How to use Idea Pins on Pinterest for your business in 2023

⚠️ IDEA PINS are no longer a feature on Pinterest. You now only use one screen to upload any pin, and you may use this to create either a standard pin or a video pin. For more information about how to use Pinterest in 2023 read my guide here. ⚠️

Using Pinterest to increase awareness of your business has never been easier with the recent introduction of Idea Pins

If your brand is already on Pinterest, or you are thinking of having a presence on the platform in 2023 then Idea Pins need to be an important part of your strategy.

What is an Idea Pin?

“Idea Pins are a multi-page canvas to share your ideas. They last forever, and help you to grow your audience.” Pinterest.com

Think of Idea Pins as being similar to Instagram and Facebook stories, with a sprinkling of TikTok or Reels. They are the same dimensions as Instagram stories and TikTok (1080 x 1920 px) and can be a mixture of still images, graphics and video.

One of the great things about Idea Pins is that they don't disappear after 24 hours, they will sit at the top of your account for as long as you want them to be there.

This means that Idea Pins are evergreen content, and will continue working for you long into the future! 

Idea Pins will become searchable very soon – which means that if you are using the keywords your potential customers are searching for in your title and caption, they may discover your Idea Pin. 

What is the difference between an Idea Pin and a regular pin on Pinterest?

There are many differences between Idea Pins and regular pins on Pinterest (also called standard pins).

This table gives an overview of the important things you need to remember:

How do Idea Pins work?

Idea Pins are designed to increase in-app engagement and get your content seen by more people. There is no option to link to your website at the moment, but this is coming later this year.

By embracing Idea Pins, you will see that they are huge drivers of engagement on your account. Creating consistent Idea Pins will, in turn, bring an increase in followers and views of your other content – it’s a win-win!

The brilliant thing about this type of pin is that they get much better short-term reach than standard pins, they can reach thousands of people in the space of just a few days!

Idea pins are perfect for letting your audience get to know you and your brand better. By sharing your ideas, inspiration, and products or services, you give potential customers the extra information they need to build a relationship with your brand and make a purchase decision.

How to use Idea Pins to grow your brand on Pinterest

Linking to your website on your Idea Pins is coming later in 2023, but until then, you can be strategic about how to use them to drive traffic to your website.

There are a couple of ways to do this: 

1. Use Idea Pins to increase engagement on your profile

Idea pins were designed by Pinterest specifically to increase in-app engagement on the platform. They are shown to more people in a short space of time and are brilliant for attracting new followers.

At the end of an idea pin, a screen pops up inviting the viewer to follow you, all they have to do is tap the button at the end of the Idea Pin to become a follower. 

To help encourage people to follow you, on the last slide of your Idea Pin always try to include a call to action asking people to follow you, for example “Was this helpful? Follow me for more ideas and inspiration about xyz”

2. Post related standard/clickable pins at the same time

Does your Idea Pin feature a product or is there more information on your website that would be useful? Publish a standard (and clickable pin) at the same time, you could add a call to action on your Idea Pin telling people to click on your latest pin for more information.

Make it easy for people to find your product or service when they visit your profile. New followers may head to your profile to check out your latest pins, so think about how your Idea pins relate to your standard pins.

3. Tag your products into Idea Pins

You have the ability to tag products into your Idea Pins using the mobile app.  This means you can search your catalogue or website and tag existing listings into your Idea Pin, making it easy for viewers to tap on the tag and complete their purchase with you.

How to get people to see your Idea Pins on Pinterest

Always try and follow best-practice when creating your Idea Pins; this will ensure they are reaching their maximum potential. 

• Keep your Idea Pins inspirational, upbeat and positive
• Always create a keyword-rich title & caption; this is important for when Idea Pins become searchable
• Use video on your first slide for your Idea Pin to help it stand out
• Try to post more than one slide – have a title page, a middle and an end
• Don’t be afraid to show your face or use your voice. Your followers want to see you and get to know you better!

10 Idea Pin suggestions for your business

Idea Pins are perfect for sharing your ideas and inspiration and giving your followers a glimpse into life behind the scenes of your business and brand. Use them to capture people’s imagination and showcase your products and services.

1. Your customer journey
2. Showcasing products
3. Close-ups and different angles of your product
4. Behind-the-scenes details
5. Throwbacks to past clients
6. Reviews and testimonials
7. The creation process
8. Inspiration for the new or upcoming season
9. Sneak peeks at new stock
10. Tap into any relevant trends (check out the Pinterest Trends tool for this)

Can I promote Idea Pins on Pinterest?

Yes, you can promote your Idea Pins in 2023! It’s so easy to do.

You can either promote an Idea Pin you have already published, or you can create a new one when you set up your Pinterest ad.

Simply click on the Idea Pin your wish to promote, or click on ‘create a campaign’ in your drop-down ads menu.

Next Steps

Try to start simply by repurposing existing Instagram Stories or TikTok/Reels content. 

Once you become more confident creating Idea Pins, you should start to plan them weekly, alongside your standard pins, as part of your Pinterest strategy to maximise your potential reach.

Pin Me!

Was this blog helpful? Here's a pin you can save to Pinterest so you can bookmark this page and come back to it later!