4 Ways to Optimize Your Pinterest Business Profile

Social networks change, add and remove features on a regular basis, making it challenging to keep up with the new format. Some changes are based on customer demand while others are made to keep up with other social networks to compete for users. Here are some recent changes – and some features you may not have noticed – to use on Pinterest.

Spruce Up Your Pinterest Business Profile

There are several ways you can liven up your company’s profile on Pinterest. You have several choices for the profile cover image, for example. You can use the default setting that randomly rotates pins from your boards into a collage or you can pick specific boards to feature on the cover. You can upload an image you create for the cover image with the ideal dimensions being 1440 x 810 pixels. You can opt to upload a video instead of a static image using a video with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Remember that you can drag and drop your Pinterest boards to create a more strategic order. Put your most compelling boards toward the top, and if you’ve started a board and haven’t added at least nine pins pinned to it, drag that board to the bottom of your page until you fill in the gaps.

Instagram Integration

Pinning your Instagram posts can help drive traffic to your Instagram account similar to how Pinterst can send people to your website when you pin from there. If you haven’t already connected your Instagram account to your Pinterest account, you should claim that now.

Go to your business dashboard and follow the instructions to add your Instagram account to your Pinterest business account. By doing so, you not only get access to Pinterest analytics when you pin images and videos from Instagram to your Pinterest boards, but you also ensure that any of your pins from your Instagram account will be attributed to you. For pins from your Instagram account others have pinned, your profile picture and a follow button should appear on them as well.

"Shop" Tabs

If you sell online, you should be leveraging Pinterest to drive more sales. Pinterest added new "Shop" tabs allowing users to browse in-stock inventory and shop straight from a Pin. These tabs can be found on the Search function and on Pinterest boards. The new "Shop" tabs build on Product Pins that link a Pin to your company’s ecommerce checkout page. To take advantage of this feature, you need to upload your product feed via Pinterest’s Catalogs feature. Then you must organize your products into smaller groups. You also have the option to run ads.

Become a Verified Merchant

Pinterest vets brands to ensure a safer, more reliable shopping experience for its users. If you are selling products online and have a stellar reputation and well-established ecommerce processes and policies, you can apply to become a verified merchant. First, you have to connect your catalog to Pinterest, turning your products into individual pins. Next, you must install a tag of code in order to access Pinterest analytics. Then your application is run through a rigorous check to make sure you meet Pinterest’s policies in their Merchant Guidelines. Some things they will examine include your customer service policies, returns policies and the nature and quality of your products.

Even if you aren’t selling products online, think of Pinterest as a traffic driver for your website and certain social networks such as Instagram and YouTube. Pinterest users tend to be hobbyists, planners, makers and shoppers and are predominantly female, median age 40, so if you are trying to reach these particular audiences, be sure to add Pinterest to your social media marketing mix.