Last time I checked I had over 130 boards across my two Pinterest profiles. Why so many? The best approach for Pinterest is to create boards that cover a specific topic and cover it well.
So how many Pinterest Boards should you have?
The consensus of opinion seems to be that the bare minimum number should be 10 boards with 5 images on each. But that should be the jumping off point.. not where you settle for too long.
The Rule of Thumb on social media is that if you can’t sustain your presence, then don’t bother signing up in the first place. It’s best to do 3 social media networks really well, than try to spread yourself too thinly and have a poor showing on 6.
This is the advice that I’d give to Jeffry Archer. I checked his author bio on Amazon.com and he is a prolific writer and has written over 50 books. So there’s really no excuse for only have one Pinterest Board.
Pinterest Board Critique
Jeffrey Archer’s Pinterest Bio/About Description:
It’s important to include keywords in your bio, and there’s no mention of “author” or “writer” or “book”. These are obvious keywords that apply to Jeffrey, but sometimes the most obvious gets overlooked. When you write your Bio, look at it from an outsiders perspective and ask what keywords you would use to find yourself.
- Pinterest Profile Name Characters Available: 37
- Pinterest Profile Description Characters Available: 160
If you’re not sure what to write in your bio, settle for letting other pinners know why you’re using Pinterest.
Number of Pinterest Boards:
Jeffrey is doing well that the one board he does have, has 21 pins. But with 50 books under his belt he should have a bare minimum of 51 boards. One for each book and a consolidated board that covers all his books. And because Pinterest is a social media and not a sales tool Jeffrey also needs to include other personal interest or inspiration boards.
In my “How Author Laura Frantz uses Pinterest to promote her books without selling” post, I highlighted how Laura uses theme boards to showcase the locations and fashions she writes about in her books. With all the books that Jeffrey has written, there would be no shortage of content for these boards. His only concern would be hitting his board capacity.
Maximum Number of Boards per Pinner = 500 (Tip: If you want to manage more than 500 Pinterest boards you can set up a different user profile)
Pinterest Board Title:
Jeffrey’s lone Pinterest board title is too long gets cut off when we view his board in his Pinterest page.
Sometimes it’s just not feasible to cram your entire title in the space that’s visible, but where possible… try. It makes it easier for other pinners to scan your board and also increases your chances of your board being followed or clicked on.
- Board Title Characters Available = 100
- Board Title Characters Visible = 26
Here’s some suggested Board Titles:
- Jeffrey’s Book Covers (21 characters)
- My International Covers (23 characters)
Pinterest Board Description:
Jeffrey isn’t using a Board Description, and he’s missing an opportunity to further define his brand. As well as adding a description he can add his website or his preferred social media network.
- Pinterest Board Description Available = 500 Characters
- Pinterest Board Description Optimal = 200-300 Characters
If your board description is too long you won’t hold other pinner’s attention. So pare down your description to what’s relevant and pertinent to your board’s content. Be sure to include keyword conscious terms for search engine optimization.
Pinterest Board Cover:
When choosing your board cover you should select an image that is indicative of the board’s content, but one that is eye-catching and easy to spot if people are using their mobile devices.
Jeffrey selected the book cover “And Thereby Hangs a Tale” for his board image – and I think it a fitting board cover. The image striking and the use of “13” makes it intriguing.
Although we’re ending this Pinterest Critique on this positive note… Jeffrey still has a lot of work to do to fully leverage the power of Pinterest to engage with his readers.
So if you’re reading this Jeffrey (and others) – here’s your Call to Action:
