10 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Pinterest
If you're a Pinterest user, you've probably been on the site and gone through the act of uploading and saving things that inspire you, resulting in a virtual board dedicated to your interests. But are you familiar with some of the more common wrong thoughts about Pinterest that might be holding your content back? Read on as I reveal these myths!
1. People won't engage with my pins if they're professional looking or don't have lots of likes.
This one is a toughie, because Pinterest is all about visual engagement. Like any curated site, you'll want to make sure you're displaying pins that have lots of likes, so that your followers will engage with them. But like any other visual platform, Pinterest works best when it's something that people are able to engage with quickly.
2. I have to follow a lot of people or they won't engage with me.
It's true that for users to follow your pins, you'll have to follow them. But that doesn't mean that they won't engage with your content, in fact the best pins will appear on boards with a lot of people following them. These people will then see your pins and engage with them, and you'll be able to build your Pinterest audience over time.
3. People on Pinterest don't like personal photos, so I should upload my work, family and travel photos instead.
Not every pin has to be a professional looking picture, and quite often people go on Pinterest and share things that aren't professional or pretty. Pinterest is a place for sharing things you love, so don't let what other users might do stop you from uploading your own personal photos of your family or travelling adventures. This website is about sharing all the beautiful things you see on a daily basis, not just those captured in a studio with a fancy camera.
4. Pinterest is just for the rich and famous, and I don't fit in that category.
No, this isn't true. Pinterest is a place for everyone to share the beautiful things they see on a daily basis. If you want to be successful on the site, make sure your content looks good and is professional looking, but don't limit yourself to just that. Pinterest is a place for sharing all your favourite things, and anyone can share them!
5. I need large amounts of followers to get results and a lot of them to reach the top!
This misconception is one that's only possible to think if you don't take time to do a little bit of research before you start uploading pins. Don't get discouraged if you find another pin with more than 15,000 followers on it, because even though it may seem like an impossible task, the key is to keep putting your content up there consistently and building relationships with your followers.
6. Pinterest is full of junk or spam.
Pinterest is not a place where you can just go and upload whatever content you want and get away with it. The best Pinterest accounts always check out their boards regularly to make sure that they're only following people who are on the same wavelength as them, and are always making sure that none of their pins have any spam or junk. Like any other social media site, spamming or posting junk is a quick way to get your account suspended or banned.
7. People on Pinterest don't understand my audience, so I shouldn't target them or explain why they should engage.
It can be very difficult to get people to engage with your pins if they don't understand what you're trying to do. However, it's not impossible. Make sure that you target your pins in a way that is relevant to your industry or audience. For example, if you are a photographer from Melbourne, sensate photography is a great board to pin on. If you're selling handcrafted jewelry or selling your photography on Etsy, try out the jewelry board or sell photos on the Photography board.
8. I should make a blog to do the same as Pinterest, so my content will be found there and will reach a wider audience.
This isn't true. Pinterest is primarily a visual site, so your focus should be on creating visual content that is relevant to your industry or audience. If you're interested in making a blog but also want to discover new awesome pins while you do it, you should check out the round-up Pinterest shared.
9. My pins need to be bigger, more attractive, and more important than everyone else's!
The great thing about Pinterest is that your pins can be all different sizes, shapes and colours. This means that you aren't limited to a set size of photo, so don't feel like you need to go out and buy a new camera or anything. Don't let this misconception make you feel like your content won't be successful because it doesn't look like everyone else's.
10. I can't afford a good media kit or spend more than $100 on ads!
You can't really afford not to get a media kit and spend more than $100 on ads to your Pinterest account. Pinterest is one of the most important tools in your marketing toolbox and is crucial for reaching the right people. Make sure you have a good media kit and spend the time to upload your content to Pinterest, or you may miss out on building your traffic.
Do you have another suggestion about Pinterest? I love Pinterest, and I love to create Pins with creative covers made in Canva. But never forget that SEO and keywords are very important for you to be found on Pinterest, like any social media platform.
I hope this post was helpful for you and I'll see you next week.