Instagram has a complex algorithm and becomes more saturated each day as businesses and creators move their services to the social media giant. So, if you want to make your mark on the app, you need an innovative growth strategy.
It might surprise you to know that you can use Pinterest to raise your engagement on Instagram. While many view them as separate platforms, they can be used together to grow your following, increase active engagement and stop your content from being stolen.
When the two are linked, anyone who is on Pinterest will also be directed to your Instagram.
You can do this by:
Logging into Pinterest > Account Settings > Claimed Accounts > Instagram.
Now, when another user shares your Instagram content to Pinterest, even if they don’t mention that it is yours, a follow button will automatically show on their Pinterest post. This means that your content will always be associated with its creator and your Instagram engagement will be raised.
Once you have posted to Instagram as normal, log in to your Instagram account via desktop, then find your post. Copy the URL and then log into Pinterest. Repost the content to Pinterest and paste your URL link onto the Pin. This will bring more visitors to your Instagram.
Unlike Instagram, where the visibility of posts reduces after a day, Pinterest posts can generate engagement months after they are posted. This means that the referral from your URL link will generate Instagram engagement for some time.
As with Instagram posts, you can also reuse IGTV videos for Pinterest content.
IGTV posts are videos uploaded to Instagram that can be up to 15 minutes long.
Videos are very popular on Pinterest because they allow businesses to use another medium to showcase products, do interviews, behind-the-scenes shoots, etc. You should see it as another way for your audience to get to know you.
Equally, your Instagram Stories can be downloaded by using the ellipsis button in the corner of your Story and tapping save. The video is now ready to be reposted to Pinterest. Bear in mind that it is best to remove any stickers, as they will not work on Pinterest.
Your Story could contain mini vlogs, videos of the practical side of your work, or just a video of you discussing a topic that’s important to you.
Any time that you talk about something that could polarise opinion, your engagement will likely be higher as people will respond to your opinions. Just be careful not to offend any groups, as this will negatively affect your following.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is essentially using keywords that will be picked up by Search Engines. Pinterest itself is a picture Search Engine, so adding relevant keywords to your Pins will bring more traffic to your Pinterest and then your Instagram.
Here are some different places you can subtly incorporate SEO into your Pinterest content:
1. The Pin title is your first tool. Include one or two keywords here, any more will appear clunky.
2. By including keywords in Pin descriptions, you are providing a clear description of the post, and these keywords will be picked up by Pinterest and placed onto related searches.
3. Hashtags are another useful growth tool. There is not an exact number of hashtags that equal success, but Pins have performed well with 3-5 hashtags.
To generate keywords, type in one keyword on Pinterest and before you press Search, look at the drop-down list that appears. Here you will see some suggestions. Then, when you press enter, guided search boxes will appear. Clicking each box will give you more keywords.
Another easy way to find keywords, is to browse the “Trending on Pinterest” section on their website. You can also use free online SEO search tools.
Finally, Pinterest bots will identify whatever is in the image and find keywords associated with it, to put it in feeds and searches relating to those keywords. So, it’s important to pick an image that is clearly related to your SEO.
User-generated content is any content that was requested by your following, or content that your following have created or added to.
According to Sprout Social, UGC is 35% more memorable and 50% more trustworthy. This shows that UGC should play a key role in your growth strategy.
So how can you add UGC into your content?
On Pinterest, you can create a Group Board, which your following can post to. This makes your followers feel a part of your brand and allows them to be creative. When a follower adds a pin to the Group Board, their followers see it and therefore see your content.
On Instagram Stories, you can use the Question Sticker to ask your followers what they would like to see from you. If you act upon their suggestions, it makes them feel seen and appreciated. Don’t ask too often though, as it can make it look like you are running out of ideas.
It’s important to Pin when engagement is high. First, your Pinterest account should be set to a business account so that you can go to your profile and tap Analytics in the upper right corner. By using Analytics, you will be able to see the times when your audience is most active. This is the best time for you to post.
Similarly, your Instagram should also be set to a business account, then on your profile tap the Menu icon, then tap Insights.
The analytics will also tell you which countries your content is reaching, and which gender interacts with your content the most, which can be useful information when you’re planning new content.
Generally, late evening is a great time to post, as this is when most users have finished work and so have the time to scroll through social media.
By following these steps, Pinterest and Instagram will work together to showcase your brand and build meaningful connections with your followers. You don’t need complex strategies; you simply need to create in a way that actively includes your followers and uses keywords to place your content on as many feeds as possible.
