How to Increase Your Pinterest Traffic
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One of my blog goals this year, is to finally hit the 200,000 monthly pageviews mark. It’s mid-January and I’m already well past the 100,000 pageviews for this month only so far, and it’s all thanks to Pinterest. I never thought that I could hit my goal THIS quickly, but it looks like it’s happening.
So yes, blogger babes, today we’re talking Pinterest. Again.
I use Pinterest for many different things; like creating blog mood boards, generating blog post ideas, organizing my ideas, finding inspiration, etc. First and foremost, however, I use it as a tool to drive traffic to my blog.
I’ve been consistently getting about 120-130k pageviews a month for a while, but it was usually due to the fact that my posts were featured on other websites or newsletters every single week. So far in January, however, I didn’t have a single major feature, yet traffic-wise, this has been the best month yet and it’s only been a little over two weeks.
You also probably noticed that I haven’t been publishing new content as often as I usually do, and it’s mostly because I’m still grieving and trying to slowly ease back to my routine after losing my granny. I’m telling you this because a lot of people think that you HAVE to blog daily in order to be “successful” and that simply isn’t true.
I’m also not telling you any of this to brag. I’m telling you this because I want you to realize that you don’t need to rely on being featured on more popular blogs or websites if you want to grow your traffic. You can put in some work and make it happen all by yourself.
In October Pinterest announced that it has reached 150 million active users, by the way. I’d be silly no to take advantage of this now, would it?
Pinterest is different
Pinterest is very different from other social media platforms and that’s because it is not a social media platform- it’s a visual search engine. Think about it- when you log in to your Pinterest account and look at your feed, what do you see? Blog posts. It doesn’t matter if it’s a recipe, a hair tutorial, a blog-tips post, a photography guide, a nail tutorial, a DIY tutorial- they are all blog posts. THIS is why it’s such a great place for bloggers to be.
Unlike other platforms like Facebook or Twitter, where your content is only seen for a short period of time, your pins can get discovered and pinned at any time; even if your post was published years ago. Whenever I log in to Pinterest, I almost always see some of my photography posts from several years ago being pinned and shared.
How did I do it?
Well… there’s no simple answer to this. It’s a whole bunch of tools and strategies that when used together, bring amazing results. These are some of them.
Rich pins
If you don’t already use them, you need to sign up for Rich Pins- STAT! This post explains in-detail what Rich Pins are and how to set them up. In short, Rich Pins are Pins that include extra information right on the Pin itself. It includes things like source of the pin- your blog name, post title. Rich Pins work by displaying metadata from marked up pages on your blog.
Pinterest-Friendly Images
It’s all about the visuals when it comes to Pinterest! Long, vertical images do a lot better, in general, as they get more exposure. Pinterest users also love when there’s text added to your posts. Your images should be bright, clear and sharp. See this post to learn more about creating images that are Pinterest-friendly. I highly recommend getting a Photoshop subscription. It’s only about 10 bucks a month and it really helped me with getting the kind of images I really want.
Be active + Schedule your pins + Pin Consistently and Constantly
It’s one thing to have a “Pin it” button on your blog, and it’s another to grow your account. You don’t want to only rely on others pinning your content. You also have to remember to grow your following and be active on Pinterest. I try to schedule my pins using this tool and whenever I’m not consistent with it (like in the recent weeks when I needed a lot of downtime) I noticed that my account didn’t grow at a quick pace, as it usually does. This is why being active and pinning constantly is important. Tailwind is great for scheduling your pins as you can take care of your “pinning” during only a few minutes a week, and not have to worry about being active for the rest of the week, as your pins will go up automatically. I talked about Tailwind in more detail in this post.
Being consistent is also something to keep in mind. This is especially important for your Pinterest images. I use the same combination of colors, I don’t play around with fonts too much when creating Pinterest images and I always add my blog address to the bottom of my image. Being consistent will help you with branding and eventually, people will recognize your pins as yours, just by looking at them.
