Last updated on January 1st, 2019 at 03:06 pm
How to grow blog traffic with Pinterest and what I am doing. Are you struggling with growing your blog? I know how you feel because the first year I didn’t get anywhere with my blog. Well for the past two months, I’ve sat down and come up with a Pinterest plan that is helping me grow my blog.
Why Pinterest?
I know what you’re thinking, this is going to be the same old same old rehashed blog post that tells you to optimize your blog Pinterest profile and use the right keywords for your boards.
Nope not at all, if you still need help with the basics, then I suggest you check out the Pinning Perfect course. This is the same course that I took when I started using Pinterest.
Instead, I am going to show you exactly what I do from the moment I publish a new blog post and start pinning my pins on Pinterest.
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I won’t be covering how to use keywords on Pinterest, but you’ll want to read this if you’re not yet using them. They make a huge difference and I didn’t use them at all for my first year.
There are several ways to grow your blog using Pinterest. But this is what’s been working for me.
Why I’m Sharing These Tips?
I know you’re probably thinking why am I sharing these tips instead of charging you for these tips? Well, the truth is that I haven’t been able to reach my first 25k pageviews using Pinterest yet.
As you know, I started this blog so I can walk away from my freelancing business. This means that I need to turn my blog into a full-time business.
Maybe you’re in the same boat as I am. Chances are you started your blog in hopes of earning money from it. If so then hopefully these tips will help you grow your blog.
I personally feel there is plenty of room for all of us to succeed online. Plus if I share enough tips that help you grow your blog, chances are you’re going to buy something from one of my affiliate links if you think it will help you.
Yup, I have an ulterior motive to hopefully get you to buy through my affiliate links. After all, I am an affiliate marketer 🙂
So if you’ve been struggling with Pinterest and not getting any traction, I feel your pain. That’s how I felt my first year of blogging.
Finally this year, I’ve been seeing some traffic growth and it definitely hasn’t been easy. Now it’s time to share the exact steps that I take whenever I publish a new blog post.
Feel free to use these steps for your brand new blog posts. I can’t promise that it will help you grow your blog, but I have no doubt if you’re doing your keyword research and optimizing for both Pinterest and Google you’re going to be happy a few months from now.
How to Grow Blog Traffic With Pinterest
In order to use Pinterest effectively, you’re going to need to come up with a Pinning strategy that works for you. This took me forever to figure out. I still use both Tailwind and Board Booster to help me automate my pinning.
The difference is that I am now spending time on the platform. I also make it a point to manually pin 5-10 pins throughout the day.
There’s such a huge debate on whether manual pinning makes a difference or not. But between you and I, I’d rather spend time pinning manually a little bit just so I don’t rely 100% on an automated scheduler.
Just in case Pinterest ever changes things up and puts more emphasis on pins done live on the platform. (I don’t think this will ever happen, but I just want to cover my bases)
As Soon As I Publish A New Blog Post
I always pin all my pins on Pinterest as soon as my blog post goes live. I know that so many people will say that you should only pin at certain times to ensure that your pins get repinned. Even Pinterest has said that you should pin at specific times.
While I do make it a point to make sure that my pins are being pinned at specific times. I am always consistently pinning with my automated schedulers.
So feel free to experiment with the times that you pin on Pinterest.
Pin Using Tailwind
My blog posts go live at 5:00 EST every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. As soon as my blog post goes live, I’ll run through my blog promotion checklist.
I will schedule the first pin using Tailwind and pin it to my most relevant board. Right after that first pin, I’ll repin it directly to the second more relevant board on my Pinterest account.
Yup, I pin back to back.
Once that is done, I’ll add it to my Board Booster campaign so that it can start getting circulated with all my other pins.
It took me a while to figure out how to use Board Booster campaigns. The main reason that I use Board Booster is that I can loop my pins without having to worry about things.
It is however not an API approved partner of Pinterest. But if you’ve ever taken the PIMP course, you’ll know that both the Tailwind and Board Booster pins show the same thing when you look at how they were pinned.
So I really don’t worry about it. Plus I am taking the time to manually pin throughout the day at peak times. I’m pretty confident this will keep me on Pinterest’s good side.
I’ve never been one to follow the rules, so if you don’t feel safe. I suggest that you stick with Tailwind, grab your free trial here.
Creating Another Pin
If you’re completely new to Pinterest and you don’t have a lot of your own content, I would suggest that you create more than one image for each blog post.
I know what you’re thinking, it takes a lot of work to create more than one image. Yes, it does, but the great thing is that you’ll get more traffic if you have multiple images.
It took me forever to start creating more images for every blog post. There are times when I publish a new blog post and I don’t create more than one image.
I understand that you’re short on time and don’t always have to time to do all your blogging tasks. That’s okay, but if you see one blog post really getting a lot of shares, maybe it’s time to create more than one image.
