Pinterest Advertising to Promote Your Content

When you think of digital marketing, the first two platforms that come to mind are likely Google and Facebook. But does Pinterest come to mind? To some, maybe. To most, it’s likely at the bottom of the list. It’s true: Pinterest marketing often takes a backseat to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter marketing. It’s an oft-overlooked — yet very powerful — platform to be prioritized.

Pinterest is simple to use for consumers, which is a big part of its appeal. Posting is straightforward and browsing is as easy as flicking your thumb to scroll through an endless virtual image (and inspiration) board. Plus, for a lot of content creators, their target audience is already there.

But does Pinterst provide value not just for its regular users but also for advertisers?

Why Advertisers Should Choose Pinterest

According to Pinterest, 322 million people use its platform every single month, with 89% of them looking to pins to inspire purchases. That means Pinterest ads are ideal when targeting shoppers who are actively looking to buy, who have high purchase intent. This is in contrast to Facebook, where users go to — first and foremost — consume content, not buy from brands.

Of course, Pinterest’s active user base isn’t the only reason you should advertise on the platform. Here are a few more stats to know, courtesy of Pinterest:

• Pinterest is great for targeting millennials: If you market to a millennial audience, you’ll definitely want an active Pinterest account — 52% of that demographic uses Pinterest.
• Pinterest has a large female user base: Pinterest attracts a primarily female audience, with moms making up a big portion of that audience base.
• Men also use Pinterest: However, men are still using Pinterest, so with clever ad targeting, you could reach that smaller — but still quality — audience. Also, sometimes when you target ads to such a niche audience, they perform better than when you target a wider user base.
• Pinterest attracts a global audience: Pinterest has users based both inside and outside the U.S., so you can target a domestic or international audience or both. By the end of Q4 in 2019, international monthly active users (MAUs) increased by 35% and represented 247 million people on Pinterest.
• Pinterest users have money: Most Pinterest users are high-earners, at or above the $75,000 per-year mark. That means companies that don’t sell necessities can do well on Pinterest and can market to people with disposable incomes (fashion and travel brands can do well here, for example).

Once you’ve decided that Pinterest is a must-add to your marketing strategy, you have to figure out how to integrate Pinterest with your WordPress blog and decide if paid Pinterest ads are right for you (we think they will be).

How to Use Pinterest With Your WordPress Blog

One major reason why Pinterest is such a great option for WordPress bloggers is because its focus is evergreen content. Whereas content may get buried on the Facebook feed or disappear from Instagram Stories, pins have a long shelf life, and they can remain discoverable — either organically or thanks to paid ads — for a long, long time.

Pins can lead to a lot of referral traffic, sending users over to your WordPress blog to learn more or shop. Users can find your pins in a number of ways, too, which increases their likelihood of (1) seeing what you post and then (2) clicking through to your site. Your pins will show up in the following places:

• On the user’s home feed depending on what’s relevant to them (based on their browsing history).
• In search results for keywords.
• In the category you’ve defined for your pin.
• On your boards (which are on your profile).

All of this means your Pinterest content is highly organized, accessible, and discoverable.

How to Use Pinterest Ads for Marketing Your WordPress Content

If your target audience matches Pinterest’s user base, you’ll want to market your content on the visual platform. Aside from creating optimized pins that users will love, you can make more of an impact with Pinterest ads.

Pinterest Ad Formats

In the Pinterest Ads manager you’ll find several ad formats to choose from:

App Install: If you have a mobile app you want users to install, this ad will drive downloads.

Carousel: A carousel ad has multiple images in one, and users can swipe left to explore more.

Collections: Feature your products using a lifestyle aesthetic.

Shopping: If you’ve already added product pins, you can convert them into ads, which link directly back to product pages.

Standard: You just create a pin, like any other basic pin, and promote it.

Video: Create a vertical video that will seamlessly fit into the rest of the Pinterest feed.

Creating Pinterest Ads

There are two ways to create ads. The simple way is to choose a pin you’ve already posted — for example, one that’s performing well organically — and automatically turn it into an ad.

If you want to devote more time to the process, you can use Pinterest’s advanced ad tool to build campaigns with multiple ad groups and distinct targeting.

Setting a Budget for Pinterest Ads

Next, you’ll set your budget. You can spend however much or little you want and pay for click throughs, engagements, or views. Since you (probably) want to direct traffic to your WordPress blog, click throughs are the best option. As you adjust your daily spend and number of days to run the ad, you’ll see your potential monthly reach populated below.

Targeting Your Pinterest Ads

The best feature of Pinterest ads is its targeting. You can choose automated targeting, which lets Pinterest choose your audience for you, but we suggest creating your own target audience. You can narrow it down by the following:

• Actalikes, which targets audiences similar to the one you already have
• Customer list, which lets you upload your contacts (for example, subscribers you’ve collected on WordPress) and then reach them on Pinterest, too
• Demographics, including age, gender, language, and location
• Interests, which are based on topics users have demonstrated they like
• Keywords, the search terms people will use to find content like yours.

Since Pinterest ads can be cost-effective — you set your own budget, after all — it pays to experiment with them to see if they lead to more traffic for your WordPress blog.

Pinterest Content Ideas

Unlike many social media platforms, content on Pinterest follows a seasonal theme. For that reason, it may be prudent to incorporate themes when advertising on the platform. Here are some themes to consider, with their corresponding months.

New Year

It is best to post New Year content during the weeks following up to January 1. According to Pinterest, users make 14 million searches about the New Year every year and save 183 million Pins. Pinterest recommends posting New Year content from June to December; for example, an infographic containing resolution ideas, a visual guide to the hottest NYC New Year’s Eve parties, or an article that lists the best bars to visit during this time of year.

Sports Events

Sports are also a big theme on Pinterest, growing momentum from the month of January to February. Pinterest users make 7 million searches about big sporting events each year, says Pinterest. These users also save 52 million pins about the topic. During this time, it may be helpful to post content that provides guides on how to throw a party for sporting events and fun recipes.

Valentine’s Day

People go to Pinterest for Valentine’s Day gift ideas or date ideas. In fact, users make 56 million searches about Valentine’s Day each year and save 439 million Pins. For this seasonal event, start pushing Valentine’s content from January to February.

St. Patrick’s Day

From January to March, users begin searching for and collecting content related to St. Patrick’s Day. Users make seven million searches about the holiday each year and save 34 million Pins. Take part of the conversation by posting ideas for recipes, home decor, or costumes.

Easter

From January to April, users make 38 million searches about Easter each year and save 386 million Pins. During this time, provide unique content such as cocktail ideas, arts and craft, or children’s games.

Mother’s Day

Users make 14 million Mother’s Day searches and save 261 million Pins each day, from February to May. Popular content ideas include tips on the best mother’s day gifts and experiences to try with mom.

Father’s Day

Users make ten million searches about Father’s Day each year and save 132 million Pins. Father’s Day content is best posted from the months of March to June.

Pinterest Advertising: Should You Use It?

Pinterest, based on its capabilities and user base, could be a beneficial platform on which to advertise. Of course, whether or not to try this platform should be based on your business goals and needs. If you’re already advertising on other social media platforms, Pinterest may be a great addition to diversify your portfolio.