Are you writing a ton of content and spending hours promoting it… only to see a handful of clicks on Pinterest? I get it… you have so many amazing travel stories you’ve accumulated over the years and you want to share them with your readers. After all, that might be why you started a blog in the first place… BUT if your goal is to build a profitable blog that’s going to pay them bills, we need to look at this from a different angle. Because we want that Mediavine money and we wanted it yesterday. So let’s dive in!
Your blog post needs to solve someone’s problem.
In this instance, I use the word problem without any negative connotation. Basically, your content is the answer to someone’s question. Your blog is not your personal diary. If you want your blog to become profitable (and fast) it lives and dies with your audience. You have to provide value and answers to what they are searching.
So you need to ask yourself the following question: what problems is your traveler trying to solve? Why are they coming to Pinterest to find these answers? If you can identify their questions and their problems, you can create content that will provide a solution.
The most successful travel bloggers anticipate the needs of specific travelers and provide solutions
- Identify their needs, questions and problems
- Write a blog post about the answer/the solution
- Get your audience to trust that they have all the information they need
Do you REALLY know what your audience is looking for on Pinterest? You might have a few guesses… but why guess when all the answers are laid out right in front of you?
Use Pinterest BEFORE you start writing your blog posts.
Get to know your niche inside and out by using the power of Pinterest search.
Do your keyword research on Pinterest using the search bar – Pinterest shows you the most searched for topics relating to your keyword. You can search for multiple things related to your destination to give you some ideas.
Now this is what happens when I search for London Travel. Take a note of the topics Pinterest is presenting at the top of the search.
Also search for more specific keywords such as “things to do in London”, “London Itineraries”, etc…
The searches get a lot more precise – I see 10 great blog post ideas popping up right from this search! The bottom line is: spend some time doing the research before you start writing. Know your niche. Know your audience.
Does that mean I need to write boring AF listicles with no personality?
Hell no! Remember those awesome stories I mentioned earlier? Please do tell them! You can provide useful information that touches all the reader’s pain points but also make it your own. Your “10 best things to do in London” doesn’t have to be all about red buses and phone booths. Be better than the obvious. Go deeper in the value you provide to your readers.
A lot of bloggers complain that Pinterest traffic is flakey and doesn’t convert. And to a certain extent, it’s true that Pinterest traffic tends to convert less than Google traffic. But if you stand above the crowd and truly provide amazing content that answers your readers’ burning questions… some of them will come back. They will sign up for your list. They will read your related articles on the topic.
So there you have it.. my tips to use Pinterest to do your research!