The theme this month is Using Pinterest for your Business. 

In this series, we are going to go step-by-step from setting up your profile to creating your content strategy.

Many virtual assistants and solopreneurs pass over Pinterest too quickly when they think of the social platforms they’d like to use to promote their business and to find new clients. This is a huge mistake!

Here’s what you’re missing if you’re not using Pinterest to promote your business:

• 459 million monthly active users
• 60% female users but that gender gap is narrowing
• Users watch almost 1 BILLION videos a DAY on Pinterest
• 8 in 10 Pinterest users say the platform has a positive vibe

Let’s jump in with today’s topic: Creating your optimized Pinterest profile.

Welcome to a new Systems Sunday! The theme this month is Using Pinterest for your Business. For this series, we are going to go step-by-step from setting up your profile to creating your content strategy.

Let’s jump in with today’s topic: Creating your optimized Pinterest profile.

I am Lisa Wells, Your Virtual Assistant Trainer.

How many pins and boards do YOU have in your Pinterest account? Pinterest is the social media platform where people go to find inspiration. Recipes, Sweet 16 birthday ideas, home décor, favorite celebrity photos, holiday decorations…if you can name it, you can probably find it on Pinterest.

However, many virtual assistants and solopreneurs pass over Pinterest too quickly when they think of the social platforms they’d like to use to promote their business and to find new clients. This is a huge mistake!

Here’s what you’re missing if you’re not using Pinterest to promote your business:

• 459 million monthly active users
• 60% female users but that gender gap is narrowing
• Users watch almost 1 BILLION videos a DAY on Pinterest
• 8 in 10 Pinterest users say the platform has a positive vibe

The most important step in getting started with Pinterest is setting up a BUSINESS account. You may have a personal account now but upgrading gives you some extra perks, like claiming your website, access to analytics, scheduling your content, and the ability to advertise using Promoted & Rich Pins.

Converting your account from a personal account to a business account is simple and free. You can also create a new business account that’s separate from your personal account and uses a different email as well as a linked business account so that you can connect your personal and business accounts and sign in with the same email. I will add a link in the resources section that will take you to Pinterest’s Help section explaining how to do these.

Just keep in mind that using the same name across all your social platforms is also important for searchability. If someone uses Google to search your name, all of your platforms will appear in the search results and it will be easy for new followers to recognize your name.

For smaller, lesser-known businesses, you can actually add keywords to your profile name in a legitimate way that will help get new eyes on your profile. Simply use your company name, then add a “|” bar afterward and add some keywords about who you are and what you do.
For example, take a look at KJ and Co. You’d have no idea what type of company this is without the important keyword descriptor after her name. “Wedding Business Coach & Entrepreneur, Krista Olynyk.” Now Krista can find new followers and prospects for anyone who searches for “wedding business coach” or “wedding coach.”

Next up is your bio. The key is to keep it short and sweet; normally two sentences are enough to keep people’s attention. Use the first sentence to describe what you do using keyword phrases; use the second sentence to add a tagline or to inject some humor. The bio appears underneath your username, so if you take another look at KJ and Co’s profile again, you’ll see that Krista helps wedding PROS, not brides. That’s an important distinction that helps brides realize that KJ and Co is NOT a wedding planning business.

If you decide to use a branded hashtag, that should be in your bio, too. A branded hashtag can link your Pinterest and Instagram content and it can help build a community if your followers start using it.

A word of advice: Don’t rush this branded hashtag process. As with most brainstorming sessions, the first ideas are not always the best. Write every idea down but also think of phrases that are short and easy to remember/spell. Research your shortlist of ideas and run it by your audience to make the process more fun.

The last pieces of your Pinterest profile are your profile photo and cover art. First impressions are everything in the world of social media so choose your images wisely. Professional headshots are always preferred over fuzzy selfies and your cover art is a way to embed your business branding, such as colors and fonts.

Take a look at Denise Duffield-Thomas’ Pinterest profile. Her profile photo is clear even though she uses the beach as her backdrop. Her cover art also incorporates those beachie colors that you’ll find on her website. It’s a comprehensive look that compliments her website if visitors find her on Pinterest first.

Remember, too, that these images can always be changed should your branding colors change or if you add more products to your library and want to highlight those. Make a point to review each of your social profiles on an annual basis to be sure they still portray your business, services, and target market accurately.

There’s a lot to get you started and I wanted to make it super easy for you so I created a new downloadable: a checklist for creating your optimized Pinterest profile. You can sign up right below the video and it will immediately go to your inbox.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to take it further, check out my new Productivity Planner, “How to use Pinterest for business to attract new fans, clients, and sales.” At 75 pages, it’s chock full of instructions, examples, and exercises to help you start using Pinterest as part of your marketing strategy. You can find a link to the product below or visit my VA Business Builder Boutique and click on Shop.

Join me next week for a Pin Perfect Strategy to Get Traffic. See you next week!

Catch up on other Using Pinterest for Business episodes + resources mentioned in the video:

• [Video] Pin Perfect Strategy to Get Traffic
• [Video] Pinning in Action + Board Strategy
• [Video] Your Pinning Toolbox: Tools, Plugins, and Schedulers
• How to get a Pinterest business account

Did you enjoy this episode and want to put it into action? Check out this planner!