If you’re a service provider looking to increase traffic to your website using Pinterest, then one of the most important tools you need to know about is SEO.
Let’s just start with the basics. “SEO” stands for “Search Engine Optimization”. According to Moz.com, SEO is
“is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results”.
Each search engine you utilize, whether it be Google or in this case Pinterest, has a specific algorithm in place that kicks in when users put in a specific query or search. This algorithm searches through the data available until it finds keywords, phrases, quality traffic from similar, previous searches, as well as several other technical factors, until it comes up with an index of possibilities that match the user’s inquiry. When using Pinterest for business purposes, it’s important to think of it as a search engine, not necessarily a social media platform. When you begin to think of your pins and your Business Pinterest page in these terms, it becomes easier to optimize them for Pinterest’s specific algorithm.
One of the most important factors to consider when optimizing your page is your audience. It is vital to have identified your ideal client or target audience. When you know who you’re trying to reach, then you can understand how they think. What words or phrases would they use? What are problems they have and what solutions are they looking for? How does your content solve these problems? Answering these questions will give insight on what keywords and phrases to use. For more information on your target audience, be sure to check out the Pinterest Analytics for your business page.
Each search engine has precise ways and places it searches when looking through the data. When practicing SEO for your Pinterest page, there are specific places on your page and in your pins that you can optimize.
Here is a list of places to optimize on Pinterest:
- The Description of Your Page: Be sure to include very specific words and phrases that describe who you are and what your page is about.
2. Names of Your Boards:
a. The titles of your boards need to be specific to the topic, but general enough to cover a variety of pins. Good beginnings of board names include: “How to…”, “Tips for…”, “For [Name of Target Audience]”, as well as the general name for that category or niche.
b. Here are some examples: “How to Build Your Side Hustle”; “Tips for Sticking to Your Monthly Budget”; “For New Mothers”; “Email Marketing”; “Fall Fashion 2019”. You get the idea.
3. The Name of a Pin:
a. This is where you want to niche down and get specific. A good name for quality content is key to reaching your target audience.
4. The Description of a Pin:
a. This is where you can go to town with SEO. The description is the place to unload the big guns, so to speak. While you want the description to be concise and not too long, this is a good place to really work in the more general keywords and phrases. Especially, since the title of the pin should be very specific.
b. Don’t forget the hashtag! The description is also a good place to utilize popular hashtags. Use more than one, if possible. I try to use popular hashtags, as well as hashtags that are specific to my business. The goal is to generate leads with the general hashtags, while at the same time build brand awareness with the brand/business specific hashtag(s).
SOURCES:
“What is SEO?” from Moz.com
“Pinterest Analytics” from Pinterest Business
