Why this overlooked platform may be just the boost your health/wellness business needs.

I’m not shy about my opinion of the conventional wisdom that we need to be “showing up” everywhere online in order to reach our dream audience.

In short: I think it’s a bit of a... load.

There is no reason to be spreading yourself so thinly, friend!

Instead? I’m a big believer in playing to your own unique strengths.

In asking yourself the questions:

• How do I communicate best?
• What are the platforms that’ll best enable me to do that?
• Which platforms am I most comfortable using?

And most importantly:

• Where are the people I’m trying to reach currently hanging out online? Where are they already?

For instance, in building my copywriting business, I’ve very deliberately focused on showing up in just 2 places (besides my website + blog):

The first place is Instagram. My favorite social media platform.

The other one? Pinterest!

AKA: The #1 source of new traffic to my website last month.

Intrigued?

Read on for Part 1 of this blog series on Pinterest for business:

WHAT this overlooked platform is all about + WHY it might be just the boost your health/wellness biz needs:

But first… a couple of disclaimers:

1. Pinterest might not be for you right now. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the platform, and I think it has incredible, untapped potential for business owners in the health + wellness space. But my goal in sharing my experience is to help you determine if Pinterest is right for you.
   
   It might not be if: a) the people you’re trying to reach aren’t actively using Pinterest, b) you currently lack the time/energy/headspace to explore a new platform of communication, or c) some other totally valid reason. Remember: It’s your business and you’ve got all the time in the world to play around with new + exciting options like Pinterest. So, check in with yourself + decide what’s best for you right now.
   
   
2. I’m not a Pinterest expert. Hopefully, this goes without saying, but I’m not a professional expert on Pinterest. I’m just a business owner who’s been impressed with the power of the platform to drive targeted traffic to my website. And, honestly, that’s the main reason I’m sharing on this topic: There are plenty of Pinterest experts to learn from (and I’ll be sharing some of my favorites with you in this series!), but I want to prove to you that this platform is totally figure-out-able, even by those of us whose careers are devoted to something entirely different!

OK, now that we’ve got those out of the way… let’s dive in, shall we??

WHAT IS PINTEREST ALL ABOUT?

Here are the 3 main things you should know about this platform:

1) It’s not a social medium, it’s a search engine.

A fundamental misconception most people have of Pinterest is that it’s “just another social media platform”.

In reality, apart from the ability to comment on pins, Pinterest doesn’t function like a social media platform at all!

Pinterest isn’t about facilitating social engagement. It’s about facilitating exploration + discovery.

Like Google, Pinterest is a searchable database of content that includes “smart search” suggestions to refine users’ search terms even further.

But whereas search engines like Google are designed for users who pretty much know exactly what they’re searching for…

Pinterest is designed to expose users to a rich array of new content, including content that matches their initial search terms… as well as new topics, brands, and ideas they didn’t even know existed!

And that, my friend, is very good news for you + your business.

2) It’s on the rise.

459 million.

That’s the average number of active monthly users (as of December, 2020).

What’s more: Those users are pleased with what they’re finding! Compared with other platforms, folks are TWICE as likely to say their time on Pinterest is well-spent! 

And with a devoted following + new users flocking to the platform everyday, Pinterest is poised for continued, exponential growth.

Which means the sooner you start using Pinterest for business (even beginning with just a few key steps), the greater your advantage as you start enjoying the return on your decision to jump in!

3) It’s not just for recipes + home decor.

Can Pinterest still be used for gathering up all the fun things? Of course!

And from a quick poll of my community on Instagram, most of you ARE using it this way:

But here’s the kicker: You don’t have to choose.

You can ALSO use Pinterest for business!

And I think you should be. A few quick facts:

• Pinterest users are more open-minded with regard to the content they’re shown on the platform (97% of Pinterest searches are unbranded, e.g., aromatherapy tips) compared to high-volume searches on Google for specific companies or brand names (e.g., Young Living)
• Pinterest users welcome content from businesses. Unlike marketing on social media platforms, which must be carefully integrated so as not to disrupt the user experience… content marketing is what makes Pinterest tick! 78% of users say content from brands is useful, compared with the perception on other platforms that it’s an interruption.
• Pinterest users are primed for action. A whopping 98% of Pinterest users actually try out the ideas they discover on the platform. (That’s a considerable edge over the 71% average seen across all other social media platforms!) And in the world of business, where eliciting an active response from our people is a continual goal… this level of responsiveness + engagement is EVERYTHING.

