I just had a conversation with someone who makes the MOST beautiful handmade jewelry.  As a reformed fast-fashion jewelry addict, I am obsessed with her unique pieces.  I know others are, too.  She was frustrated with dealing with social algorithms and she's not reaching the people she used to.  However, she said she had tried Pinterest before and it didn't work as well as she had hoped.  She was hesitant to keep going with it.  That's a completely valid thought and I told her so.  You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results.  But what if you do the same THING but in a different way?

If you've tried Pinterest before but it wasn't what you expected, let me say this.  Pinterest is constantly evolving to become a very shoppable platform.  Not only that, pinners intend to shop when they're doing their searching.  They have something in mind that will improve their life and they want it! 

Pinners spend 40% more than on other platforms.  They also have an 85% larger basket size.  Pinners are super shoppers! Before you throw in the towel, here are some things to consider.

Did you have a solid strategy?

Creating 30 pins, throwing them all up on day 1 and walking away isn't it.  Repinning the same pin over and over, that doesn't work well either.  Having a profile full of other people's pins, there's a better way.  Giving up because your first month didn't equal thousands in sales, please don't do that.

What does work?  Being clear on your end goal helps a lot.  Are you driving sales?  Raising brand awareness?  Just diversifying your marketing?  There's a strategy for every goal.

When did you last try?

Pinterest is constantly evolving to give pinners the best possible user experience.  It is at the forefront of positive Internet and strives to keep it that way.  It also becomes more and more shoppable.  Pinners flock to the platform to shop and they are super shoppers.  In fact, they spend 40% more per month than on other platforms and have an 85% larger basket size.  

The Pinterest today looks vastly different than when it first started and it's even different than a year ago.  If it's been awhile since you've tried, it's time to explore it again.

Did you do keyword research?

I'm talking devoted a solid chunk of time to this.  Your success on Pinterest hinges on this.  Pinterest is a search engine and it relies on those keywords to serve you up to the people who WANT you.  A million impressions doesn't make a single bit of difference if it is impressing upon people who could not care less about your brand.  

Starting with the search bar is the best and easiest place to do this.  Think about what your audience is typing in when they're looking for something like you.  Maybe it's not just turquoise jewelry, it's handmade custom turquoise jewelry.  That longtail keyword there is going to give someone more tailored results if they want a turquoise ring that no one else will have.  Mix short and longtail keywords.

are you using trends?

Piggybacking off that - trends is such a cool feature.  It's pretty self-explanatory.  Pinterest gathers all the information on searches so you can see when searches take off and peak.  Trends can give you a traffic spike if you use them right.  Take some time to explore this feature and odds are you can find something that relates to your brand.  It can also be used for content planning.

Did you give it enough time?

Pinterest success can take 3-6 months.  Can it happen before that time frame?  Yes.  Can it take longer?  Also, yes.  

During the first 30 days, don't even look at your analytics unless you can do so without freaking out.  Because those numbers can freak you out.  

Pinterest is taking the beginning stages of your journey to learn about you.  It wants to make sure you're serving up the good stuff.  That your pins are appealing to pinners, that you're delivering on what you say you will.  How annoying would it be to be searching for something you want so badly, find a pin that promises it and then follow the link only to be catfished.  Pinterest does its best to avoid that and it rewards the accounts that follow the rules.

were you consistent?

How easy would it be to create a bunch of pins and throw them up on day 1 and walk away?  Super easy. but not effective.

How easy would it be to create a couple pins and then just repin them over and over?  Super easy, not effective, might land you in spam jail.

You can lead to the same link multiple times but your pin has to be different.

Pinterest loves fresh content pinned regularly.  It likes to know that you are All In To Pin.  See what I did there?

Don't let frustration get you down and stay the course.  Consistency pays off.

are you repinning others content frequently?

I'm not saying this will lead to your ultimate downfall but I LOVE ME a totally self curated profile.  

When you're repinning others' content to your boards, you're essentially doing someone else's marketing.  You're sending people in another direction besides what you have.  For this reason, please don't repin direct competitors.  

It can be scary in the beginning if you don't have a lot of content to pin and your profile can look so sad and empty.  But just think about how full and beautiful it's going to look after 3 months of consistency!

what are you pinning?

What you're linking to matters.  Is it helpful?  Does it solve a problem?  Does it feel a need that your ideal audience has?  Are you providing value?  

When someone clicks through the pin, are they getting what they thought they were getting?  Is it the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?  Is your site easy to navigate, easy to check out, easy to find the information they need?

I'm going to lump this into - do you have a blog?  No, you don't NEED a blog but Pinterest and blogging is a dynamic duo.  Blogging gives you your own space on the Internet.  You're not at the mercy of a social media ban.  You own your content there.  No one is going to take it away from you because the platform goes away.  

Blogging also gives you a chance to show off your expertise, connect deeper with your audience and provide real value (how-tos, tips, tricks, insights).

How do your pins look?

Pinterest is a very visual platform.  That's the neat part about it.  It's a search engine like Google but with pictures.  You can look for something by wading through a bunch of text OR you can look for something by scrolling through pictures.  My eyes appreciate the latter.

Your pins are the first impression.  This could be the first time someone who may never have heard of you before is getting an idea of who you are.  

Are your fonts easy to read?  Do they stand out on the background?  Is the type big enough?  Is the picture clear?  Did you include a CTA?  Are they the right size?