Pinning for SEO: Pinterest Can Boost Your Rankings
Pinterest is a hot topic right now, and not just for people wanting inspiration for their future wedding. While blogs, websites, and the big-name social sites get all the SEO airtime, Pinterest can get overlooked, even though it has huge potential to boost your company’s rankings. With the right tactics, you can start pinning your way to greater exposure, one infograph or product at a time.
Sneak In Keywords
Pinterest may appear to be all about the images, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to scatter your keywords around the site—and doing so can provide a big payoff. Your profile’s “About” section is only 200 characters long, but making those words count will give search engines something to do.
For each board you create, incorporate one or more keywords into the title; that will make them more interesting to search engines, and more likely to be spotlighted. And when you pin, edit your image file names to include keywords, and utilize the 500-character description for each pin to scatter keywords. Remember to go back and edit previously pinned images, too, so you don’t lose those valuable SEO opportunities.
Check and Uncheck
There are two little features in Pinterest that can make all the difference for your SEO. Both are under “Settings.” Make sure the option to hide your boards from search engines is turned off; hiding your pins will defeat the entire point of using Pinterest.
While you’re on your “Settings” page, click the “Verify Website” button. This step certifies that the website on your profile is, in fact, yours, and puts a check next to the domain in search results. That check translates into increased traffic and higher SEO rankings, since both consumers and search engines are more likely to find you legitimate.
Go Outside the Platform
Pinterest, like any social media, is most useful as a connection tool. Link to your website, blog, Facebook profile, LinkedIn profile, and any other sites connected to the company, from your Pinterest “About” section and/or your pin descriptions. Encourage users to view more of what you have to offer by directing them beyond the images on your boards.
Additionally, pull your pictures from outside Pinterest to generate fresh content. While repinning creates connections, new pins draw attention, as they haven’t been seen before. Search engines scan pin quality as well as text, so pin high-resolution images whenever possible.
Board Smart
Think of your Pinterest boards as your welcome signs, drawing in users and search engines with strong titles and an enticing variety. Put your best boards up higher, since viewers often see just the top one or two rows, and edit each board to make sure it has a category. When you sort your images based on customers’ needs and desires, your Pinterest can become a well-organized storefront, even if you don’t sell products. And with the new Pinterest Web analytics, you’ll be able to see at a glance what’s working and what needs to disappear.
Pinterest may have started as a virtual corkboard for the crafty, but it’s exploded into nearly every realm. Take on the pinning challenge and make it work for you!
Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide.
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