Pinterest is a great way to showcase a brand in a truly unique manner and engage with the target market. It is interactive, and it allows consumers to save pictures of products so that they can come back to them later and even visit the website. As social marketing is growing, there are still common Pinterest mistakes that we see people and businesses make when it comes to using Pinterest to grow their business.
As part of marketing resolutions this 2021, we will share the common mistakes that we see among the marketers Pinterest world to avoid this and improve the growth of your business.
15 Most Common Pinterest Mistakes
1. Not Doing Niche Research on Pinterest Beforehand
It is prime to have a specific niche on Pinterest for your business and what you provide. Be sure that your boards, as long as they are visible, fit into your business niche. Also, make sure your Boards are completely aligning with your brand and can fit into your brand message as a whole. It involves having a strategy and setting yourself up with a business profile on Pinterest.
One company that has done a great job in defining its niche and representing it well on Pinterest is Martha Stewart Weddings. Each of their Boards is dedicated to wedding ideations, as can be seen in the image below. These include Boards on DIY favors, Outdoor Wedding ideas, Wedding favors, and much more.
2. Not Pinning Pinterest Friendly Images
Pinterest prefers a ratio of 2:3 when considering the size of the image to post. You cannot just post an excessively long or wide image and hope that it’ll work. The best photos on the social media site are on a scale of 600 by 900. These images look the best on Pinterest and fit the best with customers, catching the eye quickly.
The example listed below offers the perfect 2:3 ratio. You can see the product clearly, and there is a link readily available to take you to where you can purchase the product from the brand.
3. No Links on Uploaded Images
In posting the Pins, always link back to the product’s landing page so that people can always click the link and visit the website. The benefit is if people are interested in the content, they can easily click the website and be potential leads for the business.
One company that does a great job of linking back to the landing page of each of their products is H&M. They have men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing all displayed on their Pinterest, each with an evergreen link to the specific webpage of their products.
4. Using Pinterest like Every Other Social Network
Pinterest does not work the same as the other social network sites such as Facebook and Instagram. Pinterest users are looking for product ideas on Pinterest, and it will be beneficial to provide information that your audience will need when they look up for information.
An example below is from Pottery Barn where the Boards are categorized according to the interest of their audience. They did not randomly post the Pins, instead, they are grouped based on what the audience might want to look for specifically.
5. Not Completing the Profile
Make sure to sign up for a Pinterest business account first and foremost. This allows you to prove yourself as credible, and it will make the profile look much more professional. Be sure every section is filled out, including the Description section. Provide a link back to your website as well in order to allow customers to explore what the business is all about. Make the Profile complete and it answers what the business is about.
Starbucks has one of the strongest profiles on Pinterest. The cover image highlights some of their most popular products. They have a very inviting description, and the link to the website is the first piece of information in the about section.
6. Not Using a Business Account
Using a business account has already been mentioned throughout this article, but it is worth noting again. Business accounts truly set you apart from other Pinterest users and help people know about the business. There is a red checkmark on the account name if it is a Business account. A simple search of your business’ name will generate hundreds of results just by having a business account. You will also appear much more professional to potential customers.
Birchbox has one of the best business profiles. Their brand is easily recognizable, and even the cover image provides the benefits of using the brand. Since the Description section is limited, they have utilized the Cover photo to add more details about their brand.
7. Not Integrating Pinterest with your Website
As mentioned, it is important to have a link in your about section on Pinterest back to your website. It is also important for product and service pins to have links back to the service or product page of your website. You should also have a link on your website to your Pinterest. This will help you in forming a deeper connection with your customers.
An example, Birchbox created a Pin on the benefits of their product and attached a URL link on where can this be found on their website. This way, the user will click the URL link added to know more about the product.
8. Select the Wrong KPI’s for Market Success
Key performance indicators, or KPI’s, are indicators of how well is the performance of a Pinterest account. It provides information if the business is generating leads and successful conversions from doing Pinterest marketing.
