“I have Pinterest growth, but why am I not seeing sales?” As a Pinterest manager and strategist, I get this question in my DMs all of the time! You are not alone in feeling frustrated that all of your hard work on Pinterest is feeling pointless. You have put so much thought and intention into your offer, but your Pinterest audience isn’t biting. In this blog post, I’m going to dive into who your Pinterest audience is, so you can transition from just being present on the Pinterest platform to being an impact in 5 steps. 

Because let’s be real. Passively attracting sales and clients effortlessly on Pinterest sounds too good to be true. You’ve put hours into dedicating time to try to figure out the algorithm, making your content look appealing, and researching THE BEST keywords to support as many people as possible. 

Just to hear crickets. 

At this point, you’re thinking about throwing in the towel and moving on, but I dare you to keep reading this blog post and give Pinterest another chance (please trust me on this!! It’s worth it!). 

You can turn your Pinterest audience into loyal customers, supportive community members, or even new business friends. And I’m here to help you do it. 

To keep it simple, I’m going to break down how to understand your Pinterest audience into 5 steps: Who, What, When, Where, & Why

Who is your Pinterest audience?

To know how to get your Pinterest audience to save, like, click, and BUY with ease, you first need to know WHO your audience is. 

Are they are a warm audience who need a little more nurturing? Are they cold and uninterested? Maybe neither?? 

To start, 97% of top Pinterest searches are unbranded, so your Pinterest audience initially has no idea who you are. On a scale of iceberg cold (uninterested) to piping hot (raving fans), I believe your audience is lukewarm. Why? Because even though they have no idea who you are, they are still very interested in what you have to offer!

The majority of you Pinterest audience is problem aware, and they are looking for a solution (aka YOU!). 

So how do we move your lukewarm audience to be piping hot raving fans after they discover you? 

When your audience is a supportive community, they know and trust your brand. So we need to build that like, know, trust factor on Pinterest itself! 

Here’s how you can start building that trust today: 

Connect intentionally with your Pinterest audience! 

Some ideas: 

• Have your Pinterest profile match your social media profile for easy recognition (bonus points if it’s of your face!)
• Add some personality and brand messaging to your pin descriptions, so you sound like a real person (no more robotic, keyword stuffed descriptions) 
• Add value (tips, formula, etc.) in your pin description or in your pin graphic and avoid using unaligned keywords or clickbat as an attempt to increaset your visibility. 
• Invite them to connect with you! Include your social media handles and/or your website link EVERYWHERE. In every pin description, board description, you bio, etc. 
• Incorporate video content! I know you want to roll your eyes at this one, but repurposing your video content onto Pinterest is a great way to connect with your audience! (bonus points if you’re showing your face of personality)

Now that you know WHO your Pinterest audience is… 

What is your Pinterest audience doing?

What are their behaviors and patterns? What are they searching for? 

Because in order to passively attract clients and customers with ease, we need to know exactly what they are searching for! No assuming or guessing here – we need to KNOW. 

Without confidently knowing how to utilize Pinterest and knowing the ins and outs of your Pinterest audience, you don’t have the leverage you need to have a lasting impact on the platform. 

Get to know your audience, learn their patterns on Pinterest, and discover what they’re really searching for, so you can serve them above and beyond! 

Alright, time to get into detective mode… 

Step 1: Analyze and Observe their Behavior

Deep dive into your Pinterest analytics and insights! What are they saving? Clicking on? What are they interested in?

And you can look at who is saving your content! What content are their boards full of? What content of yours would they continue to be obsessed with? 

(this is one of my favorite things to research as a psych major!! I thought I’d be researching and analyzing neurofeedback statistics after graduation… but now I’m researching Pinterest patterns. And I love it!!!) 

Then, make more of what your audience wants. 

(or hire someone like me to fully take care of it for you!)

Step 2: Fully embody your ideal client or customer

Okay, I know it sounds weird… but it works!! 

