From Pins to Pages: How Authors Can Use Pinterest to Drive Book Sales
6 min read
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are often hailed as the holy trinity for authors looking to build their brand and readership. But there’s one social media gem that often gets overlooked: Pinterest. Yes, Pinterest! Known for its visually appealing pins and boards, this platform isn’t just for finding recipes or planning your dream wedding. Pinterest is a powerful tool for authors to build their profile, increase readership, and engage with a broader audience.
In this guide, we’ll explore how you, as an author, can use Pinterest effectively to enhance your online presence, connect with readers, and ultimately sell more books.
Why Pinterest?
Pinterest isn’t just another social media platform; it’s a visual search engine with over 450 million active users, many of whom are actively looking for content and inspiration. Unlike other platforms, Pinterest’s algorithm works more like Google than Instagram or Facebook. Pins (posts) have a long shelf life, often continuing to gain traction for months or even years after they’re published. This longevity offers a unique opportunity for authors to gain continuous exposure and connect with new readers over time.
1. Create a Business Account
First things first: create a Pinterest Business account. A business account offers several advantages, such as access to Pinterest Analytics, promoted pins, and the ability to claim your website. These tools will help you understand which pins are driving traffic to your site, how people are engaging with your content, and what type of content your audience loves most.
Action Step:
Go to Pinterest’s website, sign up for a business account, and fill out your profile details, including a high-quality profile picture (your author headshot works well here) and a compelling bio that includes relevant keywords like “author,” “writer,” and your book genres.
2. Optimize Your Profile for Search
Pinterest is all about searchability. You want your profile to pop up when users search for topics related to your books. Use SEO strategies similar to what you’d use on Google. Think about the keywords your target audience would type into the search bar to find a book like yours or content related to your niche.
Action Step:
Include relevant keywords in your profile name, bio, and board descriptions. If you’re a fantasy author, phrases like “fantasy novels,” “epic fantasy books,” or “fantasy book recommendations” should appear throughout your Pinterest profile.
3. Design Eye-Catching Pins
Pinterest is a highly visual platform. To capture attention, your pins need to stand out. Use high-quality images, engaging colors, and readable fonts. Think of each pin as a mini book cover. It should be compelling enough to make a user want to click through to learn more.
Consider creating pins for:
- Book covers with compelling calls to action (like “Read Now” or “Free First Chapter”).
- Quotes from your books or blog posts.
- Behind-the-scenes images of your writing process.
- Infographics about your book genre, character types, or plot elements.
Tools to Use:
Canva is an excellent tool for designing Pinterest pins. They have a range of templates optimized for Pinterest, making it easy for even non-designers to create stunning visuals.
4. Create and Organize Themed Boards
Boards are where your pins live. Organize your boards around themes relevant to your books and your target audience. For instance, if you write historical fiction, you might create boards like “Best Historical Fiction Books,” “Writing Tips for Historical Fiction,” or “Victorian Era Inspiration.” These boards help position you as an authority in your genre and make it easy for Pinterest users to find the content they’re interested in.
Action Step:
Create 5-10 boards to start with, each with a clear, SEO-friendly title and description. Pin a mix of your own content and repins from other creators to keep your boards fresh and dynamic.
5. Use Rich Pins for Maximum Impact
Rich Pins are a game-changer for authors. They provide more information directly on the pin, including the book title, price, description, and a direct link to where it can be purchased. This extra data makes your pins more informative and clickable.
How to Enable Rich Pins:
To enable Rich Pins, you’ll need to add meta tags to your website and validate it with Pinterest. If you’re not tech-savvy, most website platforms like WordPress or Squarespace have plugins or guides to help you set this up.
6. Pin Regularly and Consistently
Pinterest rewards consistent activity. Pinning regularly keeps your profile active and helps you stay visible to your audience. Aim for at least 5-10 pins per day, mixing your content with repins from others. Utilize Pinterest scheduling tools like Tailwind to automate your pinning schedule, so you’re constantly active without being constantly online.
Pro Tip:
Pinterest analytics can help you determine the best times to pin for your audience. Make use of this data to schedule pins at times when your target audience is most active.
7. Leverage Pinterest Communities and Group Boards
Pinterest Communities and Group Boards are an underrated strategy for expanding your reach. Group boards allow multiple contributors to pin content, so your pins get exposure to followers of all contributors, not just your own. Seek out group boards in your genre or niche, and request to join.
Pinterest Communities are like forums where users can share content, ask questions, and engage with one another. Joining these communities relevant to your niche can help you connect with potential readers or fellow authors.
Action Step:
Use keywords to search for group boards and communities in your niche. Engage consistently by contributing valuable content and interacting with other members.
8. Analyze and Adjust Your Strategy
Your Pinterest strategy shouldn’t be static. Use Pinterest Analytics to see which pins are performing well, which boards are driving the most traffic, and which times are best for pinning. Use this data to refine your approach. If book quotes are outperforming everything else, create more of them. If a particular board isn’t gaining traction, consider renaming it, optimizing the description, or deleting it altogether.
Pro Tip:
Focus on creating “evergreen” content—pins that remain relevant over time. Evergreen pins can continue to bring traffic to your profile and website long after they’ve been posted.
9. Promote Your Pinterest Profile
Once you’ve set up your Pinterest profile, it’s time to promote it. Add a Pinterest widget to your author website, share your boards on other social media platforms, and encourage readers to follow you on Pinterest in your email newsletter. The more traffic you can drive to your Pinterest profile, the more potential readers you can attract.
Action Step:
Include your Pinterest handle in your email signature, on your author bio across social media, and even on your book covers if it makes sense.
10. Use Pinterest Ads to Reach More Readers
If you’re looking for an extra boost, consider investing in Pinterest Ads. These ads, called Promoted Pins, can increase visibility for your pins and help you reach a larger audience. Pinterest Ads are highly targeted, allowing you to reach people based on their interests, search behavior, and even demographic information.
Pro Tip:
Start with a small budget and test different types of pins (like book covers vs. blog post graphics) to see which perform best. Adjust your campaign based on the results.
Pinterest as Your Secret Weapon
Pinterest may not be the first platform that comes to mind when you think about building an author brand, but it can be a secret weapon in your marketing arsenal. With its unique algorithm, highly visual format, and search engine capabilities, Pinterest offers authors an incredible opportunity to reach new readers and engage with their existing audience in creative ways. By creating a Pinterest strategy tailored to your unique brand and books, you can boost your author profile, increase readership, and ultimately sell more books.
Ready to Pin Your Way to Success?
