Pinterest Tips Part 1

I have used Pinterest for quite awhile. I started well before I started on TPT. I used it to find recipes, craft ideas, and teaching ideas. Pinterest has made some changes over the years but one thing remains. Pinterest is a visual site. It works for me because I am a visual person. Here are some tips for using Pinterest as a marketing tool for your TPT business.

1) Business Account - Be sure you change your personal account over to a business account or start a new business account. I changed mine over from a personal account to a business one instead of starting over. I don't have enough time in my day to keep track of 2 Pinterest Accounts. To convert your account, go to Pinterest Business. Choose Convert Now and follow the steps. You will not lose followers by doing this, and you will not lose your boards.

ⓣⓘⓟ ☞ Add your logo or picture that you use in your store & social media. Your profile description is only 160 characters, so be short and sweet in your description.

2) Boards - Set up boards for your TPT Store, your blog, and any teaching boards pertaining to your area. For mine, I have general boards for math and teaching and then boards for different math areas. Put your store, blog, and teaching boards at the top. If you have seasonal boards, be sure to move those towards the top for that season.

ⓣⓘⓟ ☞ Moving boards is very easy. Just click on the board and while holding the mouse button down, move the board to where you want it to be.

3) Personal Boards - I also have some personal boards in my collection. I don't feel bad about it, and I don't apologize for it. I know there are some "camps" that say you should NOT have personal boards in with your teaching boards. I don't agree. Teachers are real people. They look for recipes, craft ideas, home decorating ideas, faith, quotes, etc. I've not lost any followers just because I kept my personal boards. I will say that I did make a few of my personal boards secret like my camping board. I also make my business boards secret with one exception. I do have a board titled: Create an Amazing TPT Store. (Click on the link if you are interested.) I created it to go along with this blog. I put it at the very end of my 70+ boards.

ⓣⓘⓟ ☞ If you want personal boards mixed in, I suggest putting them after your teaching boards. If you don't want them mixed in, edit the boards and make them secret.

3) Board Covers - Your board covers don't need to match. If that's your style, great! If it's not, great! I had matching boards at one time but no longer. From what I've read and heard, choose a pin that best represents your board. You can change your board cover whenever you find a different pin/image that best represents your board. Nothing to make = TIME SAVER!

ⓣⓘⓟ ☞ To change your board cover, click on Edit Board. Choose CHANGE next to cover. Then scroll through the images and pick the one you want. Your image (if it is not a pin already) has to be on your board.

4) Board Titles & Descriptions - Pinterest is now very big into keywords. You know that list of words that appears across the screen when you search Pinterest? Those are keywords that Pinterest uses. Create titles that are specific so people can find you. Don't go with cutesy, fun titles. Be sure to give each of your boards a keyword-rich description. These do show under your board title just an FYI, so don't get carried away with keywords. Give a helpful description telling what your board is about.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week.