Your Post Isn’t Getting Any Shares
The opposite is true as well. If I did my keyword research and I know that the blog topic actually does good on Pinterest. Yet, my pin has been in circulation for a little while and I’m still not getting any shares.
I’ll actually take the time to create a new image. As a matter of fact, I am trying to make it a point to go back and create new pins for some of my old blog posts.
Because when I first started on Pinterest, I had ugly pins. I still think that my pins need some work when I look at some of the pins that other people create and pin.
What’s that say, you get better the more often you continue to do it? So don’t feel bad if you can’t create drop-dead gorgeous images.
I think that every blogger who doesn’t come from a designer background feels this way.
Work On Improving Your Pins
Pinterest is kind of like eye-candy and if your pin doesn’t stand out and make someone want to click, then no one is going to click through to your site.
It takes time to create great looking images. But don’t let that stop you from getting started on Pinterest.
Take the time to work on improving your pins. I always get my images from:
If you’re not ready to spend money on your images, then here are 11 places to get free images. I’m not sure what type of results you’ll get on Pinterest if you’re using free images.
I’ve always paid for my images.
Start Adding It to Relevant Group Boards
After I’ve pinned my new pin to at least 3 of my own relevant group boards, I start adding it to relevant group boards. Right now at the time of this writing, I belong to over 25 group boards.
Which isn’t a lot when I’ve heard so many bloggers say that they belong to 50 or more. Personally, I am not looking to join any more group boards right now.
I’ll see how it goes with just pinning to 25 group boards. If I need to join more than I’ll make the time to reach out and join some.
Add to Tailwind Tribes
I used to add my pins to Tailwind the same day that I published my new blog post. But now I’ll pin them to my relevant boards and a few group boards before I add them to the Tailwind Tribes.
I’ve learned that the beginning stages of a pin are extremely important. Pinterest doesn’t yet know what your pin is about.
So you want to make sure that you keep your new pin moving and keep saving it to relevant boards to help Pinterest know what it’s about.
Once I’ve saved it a few times (there’s really no set number) I’ll add it to the Tribes.
Keep An Eye On My Analytics
We’ve all heard that saying 20% of your efforts are actually worth your time. I’ve pinned hundreds of pins on Pinterest and I can literally count on one hand or maybe two the pins that are actually responsible for driving traffic to my blog.
Unfortunately, not every pin that you add to Pinterest is going to be a go-getter. This is why you want to make sure that you analyze your traffic stats and see which pins are actually working hard for you.
Once you find out that information, you want to make sure that your blog posts that are getting the traffic from Pinterest are optimized with affiliate links and have an email opt-in.
I don’t go crazy and check my analytics every day. In fact, I only check it once a month when it’s time to write my blog update reports.
I’ll then go to Google Analytics and check which pins are performing well.
Checking Your Pins Analytics
Just in case you’re not sure how to do this you go to:
Acquisition >> Network Referrals >> Pinterest
You’ll see which blog posts people are landing on from Pinterest. You can then use this information to optimize those blog posts to make sure they convert.
You can also use this information to write more content based on what’s already been proven to be popular. It’s so important to make sure you’re using Google Analytics. If you still haven’t installed it here’s a tutorial to help you get it installed.
Checking Your Tailwind Analytics
Another cool thing that you can do is check to see if you’re actually getting traffic from Tailwind Tribes. While you’re logged into your Google Analytics, go to:
Acquisition >> Campaigns >> All Campaigns
You’ll see how much traffic you received for the month. Your traffic will vary depending on whether you’re in some good Tribes that actually share your traffic.
Not all the Tribes are created equally. I’ve noticed that in some Tribes my content gets shared and in others, it doesn’t.
I really need to take the time to check my Tailwind Analytics and see which Tribes I should just drop. Maybe I’ll take a weekend and go through and drop the Tribes that are not helping me grow my traffic.
It’s sad because you’ll get into a tribe and before you can start adding your own content. You’re going to have to share other people’s content.
Which I don’t mind sharing other people’s content. But it does suck when you’ve been sharing other people’s stuff and no one is sharing yours.
Then you know that it’s time to leave the Tribe and try to find a better one. But unfortunately, it’s going to take some time to learn which ones are worth it or not.
Give It Time
One thing that I’ve learned from starting a blog this time around is that it definitely takes time to see results. This goes the same with Pinterest traffic.
You might get lucky and have a pin that goes viral. Maybe you pin it at the right time and a power pinner pins it to a great group board.
I’ve had a mini-viral experience and it was great. But those viral experiences don’t last.
Your goal with your blog should be to provide as much value as you can to your readers. If you’re constantly adding value and helping people with their problems.
They’ll share your blog posts and your pins. As long as you have a social sharing plugin that makes it easy for them to do so. Here’s the one that I use in and why I love it.
Anytime you’re using content marketing as a way to build a business, it’s going to take time. There are no instant overnight results. So get that out of your head and get ready to roll up your sleeves and work hard.
