We know how challenging and frustrating it can be trying to gain followers on your platforms, but we’re here to help you! Did you know that one of the best ways to gain more followers and grow your audience on Instagram is through Pinterest? Yes, Pinterest! Thanks to its link-friendly nature, Pinterest is a fantastic channel for increasing traffic on all platforms, which can result in some serious engagement and more followers across the board. Here are 5 great ways to grow your Instagram with Pinterest:
#1 Claim Your Instagram Account on Pinterest
There are many benefits that come with claiming your Instagram account on Pinterest – you get access to more robust Pinterest analytics (including data for every action taken on your Pins, across all of Pinterest) and attribution on any Pins that originate from Instagram.
But it can also drive more traffic to your Instagram account too!
Much like a claimed website, a claimed Instagram account will display your Pinterest profile on any Pin created from your Instagram content. Basically, what this means is that if you or anyone else creates a Pin using content from your claimed Instagram account, your profile picture and a “Follow” button will appear above that Pin. You can use this technique to increase your Pinterest viewers and Instagram click-throughs.
Plus, Instagram posts have a pretty short lifespan, so by claiming your Instagram account on Pinterest and then pinning your Instagram post, you can drive more traffic and engagement to your Instagram content over longer periods of time.
#2 Publish to Instagram First, Then Pin to Pinterest
If you’re trying to grow your Instagram account, definitely publish your content to Instagram first, then pin it to your relevant boards on Pinterest. This ensures you’ll get proper attribution.
In order to do this, log into your Instagram account on your desktop, navigate to your Instagram profile and open the particular post to grab the URL, then use that link to pin to your Pinterest board.
After doing this and creating a gorgeous board with your Instagram posts, you’ll see your Pinterest referral traffic climb!
Once you pin the image to your board, make sure the link ties back to your original Instagram post for more context in your Instagram caption. This tactic makes awesome custom content that works for both platforms.
#3 Let SEO Be Your Friend
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a crucial tool for Instagram growth. When used properly, Pinterest can be optimized to improve your Instagram traffic. Technically speaking, Pinterest is sort of a visual search engine.
So how can you benefit from Pinterest SEO?
On Pinterest, you should add relevant keywords that are related to your business and align with what your target audience is looking for – just as you would optimize your blog or website content for relevant keywords.
Your Pin title is one of the most important places to include SEO keywords. To ensure that your Pins appear in your audience's search results, you should include as many keywords as possible. Another place you should include keywords is in your Pin descriptions, alongside relevant search hashtags. Although there’s no set rule, high-traffic Pins tend to include between 5-10 keywords and 3-5 hashtags.
Adding keywords and hashtags to your Pins will skyrocket traffic to your Pinterest profile, boards, and Pins, as well as your Instagram account.
#4 Cross-Post your IGTV Videos to Pinterest
One other strategy to grow your Instagram using Pinterest is to cross-post your IGTV videos to Pinterest! If you didn’t know already, videos perform extremely well on Pinterest – in fact, there were 6 times as many video views on Pinterest in 2019 than in 2018.
Because Video Pins allow brands and businesses to share so much more on the platform, they are a huge success. From authentic storytelling and product demos to tutorials and recipes -- the options are endless! And with that added value, it’s more likely that users will save Video Pins to one of their boards for others to see and share.
IGTV videos can be repurposed for Pinterest to benefit from all of this while driving traffic and interest back to your Instagram account. You can get more out of your video content by posting it to Pinterest. Not only is this tactic super simple, but it's also very effective!
#5 Share Your Instagram Stories as Pins
Did you know that you can repurpose your Instagram Stories content for Pinterest by sharing them as Pins? Here’s how to do it:
To start, head to your Instagram Stories and tap the ellipsis button in the bottom-right corner, then tap Save. Then, you’ll have the option of downloading that individual story or all of your stories as an MP4 file. Do keep in mind that any interactive elements on your Story will not be available on Pinterest.
After downloading and editing the interactive elements, you can go ahead and share stories on Pinterest. Just upload your story to Pinterest as you normally would, and you’re good to go!
It’s evident that Instagram and Pinterest are two of the most visual social media platforms out there, and when used together, they can help you extend the personality of your brand while continuing to build deeper connections with your followers.
But remember: don’t just collect fans and followers! Pinterest is an excellent platform for growing your Instagram following, but you must engage your audience if you want it to grow. Create unique, helpful content that will make them want to follow you.