Be descriptive
In your profile, your boards, your pins- be descriptive! Use keywords like “beauty blogger” in your profile, if you have a beauty blog. If you have a board about shoes use words like: heels, stilettos, sandals, etc. This will help your boards get discovered. Avoid using hashtags. Makes sure all of your boards have selected categories and your featured image somewhat follow a certain color theme.
Join Group Boards
These can be a great way to gain some exposure. Use PinGroupie to find group boards to join, and always remember to follow the rules and avoid spamming.
Pin Valuable Content
There is a lot of spam on Pinterest, so make sure to only pin valuable content. Follow others in your niche. Know someone who shares awesome hair tutorials or great recipes? Follow them on Pinterest, pin their content. Remember that valuable, evergreen content that always stays relevant, helpful articles and blog posts are what Pinterest users love. Start pinning seasonal content in advance, create seasonal boards and remember to move them to the bottom once the season passes.
Optimize Your Blog for Pinterest
Do you have a “Pin it” button? Is your Pinterest account linked on your homepage and can be easily found? Improve your images, create a call to action on your images, stick to consistent branding. Make it easy for others to share your content.
Combining all of those have really helped me expand my blog and my audience. I get thousands of referrals from Pinterest alone, every single day, so if you haven’t looked into it yet, it’s definitely something to consider!
For more blogging tips, visit my “BLOGGING” section.
55 Comments
Angel Bland
January 16, 2017 at 8:23 pmThis is very helpful! I am trying to grow my pinterest. So far people have been following my boards which is great! But I still haven’t gotten a repin yet.
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:04 amThanks Angel! It definitely takes some time. Joining group boards is great for promoting your content.
Angel Bland
January 17, 2017 at 10:29 amOk thank you. I would like yo join your group board. Can you tell me the name of it?
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:42 amYou can find my board here: https://www.pinterest.com/lifestylegleam/beauty-and-lifestyle-bloggers-group-board/ In order for me to send you an invite you have to follow me and that board on Pinterest. What’s your Pinterest link?
Angel Bland
January 17, 2017 at 12:43 pmOk. Thanks. I went and followed your pinterest boards.
My link is http://www.pinterest.com/trendmaverick1/
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 18, 2017 at 12:00 amJust sent you an invite! Please make sure to follow board rules and only pin images from your own blog, limiting yourself to 5 pins a day. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions!
Angel Bland
January 18, 2017 at 1:00 pmOk thanks!
Estefania
January 16, 2017 at 9:02 pmGreat post! Thank you very much, I’ve just started using Pinterest and this will help me a lot. Hope you are doing well after hearing about your granny.
Instagram | Blog
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:04 amThank you so much Estefania. x
Leah, A Relaxed Gal
January 16, 2017 at 10:36 pmThis is a great post! I’ve implemented many if not all of these tips and my traffic has increased significantly. I just wish I had done these things when I first started blogging instead of a couple of years in.
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:05 amYou and me both haha! But better late than never :)
Joanna Joy
January 17, 2017 at 12:53 amThese are great tips. I am going to look into doing this right away. Thank you for sharing.
astylishlovestory.blogspot.com
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:05 amThank you!
Aleksandra // bunniesaremagic
January 17, 2017 at 3:15 amI;m very sorry to hear about your gran – I remember the sad days when I had to say goodbye to mine and it was probably the darkest time in my life. Give yourself some more time, it is perfectly ok to feel sad, and I hope you will get better soon <3
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:07 amThank you so much Aleksandra. We lost her right before the holidays and I don’t know how I’ll ever recover. So sorry you had to say goodbye to yours, too. x
Aleksandra // bunniesaremagic
January 17, 2017 at 2:54 pmGetting better after a loss like that can take time, rushing makes it even worse. It will slowly get better, bit by bit, till you’ll miss her but will no longer be petrified by it, somehow. Sending plenty of hugs till that happens <3
Frances Kayleigh
January 17, 2017 at 3:39 amThanks Paula this was super helpful. I honestly feel like I don’t have enough hours in the day for Pinterest as well, but I’m going to look into your scheduling suggestion as I realise how helpful it can be! I usually just have a Sunday morning scroll and that’s the only time I’m active so I really need to work on this! Xx
franceskayleigh.com
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:15 amIt’s hard to keep up with everything. Especially once your blog grows it just seems like there’s so much to do and it’s not easy when you work and/or go to school at the same time, too. Scheduling is a life-saver.
