Learning how to use Pinterest for Etsy is a great way to market your handmade business to increase traffic and sales of your Etsy shop.
That’s because Pinterest has evolved into a site that does so much more than curate pretty pictures. It’s become a valuable marketing channel for brands (like yours) to acquire new customers and engage followers.
In this article, we’ll touch on:
- What Pinterest is all about
- How to use Pinterest to market your Etsy shop
- Using your Etsy shop and Pinterest account together
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is an image and video-based search engine. You type in your query, and content relevant to that query appears. These images and videos usually link back to another site – like your blog or even your Etsy listings.
A Visual Search Engine
Content for Pinterest can be infographics, product ideas, inspiration, links to short video tutorials on YouTube, or even an eCommerce link – again, to your Etsy listings.
In a nutshell, Pinterest lets users create visual boards made up of search results that they like. You can categorize these boards into different topics or ideas and label them as you see fit.
Your Digital Scrapbook
In other words, Pinterest can be used to group together images and videos that link to other websites. This makes Pinterest a great tool to organize and save any nook and cranny on the internet so you can easily find it in the future.
This means it’s also great for gathering inspiration for your Etsy shop, creating shopping lists, organizing ideas, and so on.
A Source for Inspiration
The actual value of Pinterest comes from how it learns what you like through its algorithm.
Like all social media platforms, Pinterest tracks your activity on its website and app. And if it notices you pin a lot of content about gardening, then it will suggest more content about gardening, as well as other content they think gardeners would be interested in seeing.
It’s easy to see how such a process can benefit your Etsy shop. But if you’re still wondering how to use Pinterest for Etsy, then read on!
Why use Pinterest for Etsy?
Pinterest has been around for decades, but only in recent years has it grown in popularity as a search engine. Which is actually something that Pinterest is extremely proud of.
For this reason, Etsy sellers are using Pinterest to promote their products now more than ever. Because for many people, especially those that are already in the handmade/Etsy space, Pinterest is the go-to search engine for visually inspiring content.
Attractive pictures are clickable, and Pinterest is full of them.
Another benefit is that it’s free, and it doesn’t take a lot of time (or experience) to see results. And in a world where paid marketing is only getting more expensive, a free marketing channel that’s actually effective is very appealing.
How to use Pinterest for your Etsy shop
The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re using Pinterest for Business. If you aren’t, you can easily transfer your personal account to a business account.
Here’s how:
- Log in to your Pinterest Account
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner
- Click on “Convert to a Business Account”
From there, you can build your Pinterest Business Account to include your Etsy shop name and website, then describe your business to help Pinterest understand who should see your pins.
It’s that easy.
Now that you have your business account, you need to attach your Etsy shop. Etsy and Pinterest communicate with each other in the sense that you can use Pinterest to claim your Etsy shop URL.
- Go to Pinterest settings
- Click on “Claim”
- Click “Etsy”
- Follow the step-by-step instructions on linking your Etsy shop to your Pinterest account
Claim all of your social media accounts
When claiming your Etsy shop, you’ll also see the option to claim your Instagram, YouTube, and any other website you own. If you utilize these other channels, it’s a good idea to claim them all. This will ensure that any pinned content from these channels will list your Pinterest account as the owner.
Tips for using Pinterest to promote your Etsy shop
Simply creating an account isn’t enough for you to start getting traffic from Pinterest to your Etsy shop. It requires more work, but luckily, not a whole lot more.
Here are a few tips to help market your Etsy products by using Pinterest:
1. Create the correct type of account
As we mentioned earlier in this article, we recommend you open a Pinterest Business Account.
You can stick with a personal account, sure – but it doesn’t have the same tools or benefits as a business account. Which are all free.
