The Secret to Viral Pins: My Pro Scheduling Strategy!

In the vast realm of social media, Pinterest stands out as a visual powerhouse, driving organic traffic like no other platform. But to truly harness its potential, one needs a solid strategy. Today, I'm about to unveil a Pinterest strategy that's both effective and efficient. 

Do you dream of creating captivating Pinterest graphics that go viral? Imagine crafting hundreds of designs and scheduling them all in just 30 minutes! Today, I'm going to share with you the secrets behind my Pinterest strategy.

In this guide, we'll delve deep into tools, techniques, and hacks that can elevate your Pinterest game. From leveraging advanced tools like ChatGPT and HarperAI to understanding the nuances of Data Merge in Google Sheets, we've got you covered.

Results of Pinterest Strategy

The Power of a Well-Crafted Strategy:

In recent months, I've embarked on a journey to refine my Pinterest approach. The results? A substantial uptick in traffic, increased engagement, and pins that truly go viral. But beyond these metrics, the strategy also brought about a sense of clarity and purpose to my pinning routine.

If you've been on Pinterest for a while, you'd know that sporadic pinning seldom brings consistent results. It's the well-thought-out, systematic strategies that truly make a difference. And today, I'm about to share the exact steps, tools, and tweaks that led to my Pinterest success.

The Power of Efficient Design

First and foremost, your graphics play a crucial role. Before we delve into the scheduling magic, let's discuss design:

• Templates: Having a set of reliable templates can expedite your design process. Whether you're using an existing one or opting for the O.G. pack of templates from my website, they're a boon. Customize them with your brand aesthetics: tweak the fonts, rearrange the layout, and make them uniquely yours.
• Data Merge: This feature is a game-changer, especially when combined with the capabilities of ChatGPT. It streamlines the process, making bulk creation and scheduling a breeze.

Quick Tip: Always save your adjustments to your template. It ensures consistency and saves time in the long run.

Templates for Data Merge

Optimizing the Design Process:

One of the foundational pillars of this strategy is leveraging templates, especially when it comes to Data Merge. Templates not only provide a consistent visual identity but significantly speed up the design process.

• Why Templates?

  Think of templates as your canvas, already primed with the essential elements, waiting for your unique touch. They remove the repetitive aspects of design, allowing you to focus on customization and creativity.

• The O.G. Pack:

  While there are countless templates available online, the O.G. pack of templates from my website stands out. Crafted with Pinterest's best practices in mind, these templates are both aesthetically pleasing and algorithm-friendly. Once you have a template, infuse it with your brand's aesthetics. Modify fonts, shuffle the layout, and let your brand voice shine through.

Quick Tip: Always remember to save your template adjustments. This ensures that you maintain brand consistency across all pins.

Crafting a Data Merge Sheet

Your data merge sheet is the backbone of this strategy:

1. Start with a data merge template or open a new sheet.
2. This sheet will essentially be the published blog post sheet, ready and waiting for your blogs.
3. For those who haven't gotten the O.G. pack from my website, there's a guide on creating a basic image data merge template in Google Sheets.

Data Merge Template in Google Sheets

Streamlining Bulk Creation:

Data Merge is, without doubt, a game-changer. It allows for the bulk creation of pins, especially when combined with a tool as versatile as Google Sheets.

• Setting Up Your Sheet:

  Begin with a blank slate or utilize a data merge template. This sheet will act as the backbone, storing information for every pin you're about to create.

• Populating Data:

  As you craft content for your pins, populate this sheet. Think of it as a repository of your Pinterest content, easily accessible and ready for the next steps.

• The Beauty of Automation:

  With Google Sheets, you can set up formulas, conditional formatting, and even scripts to further automate the process. For instance, if you want to track which pins are performing the best, integrating Google Analytics can provide real-time insights right within your sheet.

Harnessing Blog Posts

To populate your data merge sheet, you'll need the URLs of your published blog posts. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Go to yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml. This XML sitemap lists all the URLs on your website.
2. Locate and copy the blog post links.
3. Open your Google Sheets data merge template and paste these links without any formatting (use Ctrl + Shift + V).
4. Sort the links (from A to Z) and clean up any unnecessary data.
5. You now have a current list of published blog posts for your website.

Current Blog Post List Hack

Seamlessly Integrating Your Content:

Your blog posts are a goldmine of content waiting to be shared on Pinterest. But how do you efficiently transfer this content onto pins?

• Sitemap to the Rescue:

  Every website has a sitemap, typically found at yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml. This sitemap lists all the URLs on your site. By accessing this, you get a ready list of all your blog posts. No more manual copying!

• Quick Transfer:

  Once you have the list, it's a matter of transferring these links to your Data Merge Google Sheet. Remember the Ctrl + Shift + V shortcut to paste without formatting, ensuring a clean transfer.

ChatGPT Prompt Format

Harnessing the Power of Advanced AI:

ChatGPT has revolutionized content creation, and integrating its capabilities into your Pinterest strategy can yield remarkable results.

• Understanding Prompts:

  The key to leveraging ChatGPT effectively lies in crafting the right prompts. A prompt is essentially a directive or question you pose to ChatGPT, guiding the AI in generating the desired content.

  Crafting Bulk Prompts:

  Using the Data Merge feature, create prompts for ChatGPT that combine static template text with dynamic content from your sheet. For instance, if you're promoting blog posts, a prompt could be "Generate a catchy headline for a blog post about [Blog Topic from Sheet]."

HarperAI - Summarize and Keywords

Optimizing Content with AI Analysis:

HarperAI, another powerful AI tool, can help refine the content generated by ChatGPT.

