Kickstart Your Pinterest Promoted Pins Journey in 5 Simple Steps

We’ve known this day was coming, and it’s finally here—Pinterest now lets you expand your reach with Promoted Pins. But before you start worrying about having to promote all your pins for visibility, it’s important to note this isn’t like Facebook’s sponsored posts. From what we’ve observed, Pinterest seems to have nailed it.

A recent study from wayfair.com found that Pinterest users spend 50% more on average after using Pinterest compared to other social channels. They also spend 20% more than those referred from non-social channels, including search engines, which bodes well for your return on investment.

First, you’ll need to apply for Promoted Pins, similar to how early Pinterest accounts were invitation-only. Once you’re approved, you’ll receive an email from Pinterest. However, it’s important to note that you can’t just promote any pin you want. Pinterest has strict promotion guidelines to ensure a positive user experience and avoid spam, which could drive users away.

To get a head start, familiarize yourself with Pinterest’s promotion guidelines. It’s essential to use high-quality images that incorporate good photography principles and feature exciting content. Pinners are more likely to save or pin these images for inspiration. Also, make sure your pins are sized correctly; while the minimum size is 800×1200 pixels, taller pins generally perform better.

Rich Pins display real-time details like pricing and availability, giving your content credibility and increasing its visibility in users’ Smart Feeds and the Pinterest gift category. Pinners also receive notifications when products they’ve pinned drop in price, essentially providing free email marketing for you.

After your website is verified by Pinterest, you’ll have access to analytics showing you your top pin impressions, which can help you decide which pins to promote.

1. Go to ads.pinterest.com and hover over the image you want to promote.
2. Choose relevant keywords that people might use to find your pin and select your location. Currently, this feature is only available for U.S.-based accounts, so your options are limited to U.S. cities.
3. Select English as the language and keep the Device selection as “all.” Choose the gender based on your target audience; since most Pinterest users are female, that’s often a good default unless you’re targeting males.
4. Set your daily budget (as low as $1 per day). Promoted Pins use a second-price auction model, so you’ll only pay what’s needed to outbid the next highest bidder, never exceeding your daily budget. Name your campaign, set its dates, and ensure the URL connected to your pin is correct.
5. Complete the billing process, after which you’ll be taken to a dashboard where your Promoted Pin data will appear once approved. Pinterest won’t notify you via email about the approval, so check back periodically.
6. Track your stats to see what’s working best.

As a bonus tip, install a “pin it” plug-in on your website to encourage visitors to pin more images to their boards, increasing your reach even further.