Dagmara Klich
January 17, 2017 at 5:02 amYou’re doing amazingly well Paula! Over 100k pageviews a month is absolutely fantastic!
I still haven’t got hang of Pinterest, haha. But I’m slowly getting used to it and funny enough almost 40% of my monthy traffic comes from Pinterest. x
Mummy’s Beauty Corner
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:16 amThank you so much Dagmara!
That’s nice to hear that Pinterest sends you that many referrals! It’s definitely and amazing tool for growing your audience :)
Amy M
January 17, 2017 at 6:25 amI never really understood the importance of Pinterest until reading this post, thanks for sharing! Definitely going to up my Pinterest game now haha
Amy // snippetsofamy.co.uk
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:24 amIt’s a great tool, you should definitely take advantage of it! :)
Millie Robinson
January 17, 2017 at 6:28 amI’m obsessed with re-pinning things on Pinterest but I very rarely upload my own content. This is such a helpful post and I’m definitely going to start inputting my own images, thanks for sharing! x
http://www.abeautyromance.com
http://www.abeautyromance.com
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:24 amYou’re very welcome!
Natalie Harney
January 17, 2017 at 6:53 amI’ve never been tactical about my pinterest, I just use it for fun. But after reading this I’m thinking I could definitely be using it better
– Natalie
http://www.workovereasy.com
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:25 amIt can be a great tool for your blog, too. :)
Katie @ Over The Moony
January 17, 2017 at 7:52 amThat’s so exciting about your page views!! Fingers crossed for you that you hit your goal this month. That would be so exciting!!
One of my blog goals is to join group boards. I tried last year for maybe a day, never heard back and got discouraged about it, so I stopped. For as much as you talk about how helpful they are, it’s really something I need to buckle down and do.
I had used Tailwind but I honestly just love going through Pinterest in the morning and pinning thing and in real time. I’ve noticed some steady growth and some of my own pins are starting to get repinned, which is exciting!
Katie | http://www.overthemoony.com
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 8:01 amI just sent you an invite to join my group board Katie! :) Should have mentioned it in the post but I’m planning on closing it to new members after 200 and we’re almost there.
Katie @ Over The Moony
January 17, 2017 at 9:08 amJust saw and (obviously) accepted. Thank you so much! I meant to send you a request about that. I kept thinking about it and then never did it lol Can’t wait to join in! :)
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:24 amYou’re very welcome Katie! :)
Liz | Lipstick & Confetti
January 17, 2017 at 9:51 amI just signed up for Rich Pins a few weeks ago and I have definitely been noticing a difference. Great post!
xo, Liz
http://lipstickandconfetti.com
Paula @ lifestylegleam.com
January 17, 2017 at 10:26 amThat’s awesome! You’re very welcome, thanks for stopping by! :)
appletoothpaste
January 17, 2017 at 10:26 amI really couldn’t bookmark this post quick enough. I hadn’t even heard of rich pins…Opps!
Good luck on getting to your goal.
annie | appletoothpaste
The Gossip Darling
January 17, 2017 at 10:50 amGreat tips!!! I need to focus on Pinterest a lot more! I just need to!
Mel | http://www.thegossipdarling.com
Lauren Scorzafava
January 17, 2017 at 11:18 amGreat tips! Thanks so much for sharing!
xx
Lauren Elizabeth
Petite in Pearls
kate_winford
January 17, 2017 at 12:31 pmOh my gosh, your page views are an inspiration!! I focused on Instagram for all of 2016 and I recently switched to focusing primarily on Pinterest – my page views have DOUBLED for the few weeks that I have actively been working on Pinterest! I am going to use PinGroupie to look for new group boards because I think that is really key! Thanks for the great post!
