Thursday Press #123: but that's none of my business...
[14 MAR 2024] or is it?
Whatever lives beneath the fridge is none of my business.
Or at least that's what I thought until I opened our freezer door to a dripping ice bin and slightly mushy frozen fruit...
The freezer wasn't freezing.
So like any good Home Depot dad, I grabbed the fridge model number and a browser with Google pulled up and started researching.
(If this is the first time you're hearing from me, I'm in fact NOT a father, or a Home Depot regular, but I DO love a good DIY & youtube tutorial.)
Step 1: Make sure the freezer isn't overcrowded
K, lemme throw out the 3??? half-finished and now expired containers of cool whip and an assortment of random desserts we'll never eat.
Step 2: Make sure there isn't dust accumulated on the condenser coils
Umm... where are they? I had a general suspicion that it was behind the plastic grate at the bottom of the fridge, so I gingerly pried it off and...
Bestie, what I discovered was nothing short of horror movie worthy.
Condenser coils? This thing looked more like a fuzzy plank of fleece for all the dust that had accumulated there.
I had no idea that I was supposed to be cleaning that thing? Regularly?
Apparently it was my business after all.
But because I blindly ignored it for so long, now I'm here waiting for the repair person to show up and hoping I don't have to rebuy a fridge & freezer full of groceries 💀
You don't know what you don't know. But you're really not gonna know if you never look.
If you've been avoiding your Pinterest account because you're afraid of what you're going to find, this one's for you...
How to Interpret Your Pinterest Analytics
You don't have to be a math genius to understand your Pinterest data.
I famously hated math classes, but I love figuring out what the numbers are trying to tell me.
It's like deciphering a story in another language. That language just happens to be numbers.
Buuuut if you don't speak the language, it can be kinda intimidating! So here's your crash course on Pinterest analytics and what they actually mean.
There are three numbers I want you to pay attention to when it comes to your Pinterest metrics:
Impressions: the number of times your pins have been on someone's screen, no matter how long
Saves: how many users are saving your pins to their own boards (also called repinning)
Clicks: outbound clicks track the amount of traffic leading from your pins to your website
Generally, we want to see these numbers increase.
But what else can they tell us?
Impressions are an indicator of your pin's reach.
They can tell you whether or not your Pinterest SEO is working.
And although they can be a bit of a "vanity metric" in that they don't translate to guaranteed success, people can't engage with your pins if they aren't seeing them in the first place.
If your impressions are low, there's probably an issue with your keywords or your content.
>> Make sure you're creating content your audience is looking for and using the right terms to describe it.
Saves are another way your pins can get more reach.
Since Pinterest is full of planners, users saving a pin to come back to later is a strong signal to the algorithm that your content is worth distributing.
The same goes for users saving an image from your website, which is why I always recommend including at least one Pinterest-friendly image in your blogs!
>> If you're not getting a lot of saves on your pins, try creating pins that actively encourage saves like infographics or quotes, like these examples from Sarah Kleist:
Outbound clicks represent traffic going directly to your content and offers.
That's why they're likely the most important metric for you to keep an eye on.
If your impressions and saves are fine, but you're not seeing traffic from Pinterest, make sure you're actually creating click-worthy content.
>> Add more calls to action to your copy and design and add some extra enticing (but not click-baity!) oomph to your pins.
Now that you know which metrics to pay attention to, you can actually use your analytics to refine your Pinterest strategy over time.
When you check in on your Pinterest analytics (I recommend doing this monthly), look for any potential trends or patterns and then start to ask yourself "Why?"
"Why did my impressions drop?"
Did I pin less this month?
Was it a holiday season?
Did I use the right keywords in my pins?
"Why did this pin get so many outbound clicks?"
Is the copy super enticing?
Is there a tangible value offered?
"Why am I getting impressions but not saves/clicks?"
Am I reaching the right audience?
Am I creating saveable content?
Over time, those patterns will emerge, and you will be able to start making those associations.
From there, try to replicate what is working and troubleshoot what's not.
Above all, remember that Pinterest is a long game and results compound over time. Minor fluctuations are NOT worth panicking over.
Even More Info About Your Pinterest Analytics
6 Other Reasons You're Not Seeing Pinterest Success
Tracking and interpreting your Pinterest analytics is one part of the whole strategy equation.
But if you're brand new, how do you know what direction to even start going in?
That's what I created the Pinterest Content Strategy masterclass for.
Whether you're a total beginner or you're looking to market on Pinterest with more intention, the class walks you through the entire process of creating your own Pinterest strategy.
You can grab the replay and workbook here for just $97!
KEEP IT COOL (BC I CAN'T),
Sarah