Thursday Press #101: I'm tired of hearing this...
[12 OCT 2023] Simple Pinterest tips when things just feel *hard*
Sometimes things are just hard.
Wanna know what's overused more than my poor emotional support water bottle? Phrases like this:
“Creating content shouldn't be hard”
“Marketing your business shouldn't be hard”
“Brushing your teeth every morning shouldn't be hard”
No matter the context, even if you're trying to position yourself as the solution to the hard thing, that phrase isn't quiiiiite hitting right anymore.
"It shouldn't be hard, but I'm struggling with it... does that mean I'm a failure and should give up?"
Obviously not, but that's what could be triggered by should statements
Sometimes things are just hard.
Creating content can be hard, no matter how many prompts, templates, and how-tos you have.
I know this from personal experience every time I get an email from Natalie at Natty Writes showing me just how dang simple it could be to have a strategic quarterly plan for my blog content.
Have I implemented it even once? No.
It's not because she hasn't convinced me. It's not because I don't need to. It's not even because I don't want to — I do! I really do!
It's just one of those things.
Honestly, dude, creating content really is hard.
Most days I love wearing all the hats and creating my own content, but today, the well is emptier than the iced pumpkin chai I chugged this afternoon, hoping the caffeine could replace my creativity.
(Spoiler alert: it didn't.)
If you've been following along with all my Pinterest tips for a while but it still feels hard, I get it.
There's no shame in it. There's nothing wrong with you, and there might not be anything wrong with my content (but if there's something I'm missing, let me know!)
Sometimes things are just hard.
(I'm saying it a third time because it's really really important.)
BELOW THE FOLD
While some things may always be hard, that doesn't mean there aren't tools and resources to make it more doable.
One of my favorite tips to share with audit and strategy clients is to templatize as much of your Pinterest creation process as possible.
Anything you find yourself needing consistently, create a template for it. Or a swipe file / bank. Or a formula.
Having these templates and formulas saves me SO much time when I'm creating pins for clients, and they can do the same for you.
Here are a few different resources I recommend collecting or creating to make creating Pinterest content easier:
>> Keyword Banks
Do all your keyword research in advance and keep track of what you find! Store your keywords in one location so they're easy to reference when creating pin titles and descriptions.
>> Pin Copy Swipe Files
Creating short, snappy, and keyword-rich pin descriptions over and over again isn't always easy. That's where having go-to sentence starters and templates saves the day.
You already know I love these pin description templates from Levee Road Studio. Now, there are also prompts to make ChatGPT write your pin titles and descriptions for you!
(I've tested them, and they actually work!)
>> Canva Pin Templates
There are lots of pin templates out there. Search Canva, Creative Market, Etsy, or your favorite Pinterest expert (ahem, hi!) and customize the templates to your specific brand.
>> Calls to Action
Calls to action are actually one of my least favorite things to try and come up with 😅
If you're with me on that and need some help coming up with copy-and-paste CTAs for your pins, I've gotcha covered!
Read the blog linked below if you want allll the 411 on Pinterest CTAs, or just grab a few of my favorite examples here:
Swipe the step-by-step
Jump in now
Start today
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Pinterest Calls to Action You Can Swipe
Since you've scrolled this far, I'm going to let you in on a little secret…
Writing this email was not easy. It was hard. And meandering. And took several u-turns.
Sometimes life is like that. It was hard today. Last week it was easy.
I wholeheartedly believe that Pinterest marketing doesn't have to be hard, but trust me when I say I know that it absolutely can be.
Even though it's my literal job, I still run into stumbling blocks and tricky situations along the way.
Hopefully these tips give you a good foundation to fall back on when things are feeling a little extra hard.