So you want to grow your following on Pinterest? It’s a no-brainer because 70 percent of pinners (that is more that 291M active monthly users) use it to discover new brands. Actually, 86% of millennials use Pinterest to discover new brands or products to buy.
Pinterest is all about inspiration and discovery.
Bottom line is, Pinterest is a great platform to connect with current customers AND find new followers.
Be sure to read to the end to get the best tips on gaining 1000 new followers on Pinterest in 1 week.
Join relevant collaborative boards
In order to gain more followers, it’s a good idea to collaborate with popular group boards in your company’s categories. The other followers and members of the group will be able to see your pins and activity. In some cases there will be specific instructions on how to join. Otherwise, it’s always a good idea to build a relationship with the board owner (just a direct email or message helps) to join the group.
Post original images and content
I was shocked to learn that more than 75% of the images on Pinterest are repins, which leaves a small share of original images. Definitely skip the stock photos and overused memes. Think about it… if people get on Pinterest to discover NEW brands and products, they’re not going to click on tired images. Images must be beautiful, interesting, and actionable to get clicks. Even if you take an image concept that is working, put your own spin on it to make it original. Here are some tips to creating Pinterest images:
- High resolution images are always best
- Optimized dimensions for Pinterest : 2×3 ratio (for example, 1000 by 1500 pixels)
- Optimized for mobile: bold font colors (always be sure to preview on mobile!)
- Vertically oriented photos preferred over horizontally oriented photos (for mobile users which compromises 85% of Pinterest traffic)
- Call to action (doesn’t always need one, but it help
Post compelling copy to go with your images
Same goes for copy as with images. Compelling copy simply drives engagement (clicks).
Sample headlines that pique interest and drive clicks:
- “How to lose 21 pounds in 21 days”
- “Discover how to grow your facebook group to 1000 members in 30 days”
- “10 ways to save money for a house”
Also use any relevant hashtags as they will help you reach a broader audience! You want to make sure you capture those prospective followers so that when they search for a specific hashtag, your related pin pops up!
Promote individual pins
If you have a bit of an ad budget to work with, promoting individual pins is a great way to increase the number of eyeballs and brand exposure on Pinterest. Of course, it’s best to select pins that are already performing relatively well. You can promote pins for any amount of money. A good strategy is to promote a pin for $5 a day for a week to get some traction. Promoted pins appear just like regular pins in the feed which is ideal for attracting pinners because it appears organic and native.
Follow other pinners consistent with your brand
Ever heard of a follow for a follow? The key to steady growth comes from engaging with other pinners in alignment with your brand. Set a goal to follow a set number of pinners every day and you’ll find a good amount of them will follow you back.
Repin, tag and comment on other pins and accounts
Same concept as a follow for a follow. Increase your brand exposure by writing thoughtful comments on popular and compelling pins. Make sure that your comments are thoughtful and authentic (i.e. not spammy) because Pinterest is quick to flag comments as spam. Avoid just commenting “Awesome!” for example.
Make sure to also repin original, engaging images that are consistent with your brand!
Add your own “Follow” button
Make it easy for others to follow you! You will need to install the button on your website, other social media accounts and anywhere online that you engage with your audience. You can also add the Pinterest P icon on the header and footer of a website to send traffic to your Pinterest account.
Take advantage of holidays and special occasions
Holidays and change of seasons drive people to make to do lists and pinboards on Pinterest. Create on-brand holiday content and pin it with optimized keywords and hashtags to leverage this surge in Pinterest traffic. If you can strategically ride the waves of the holidays, you can ensure your brand is relevant year-round!
Run a contest to gain new followers
Everyone love a contest. Capture the attention of current and prospective followers by running a contest. Require contest participants to follow your Pinterest account and like images. Use hashtags and promote the contest through email and other social accounts. Be sure to check with Pinterest guidelines for contests in advance! For example, you cannot require followers to repin a specific image to qualify for entry in a contest.
Post regularly and at the optimal times
Like other social platforms, the Pinterest algorithm favors accounts that publish consistently over a long period of time. You cannot just post consistently for two days… it’s about the long game to grow an engaged audience.
Most pinning also happens between early evening to late night (in the United States). Maximize the reach of your post by pinning at the optimal times.
Leave a Reply