All roads should lead back to your Pinterest strategy and it’s important to understand the difference between your strategy and the tactics. Not sure about the difference? Keep reading to find out!
People LOVE tactics when it comes to Pinterest, which is why I frequently get asked the following questions:
- How many times a day should I Pin?
- How many boards should I Pin to for each Pin?
- What’s the best number of boards to have?
- Are Group Boards still relevant?
- How many Idea Pins should I be making?
It’s helpful to have a baseline to work from when you’re marketing on Pinterest, but the tactics aren’t a magic wand or secret code.
What is a Pinterest Strategy?
One of the first questions I ask when I get on a call with a potential client that’s interested in my done-for-you services is, “what do you want to accomplish for your business on Pinterest”.
You might be surprised, but not everyone can clearly define this answer. Part of this might be due to the fact that they honestly don’t know what’s even possible on the platform!
You must define why you’re using Pinterest because that will help you create your strategy. Your strategy is basically your path, long-term goals, and how you’ll be accomplishing them on Pinterest.
A few examples of your long-term goals could be:
- Increase your website traffic by 2-5% month over month
- Increase your email list by X leads monthly
Pro Tip: One way to improve your strategy and yield better results is to have a really organized plan and streamlined systems. If you’re interested in booking a strategy call, you can learn more about doing that here!
What are Tactics on Pinterest?
We all love to obsess over the tactics on Pinterest, as I mentioned previously. Tactics are important, but it’s important to know the difference between your tactics and your strategy.
Tactics are shorter-term goals and they should be based on best practices. You can think of the tactics as the small steps you take that support your strategy. Tactics are often time-bound and they can/should be changed and adapted.
A few examples of your tactics would be:
- How many fresh Pins you’re creating monthly
- The number of days or what intervals you’re using between Pins to multiple boards
- How many times a day you’re Pinning
If you’re interested in learning more about how to create an effective Pinterest strategy that converts your audience, you can download my FREE Pinterest strategy guide here.
The Difference Between Tactics and Strategy
The main difference between your Pinterest strategy and your Pinterest tactics is that your strategy does not change frequently, but your tactics can and should change more regularly.
In case you’re wondering when to change your tactics, I recommend using your data to make adjustments and educated decisions. We also need to keep in mind that Pinterest is a search engine, so that means it will take longer to see if the adjustments and adaptations we’ve made are effective.
When I’ve made a change to my client’s tactics (let’s say we’ve increased the number of fresh Pins we’re creating), I like to give it at least 3 months or so to see if it’s made an impact on our strategy.
To avoid the “throwing spaghetti at the wall” approach to your tactics, I would not recommend making a bunch of changes at once. When you change multiple small steps at once, it’s difficult to decipher what worked, and what didn’t work.
Don’t forget that best practices are a part of tactics as well. This is why it’s important to stay up-to-date on current best practices for Pinterest and based on what’s being recommended, you’ll want to adjust accordingly.
For example, when Idea Pins were first being rolled out, I was “testing” them for clients. As Pinterest released new features, updates, etc. on Idea Pins, I recommended creating 1-2 Idea Pins weekly for best results.
Even though Idea Pins do not drive traffic directly, when we implemented this best practice for my clients, we did see their overall traffic and growth improve.
Using Your Pinterest Strategy to Make Informed Business Decisions
I keep hearing in Facebook Groups that “Pinterest doesn’t work anymore, I’m thinking about throwing in the towel, what do you think?”.
This is almost verbatim what I had a client say to me at one point last year. We were using Pinterest to drive traffic to her blog and also build her email list.
If you have felt this way I want to say, clearly, you aren’t alone. Platforms can and WILL be frustrating at different points.
Before you make a rash business decision, such as totally giving up marketing on a platform that’s historically been vital to your business growth, at least take a peek at the data.
When I say take a look at the data, I’m not talking about your Pinterest analytics for that month or even the month before. What I want you to do is to take a bigger picture look at your Google Analytics.
In reference to my client, when I took a look at what her number one traffic driver was for her business, Pinterest was a winner… by a landslide.
You ultimately have to decide, do you want to see what happens when you cut off that platform?
As a Pinterest strategist, I always provide my clients with the data. Then I let them know that I understand they must do what’s best for their business based on the information they have.
Needless to say, that client didn’t end up throwing in the towel on Pinterest. There was zero pressure from me, data speaks volumes for itself.
Go back to your “why” on Pinterest. Think about how it’s serving you, and if it is still serving you. I do believe tactics can be taken into consideration here as well. You need to ask yourself, “have I really adjusted steps and actions in order to improve my overall strategy?”.
Let’s Wrap it Up
It’s so easy to get consumed by the tactics and feel like there’s a “magic number” or “secret code” that will work for you. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case.
I actually wish there was because that would make my life a lot easier!
The long and the short of it is that what works for you will not be the same exact answer for another business owner. You’ll have variations in your strategy, your goals, your tactics, etc. as you should!
Your business is unique and deserves a unique strategy (and tactics!) on Pinterest. For clients, I have a “baseline” for my Comprehensive Package. But, once I start working with clients and diving into the data, I’m able to provide really informed feedback. I explain what changes to make in their tactics that better support their strategy and long-term goals.
Let me know in the comments what questions you still have about Pinterest strategy vs. tactics! If you’re looking for more support with getting started on Pinterest you can:
- Book a strategy call where we can outline and create a strategy that will work for your business
- Download my FREE Pinterest strategy guide and check out my signature course, Pinterest Marketing Magic, so you can create and implement a strategy yourself!