Kate | katelovesmakeup.com
Christine C.
January 17, 2017 at 12:54 pmAs usual, your advice is always so helpful! I’m hoping that this is the year that I will finally have success on Pinterest! Sending hugs your way as I know the grieving process is tough. I’ve been there and it feels like you’ll never make it through it, but eventually you do. You never forget them, but the pain changes….
Jaynie Shannon
January 17, 2017 at 3:19 pmPinterest can be super helpful, I don’t use it as much as I should though! Great post.
Jaynie Shannon | Beauty & Lifestyle
xx
Nikoleta
January 17, 2017 at 4:39 pmGreat tips! Your page views are an inspiration!!! Pinterest is amazing tool and very helpful for every blogger!
Thanks for sharing.
N, xoxo. | https://nljuljduraj.blogspot.com
Justine Machin
January 17, 2017 at 4:48 pmSo sorry for your loss hun. It’s hard isn’t it? I lost my nanna just over a year ago and then my grandad in august. All I can say is time helps you cope better although obvs they’re always missed. Big hugs. And a fantastic post. I’ve saved it so I can refer back to it in the future. I’ve literally just joined Pinterest so am learning how to use it… Slowly lol xxx
Paula Loreti
January 17, 2017 at 5:54 pmI always see things of you in pinterest, and I always pinned them without realizing they are yours haha. This post was super helpful, as all of the ones you make :)
http://www.blossomikebana.com
Brooklyn
January 17, 2017 at 6:22 pmLove all these helpful tips, I will be trying them all!
http://www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
Joanna Joy
January 18, 2017 at 12:21 amCongratulations on reaching and surpassing your goals dear!
Sorren
January 18, 2017 at 2:19 amAmazing tips and photography here! I just love this post!
Sorren xx
http://www.beautyinbold.com
Ambar Syed
January 18, 2017 at 3:50 amSome lovely tips again Paula. I’m really keen to grow my Pinterest and use it properly this year, so all of these Pinterest posts are super helpful :)
– Ambar x
http://www.herlittleloves.co.uk
Kiss & Make-up
January 18, 2017 at 4:15 amI am not active on Pinterest at all. All I do is check what pics of mine people have pinned, but that’s it.
KELLiLASH/Kelly
January 18, 2017 at 10:34 amI have book marked this post as it is so useful and you clearly know what you are doing! Your monthly reads are amazing so I am taking note as I want to increase mine as such as I can! Thank you ;) Kelly xx
http://www.KELLiLASH.com
Katie Wright
January 18, 2017 at 12:32 pmThis is so helpful, thank you! I realllly need to up my Pinterest game, especially since you’re right that it’s the place to BE for bloggers!
{ Katie Acutally }
Kate
January 18, 2017 at 2:55 pmI am so clueless about Pinterest so I will definitely be saving this post for future study! Your blog advice posts are the best, thank you so much for this one! x
Kate Louise Blogs
Brooklyn W.
January 18, 2017 at 3:44 pmGreat post! Just wondering, are there any free ways to see stats on how people got to your blog? (For example, via Pinterest, Twitter, etc)?
<3 Brooklyn
| latidoblog.weebly.com |
ThePartyParrotBlog
January 19, 2017 at 5:20 amI can’t believe that I am not using Pinterest…*awkward pause*. I should explore it a little bit better and congratulations on reaching 100k so far in Jan! That’s impressive!
Naya xx
caroline
January 23, 2017 at 5:30 amI’m currently getting into Pinterest and found this really helpful. I’ll be saving your other posts too. :)
Caroline.x
http://www.carolineelgeywhite.com
Ariadna Morell
January 24, 2017 at 4:12 pmAbsolutely loved this post, it’s been so helpful!! I’ve noticed that I get a lot of my traffic from Pinterest so I want to learn how to make the most of it! x
Ariadna || RAWR BOWS
Julie
January 31, 2017 at 3:00 pmThis Was so sooooo helpful, thank you! And btw your blog is so pretty!
Amy
February 28, 2017 at 12:52 pmSuper helpful, thank you very much :)