Thursday Press #5: What I've learned after a year in business
[30 SEPT 2021] the Pinterest resources you can ACTUALLY trust!
YOU WOULDN'T READ LAST YEAR'S NEWS, SO WHY ARE YOU TAKING PINTEREST TIPS FROM A 2019 BLOG POST?
Hannah Montana really did say it best – nobody's perfect.
First name / Pal, I have a confession. I skipped out on our biweekly inbox date last week, and I didn't even notice until it was too late.
I know you've probably suffered from the “time isn't real, what day even is it” syndrome before, so I'm hoping you can give me some grace. Honestly, if it weren't for my partner's grad school schedule, I would probably be operating on the Julian calendar…
Mistakes aside, I recently celebrated my first IG-versary of introducing my business on the 'gram. 🎉 Celebrating to me looked like a leisurely trip through Target and treating myself to some bookshelves for my office. Anyone want to come have a furniture building party with me?
Reflecting on a year and change of entrepreneurship, it's fair to say there were a lot of things I didn't know when I started by business. I for sure couldn't have called myself a Pinterest expert in September of last year.
But boyyyy did we make up for it, and it was mostly self-taught. I've invested in a mini-course or two, some digital assets, and gone down a handful of freebie rabbit holes, but a lot of my knowledge was cobbled together though extensive research and practice.
That's why I feel adequately qualified to help you find the best resources to advance your own Pinterest knowledge. I've read it all, the good, the bad, and the just plain spammy.
So today, we're going back to our roots to cover what Pinterest info is outdated, how to find trustworthy advice, and my favorite Pinterest resources.
Before we continue, I do want to share that there's no one right or better way to learn something, and I'll always advocating for outsourcing and investing when it makes sense for your business. But self-teaching is also 100% valid, especially with the resources I'm going to share with you riiiiight NOW:
1. Always check the date the info was published.
Whether you're deep in the Google results or you're browsing your favorite Pinterest expert's blog, don't forget to check if the info was published recently. Like most things on the world wide web, Pinterest is changing all the time, which means that the recommendations should, too. Even some of my older posts have tips that I wouldn't recommend today!
You wouldn't read last year's news, so why are you reading a Pinterest blog post from 2019?
Unfortunately, a lot of outdated advice still gets shared in 2021, so this isn't a foolproof strategy. Which brings us to…
2. Watch out for Pinterest red flags 🚩
Things like group boards, repinning ratios, hashtags, and absurd numbers of pins per day aren't recommended by Pinterest themselves or many Pinterest experts I know. So if the tips you're reading rely heavily on these strategies, take it as a red flag that you might be receiving outdated advice!
Want to know more outdated advice you should avoid? Check out this reel!
3. What are some resources I can trust?
If you don't want to worry about vetting every blog post and freebie you click on, I've got you covered. Keep scrolling for a list of my favorite resources – the people I trust and rely on to this day to share current, up-to-date, and sustainable Pinterest tips.
1. Levee Road Studio
If you want a data-backed, digestible way to learn about Pinterest SEO, look no further than Levee Road Studio. Beyond her courses (Rank Boost and Scheduling Shortcuts), her blog and paid resources are also invaluable! They’re always up-to-date and backed by Pinterest’s own research + data!
2. Pinterest Help Center
If you’ve never touched Pinterest.com before or haven’t used it at all for your business, start at the beginning! Don’t knock the platform’s own resources. Similarly, if you’re using Tailwind to schedule, take a peek around their blogs and help center for detailed tutorials and tips.
3. Simple Pin Media
Honestly, Simple Pin Media is there for you at all stages of your Pinterest knowledge journey, but I especially love their podcast and in-depth advice for more specific topics.
Hi, I’m Sarah — Pinterest marketer, former local journalist, and professional oversharer. Thanks for reading this edition of the Thursday Press! If you’re a fan of stories that turn into strategic Pinterest marketing tips, way-too-honest insights into online entrepreneurship, and the occasional cat picture, you’re in the right place.
Want more of what you’re seeing? Here’s how we can connect:
Check out my services. Whether you’re looking for Pinterest management or a helping hand to get started, I offer Pinterest marketing services for creative entrepreneurs who want to go from feeling good about their business to feeling ahmazing.
Read the marketing blog. Like your favorite lifestyle mag, but with more Pinterest tips, my blog is your go-to source for all things Pinterest marketing, content strategy, and human-first business ownership.
Grab your free Pinterest roadmap. Set up and optimize your own Pinterest business account so you’re ready to grow your business using Pinterest!
Browse my favorite business resources. From homegrown freebies to shoppable marketing products and my favorite business tools and apps, everything I use to run my business is right here!