• Content Summarization:

  If you've got lengthy descriptions or content, HarperAI can distill it into concise, Pinterest-friendly snippets. You can use these summaries to help ChatGPT write better more accurate Titles for you blog posts

  • Keyword Extraction:

    Identify and extract pivotal keywords from your content. These keywords can be used for SEO, pin descriptions, or even as hashtags to enhance discoverability on Pinterest.

Customize the Prompt

Fine-Tuning for Perfection:

While AI tools like ChatGPT provide powerful content generation capabilities, it's essential to ensure the output aligns with your brand voice and messaging.

• Personal Touch:

  Always review and refine the content generated by AI. Add your unique flavor, ensuring it resonates with your audience.

• Consistency is Key:

  Ensure that the tone, style, and messaging remain consistent across all pins. This not only strengthens brand recognition but also enhances trust among your audience.

Import ChatGPT CSV file

Seamless Integration with Data Merge:

After generating content with ChatGPT, the next step is to integrate it into your Data Merge workflow.

• Export from ChatGPT:

  Once you're satisfied with the content, export it as a CSV file from ChatGPT.

• Import into Google Sheets:

  Open your Data Merge template in Google Sheets and import the ChatGPT CSV. Ensure the data aligns correctly with your existing columns and rows.

Add Background Images

Visual Appeal Matters:

A pin's success on Pinterest heavily relies on its visual appeal. While the content is crucial, the background image can make or break a pin.

• High-Quality Images:

  Always opt for high-resolution images that are relevant to the pin's content.

• Consistent Aesthetics:

  Maintain a consistent color palette and style for all images. This not only enhances brand recognition but also provides a more cohesive look to your Pinterest board.

Export Data Merge CSV

Transitioning from Design to Deployment:

After meticulously crafting your pins with the right content and visuals, it's time to prepare them for Pinterest.

• Exporting the Data:

From your Google Sheets Data Merge template, export the data as a CSV file. This file will serve as the backbone when creating pins in bulk.

Import Data Merge Library

Leveraging Libraries for Efficiency:

Variables Data Merge Library is designed to make the process seamless, especially when dealing with a vast amount of data.

• Importing the CSV:

  Within Adobe Illustrator, use the Variables window to import the Data Merge Library you exported from the from Google Sheets.

Link Data to Placeholders

Automating Design with Data:

With your CSV imported, the next step is to link specific data points to design elements.

• Placeholder Elements:

  In your design template, identify placeholders — these could be areas for headlines, descriptions, or images.

• Linking Data:

  Using the Data Merge Library, link each placeholder to its corresponding data column in the CSV. For instance, a headline placeholder would link to the headline column in your CSV.

Preview and Check Formatting

Ensuring Perfection Before Going Live:

Before you initiate the bulk creation process, it's essential to preview and ensure everything looks impeccable.

• Preview:

  Select the first data set and then use the arrows beside it to quickly go through each pin to check for formatting issues.

• Checking Consistency:

  As you preview, ensure that the formatting remains consistent across all pins. Check for text overflows, misaligned images, and other potential issues.

Troubleshooting Formatting Issues

Addressing Common Hiccups:

Like any process, you might encounter some formatting issues during the preview. Here's how to address them:

• Text Overflows:

  If some of your content is too long and doesn't fit, consider shortening the text or adjusting the font size. Alternatively, you can adjust your data merge file and import a new version of the data merge. Note any adjustments you might need to make to your ChatGPT prompt so to avoid formatting issues in future.

• Image Issues: Ensure all images are of a consistent size and resolution. If an image looks stretched or pixelated, replace it with a higher quality version.

Batch Export with Actions

Maximizing Efficiency in the Export Process:

Batch exporting allows you to save multiple pins simultaneously, ensuring a streamlined and efficient workflow.

• Setting Up Actions:

  In design software like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, you can set up 'actions' that automate repetitive tasks. Set one up for exporting pins to ensure consistency in format and quality.

• Initiating Batch Export:

  Once your actions are set, initiate the batch export process. Ensure you choose a dedicated folder to store all pins, making the upload process more organized.

Rename Files for SEO

Boosting Discoverability:

The name of your pin file can influence its discoverability on search engines, thereby increasing its reach.

• Descriptive Names:

  Instead of generic names like "pin1.jpg", opt for descriptive ones like "summer-fashion-tips-2023.jpg". This not only enhances SEO but also makes file management easier.

• Include Keywords:

  Incorporate relevant keywords in the file name. This can significantly improve the pin's visibility on search engines and Pinterest's internal search.

Bulk Upload and Schedule on Pinterest

• Bulk Upload Feature:

  Pinterest provides a feature for bulk uploads, allowing you to add multiple pins at once. Use the dedicated folder where you saved your pins to quickly select and upload.

• Scheduling Pins:

  Instead of immediately publishing all pins, schedule them. This ensures a consistent presence on Pinterest and increases the chances of your pins being seen during peak user times.

Now, scheduling your pins:

1. Head over to pinterest.com.
2. Click on Create and Add Duplicate Information First
3. Paste in the link to your blog post
4. Choose your Pinterest board.
5. Now duplicate this pin so that you don’t have to add these elements to the other 9 pins you will be creating
6. You can bulk create pins and schedule them swiftly using this method.
7. Drag and Drop - Drag images from your file explorer and drop them on each individual pin
8. Copy and Paste - Using the ChatGPT Data Sheet in your data merge file, copy and paste the Titles and Descriptions for Pinterest
9. Schedule out your pins, staggering them out so that they don’t flood your followers feed.

Wrapping Up

Over the past few months, I've seen a significant uptick in traffic to my site. All of this, I believe, is thanks to the revamped Pinterest strategy I shared with you today. Templates, Data Merge, and ChatGPT are the unsung heroes behind this success.

If you found this guide helpful, consider checking out the O.G. Pinterest design pack on my website. It's packed with resources that can elevate your Pinterest game.