Last year, Pinterest introduced Idea Pins (they’re the evolution of Story Pins which were released in 2020.) An Idea Pin features a collection of videos or photos that a user can tap through, similar to what you would see on an Instagram story. However, unlike Instagram “Stories”, Idea Pins don’t disappear in 24 hours. Additionally, users can save them to their boards, and they are used purely for inspiration rather than for connecting or chatting with an audience.
The point of Idea Pins is to inspire users without requiring them to click through to a website to find the information they are looking for.
Now, you may be wondering how in the world this could benefit you as a food blogger. Obviously, you need to get traffic to your website, not just taps on your Ideas Pins.
Have no fear! We’re going to dive into everything you need to know about Idea Pins and why you should use them!
What are Idea Pins?
As a way to empower and inspire creators to share long-lasting ideas, Pinterest added Idea Pins to the platform in 2021. Rather than just using a static image or short video, Idea Pins are more engaging with creators having the ability to add up to 20 slides to a pin. Slides can consist of photo content, video content, or both.
Hint. Hint. These are Idea Pins! ?
Pinterest makes it super easy to create an Idea Pin directly on the Pinterest platform, offering creators tools such as stickers, voiceover, and music. There is even a “ghost mode” tool that lets you overlay the previous frame to help guide video transitions. ?
Another notable feature is the details page where creators can add information such as ingredients or instructions to give users a quick glimpse of the recipe details.
Why should I use Idea Pins?
Similar to Instagram Stories, Pinterest Idea Pins appear at the top of the home feed (when viewed on mobile), sprinkled in search results, and under the Watch tab (when viewed on mobile.)
As more people come across your Idea Pins, you’ll naturally gain more followers. More followers mean more people will see the standard pins on your profile, and these standard pins will lead to visits to your blog. It may seem like a bit of a roundabout way to gain traffic, compared to traditional pins, but Idea Pins have been proven to work!
According to Tailwind, Idea Pins are averaging 41x the saves and 9x the comment rate of traditional pins. Because Idea Pins are much more engaging these pins are receiving a ton of traction! ?
How do I create an Idea Pin?
First off, Pinterest Idea Pins can only be created on a business account. As a blogger, you should have one of these accounts already, but if you don’t we suggest you make the switch ASAP. If you already have a business account, the rest is pretty straightforward.
1. To create an Idea Pin, you’d go to the same menu where you would create a traditional pin.
2. After that, click on the red button that says Create New. It will then give you the option to upload your pictures or videos.
3. You’ll then see a page that looks similar to the screenshot below. This page allows you to reorder or delete your images/videos, add text, flip the images/videos and change the background color or size of the image.
With these slides, make sure your photos/videos and text tell a story or give the viewer an idea of how to make the recipe. You want to entice them to click through the pin (and even come to your profile), so make sure it’s interesting!
4. Once you finish making your changes, click “Next.”
5. On the next page, you can fill in all of the details for your Pin. For the Pin title, be sure to use one of your main keywords. Next, select the board that will be most relevant to your Pin. Lastly, under Add the basics, you’ll want to add a couple of tags. We recommend using at least 4-5 tags that make sense for your recipe (i.e. “chicken tikka” or “protein bowl” would be a great tag for the recipe we’ve featured above/below since the recipe is for chicken tikka bowls.)
6. The Add the details section is where you can add your recipe’s ingredients, cooking time, and serving size. It may be tempting to add a link to your recipe in this section, but DO NOT do that. ❌ Pinterest has stated that they will demote Idea Pins that include this. You’re much better off adding a link in your Pin’s comments. ?
7. One last thing to note: If you create Idea Pins from your mobile device, instead of your desktop you’ll notice you’ll have access to more features, such as the ability to add music, audio, stickers, drawing, and filters.
Now all you need to do is sit back, relax, and watch the repins, clicks, and comments come in as your newly created Idea Pins take off! ?
Interested in Tasty Pins?
If you’re interested in giving category pinning a try, Tasty Pins makes it easy to do so in just one click. We’re always looking for new ways to improve Tasty Pins, and you can be confident that we’ll keep supporting you on your blogging journey.
Take a look at all Tasty Pins has to offer. Also, don’t forget about our 14-day money-back guarantee! Trying Tasty Pins is risk-free, and we think you’ll really like it!