and your board descriptions!)
- Visually brand your profile – Add a great profile photo, a cover photo, and board covers if desired… so when people land on your profile, you’ll look (and be) pro.
Getting your profile set up the *right* way (before you start pinning) takes a bit of time… but it can be really fun. AND, more importantly, it will save you eons of time later and make things so much easier.
Okay… We have one more ways to make Pinterest easier… (And it’s going to change E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G for you, so read on…)
(Pssssst…. You can 📌 pin this article for reference to your “Pinterest marketing” board:)
3. Reduce decision fatigue & save time – with a Pinterest keyword plan.
I often hear from entrepreneurs that they don’t like doing keyword research Every. Single. Time. they add a pin. It can feel pretty heavy.
So, my answer to that is… Don’t.
Yep, you read that right. Don’t try to do keyword research each time you write a new pin description (or create a new board).
Instead, I recommend that you “batch the decision-making” about keyword research up front. Here’s how to do that:
Your goal with this process is to develop a “Master Keyword List & Plan” for Pinterest. This list might be about 5 to 7+ pages long – in a Google doc, for example. Be sure your keywords are:
a) aligned with what you teach and create content about (This will pay off later*, I promise..). and;
b) are words and phrases your ideal person is using to search
Here’s the five-step process I guide clients through as part of our work together in my 1:1 Profitable Pinterest Boards Intensive:
- Step 1: Get clear on who you want to discover you on Pinterest.
- Step 2: Brainstorm your potential keywords.
- Step 3: Research and validate your keywords (using free tools right in Pinterest – no third party apps needed!)
- Step 4: Organize your keywords, so they’re useable.
- Step 5: Use them! (… in seven areas of your Pinterest profile)
Again, your goal here is to end up with a 5+ page document that serves as your “Master Keyword List & Plan.”
And here’s the beautiful part…
*Now, every time you sit down to pin your content, you can simply reference your master list (CTRL+F function works like a charm here!) and mine it for the keywords that are relevant to what you’re pinning at the moment.
Again, Boom! 😉
Pinterest marketing just got easier, right?
Now, picture this…You sit down to pin your pins for this month.
You have pre-set Canva templates to use, and you know this month you’re using “Design Templates C.” (Starting from scratch would slow you down!)
🔴 Easy button!
When writing your pin descriptions and titles, you simply have to reference your existing master keyword plan. (Researching each pin would slow you down!)
🔴 Easy button!
You have the confidence of knowing that your pins have the BEST chance to take off and get results… Because you’re pinning them to boards and an account that has *already been optimized.*
(Feeling like you’re throwing spaghetti at the wall just messes with your mindset! And that can do worse damage that simply slowing you down… Just saying.)
Yup. Another 🔴 Easy button.
Now, if you want to snag the Queen of all 🔴 Easy Buttons… and you want my 1:1 help with:
✔️ developing your master keyword list & plan
✔️ choosing your board topics and setting them aaaalllllll up optimally
… Then you’ll want to reserve a spot on my calendar for a 1:1 Profitable Pinterest Boards Intensive Session.*
(*Or, if I don’t currently have openings, you can join the wait list from that page. That way, when I open sessions, you’ll be the first to be notified!)
This session is for you if you’re an online coach, course creator or service provider-type, and…
✔️ You want to get your boards set up FAST – all in one sitting, and the right way.
✔️ You’ve been kind of tip-toe-ing around Pinterest – and you’re ready to be “all in” – and to get it to (finally) deliver real results for you!
✔️ You’d like to spend less time on social media. And you know Pinterest has that juicy search engine power… to bring ideal clients right to you – even when you’re not working. (Or when you’re working on something that’s not marketing.)
If that’s you… snag your session here and we’ll get this sorted for you – together.
