As someone who has been using Pinterest for over 10 years (as a blogger, marketer and a user), I’ve seen my fair share of peaks and valleys when it comes to Pinterest traffic. I’ve seen accounts jump millions of impressions overnight and then go down just as fast. It’s perfectly normal to experience ebbs and flows in your Pinterest stats, but that doesn’t make it any less disconcerting when you see those numbers start to dip. Recently Pinterest has made a ton of changes with the algorithm and advertising platform and quite frankly, it has a lot of Pinterest marketers spiraling.
The nature of digital marketing is that it’s always changing. What works today, may not work tomorrow. So if you want to stay ahead of the game you have to have the “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” mentality. The platforms change, so we must change.
So, let’s talk about what you can do when your Pinterest traffic tanks. Some of these are troubleshooting steps, some are strategy shifts, but they are all designed to help you get that traffic back to where you want it!
1. Take a Deep Dive into Your Stats
The first step to understanding what’s going on with your Pinterest traffic is to dig deep into your analytics. It’s time to play detective with your data. Look for patterns that could explain the drop. Often, you’ll find that certain pins were seasonal or had gone viral, giving you an unnatural spike in your traffic which, when passed, can make your current numbers seem lackluster in comparison.
Check how your pins perform across different boards and times. Maybe the pins that performed well in the summer don’t do as well in the fall. Understanding these patterns can help you adapt your strategy to maintain steady traffic year-round.
2. Check Your Links
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s shocking how often it’s overlooked. Click through all your top performing pins and make sure all links lead to active, relevant URLs. Broken links are not just bad for SEO, but they’re also frustrating for users, which can seriously hurt your engagement and traffic. Make sure that your most popular pins, especially, are up to date with functioning links.
Additionally, it’s crucial to ensure that the URLs linked to your top-performing pins direct users to well-designed and relevant pages on your website. These pages should be user-friendly, mobile-optimized, and contain up-to-date content. If they fall short in any of these areas, take the time to revamp them. Pinterest’s algorithm may detect a lack of user engagement or high bounce rate on these pages, potentially leading to reduced visibility for your pins. Updating and optimizing these pages can help maintain or even increase the traction your pins receive.
3. Audit Your Keywords
Keywords in Pinterest work just like they do in any other search engine. They help your content get discovered. Take some time to review the keywords you’ve been using. Are they still relevant? Are they too saturated? Have you incorporated seasonal or trending keywords? Sometimes, all it takes is refreshing your keyword strategy to boost your visibility on the platform.
Use Pinterest’s guided search to find new, related keywords that can help you connect with your audience. Also, don’t forget to include these keywords in your pin descriptions, boards, and even your profile to maximize your reach.
4. Try New Content Forms
If you’ve been using the same style or format of pins, it might be time to shake things up. Experiment with different graphics and layouts. Pinterest users are always looking for fresh, visually appealing content. Introduce new colors, photos, or even new types of content like infographics or step-by-step guides.
Video is increasingly important on Pinterest, so adding more video to your pinning is going to help you beat the algorithm. They catch the eye more effectively than static images and can provide more engaging ways to showcase tutorials, product features, or stories. They might be what you need to reignite interest and engagement in your page.
5. Find a Trend
Staying relevant on Pinterest is all about keeping up with what’s trending. Use the Pinterest Trends tool to identify rising trends and see what’s capturing the interest of users right now. This tool can give you insights into popular search terms over time, which can guide your content creation and help you tap into what’s currently hot. By aligning your content with these trends, you can increase your visibility and engagement.
6. Don’t Give Up
Finally, the most important piece of advice I can give you is this: don’t give up. Every social media platform has its challenges, and Pinterest is no exception. What works today may not work tomorrow, and vice versa. The key is to stay flexible, keep experimenting, and adapt based on what the data tells you. Your persistence will pay off.
7. Hire a Professional
If you find yourself struggling to make heads or tails of Pinterest’s complexities, it might be time to bring in the experts. At PinHouss, all we do is Pinterest, every day! We love helping our clients craft tailored Pinterest strategies that drive engagement and traffic. We’ve help countless small businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of Pinterest to maximize results. Let us help you revitalize your strategy, optimize your content, and get those numbers climbing once again!
Contact us to learn more!
