So, maybe you’ve heard? You can use Pinterest to grow your email list and generate leads for your business.
But, here’s the thing… You don’t want just any old person on your list, right?
The goal of your list-building strategy on Pinterest is not to get just any pinner on your list! There are 460+ million people (and growing) on the platform. But they’re not all your people.
You want the *targeted* prospects to discover you there – and get into your sphere.
The Targeted Prospects You Want
What do I mean by “targeted?” Targeted prospects are people who:
- are already interested in what you offer… in your content, freebies, offers
- fit your “ideal client” profile; and
- would be likely to take action on your offers – both free and paid.
So, in this post, I’m going to provide you with my best tips for doing just that – getting action-takers on your email list using Pinterest.
Ready? Brilliant. Let’s do it!
But first, a quick review of the Pinterest list-building basics…
Just in case you haven’t heard about this strategy yet (or if you want a refresher!), here’s a quick rundown of how you can use Pinterest to build your email list.
First thing to remember is… Pinterest is not really a social platform. It’s a search engine.
You set up your Pinterest profile *strategically* to attract the right audience (more on that below!).
Then, you drive your Pinterest audience to your opt-ins. (aka “freebies,” “lead magnets…” So many terms… They all pretty much just mean that you offer something of value… something that will solve a small problem she has… in exchange for her email address and the permission to send her emails.)
✔️ So, your ideal client looks on Pinterest for an idea, inspiration, or a solution to a dilemma.
✔️ You have something – a free resource or free content – that will help her.
✔️ You want her to find you and your free thing. So you use all the right keywords in your profile, boards, and pins. (More on keywords below!)
✔️ She finds your eye-catching, on-brand and irresistible pin. It previews your free resource* – something she MUST have that will inspire her – and/or get her on the path to a solution.
(*Note, at this stage, the pin could lead directly to a) a well-optimized landing page for the lead magnet – or b) to a free piece of content that provides value and causes her to desire that juicy lead magnet!)
✔️ She clicks through, consumes your content, and wants that lead magnet you’re offering…. so:
✔️ She opts in to your list! 🎉
✔️ You deliver the lead magnet in your first email to her… and, ideally, your nurture sequence takes it from there.
She’s your ideal client. She’s on your list. Yayyyy!
(Oh, and by the way… You’re at the beach. We love Pinterest for so many reasons… and this is one of them! It’s working for you to grow your list – even when you’re not working!)
And this is the foundation for:
- the steady stream of quality, targeted leads – on auto-pilot.
- the email list that grows every day – even without you.
- the expanding community of action-takers who can’t wait to see what you offer next…
Now, how to attract those action-takers on Pinterest…
Okay, so now you know that you can grow your email list using Pinterest. So, then the question becomes? How to do you attract *action-takers* to that list?
The answer, in short, is… Keywords. (See! I told you I’d come back to that…)
There are two billion (with a B!) searches conducted on Pinterest every month! 😲
(*Source: Omnicore Pinterest by the Numbers 2021)
Whoa, right? That’s a lot of searches!
But, again, not all of the people searching are *your people.* Actually – only a fraction of a fraction will be, right? And we only want people in our *targeted* audiences on our email lists. Remember? Those are the people who:
- are already interested in our topics
- are “ideal client” (or customer) types; and
- would be likely to take action on our offers – both free and paid.
So we use keywords on Pinterest to attract the *right* people to our pins, boards, profile, and content.
Let’s look at an example:
I have a client who is a fitness and weight loss coach based in New York City. She coaches women who want to lose weight. She teaches them to do this by incorporating lots of spices into their meals – because they boost metabolism, reduce bloat, curb sugar cravings, and more.
Her blog posts, free guides, courses, and paid coaching packages all teach about weight loss and cooking satisfying, spicy foods!
So, she wants professional women who:
- have tried everything to lose weight – but haven’t been able to maintain
- enjoy spicy foods; and
- are open to preparing food at home…
… to discover her content on Pinterest.
If her Pinterest pins are being discovered by women who don’t want to cook… or women who can’t palate spicy food… Womp-womp. It will be a no-go.
They’ll likely scroll on by, and certainly not click the pin to learn more. And, even if they do click out of curiosity, and even opt-in to grab a lead magnet… having them on her list won’t serve her business.
Additionally, we know that it’s going to be hard for this client to “rank for” or stand out in a sea of pins that might surface for a search like “how to lose weight.” It’s just really too general a keyword.
So, instead, we focus on keyword phrases that her ideal, action-taking audience might be searching… Things like:
- increase metabolism foods
- metabolism boosting recipes
- spicy weight loss meals
- turmeric recipes
- stop sugar cravings
- anti-inflammatory spices for cooking
- weight loss meal planning
Make sense?
Right now, there is a woman (and likely dozens of women, in truth) searching on Pinterest for “spicy foods to increase metabolism…” and things that are related. We want my client’s pins to surface in those searches.
And, right now, there is a woman (and likely dozens of women, in truth 😉 searching on Pinterest for what you offer – through your free and paid content and offers!
If you’re an online coach, course creator, or service-based business owner, and you’d love to learn more about how to set Pinterest up strategically – to get discovered by your ideal, targeted audience…
I invite you to access my free, on-demand masterclass:
📌 The 5 Secrets for Using Pinterest to Grow Your Audience on Autopilot and Get Clients
You’ll learn how to…
- Ditch the overwhelm that comes from aaaaaallll the Pinterest advice you’re hearing.
- Know what to focus on – and what not to waste your time on – so you can generate a steady stream of quality, targeted leads for your offers.
- Set yourself up for long-term, consistent sales – and even for success with those passive income offers you’re planning!
- Figure out what your ideal clients are really searching for – and get them to pay attention to you – on Pinterest!
See you there! Thanks for reading!
Written by: Jana Osofsky
Jana O. is a marketing expert and Pinterest specialist for online coaches, course creators, and service providers. She got started working online in 2016 as a Virtual Assistant. Upon discovering that a client was leveraging Pinterest to get leads and sell her services – Jana went all-in on the platform. She has since developed a specialization in Pinterest marketing for lead generation.
Now she helps her clients and students automate list growth so they can automate a steady stream of targeted leads for their courses and programs – and set themselves up for long-term business success. (And yes – she does that with Pinterest!) She’s on a mission to spread the word: When set up properly, Pinterest can attract soulmate clients – with a small investment of time each month.
Visit Jana online at: JanaOMedia.com. You’ll also find her on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Clubhouse at the handle @JanaOMedia.
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