From Accounting to Pinterest Business Maven
Let's face it: most people don't think “Pinterest” when they picture someone transitioning from accounting to business-building. But, not everyone is Heather Farris. Imagine this: a driven accountant scarfing down a sandwich during her lunch break only to stumble upon the goldmine that is making money through blogging on Pinterest. Six years later, boom! She’s the go-to Pinterest strategist, and we’re lucky to soak up her wisdom.
Timing is Everything: Target Your Pinterest Audience Like a Pro
You might think that good content is good content no matter when you post it. Wrong. Heather says when you post is crucial, especially if you want to capture niche audiences. Say you’re targeting moms in their thirties—Heather’s advice is to think like a mom. When are they scrolling Pinterest? Nap time, evening wind-down, or that tranquil coffee moment in the morning. You want your pins to appear during their moments of peace, not when Junior is painting the dog.
Quality Over Quantity: A Sanity-Saving Strategy
Here’s the kicker: it doesn't matter if you’re churning out pins like there’s no tomorrow if they’re trash. Heather puts it bluntly—focus on quality, not frequency. Optimize your content with strategic keywords in pin titles, descriptions, and more. Optimal pins sprinkle keywords like parmesan on spaghetti—not too little, not too much. Your Pinterest profile should be a delightful, search-friendly feast, not a keyword vomit.
Actionable Tip: Sit down with a nice cup o’ joe, dive into Pinterest’s search bar, and find keywords that resonate. Then, sprinkle them on your pins like a seasoned chef.
Content Organization: Marie Kondo Your Pinterest Boards
Thinking your chaotic Pinterest board is no biggie? Heather would shake her head. Even disorganized accounts have potential. Rather than deleting or moving content willy-nilly, Heather recommends strategic adjustments. Don’t just hide other people’s pins; organize your own content to make it shine. Imagine your Pinterest profile like a pristine, well-stocked library—not just a random pile of books.
Actionable Tip: Review your boards and reorganize them using keywords. Delete dead links but keep valuable redirects intact.
Traffic and Sales: Behold the Power of Pinterest
Pinterest directs heaps of traffic to your primary sites—be it Etsy, Shopify, or the mystical land of Redbubble. Got unique art pieces? Set categories for available and sold-out items. To avoid dead links, Heather advises keeping your online shop tidy and Pinterest-friendly.
Actionable Tip: Create compelling behind-the-scenes videos of your creations. People love the “how” almost as much as the “what.”
Video Content: Short, Sweet, and Search-Friendly
In the battle of content types, video is the undisputed heavyweight. Heather recommends videos between 4 seconds and 4 minutes. Bonus points if you repurpose content from Instagram, just remember to pretty it up for Pinterest’s search engine.
Actionable Tip: Use storytelling in your videos. Whether it’s a tutorial or a behind-the-scenes look, ensure it’s engaging and polished.
Pinning Strategy: Your Anti-Repin Manifesto
Listen up, all ye who think repinning other people’s content is a golden ticket to success—it’s not. Heather stresses that it can distort your account’s stats and diminish your brand's value. Instead, focus on original content and hide or delete others’ content if necessary. This isn’t just social media; this is a strategic battlefield.
Actionable Tip: Audit your Pinterest boards and purge them of non-performing or irrelevant pins. Organize and optimize your shiny new cache of pins.
Optimize and Engage: Beyond the Pin
Heather lays it out straight: Use Instagram for further connections, not Pinterest. She’s all about directing people to her site, heatherfarris.com, especially if they want the full Pinterest experience.
Actionable Tip: Direct your Pinterest traffic to a comprehensive, info-packed website that is a seamless extension of your Pinterest strategies.
Wrapping Up
Heather Farris isn’t just a Pinterest whiz; she’s a beacon of practical wisdom. She’s been through the grind—from accounting cubicles to Pinterest stardom. She’s all about giving back and sharing those practical nuggets that can make your Pinterest efforts worthwhile, like that secret family recipe for digital success. Take some time to learn from her, adjust your strategies, and watch your Pinterest game go from a mild drizzle to a torrential downpour of traffic and sales.
Ready to unleash your Pinterest power? Pin this, organize that, and make Heather proud.
Now, excuse me while I go reorganize my boards with surgical precision.
Listen to my conversation with Heather Farris on Creative Chats podcast episode 246.