Simple Pin Podcast: Simple Ways to Boost Your Business Using Pinterest
Episode: The Complete Guide to Pinterest Board Sections
Host: Kate Ahl
Release Date: May 14, 2025
Introduction
In this episode of the Simple Pin Podcast, host Kate Ahl delves deep into the evolving landscape of Pinterest board sections. Originally viewed as a secondary feature, board sections have gained prominence due to recent platform updates. Kate, an experienced Pinterest educator with over nine years of podcasting under her belt, collaborates closely with the Pinterest team to provide listeners with accurate, data-driven insights.
The Evolution of Pinterest Board Sections
Kate begins by sharing her initial skepticism about the value of board sections. Historically, she placed them at the end of her discussions, often dismissing their importance. However, recent changes in Pinterest's functionality have prompted a reevaluation.
"Board sections have been one of those things that I would have put at the end of an episode when I with a question mark, not worth your time. And most often I would have answered, it is not worth your time."
— Kate Ahl [00:00]
Through her partnership with Pinterest, Kate discovered that the platform now emphasizes board sections more than ever, transforming them from mere organizational tools to pivotal elements in driving engagement and SEO.
Importance and Benefits of Board Sections
Kate highlights the significance of board sections in enhancing both user experience and SEO performance. Boards themselves receive substantial SEO traffic, with 25% of Pinterest SEO traffic directed to boards. Board sections further optimize this by organizing content into manageable segments, improving visibility and user interaction.
"Since most people use Pinterest on their phones, they are likely to scroll three to four times before tapping on something and moving on. Keeping the number of pins on your boards to 20 to 100 within a board section maximizes the visibility of pins within a board."
— Kate Ahl [05:00]
Key Benefits:
- Enhanced User Experience: Users can navigate directly to relevant sections without sifting through thousands of pins.
- Improved SEO: Organized sections provide clearer signals to Pinterest's algorithm, enhancing the searchability and relevance of pins.
- Increased Engagement: Boards updated within the last three months experience higher pin engagement.
Best Practices for Using Board Sections
Kate outlines several best practices to effectively utilize board sections:
- Limit Pins per Section: Aim for 20 to 100 pins within each board section to align with user scrolling behavior.
- Create Sections When Necessary: Only create sections if a board exceeds 100 pins. For boards with fewer pins, sections may not be necessary.
- Diversify Pin Formats: Incorporate various types of pins such as collages, videos, and product pins to enhance engagement.
"Boards updated within the last three months have been shown to help drive higher pin engagement."
— Kate Ahl [15:45]
- Optimize Section Titles and Descriptions: Ensure that section titles are clear and descriptive to aid both users and Pinterest's algorithm.
- Strategic Pinning: Start by pinning to the most relevant board and then re-pin to other pertinent boards to maximize visibility.
Optimizing Board Sections for SEO
Kate emphasizes the role of board sections in SEO optimization. By organizing pins into specific, labeled sections, businesses can provide richer context for their content, making it more discoverable.
"Board sections act as signals and can improve the searchability and relevance of your pins, helping the audience engage more deeply with your collections inside your boards."
— Kate Ahl [25:30]
Strategies:
- Relevant Titles: Use keywords that align with what your audience is searching for.
- Descriptive Descriptions: Clearly explain what each section entails to enhance SEO.
- Freshness: Regularly update boards and sections to maintain high engagement and relevance.
Practical Tips for Different Content Creators
Kate provides tailored advice for various types of content creators to maximize their Pinterest strategy:
- Recipe Creators: Utilize colorful and bright images to attract attention.
- Beauty Brands: Incorporate how-to videos and step-by-step pictures to engage users.
- Fashion Sellers: Showcase a variety of colors, poses, and include budget-friendly options.
- Merchants and Sellers: Use product pins on non-blank backgrounds to help users visualize products in real-life settings. Include all product variations and mix different pin types like videos and images.
"If you are a seller, create content around styling a piece of clothing or utilizing skincare products in various ways. Show the life of your product to encourage purchases."
— Kate Ahl [35:20]
Additional Tips:
- Include Links: Always add links to pins to enhance user experience and drive traffic.
- Use Collages: Given that Pinterest users save collages twice as often as other pin types, incorporating them can boost engagement.
Addressing Common Questions and Concerns
Kate addresses several common questions about board sections:
-
Managing Existing Boards with Thousands of Pins:
"Start by organizing within sections moving forward. Do not attempt to retroactively categorize thousands of existing pins."
— Kate Ahl [10:50] -
Scheduling Pins to Sections:
"Currently, scheduling tools do not support pinning directly to sections, necessitating a manual approach for boards with multiple sections."
— Kate Ahl [18:15] -
Boosting Engagement on Inactive Boards:
"Investigate and reorganize boards that haven't been updated recently. Active boards with organized sections naturally attract more engagement."
— Kate Ahl [22:10]
Conclusion and Takeaways
Kate wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to reassess their Pinterest profiles with a fresh perspective, focusing on how new visitors interact with their boards and sections. She emphasizes the balance between implementing best practices and maintaining realistic efforts based on business capabilities.
"Look at your Pinterest profile with fresh eyes. Think about how you can make it a great pinner experience on the platform."
— Kate Ahl [40:00]
Key Takeaways:
- Importance of Organization: Well-structured boards and sections enhance user experience and SEO.
- Regular Updates: Keeping boards updated ensures sustained engagement.
- Diverse Content: Utilizing various pin formats can significantly boost interaction rates.
- Practical Implementation: Start small by optimizing one board and gradually expand to others.
Kate also announces a forthcoming blog post summarizing the episode's insights, available on simplepinmedia.com/424, and invites listeners to engage via comments or emails for further assistance.
Final Thought:
This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for businesses aiming to optimize their Pinterest presence through strategic use of board sections. By implementing the discussed practices, businesses can enhance their visibility, engage more effectively with their audience, and ultimately achieve their marketing goals on Pinterest.