Here’s what you’re going to do: 

Go to the search bar and type in your FAQs or questions that you know your Pinterest audience is searching for. 

What is showing up? What are the related searches? Take notes!!!

Now you confidently know what your audience’s patterns are, what they are interested in, and what they are searching for. With valuable information like this, you are well on your way to being an impact on Pinterest. 

When is your Pinterest audience on Pinterest? 

We know WHO your Pinterest audience is and WHAT they are doing, but WHEN are they on the platform? Not time wise… that doesn’t really matter. 

The real question: When are they going onto Pinterest during their buyer’s journey? 

Because you’re going to want to attract your clients and customers during ALL of the buyer stages, so you can help and support as many creatives as possible (even when you’re out of office!).

Stage 1: Awareness 

Aware of a problem or pain and is looking to relieve it.

Example: Julie is a business owner struggling to book clients consistently and isn’t feeling confident. She’s in a spiral and is overwhelmed figuring out how to come out of it. She is starting to research why she’s having this roadblock in her mindset and business. 

3 Ways to Serve Your Pinterest Audience in the Awareness Stage:

• Be nice. They are wrestling with a pain or a problem.. Focus on identifying what their problem is without insulting them! They are trying their best and are looking for help. Then, inform how you can help them relieve this pain in your pin descriptions, blog posts, etc.
• Have freebies or quizzes they can sign up for that will help them identify what their problem could be and what their next steps are. 
• Mix in content that feels more broad (ex: “How to Book More Clients” vs. “How to Book More Clients Without Spending More Time on Social Media”). Then, share your unique  perspective and approach! 

Stage 2: Consideration

They know their problem, and they are looking for potential solutions.

(Spoiler Alert: This is a majority of your Pinterest audience!!) 

Example: Julie isn’t booking clients and isn’t confident with showing up because she’s feeling unaligned with her brand. She feels excited (and slightly overwhelmed) researching for options to create a brand she LOVES!

3 Ways to Support Your Pinterest Audience in the Consideration Stage: 

• Educate on the pros and cons of each option in your pin descriptions and blog posts! (ex: What’s better? A DIY brand course or hiring a brand designer?) 
• Have freebies or quizzes they can sign up for that will assist them in choosing what packages are best for them based on their goals, budget, etc. 
• Lead them to more ways to connect with you! Especially to join your email list. You can also invite them to follow you on social media. Being a human on a search engine goes a long way!!

Stage 3: Decision

Have decided on their approach and looking for their purchase decision. 

Example: After researching whether or not she wanted to DIY her own brand, outsource her branding, join a group program, etc. Julie has decided the best fit for her would be to invest in a brand designer with a strategic approach. Now, she’s looking for the best designer to fit what she’s looking for!

3 Ways to Serve Your Pinterest Audience in the Decision Stage: 

• They are going to choose someone they like, know, and trust, so follow the tips from the WHO part of this blog post! 
• Showcase your unique approach through blog posts and pins with easy access to buy immediately on Pinterest or effortlessly inquire with you. 
• They are ready to make a purchase (like their wallet is in their hand!!). Show the transformation, speak to what they are wanting and how you can get them there, and invite them to buy. 

Because Pinterest is a search engine, your Pinterest audience is doing research at every single stage in the buyers journey. And they are actively looking for what you have to offer! Are you there to meet them where they are at?

Understanding Your Pinterest Audience: where do they go? 

After you Pinterest audience discovers you, where do they go? And more importantly, where do they WANT to go? Where are they going when they are ready to buy? 

Pinterest is known for being the top of the sales funnel, so where are you sending them next? 

The most common places creatives send their Pinterest audience: 

• Blog Posts
• Email List Sign Up
• Landing Pages
• Website Pages (do not send to your homepage!!) 
• Your Storefront 

But where does your Pinterest audience WANT to go?

