When it comes to planning a Pinterest strategy, most entrepreneurs struggle. Here’s a spoiler: a strategy is not all that exciting or complicated. Sometimes as experts in our particular field we tout the word “strategy” as something that is secret or unknown to YOU as the business owner.

However, it’s not up to someone like me, it’s completely up to the business owner. As a Pinterest Strategist, I help entrepreneurs assess their marketing needs and show them how Pinterest can support their business goals.

What is a Pinterest Strategy?

The strategy is the WHY. Why would you use a platform like Pinterest? Knowing why you choose to use a platform to further your business, is the strategy. That is the end result you hope to achieve.

HOW do we leverage that platform, such as how often you should post, should you run ads, what type of content are you putting on Pinterest, etc? All of these things should be in support of your strategy - your why.

So often I see business owners decide ahead of time that they are going to use Pinterest (or insert any other type of social media/digital marketing avenue) without doing any analysis of how that platform will actually benefit them. Coming up with your Pinterest Strategy should stem from the marketing needs of your business. Creating a strategy from this place will let you track realistic metrics and creating content will become a lot easier once you know why you are on the platform!

How do you come up with a Pinterest Strategy?

Step 1

First, you should look at what you’re currently doing for marketing your business. For example, if you have an Online Coaching Business. You may have my website with Google optimization, you might be on social media like Facebook, and you may have an email list. Even if you’re not online yet, it’s a good idea to list out all of the ways that you verbalize and market your business.

Step 2

For each of those current marketing efforts, list out why you are using them, and what results they are bringing to your business.

Here is a sample scenario you might write for the Online Coaching Business:

Website (Google & SEO) - This allows people to find my business when they are searching on Google for my services. When people land on my website, they can contact me and learn more about my services.

Facebook (Social Media) - This allows people to follow my business and feel comfortable interacting and leaving reviews based on their experience. This provides trust with my business and a way for current customers to send referrals. I also use Facebook to share tips and promote my offers, so that clients know how to purchase my services.

Email - This allows me to push ideas and updates to my customer base so that they are notified of how my business is growing. I use email to sell my services, digital products, and to connect with my audience.

Step 3

Now for each of your current marketing efforts, what is missing? What do you want to be doing better? Here are some prompts for you to think about:

• How are clients joining your email list?

• How do clients find you on Facebook?

• Are you currently attracting your ideal clients?

• Which one of these marketing efforts converts the most clients? Why does it convert the most clients?

• Which platform do I enjoy being on the most?

• Do you want to be creating more online content like videos, tips, blogs?

• Are you getting traffic to your site or your blog?

• What does having more traffic mean for your business?

• What does having more followers mean for your business?

To answer these questions, you can start to formulate “Needs” statements like this:

I need a way to add more users to my email list so that I can serve my clients with tips and share my services with them to grow the sales of my small products.

I need xxxxx, so that I can xxxx.

Step 4

Once you have these statements formulated, it is so much easier to determine your WHY for Pinterest (or for an existing strategy you might need to tweak). Determine which of your need statements would map well with Pinterest.

Pinterest can be a great platform to increase your product sales if you have an online store, and for our Online Coaching Business, it can be a great way to get more traffic to your online content and lead to more email subscribers.

Step 5

Now that your WHY for choosing Pinterest is clear, you can start to work on the HOW. How are you going to achieve the outcomes you outlined that you needed for marketing your business. Things like setting up a product catalog, tagging products in your Idea Pins, pinning blog posts or landing pages that lead to your email list, etc.

In this step, you’ll also want to identify which metrics you’re going to track to see if you’re meeting your goals. When you set up your business account on Pinterest you get access to analytics things like impressions, outbound pin clicks, and saves

Depending on your strategy for Pinterest, each of these metrics will hold different weight. For example, if you are a DIY blogger, impressions and saves might be more important for you. If you have an Online Coaching Business, outbound clicks to your free resources will be more important as this converts your followers into email subscribers.

Your Next Steps

If you’ve been considering Pinterest for your business and need help identifying how Pinterest can help you meet your business goals in 2022, join us at the Nest on March 22 at 6:30 for our “Pin Your Interest” event! This event will walk you through all of the basics for getting started on Pinterest and make sure you are set up to achieve success!

Or message Sarah @heySarahEmily on Instagram for a free Pinterest Strategy Clarity Call.

Meet Sarah

Sarah, of @heysarahemily, works with online business owners to create strategies to scale their business on Pinterest! She is a trained web developer turned digital marketer, because sitting behind a screen coding all day, wasn’t going to cut it! Sarah loves building community and supporting businesses in their online journey.