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Without a doubt, when we think of the big players in SEO, Amazon and Google are always at the forefront of our minds. But, whether you are hoping for more people to see your content or you are vying for visibility in a highly competitive digital industry, there is a lot to learn from this revolutionary platform for small and large businesses alike, and its name is Pinterest.
According to Statista, almost 500 million people were actively using this platform within the last year. While many of these users took to the platform for entertainment and connection like most speak media platforms, Pinterest is also acting as one of the most robust search engines in the industry, offering e-commerce sites an especially great solution for getting customers through search results and to their website, as its users spend %50 more than it’s social media counterparts Instagram and Facebook.
Here are some impressive statistics:
72% say Pinterest inspires them to shop when they aren’t looking for anything.
70% discover new products on Pinterest.
90% say Pinterest helps them decide what to buy.
78% say it’s useful to see content from brands on Pinterest.
66% buy something after seeing a brand’s pins.
59% use Pinterest to find more information about their purchases.
(screenshot from Statista.com)
HOW ARE THEY USING THE DATA THEY COLLECT?
So how have they garnered such a name for themselves in the SEO industry, and what tools are available that make it a superstar for SEO? Well, Pinterest uses four main categories of information to rank the search result content on their platform.
There are four main factors that influence Pinterest SEO: domain quality, pin quality, user quality & topic relevance. Domain quality is connected to your brand’s website health and usability. As they keep track of the number of pins connected to your site, they will continue to promote a whole lot of pins. Business accounts must claim their domains to their account as another measure of legitimacy.
PRO TIP: Make sure you are pinning regularly on your website with high-traction content to improve Pinterest’s perception of your domain quality.
Pin quality is measured as the amount of engagement with your pins are determined. In this platform, engagement can include everything from pins, views, zooming, screenshots, and shares!
Here are six best practices for creating click-worthy, viral pin images:
Use a high-quality, high-resolution image:
Take your own photos or use free high-res stock photos from Unsplash or Pexels, for instance.
Make sure your pin graphic is tall: Pinterest recommends a 2:3 ratio, width to height.
Use the right image size: For example 1,000 x 1,500 pixels.
Use text overlays: Add a benefit-driven title or a teaser on top of your image. Keep it short, use a clear font, and make sure it’s readable on smaller screens.
Include your logo: Place your logo or your website URL on every pin you publish.
Include a giveaway preview: If your article includes a free downloadable giveaway, use a small cover image on your pin. This gives users a quick preview of what’s inside, making your pin more clickable.
Add a link to your website: Finally, make sure you add a link to your blog. Also, double-check that it’s working and the page loads quickly.
In the same way, your pin quality also affects your pinner quality. As you create more engaging content your account as a whole is put higher in the search results. You can also grow your account in search result health by pinning other popular content to your board.
PRO TIP: Make sure your business account is a content creator and curator on Pinterest!
Lastly, they determine your topic relevance score by employing a keyword search through your content. Therefore, one of the best ways to be promoted on Pinterest is by researching which Pins are trending and using similar keywords in your description to come up with a similar piece of content. This can be done generally using the Pinterest search bar and looking at the keyword tags of the first 10 or so results for your industry.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
In general, the search engine optimization tools and tips associated with Pinterest are similar to that of optimizing your website results on Google, but the reality is that the platforms themselves live in completely separate territories. Yes, marketers and business owners should separately have a grasp on best practices for both as they serve unique purposes. While Pinterest’s main unique identifier as a search engine is their complex theories, how-to guides, and life hacks, consumers don't often come to the platform’s search bar with a distinct result in mind.
Pinterest is going to be hugely successful for marketing e-commerce businesses, for publishing native ads by huge companies and giving small creators a chance to let their content shine. Now is the time to hop onto some training sites and learn more about the ways that Pinterest uses SEO, so that when it is as widely popular as Facebook ads you are an expert on the topic!