Based on in-depth research, opinions of many top bloggers and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) experts, this content marketing checklist will get you a little closer to the creation and sharing of your next viral post.
Note: Pin scheduler Traffic Wonker has sadly gone out of business, but owner and CEO Andy Fling has given me permission to share his useful Pinterest research and other information on my site. I jumped at the chance as Andy is the smartest guy I know when it comes to Pinterest!
Here is Your Five Step Marketing Content Checklist:
1) Learn
Learning about what your competition is doing and what’s working in the marketplace is the first step toward writing successful posts.
- Find out what topics people care about most. Everything will be of interest to someone, but if you’re interested in substantial traffic you need to know what people want.
- Find out what the top bloggers have to say and then consider how you can bring something unique to the topic.
- Research your keywords. Selecting the right keyword can be your “golden ticket” to a top ranked post.
2) Write
Your college professors did mind much what title you put on you paper, just as long as it made sense. The internet is different. Mot only do we need to appeal to the reader, we have to consider the search engines. They’re looking for keywords, quality (measured by links to your post), and length.
- Begin with a compelling keyword-rich title. It’s much easier to fulfill the goal created by your title, than to write and then reverse engineer a title.
- Posts with 700-2,000 words perform far better than short posts. So, make it meaningful and write in depth.
- Use subheadings so visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for.
- Articles with a byline and personal stories that people can relate to get shared more often.
3) Add Images
Research tells us that the brain processes visual images up to 60,000 times faster than the same information in text. Images also have the ability to accelerate the processing of information, and are more easily transitioned into long-term memory. The take-away here is people remember little about what they read, and a great deal about what they see.
- Create a graphic that is perfect for Pinterest. If you’d like to design your own images check out our 10 Design Tools for Pinterest Images post.
- Illustrate your main points with a few images.
4) Share Away
When you publish your post your job is 50% complete. The other 50% is marketing.
- Tuesday is generally the best day to post on social networks, though it’s best to test to find out what’s best for you. Tuesday is also the most productive day of the week. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday come in second.
- Add pinnable images with 100-200 words descriptions to Pinterest.
- Post images with comments to Facebook.
- Cross-promote your pins by adding each pin to multiple Pinterest boards.
- Start an email newsletter. We recommend MailerLite for their quality of service and great price.
- Send your email list a link to your most recent post.
- Consider “Promoted Pins” on Pinterest to increase visibility.
- Consider “boosting” your post with a paid Facebook ad campaign.
- Would your content benefit from video advertising? Think YouTube.com.
5) Reschedule
Going viral might not happen the first time you post your content. It may take a few reposts to get top influencers to notice.
I hope this valuable Content Marketing Checklist will help you with your Pinterest marketing efforts. So many of your competitors are doing Pinterest BADLY, even a little time, energy, and strategy can make a big difference in your results!
by Andy Fling
Founder and CEO of TrafficWonker.com
Other posts by Andy you might enjoy:
How to become a Pinterest Superhero
Pinterest Tips from Top Bloggers
Reasons Businesses FAIL at Pinterest
Blogging resources I love and recommend:
SiteGround – I have four sites hosted through SiteGround and I’ve used them for years. They’re cheap and their customer service is AMAZING – very fast, very helpful. Learn more about SiteGround HERE.
Tailwind – I’ve been working with Tailwind for about five years. They are the pin scheduler of choice and it is jam-packed with great features. If you haven’t already, sign up for a FREE month of Tailwind HERE.
The Isabelle theme by Bluchic – is my favorite theme for WordPress websites. I’ve used it to build a bunch of different websites. It’s pretty, easy to customize, and really simple to use. It’s shown in a very pale pink, but I’ve done it in turquoise, emerald green, and navy/gold color schemes. For safety and security reasons, I will not ever use a free WordPress theme. This is the engine that powers and protects your website. Learn about the Isabelle theme HERE.
Legal Templates – You are required by law to have a certain package of legalese on your blog. You need to have copyright notices, privacy policies, and various other terms and conditions to protect yourself from being sued. The package I recommend is created by Amira Law – a lawyer who specializes in all aspects of blogging and internet business legalities. Learn more about these Legal Templates HERE.
Pinterest Resources – Pinterest is definitely my jam. I have an Ebook that is very affordable and is packed with helpful tips. OR, if you want a more personalized touch, I will do a Pinterest/Tailwind audit where I go over your account with a 30-point checklist and then set up a Zoom call with you to give you TONS of suggestions. Order the Ebook HERE and the Pinterest Audit HERE.
HIRE ME – I make a full-time living taking great care of my blogger peeps. I’ve done Pinterest Management for the last five years for dozens of clients. I set up mailing lists, automations and build pop-ups for people. I can also build you a new website pretty much for FREE. To learn more – go HERE.
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