If you have spent much time marketing your business on Pinterest, you may have asked yourself “What are Pinterest Idea Pins?”. I thought it was about time I tell you all about them. As a Pinterest marketing expert and Pinterest manager for photographers, I spend a lot of my time working with Pinterest. Let’s break down what a Pinterest Idea Pin is, Idea Pins vs Pins, and how to figure out Pinterest Idea Pins best practices (or at least what the best practices may be for you). 

What is an Idea Pin on Pinterest

The evolution of various internet platforms over the years have led to various features being developed. Just like TikTok influenced other platforms to add video features like Instagram and Facebook’s Reels, Pinterest has done the same.

Pinterest Idea Pins were originally called Story Pins and had a similar format to Instagram Stories. They were meant to be a less formal piece of content with a little less longevity. They have since evolved into the Idea Pin. In their current version, I tend to explain them as the Reels of Pinterest mixed with a hint of IG Stories and a Pinterest flair. There is a focus on video content, they get pushed out a little bit more, and increase your visibility. They tend to get more impressions than standard pins and there is a reaction feature which allows users to “like” or react with a heart, lightbulb, star, surprised face, or laughing face. These reactions play a part in how well your pin does. The reaction engagement is another analytic to track, similar to likes on Instagram or Facebook.

So if you are wondering “What is an Idea Pin”, it's a newer type of pin focused on short form video content that allows for more visibility.

As of September 2022, most users can’t add links to Idea Pins, so Idea Pins can’t really be the whole of your Pinterest strategy (and probably never should be—it isn’t quite clear if Idea Pins have the same longevity of standard pins). They are slowly adding the feature. As of now there are few accounts that do, with the feature slowly becoming more and more available.

Idea Pins vs Pins

The beauty of Pinterest marketing is its longevity. Since Idea Pins are a newer feature, it's unclear if they have the same kind of longevity of a standard pin, which can be shown even years after its creation. Besides longevity, Idea Pins and standard pins have some key differences.

For one, Idea Pins have a much more extensive creation process. Apart from adding a pin title and adding to a board, you can add text, music, stickers, and even film right in the app. If you are using the desktop version of Pinterest, you can only add text, edit layers and add a background color to each page as far as design goes. You can’t add alt text like a regular pin, but you can add multiple pages and tags.

There isn’t a typical description, but you can choose to add an ingredients list, supplies list, or notes. If you aren’t sharing recipes or crafts, stick to notes and use it like you would a description. There isn’t as tight of a character limit on Idea Pins as standard pins, so you can really use that to your advantage. Write as much as you can with as many keywords as you can without being spammy.

You can’t schedule Idea Pins ahead of time—neither inside of Pinterest nor in Tailwind. Which means you also can’t add idea pins to Tailwind Communities. You can add the cover image of idea pins to Tailwind with the Tailwind browser extension, but I don’t think it really adds very much to your strategy. It isn’t your actual pin that is added, just the screen cap of your image or video.

Pinterest Idea Pins Best Practices

Pinterest Idea Pins best practices can vary largely from person to person and business to business. What strategy works best for one account may not be the same for another. I can tell you that keywords are your best friend. Use them often and make sure you are using keywords that have volume and are specific to your content.

To learn more about Pinterest Idea Pins best practices, check out my Pinterest guide below. You can learn all about keywords, how to find keywords, how and where to use them for Idea Pins, and so much more about using Pinterest for marketing your business.

Pinterest for Marketing

Pinterest for marketing really is one of the best options. I truly believe in the power of search engine marketing. I’ve seen it work for my clients. I make it work for my clients. It is absolutely incredible.

There is no fight against an ever-changing algorithm. There is no frustrating game of chance when posting your content. When you know what you are doing and how to optimize your content, it WILL work.

The only thing is, it takes time. So be patient, stick with it, and never underestimate the difference Tailwind will make. Make the investment. It will make scheduling pins so much easier and save you loads of time. I’m talking hours on hours of time saved. Don’t over post, don’t delete pins that don’t do well, and keep with it. You are capable of success.

Pinterest Management | Photography Pinterest

I serve my photography business and creative business clients with blog and Pinterest management. My services can change the course of a business and allow you as a business owner the time to spend on the demands of your business, rather than marketing it. You can focus on what you love and feel called to do. I am currently taking on a few more monthly clients, and have some one time services as well. Take a look at my offers and reach out if they sound like they may be right for you.