WHY SHOULD I USE PINTEREST FOR BUSINESS?

There are too many benefits to fully describe in one post.

So, in the interest of time, let’s focus on the Top 3 reasons you should consider using Pinterest for business:

1) Your people are likely using it already.

With 98 million users in the US, and 361 million users outside the US, the odds are very good that your dream client/patient/customer is already hanging out on Pinterest.

(Not sure if they are? Why not send out a quick email or poll them in your Stories right now, and ask them?)

And this makes Pinterest an excellent platform for serving + reaching all your people at once:

• It’s a great way to provide value to the folks you’re already connected with by sharing helpful resources you curate. (For example, check out my board on Pinterest Tips!)
• It’s a great way for NEW dream clients/patients/customers to discover you + your business!

2) It’s an evergreen content machine.

I’m all about repurposing that content. And Pinterest is one of the most powerful ways to ensure that your content lives on for years to come!

Why?

Because unlike social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, where priority is constantly given to the newest content…

Pinterest actually rewards the most valuable content, displaying it in search for weeks, months, and even years after it’s first shared on the platform!

Which means your best stuff has virtually unlimited potential to be discovered everyday, as you go about your daily life, creating new content + running your business.

Think about it:

You work too hard creating valuable content to let all that effort dissipate into the internet ether!

With Pinterest, the more “seasoned” your content becomes, the more highly it will be rewarded, with exponential chance of discovery by new users each day!

3) It’s a superhighway straight to your site.

Did you know that Pinterest drives 33% more website traffic than Facebook, proportionately?

So, why aren’t more of us using Pinterest for business?

Here’s what I think:

Apart from the demands on our time + the fear of trying something new, I think it boils down to a simple misunderstanding:

We don’t “get” the connection between users finding us on Pinterest + users engaging with our business in real life.

As in… “HOW do users get from Pinterest to my site…??”

It’s actually very simple:

Let’s say you’re a nutrition coach who helps busy college students get more fruits + veggies in each day.

Your Pinterest strategy might involve pinning useful content you find on a variety of topics of interest to your dream client, like:

• nutrition tips
• healthy snack ideas
• self-care for students
• easy fruit + veggie recipes
• dorm room decor inspiration

These would be organized into individual “boards” on your Pinterest page, and would account for the majority of what you share. And because Pinterest users are constantly churning out new, fresh content, you’ll have no problem finding (and repinning to your boards) valuable resources that your dream client will love!

But here’s where the connection to you + your business comes in:

In addition to all the other content you’re discovering + sharing, you’ll also be creating pins that represent YOUR original content (e.g., blog posts, videos, podcast episodes, opt-in freebies).

These pins will link directly to your website, where visitors will be introduced to you + all you have to offer.

And because Pinterest is designed to show users new content that they’ll find valuable…

And because Pinterest users are explorer-types, poised for action…

And because content on Pinterest lives on forever…

…then the more pins you create linking back to your site, the more targeted, highly engaged traffic you can expect to see over time!

See why this is such great news for all of us??

Let's take action!

Here are 3 action steps for you to tackle this week:

• Find out if your dream client uses Pinterest. Poll them, email them, slide into their DMs, and ASK them.
• Spend time exploring the platform yourself. Log into your Pinterest account (or set one up) and just start navigating your way around. Enter some niche-specific keywords into the search bar and see what comes up. Choose a handful of pins that catch your eye, and click through to view the content they link to.
• Take inventory of your content. Pull up the stuff you’ve already created (e.g., blog posts, IG captions, videos, podcast episodes, opt-in freebies, e-books) + make a list of everything you can potentially share with your dream clients on Pinterest. Then, start looking for themes in your content. Create a list of 5-10 themes/topics you’ve created content around. (SPOILER ALERT: These will become boards on your Pinterest page!)

And be sure to check out Part 2 + Part 3 of this series for more tips to help you start using Pinterest for business! 

Cheering you on!