When I originally took this photo, I had no idea how far it would travel across the internet, nor the effect it would have on my website traffic. It was a 2 minute snap of some wilting garden roses that I used on a blog post in 2015. Actually this was the second post I had used it in, but this is the one that travelled.
I also popped a link to the blog post on Pinterest, using this photo. Over the course of the next year or two, it had been re-pinned well over 30,000 times. That in itself is amazing, but the amount of clicks through to my website was what I found interesting. For months afterwards, this one pin was by far the biggest driver of clicks through to my website.
And it is still going - albeit at a slower pace. This past 28 days there have been over 3000 views, 17 clicks on that single image through to my website. Overall, I have hundreds of photos on Pinterest. Add up the link clicks and that is not to be sniffed at. I LOVE Pinterest. Even if this photo doesn't link to a product or service, it brings people here (hello if you're one of them!).
Most of my social media lead traffic actually comes from Pinterest. Yes I have a large following on Instagram, and a much smaller one on Pinterest, that doesn't matter. Consistently Pinterest is doing a better job of bringing people here than Instagram.
So why is this good news? Because Pinterest has free, unbiased advertising potential, hardness of following. Even if all you are advertising is how lovely your photographs are, there's a whole new audience waiting to be reached. And how much more potential sits there for those who have anything to sell...?
I caught up with my lovely friends Georgie and Dörte at Curly Carrot who run Pinterest courses and workshops. I asked them to share some of their insights with us here. Here is what they have to say...
The Social Media Challenge
It can be a challenge to keep up with social media.
As photographers, we’ve all been there. We spend a creative day out taking photos then once back home choose our favourites to edit. However, we can then run out of steam when it comes to showcasing them online.
So, if you’re going to post your photographs on social media channels which ones will give you the most return on your time and energy?
Instagram is a wonderful visual platform where you can grow a community. The tricky bit is getting people to click through to your website via your profile.
You do need to have a significant following and spend significant time engaging with other accounts to build trust and a certain authority.
With Pinterest, however, you can see results almost overnight. Each photo you upload to Pinterest becomes a Pin with a link directly to the exact landing page on your website you want them to reach making it so much easier for the user to find you quickly.
What makes Pinterest different from other social media channels
When you share to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, the life of your post is short. It will show up in feeds for days or only hours (seven minutes on Twitter). Pinterest is the opposite. It takes approximately 3.5 months to get 50% of a pin’s engagement. Pinterest is designed for longevity. Your pins are evergreen and can go on being saved for months.. years, continually driving traffic to your website. Share your Instagram posts on Pinterest and they are given a longer shelf life. Read more on how to use Pinterest and Instagram together to market your business here.
Another feature that makes Pinterest unique and different from the other social media platforms is that it is actually a search engine. It works like Google but in a visual way. People come to Pinterest to discover, research, curate and buy! They don’t just buy products either they buy services.
How Pinterest Users Find Photographers
Couples use Pinterest to find the best person for them to photograph their wedding. Parents search for the perfect style that fits their family for photographs of their children.
If you make prints and greeting cards of your photographs Pinterest is the perfect platform to be discovered. Users make boards of different photography styles they’re drawn to and catch their eye. When your images pop up they may save onto these boards and your work has therefore been discovered. Later when they are decorating their bedroom or searching for a special gift for a loved one they return to this Pinterest board for inspiration. With one click on your Pin they have landed on a sales page where they can buy a beautiful print for your photograph.
Pinterest has huge potential for your photography. No matter what your genre or speciality is, Pinterest wants to share whatever you’re creating.
A Pinterest Strategy
Pinterest is one of the most underutilised and powerful marketing tools out there but you will only get consistent results if you know how to use it strategically.
Read more on why Pinterest should be a priority for your business and the basic steps of setting up a free business account here.
Curly Carrot
Curly Carrot work with creative business owners equipping them with the Pinterest skills they need to thrive and flourish. They have launched an online course ‘Grow Your Creative Business With Pinterest’ where they share their tried and tested strategies that really do work!
They are offering a special discount to Humphrey and Grace readers. Add the coupon code HUMPHGRACE15 for 15% off their £69 launch price!
I went to Curly Carrot's Pinterest workshop last summer. I came home with so many useful strategies and insights and have put a whole lot of time into Pinterest since. Not just to pin pretty photos, but to increase engagement and drive more traffic to my website. I have less than 3000 followers there, yet my stats tell me my pins have 480k monthly views.
Yes, you should be pinning. So what are you waiting for...? J x
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