They want to go where you offered in your pin! If you say your blog post has 10 simple steps to start booking more clients, they want to go to that blog post! When you’re inviting them to join you for a free 30 day email challenge, please don’t send them to your storefront for a course. 

Clickbait is a NO GO. It makes you look spammy, and you aren’t building trust with your audience!

Now, where are they going when they are ready to buy on Pinterest? 

Some will have joined your email list or started following you on social media, but what about the others? Let’s make sure you confidently know they have access to you whenever they are ready!

Those who found you during their Awareness Stage… 

They saved your pins that connected with them! Make sure your pins have working URLs attached to them, so they have access to you (even if it’s months or years down the road!). 

Those who found you during their Consideration Phase…

They have also saved your pins! They have followed you as well to keep your profile top of mind as they considered their different options. 

Make sure your Pinterest Profile has your website and social media information. It’s even better if you tell them exactly how to contact you when they are ready to book in your bio! 

Also, include your website name in all of your board descriptions too! You want your audience to have thousands of opportunities to be able to contact you. 

BONUS TIP: They likely signed up for your email list, so continue with your email marketing to continue nurturing them until they are ready to invest! This is still a Pinterest sale! 

Those who found you during their decision stage… 

They are ready to buy RIGHT NOW!!

Always have a working URL connected to your pins. Attach your catalog to Pinterest, so they can shop your templates, courses, products, etc. directly on Pinterest for a smooth transaction. 

To confidently increase your sales on Pinterest, it’s time to provide your Pinterest audience opportunities to enter into your sales funnel effortlessly or directly BUY. What are you waiting for?!

It’s so much more than just sales. 

It’s having a sustainable way to amplify your impact that supports a lifestyle of not always being glued to a screen and having the opportunity to live more presently through automated marketing. 

And if you’re overwhelmed with understanding Pinterest or simply don’t want to spend your energy on the platform, I’m here to help! 

Understanding Your Pinterest Audience: Why

Why is your Pinterest audience on Pinterest? “Every month, nearly half a billion people use Pinterest to find inspiration, shop for products and try new ideas” (business.pinterest.com).

What does this mean for you? Stand out from your competition and don’t just be an inspiration! Go deeper than just creating inspirational content that blends in. Create pins that get your audience from A to B, provide a new perspective, and spark their curiosity about you and your brand.

You can get good Pinterest growth through inspirational content. 

But if you want to see business growth through Pinterest, that requires strategic, tranformational pins intended to serve, lead, and guide your Pinterest audience into your sales funnel.

A Quick Recap 

Phewwww that was a lot of information! Here’s a quick summary and actions steps, so you can get started with moving the needle in your business through Pinterest asap: 

WHO is your Pinterest audience

The majority of your Pinterest audience has no idea who you are, but they are still very interested in what you have to offer!

Action Step: build trust by connecting intentionally with your Pinterest audience

WHAT is your Pinterest audience doing

What are their behaviors, and what are they looking for.

Action Step: Get into detective mode and look into your analytics. Learn what their patterns are on Pinterest and discover what they’re really searching for, so you can serve them above and beyond!

WHEN your audience is on Pinterest

During all 3 stages of the buyers journey (but the majority of your audience is in the consideration phase!)

Action Step: Create content that meets your audience where they are at in their buyers journey! 

WHERE your Pinterest audience is going 

Action Step: Lead your audience through your sales funnels and make sure your account is set up properly with working URLs, so they have multiple opportunities to connect with you!

WHY is your Pinterest audience on Pinterest

To be inspired, to find new ideas, and to shop. 

Action Step: Create in-depth content that stands out from your competitors and sparks curiosity instead of only inspirational content.

You can make sales and grow your business through Pinterest. Seriously!! It is possible! Hopefully, this blog post can help you understand your audience, so you can start seeing tangible business growth instead of just Pinterest growth. And if you need help or want to outsource your Pinterest marketing, you can inquire to work with me here.