For those of us who have been using Pinterest for the last several or many years, we got used to a very easy routine: creating pins, scheduling them using an auto pinner like Tailwind, and then moving on to the next thing on our list. We could rest assured knowing those standard pins were doing their job and the outbound clicks would soon follow. Then rolled in 2020. TikTok took the internet by storm and Instagram reels were in full force. Pinterest saw its users enjoying this short form type of content and knew they needed to make a change. Now we have Idea pins. But what are they, you ask, and how the heck do you make them work for your business? Read on to find out.
What Are Idea Pins
Initially, Pinterest called them Story Pins but once they were released to all, the name changed to Idea Pins. Idea Pins are a series of pins or slides that scroll. You can use video, animations, music, voice-over, and text overlay. They are meant to tell a story, give a quick win, explain something, a tutorial, and product review, or a glimpse at how to make something. And they are meant to keep the user on the platform.
How To Use Idea Pins For Business Marketing
The biggest complaint about Idea Pins is they do not include an outbound link. In fact, Pinterest has been very upfront about wanting content creators to use Ideas Pins to build brand awareness, get to know their audience, and give something back. The days of pinning and ghosting are gone BUT you still won’t spend even half the time on the platform creating idea pins as you do on Instagram creating reels and stories PLUS Idea pins are indexed, just like standard pins which means they are showing up in search results with no expiration date. If you know Pinterest best practices for Idea Pins you can absolutely use them to your advantage.
Time to get creative.
Ideas for Idea Pins
Here are 11 different ways to use Idea Pins to build brand awareness, grow your following, and engage your audience:
- Quick Tips
- Quick Lesson
- Product Review
- How-to Tutorial
- Show a Product Used In Real Life
- Behind the Scenes
- Before & After
- Sneak Peek
- Top # of….
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Best Way/Thing/Place
What makes Idea Pins different from IG Stories and Reels?
The biggest difference is Idea Pins are forever. They don’t expire or go away, unlike IG Stories. If you don’t watch or see the story before it disappears, you miss out. Reels don’t go away but their reach isn’t nearly as big as Pinterest Idea pins because Pinterest is a search engine, not a social media channel. Another big difference is Idea Pins are about the user and their experience whereas FB and IG are about the other person and what they are doing. On Facebook and Instagram, you have to engage with your audience whereas with Pinterest the engagement is different and requires a lot less of your time. Finally, Pinterest has a Creator Code conduct policy that keeps the space positive, uplifting, and inspirational.
4 Reasons Why You Should Use Idea Pins
1. Exposure
They get more exposure on Pinterest – Pinterest has been very clear about its intentions with Idea Pins. They are prioritizing them in search results and are strongly encouraging content creators and businesses to use Idea Pins for their business marketing needs.
You’re also able to track your pins and get some pretty good analytics on them. Plus a business account allows you to be eligible for things like the Verified Merchant program, product shop pages, and catalogs, plus the super helpful Pinterest Business Community.
2. Easy to Create
They can be easily made right on Pinterest, using the desktop or the Pinterest app, without any special video tools.
3. Build Your Audience
Idea Pins are a great way to grow your Pinterest followers, build brand awareness, and build a know, like, trust factor turning luke-warm leads into warm leads.
4. Ups Your Content Marketing Game
They fit perfectly with your blog and will make you a better content writer. When you write your blog post, think of how you are going to use the information in an Idea Pin. This will help you create bullet points, step-by-steps, lists, and useful tips that Google LOVES and Pinterest users are looking for. When you up your game with Pinterest, you ultimately help your Google SEO.
The plus side to Pinterest and other social media platforms
They can work together and make your social media content planning a whole lot easier. That’s right! You can repurpose Pinterest Idea pins into Instagram reels. You can write a single piece of content, like your blog post, and create at least one Idea pin from it (but probably more), plus standard pins, plus Facebook posts, plus Instagram Reels. Depending on what your content is, you might have to tweak the presentation a bit to fit the platform you are posting to but know that you do not have to create a brand new piece of content for every single platform. Pinterest Idea Pins and Instagram Reels are the same size making it super easy to repurpose.
So now when you plan out your content, add Pinterest to your content calendar and see how it all works together. Create the same content for each platform but present it a little differently depending on which platform you are on. But don’t forget you have to stay relevant.
Stay relevant when creating content (on Pinterest and when blogging)
You have to know what your audience is looking for, wanting to see, or already searching for in order for your Idea pins to be found. You can make the most beautiful pins out there but if people, your people, aren’t already searching for answers to what you have to offer, they aren’t going to find your pins in the search results. This goes for anything you publish to Pinterest (and Google, too). It’s a search engine, not a popularity contest. Captivate your audience by resonating with them. Take them on a journey so that when they get to your website they can’t wait to sign up for your opt-in just so they can learn more from you.
Create Idea pins based on what is currently being searched in Pinterest, which means that’s also where you should find your next blog topic. Get those Ideas pins out there, create at least one week, and watch your engagement go up as well as an increase in followers. Pinterest adds some automatic follow options to the end of your Idea pin giving the user an opportunity to follow you plus they can (and do) click on your profile to see more. That’s when they will see your website link in your profile and head to your website. Idea pins are meant to draw the user in, give them a quick win, and then give them an opportunity to see more of what you have to offer. This is why relevancy is so important. There’s so much power in Idea pins but only if they can be found.
Tips to create Idea Pins
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The dimensions are 1800 x 1920 px
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I highly recommend using video for at least half of your Idea pins. Pinterest users love to see YOU, the creator.
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When using video, include the text overlay and make it super easy to read and use keywords.
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Make sure you use keywords for the pin title
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Pick the best, more relevant board for it to go on.
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Pick up to 10 tags (categories) that fit your pin topic and business
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Don’t forget to add text to the Notes section, unless you are creating a pin for a recipe or a DIY. The notes section is a huge amount of real estate for your audience to learn more from you, connect with you more, and for you to use really, really good keywords.
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Add a great Call to Action (CTA)
A big bummer about Idea pins is they don’t link out BUT there is a way to include a link and it’s in the Notes section. Don’t include links on the actual Idea pin. It looks weird and no one is going to remember the entire link to type it in on another tab in their browser. Instead, add the link to the Notes section where the user can copy and paste it. That’s much more likely to happen. I recommend using a CTA link ‘CLICK here for more information’ , ‘JOIN NOW’ , ‘REGISTER for the free…..’.
Start creating Idea Pins
Now that you know the ins and outs about Idea pins it’s time for you to give them a whirl! As always with Pinterest, consistency is KEY. Start with one a week and see how that feels. Play around with the layout and make sure to use video for some of them. Your audience will love seeing your face. They will resonate with you more when they can hear your voice and feel your energy.
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Ok! Now that you know all the reasons why Pinterest Idea pins are really a great way to market your business using Pinterest it’s time to get to work!
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