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Setting Up and Creating Your First Pins

Are you a business owner looking to harness the power of Pinterest? This guide will walk you through creating a Pinterest business account, uploading your banner, creating your first pin, setting up boards, and understanding the platform’s basics. We’ll also cover how to change your Pinterest board cover, change your name on Pinterest, and the optimal Pinterest board cover size. Let’s get started!

1. Creating a Pinterest Business Account

Whether you’re starting from scratch or converting a personal account, setting up a Pinterest business account is straightforward. Here’s how to do it:

Starting from Scratch:

  • Visit Pinterest’s Homepage: Go to Pinterest.com and click on “Sign Up.”
  • Choose “Create a Free Business Account”: Don’t worry about the “Sign Up” form on the top; instead, scroll down and select the “Create Free Business Account” option.
  • Fill in Your Details: Enter your email, create a password, and add your birthday. Next, it will prompt you to describe your business.
  • Describe Your Business: Choose the category that best describes your business (e.g., online merchant, marketplace, service provider). Enter your business name (e.g., “Michelle’s Fantastic Business”).
  • Enter Your Website: If you have a website, add it here. If not, select “I don’t have a website.”
  • Business Goals: Pinterest will ask for your business goals (e.g., increase online sales, drive traffic). Select up to three goals, but don’t overthink this part.
  • Brand Focus and Ad Preferences: Choose your brand’s focus and indicate if you’re interested in running ads. Selecting “yes” doesn’t mean you’re obligated to run ads.
  • Get Started: You’re all set to explore your new business account. Pinterest will prompt you to create a pin, but you can skip this for now.

If you prefer video:

Converting a Personal Account to Business:

  • Log in to Your Personal Account: Click on your profile picture or the down arrow.
  • Convert to Business: Select “Convert to Business.” This option is great if you have an existing personal account with a lot of followers that aligns with your business.

Account Setup and Customization:

  • Profile Picture: Upload a profile picture that represents your brand.
  • About Section: Fill in your “About” section with a description of your business.
  • Change Your Name on Pinterest: If you want to change your name on Pinterest, go to your profile settings. Under the “Edit Profile” section, you can change your display name to align with your brand. Simply enter the new name in the “Name” field and click “Save.”
  • Claim Your Accounts: In the settings, claim your website by adding an HTML tag to your website’s header. You can also claim your Instagram or Shopify account to auto-post from these platforms to Pinterest.

2. Customizing Your Profile with a Banner

A visually appealing banner is the first thing visitors see on your profile. Here’s how to add one:

  • Click the Plus Button: On your profile, click the “+” button at the top to browse your computer.
  • Upload Your Banner: Select the image you want as your banner. This step is quick and adds a professional touch to your profile. 850×400 pixels tends to work well.

If you prefer video:

3. Creating Your First Pin

Pins are the heart of Pinterest marketing. Here’s how to create your first pin:

  • Start on Your Profile: On your profile, click the “+” button and select “Create a Pin.” Alternatively, use the “Create” button at the top.
  • Upload Your Image: Drag and drop an image, infographic, or video into the pin builder. The image should be eye-catching, as Pinterest is a visual search engine.
  • Add Your Pin Details:
    • Title: Enter a descriptive title that includes relevant keywords.
    • Description: Write a description that is up to 500 characters. The description should give context to your pin and entice users to click.
    • Website Link: Add the URL where you want viewers to be directed (e.g., your website, blog post, or product page).
  • Choose a Board: If you haven’t created a board yet, you can do so here. Boards are where your pins will be organized.
  • Tagging: You can tag up to 10 tags relevant to your pin’s content. For example, if your pin is about marketing, tag related topics like “content marketing” or “business management.”
  • Adding Products: If your pin is linked to a product, use the “Add Products” feature and link to the product URL on your website.
  • Schedule or Publish: You can publish your pin immediately or schedule it for a later date and time.

4. Setting Up and Customizing Boards

Boards help you categorize your pins and make your content more discoverable. Here’s how to create and customize boards:

If you prefer video:

Creating a Board:

  • Go to Your Profile: Under the “Saved” section, click “Create a Board.”
  • Name Your Board: Choose a name that reflects the content, like “Digital Marketing Tips” or “Healthy Recipes.”
  • Make it Secret (Optional): If you want to keep the board private until you’ve added a few pins, select the “Keep this board secret” option.

Adding a Board Cover:

  • Upload a Board Cover: Create a pin designed specifically for your board cover and upload it. The recommended Pinterest board cover size is 1800 x 1800 pixels, which ensures that your image looks crisp and fits well within the board’s square thumbnail.
  • Add Details: Name the pin with the board’s name to help Pinterest’s AI understand your board’s theme.
  • Set the Cover: Once uploaded, go back to the board and click the three dots, select “Edit Board,” and choose the newly uploaded pin as the board cover.

How to Change a Pinterest Board Cover:

  • Navigate to the Board: Go to your profile, then click on the board you want to edit.
  • Edit Board: Click the three dots in the top right corner and select “Edit Board.”
  • Change Cover: In the “Edit Board” menu, click on “Change Cover.” Pinterest will show you a selection of pins on that board to use as the cover.
  • Select Your New Cover: Choose the pin you want to use as the new board cover and click “Save.

Changing your board cover is a great way to keep your profile looking fresh and on-brand.

5. Understanding Pinterest Analytics

Analytics help you gauge the performance of your pins and overall Pinterest strategy. Here’s a quick overview of what to look for:

If you prefer video:

Finding Analytics:

  • Access: Click on the “Analytics” tab in your business hub. This will provide an overview of your impressions, engagements, pin clicks, outbound clicks, and more.
  • Impressions: See how often your pins were seen.
  • Engagements: Track how many people interacted with your pins (clicks, saves, etc.).
  • Trends: Use the “Trends” tab to see what’s currently popular on Pinterest, which can inspire future content.

Key Tips:

  • Don’t obsess over analytics in the first 3 months; Pinterest is a slow burn.
  • Use trends and audience insights to adjust your content strategy.

6. How Pinterest Works: The Basics of the Algorithm

Pinterest is a visual search engine. Here’s how its algorithm works and how to get your pins noticed:

Related video:

Initial Push: When you publish a pin, it gets an initial push to a small audience. If it performs well (clicks, saves, etc.), it will be shown to more users.

The Power of Keywords: Pinterest uses keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and text overlays to match user searches. Make sure to:

  • Conduct keyword research.
  • Use relevant keywords naturally in your pin descriptions and titles.

Search and Explore: Your pins can appear on the home feed, explore page, or in searches. A well-optimized pin with an eye-catching design is crucial for standing out.

7. Grab Additional Resources

For more guidance, grab the Pinterest Checklist for templates, detailed tutorials, and tips on how to build a solid Pinterest profile.

If you need more help getting started on Pinterest, I have a course that walks you through step by step how to create a Pinterest strategy that works, in just a few hours per month. You can be part of the beta program right now! To find out more click here!

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