Once your blog starts getting some traction and you’ve reached 25k sessions, you can apply to Mediavine. At that point, your blog should start to make some consistent money.
At least that’s what I’ve read. I’ll let you know once I get there 🙂
Be Willing to Test New Things Out
If you’ve been blogging awhile, you’re going to see there’s no shortage of Pinterest tips. Everyone shares what is and what isn’t working for them.
I’d love to tell you that what I am doing to promote my pins is going to work for you. But the truth is that you’re going to have to keep testing new strategies.
Unfortunately, that’s the only way that you’re going to find out what truly works. No one is going to tell you what actually works for them (not for free anyway)
I have yet to buy a great Pinterest course that just teaches me everything I need to know. While I’ve learned something from everything I’ve purchased.
The truth is that I’ve learned the most by testing new things out.
Don’t Be Scared
I used to avoid testing things out and experimenting because I thought what if it doesn’t work. Well, you know what?
Everything you try isn’t always going to work. So what, it’s okay at least you tested it out for yourself.
Sure you spend time doing things that don’t work. But at least you know that those Pinterest tips that everyone is talking about that are working so great, don’t work for you.
You’re an entrepreneur and you’re going to have to just test and tweak and pivot. Eventually, you’ll find what actually works for you and if Pinterest is even the right platform for you.
Although, I am willing to bet that it is 🙂
Final Take Away
One thing that I’ve learned about Pinterest is that it takes time to figure it out. It’s not as easy as just pinning once and leaving it alone. I suggest that you read their business blog and learn as much as you can about it.
Don’t be scared to invest in your Pinterest education. I know that there’s a lot of free information online that shares a lot of the basics with you.
But if you don’t want to waste a full year like I did, then make sure that you’re investing in your education. Don’t go overboard and buy a bunch of products and courses.
Oh and if you do invest in some education, make sure that you’re actually implementing it. I’ve wasted money on courses and products that I never used and wonder why I didn’t get any traffic from Pinterest the first year.
Here’s a huge list of Pinterest educational courses and tools just in case you want to check them out. I’ve purchased them all and can vouch that they will be worth your time.
Board Booster: an Automated scheduler that I use to help me keep active on Pinterest. Here’s $5 to give it a try. Unfortunately this tool is no longer available for use.
Tailwind: Pinterest automated scheduler I use to pin other people’s pins when I am not able to spend time manual pinning. Take it for a spin and try it for free for 30 days.
Pinning Perfect: I chose to pick up this course when I was completely new to Pinterest. It cut my learning curve in half and helped me set up my foundational base without any hiccups.
Pinterest Strategies: This eBook has helped me improved my manual pinning strategies that I’ve been using for the past 2 months that have increased my traffic significantly.
PIMP: A more advanced Pinterest course that has helped me understand the stages a pin goes through from the minute it is pinned on Pinterest and what to do with it so Pinterest understands what it’s about.
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Hopefully, you enjoyed this blog post how to grow blog traffic with Pinterest. If so, let me know if these are the same steps that you take with a brand new pin? If not, then let me know what you do differently. I’d love to hear how you’re growing your Pinterest traffic.
Hi Allison,
Thanks so much for the shoutout in this informative post about Pinterest. We would love to have you join us at Mediavine. Our threshold is 25k sessions within a 30 day period, which you’ll quickly reach if you keep creating great content like this!
We’re known for helping online publishers monetize their existing content through digital advertising that doesn’t slow down sites or destroy audience experience. But ads are just the beginning. Our mission is to create sustainable businesses for digital content creators. We are committed to providing education to publishers on a wide variety of topics from social media to SEO and helping them diversify their income streams with our influencer marketing department and other resources (like your post!)
Good luck on your 2018 goals and we’ll see you soon.
PS: We’d love you to join us for our Facebook Live next Thursday, 4/26 at 1 p.m. EST. We have 2 Pinterest team members joining us to discuss best practices. We’ll be Live from our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mediavinepublishernetwork/
Hope to see you there!
~Jenny, Mediavine Marketing Associate
Hey Jenny,
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment. Also, thanks for sharing the link to your Facebook Live. I have no doubt that it will provide a ton of useful information that people need to find out more about more about using Pinterest, especially with all the changes it just went through 🙂
Have a great day 🙂
Susan
Hi Susan,
As a newbie to Pinterest, I find this article so helpful. I thank you my friend. So far I’m pinning my blog posts but didn’t think of making a few images to re pin them hmm….that I can do in a jiffy.
Thank you for introducing me to Tailwind – Board Booster – PIMP – and all the rest. It sounds so interesting. Heck, I didn’t even know there were Pinterest Groups, that’s how new I am. But I’m following your journey closely to learn from you.
Yes, I know it takes time and I do have the patience for that lol.
-Donna
Hey Donna,
It takes a little while to get better at creating good images, especially, if you don’t come from a designer background.
I am in the process of improving some of my older pins.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment and glad you’re finding the information helpful.
Have a great day 🙂
Susan