Pinterest created these tools to help marketers determine if their efforts are successful. The image below gives detailed information on what Pinterest analytics provides to users. Be sure to use the data provided to improve the performance of the Pinterest account.
9. Creating Boards that are Not Optimized for Search
Make sure to have at least 15 to 20 Pinterest Boards with the right Board Title and descriptions of what the business offers. Be sure that each of the boards is specific to the information customers will want to find. This will involve utilizing the relevant keywords that your target audience would likely use in a search engine.
The Knot, for instance, has specific boards, each utilizing the keyword that is related to weddings so that these will appear when someone will search for an idea related to weddings. They created boards that are specific for the Summer and Winter seasons to classify according to what their target audience might search for in relation to weddings.
10. Only Pinning the Products to Sell
Even though you may post pins of products and services on Pinterest, make sure they are also engaging. Only posting about the products in an effort to sell them will not bring in the customers you need. Customers will be turned off to your company rather than seeking what the company offers. Make the pins more lifestyle-based, so that they are images of individuals using your products. You could even do a play on blogs by offering mini-blogs on a certain board through pins.
Every board created by Anthropologie is base on giving inspiration for home living. Their products are displayed at homes to provide ideas on how to be creative in home decorating and designs.
11. Not Pinning Consistently
Pinterest loves fresh pins. Make sure to add fresh pins to one of your Pinterest boards daily. Do not post all at once in one setting since other pins might not get noticed by your audience. You may even put the same Pin on different boards to ensure that your target market is seeing what you want them to see.
Whole Foods Market has over 4,100 pins, showcasing that they pin consistently. They get over 2 million viewers every month, so this must prove that they are doing something right.
12. Not Following Other People
It is important to follow other individuals and boards on Pinterest to increase your network. Follow other businesses you look up to and your competitors. You could even follow other users who are part of your followers. It will help the experience feel much more personalized to them, increasing the likelihood for lead generation.
Rachel Hollis, for instance, one of the top social media influencers and authors, follows her businesses, other businesses that she can draw inspiration from, and even other users. A few of the individuals she follows can be seen in the image below.
13. Only Focusing on Followers
It is vital to not just focus on the number of followers you have on Pinterest. Your level of success on Pinterest does not equate with the number of followers. The amount of success is determined by the number of users who will click and visit your website. Do not waste money or time buying followers and focus on ensuring people are interested in your business. To have more website visits through Pinterest, make sure to:
- Complete the profile description with all the information needed.
- Add website URL on the About section and in the Pins posted
- Optimize Board and Pin descriptions with relevant keywords that people will likely use in the search engine.
Caribou Coffee may have a relatively low number of followers at only 8,000, but they have a high number of monthly viewers. These monthly viewers are the potential people to engage on their pins and most likely visit their website. Resulting in that they are one of the most successful coffee companies in the world though, despite this “low” number.
14. Ignoring a Call-to-Action in the Profile
There is a high chance that Pinterest users will never visit the website if there is no Call-To-Action (CTA) on the profile. Adding CTAs in your profile description encourages users to take the desired action.
CTAs should always be brief, clear, and to the point. This is especially true on Pinterest.
15. Ignoring the Use of Hashtags
It is recommended to use hashtags in every pin description. Be sure to add at least three to five relevant hashtags per pin that are optimized for search. Besides, they are placed at the end of the pin description to make it more organized.
When searching for the hashtag, “#backtoschool” you can see that the second result on the page is from Kohl’s pin. It proves that the hashtag helps businesses to be more visible in the search results of Pinterest.
Final Thoughts
These common Pinterest mistakes are avoidable if the tips mentioned above are applied. Pinterest growth is an effective social media platform to leverage the marketing of your business. It helps in generating more leads that potentially becomes customers. Make sure the pins are searchable and organized appropriately on specific boards. Build relationships by engaging with the target market. Also, always make sure to have an appropriate description with a link to your website and a call-to-action (CTA) to encourage lead generation. Following these steps above will help you leverage the growth of your business with Pinterest.
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