With a Pinterest Business Account for your Etsy shop, you can take advantage of the following features:
- Build your business profile to help Pinterest identify who should see your pins
- Opt in to run ads for your business to reach over 400 million+ people that use Pinterest
- Create Idea Pins to increase engagement and activity on your Pinterest Account
- Create Rich Pins for your products which includes real-time price and availability/where to buy them
- View detailed analytics for your Pinterest Account, including audience and conversion insights
Bonus Tip: To further establish your brand as an authority for your product, make sure your Pinterest account name is the same as your Etsy shop name.
2. Create Multiple Pinterest Boards
This is the foundation of your Pinterest marketing strategy for Etsy.
By creating multiple boards that cover various categories and topics, you’ll be able to attract more relevant and engaged traffic to your Pinterest account and then to your Etsy shop.
It’s essential that you label these boards the same as the keywords that are relevant to your Etsy products. That way, there is consistency between your Pinterest boards and your Etsy shop.
Type in your keyword in the Pinterest search bar, and you’ll be presented with some similar and popular keywords that Pinterest itself commonly sees. This is a great way to find more ideas to create more Pinterest boards.
Pro Tip: Running a successful keyword strategy for your Pinterest account is vital for the success of your marketing efforts if you want to get more sales for your Etsy shop. Let our friend Kara Buntin show you everything you need to do to start winning on Pinterest.
3. Ensure quality over quantity
Pinterest is a very visual website, and it’s the aesthetics of your creations that draw more attention. Simply put, the more attractive your images and videos are, the higher the chances of you getting the click.
But you also have to communicate effectively. When setting up your pins, describe your product as accurately as possible. Use keywords that you also use in your Etsy listing descriptions, but it shouldn’t be a copy/paste.
Just make sure that the language you use to describe your products on Pinterest and Etsy is on-brand for your business.
By using the same keywords for your Pinterest account and your Etsy shop, you’re establishing your business as an authority for that keyword to Google.
Pro Tip: Add your logo or shop name to your pins. This makes it easier for Pinterest users to see and remember your brand name. And it’s a quick way of building trust with a new audience.
4. Start Pinning!
It’s time to start pinning! But remember, this is your business account, not a personal account. What you pin on your Business account should be entirely different from what you pin on your personal account.
Your pins should be related to your Etsy shop. Obviously, you should pin your own products with a detailed description, but it’s also vital to pin content similar to yours as well.
Your Pinterest account is a great place to showcase the complete lifestyle one hopes to achieve through purchasing your product and adopting your brand.
The best way to think about this is to ask yourself what your ideal customer is interested in. If you sell outdoor products, you can also pin content from travel blogs and outdoor photographers. That way you increase the chances of your ideal customer stumbling into your product pins from this similar content.
Or, if you sell men’s jewelry, try pinning some nice-looking suits that fit the style of your own products. Use these pins to compliment your product and complete the overall “look” that a shopper would strive to achieve by purchasing your jewelry.
Pro Tip: One way or another, make sure your non-product pins complement your Etsy brand as a whole.
5. Pin Regularly
Consistency is important with any marketing strategy. And when using Pinterest to promote your Etsy shop, consistency is even more critical. At least 2 or 3 times a day, try and pin something to all your boards.
Pinterest is known for the infinite scroll, so even if you pin too much your pins will naturally get mixed into the feeds of your followers.
A good rule of thumb is to pin as frequently as you’re able to. Remember, you run an Etsy business, not a Pinterest influencer account. When using Pinterest for your Etsy shop stops becoming a marketing tool for your business and starts becoming a tedious time suck, take a step back and reassess your priorities.
Conclusion: Pinterest for Etsy
Pinterest is a visual search engine used by over 400 million people every month. And it can ultimately bring more traffic, awareness, and sales to your Etsy shop.
But to do that, you need to have a decent understanding of pins, pinning, and how to create visually appealing imagery.
Like most things in life, the more you do it, the better you get.
But once you’ve been at it for a few months, you’ll start seeing results. And when that day comes, double down on what’s working and fine-tune your approach. You never know, Pinterest could become the best marketing tool for your Etsy business!
