How to create inspiring content for Pinterest

BY CHRISTINA GWIRA

Off of the back of Social Media Week Toronto (#SMWTO), I wanted to expand upon some of the lessons learned during the conference. Specifically, I’ll be focusing on what makes inspiring content for Pinterest. However, I feel like if you’re creative enough, you can use these tips to make any type of content to be shared online.

Visually appealing
You would think that this would be self-explanatory, but it’s not. For people to resonate with your content online, it needs to look good. However, “looking good” can be variable and is definitely subjective. Things that across the board are deemed as visually appealing can include: good use of color; bright and clear photos; not using too much text in a post or graphic and ensuring that your photo angle is easy to understand.

Novel
When something is novel, it’s new and excited, something that hasn’t been seen before. When it comes to social media content that is definitely something that you need to bear in mind. Copying other people’s photo style of filters doesn’t make your content stand out. Instead, it makes you look like a fraud… and people don’t like following or buying from frauds. Instead, find a unique perspective that can be shared through your product or service. You don’t need to create a whole, brand-new product to get people’s attention online. You may just need to change the color, add a new story to it or present it in a different way.

Attainable
For me to be inspired by your content, I have to know that this is something that is possible for me. Content that makes someone look down on themselves, or use phrases like, “I wish…” don’t bring about inspiration. In fact, it can cause depression, self-esteem issues, or in some extreme cases, suicide. Use your social media accounts to show people the possibilities that can arise when they buy your product or invest in your service. By creating and encouraging a can-do attitude towards your offerings, you’ll find that your page will be one that people go to for inspiration coming from a place of encouragement and empowerment.

Actionable
Call-to-actions are the way that you get people to buy from you, or join your email list or invest in your course. They won’t know this unless you show your audience how they can try or make or buy what you’re selling. Actionable pieces of content that work include: how-tos (how-to grow your hair 5 inches in 5 weeks); step-by-step tutorials and content that is informative.

Positive
Last but not least, your content needs to be positive for it to be inspiring. It takes a special kind of person to be inspired when they see something negative. It’s not impossible, but there’s only so much negative content one can ingest. Keep your content positive, keep your content inspiring. Through your content, people need to be able to know what they “could do” once they follow your page, buy your product or meet you in person.

Though these five attributes have been labelled as to what makes content great on Pinterest, I feel like this can be said for all content on social media. Whether you use Twitter for your business, or are starting to use Facebook ads for your start-up, keep these five key points in mind as you go about creating content to inspire the masses.