Instagram has a complex algorithm and becomes more saturated each day as businesses and creators move their services to the social media giant. So, if you want to make your mark on the app, you need an innovative growth strategy.
It might surprise you to know that you can use Pinterest to raise your engagement on Instagram. While many view them as separate platforms, they can be used together to grow your following, increase active engagement and stop your content from being stolen.
When the two are linked, anyone who is on Pinterest will also be directed to your Instagram.
You can do this by:
Logging into Pinterest > Account Settings > Claimed Accounts > Instagram.
Now, when another user shares your Instagram content to Pinterest, even if they don’t mention that it is yours, a follow button will automatically show on their Pinterest post. This means that your content will always be associated with its creator and your Instagram engagement will be raised.
Once you have posted to Instagram as normal, log in to your Instagram account via desktop, then find your post. Copy the URL and then log into Pinterest. Repost the content to Pinterest and paste your URL link onto the Pin. This will bring more visitors to your Instagram.
Unlike Instagram, where the visibility of posts reduces after a day, Pinterest posts can generate engagement months after they are posted. This means that the referral from your URL link will generate Instagram engagement for some time.
As with Instagram posts, you can also reuse IGTV videos for Pinterest content.
IGTV posts are videos uploaded to Instagram that can be up to 15 minutes long.
Videos are very popular on Pinterest because they allow businesses to use another medium to showcase products, do interviews, behind-the-scenes shoots, etc. You should see it as another way for your audience to get to know you.
Equally, your Instagram Stories can be downloaded by using the ellipsis button in the corner of your Story and tapping save. The video is now ready to be reposted to Pinterest. Bear in mind that it is best to remove any stickers, as they will not work on Pinterest.
Your Story could contain mini vlogs, videos of the practical side of your work, or just a video of you discussing a topic that’s important to you.
Any time that you talk about something that could polarise opinion, your engagement will likely be higher as people will respond to your opinions. Just be careful not to offend any groups, as this will negatively affect your following.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is essentially using keywords that will be picked up by Search Engines. Pinterest itself is a picture Search Engine, so adding relevant keywords to your Pins will bring more traffic to your Pinterest and then your Instagram.
Here are some different places you can subtly incorporate SEO into your Pinterest content:
1. The Pin title is your first tool. Include one or two keywords here, any more will appear clunky.
2. By including keywords in Pin descriptions, you are providing a clear description of the post, and these keywords will be picked up by Pinterest and placed onto related searches.
3. Hashtags are another useful growth tool. There is not an exact number of hashtags that equal success, but Pins have performed well with 3-5 hashtags.
To generate keywords, type in one keyword on Pinterest and before you press Search, look at the drop-down list that appears. Here you will see some suggestions. Then, when you press enter, guided search boxes will appear. Clicking each box will give you more keywords.
Another easy way to find keywords, is to browse the “Trending on Pinterest” section on their website. You can also use free online SEO search tools.
Finally, Pinterest bots will identify whatever is in the image and find keywords associated with it, to put it in feeds and searches relating to those keywords. So, it’s important to pick an image that is clearly related to your SEO.
User-generated content is any content that was requested by your following, or content that your following have created or added to.
According to Sprout Social, UGC is 35% more memorable and 50% more trustworthy. This shows that UGC should play a key role in your growth strategy.
So how can you add UGC into your content?
On Pinterest, you can create a Group Board, which your following can post to. This makes your followers feel a part of your brand and allows them to be creative. When a follower adds a pin to the Group Board, their followers see it and therefore see your content.
On Instagram Stories, you can use the Question Sticker to ask your followers what they would like to see from you. If you act upon their suggestions, it makes them feel seen and appreciated. Don’t ask too often though, as it can make it look like you are running out of ideas.
It’s important to Pin when engagement is high. First, your Pinterest account should be set to a business account so that you can go to your profile and tap Analytics in the upper right corner. By using Analytics, you will be able to see the times when your audience is most active. This is the best time for you to post.
Similarly, your Instagram should also be set to a business account, then on your profile tap the Menu icon, then tap Insights.
The analytics will also tell you which countries your content is reaching, and which gender interacts with your content the most, which can be useful information when you’re planning new content.
Generally, late evening is a great time to post, as this is when most users have finished work and so have the time to scroll through social media.
By following these steps, Pinterest and Instagram will work together to showcase your brand and build meaningful connections with your followers. You don’t need complex strategies; you simply need to create in a way that actively includes your followers and uses keywords to place your content on as many feeds as possible.
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