strategy

Explore the Possibilities of Pinterest with The Impact Map

For book creators and sellers, the dream of reaching more readers and selling more books is always top of mind. But Pinterest offers something deeper than just sales—it’s a platform that helps you connect with your audience in a way that educates, inspires, and delights. Success here isn’t about quick wins; it’s about strategy, audience understanding, and building a lasting presence. That’s where The Impact Map comes in.

Pinterest: A Unique Opportunity

Unlike traditional social media platforms, Pinterest is a visual search engine. While eye-catching graphics are essential, the real power of Pinterest lies in discovery—helping people find solutions, inspiration, and ideas. And when they do, your website becomes the next step in their journey.

For Pinterest to work its magic, your site needs more than just the basics. It should be a rich, welcoming space that encourages visitors to return, offering valuable content that answers their questions, solves their problems, or sparks their imagination. That’s why building a Pinterest presence begins with understanding how your web content and strategy can align.

Introducing The Impact Map

The Impact Map is more than a starting point—it’s an opportunity to gain clarity about how your books, programs, or services might resonate on Pinterest. Whether you’re simply curious about the platform’s potential or ready to take action, it provides a clear, thoughtful plan tailored to your unique goals.

Here’s how it works:

  • Schedule a Fit Call: A conversation to explore your needs and whether The Impact Map is right for you.

  • In-Depth Interview: We spend 90 minutes diving into your content, goals, and target audience. It’s a collaborative process aimed at uncovering opportunities.

  • Personalized Impact Map: Within a week, you’ll receive a PDF detailing strategies to help you connect with your audience and achieve your objectives.

  • Follow-Up Review: A one-on-one session to discuss the findings and ensure you’re ready to implement the plan.

Whether you’re an indie author, a small press, or a publisher with a marketing team, this process is adaptable to your needs. The Impact Map isn’t a commitment to long-term services—it’s a resource to help you make informed decisions about how Pinterest can support your work.

Building Authority with The Impact Map

At its core, The Impact Map is about building authority and trust on Pinterest. It provides clarity on how your books, programs, and services can resonate with the platform’s audience. Here are a few ways it helps:

1. Discovering Your Audience

Pinterest’s potential goes far beyond traditional audiences like teachers or parents. Through The Impact Map, we explore unexpected niches—whether tied to your book’s themes, seasonal trends, or academic connections.

2. Strategizing Content: The Power of Organic and Promoted Pins

Pinterest success often comes from a thoughtful mix of organic and promoted pin strategies, each offering unique benefits:

  • Organic Pins focus on building a natural, long-term presence. These unpaid pins are crafted to engage your audience over time, teaching Pinterest’s algorithm how to index your content and connect it with the right users. Organic strategies ensure that your content stays relevant and discoverable, making them ideal for evergreen topics like educational resources or timeless book themes.

  • Promoted Pins, on the other hand, provide a way to amplify your reach quickly. These paid ads help you target specific audiences, boosting visibility for time-sensitive campaigns like book launches, holiday promotions, or special events. Promoted pins blend seamlessly with organic content, making them an unobtrusive yet effective way to drive traffic and engagement.

When used together, these strategies reinforce one another. Organic content builds a foundation of credibility and relevance, while promoted pins accelerate your visibility, introducing your work to new audiences who might not have discovered it otherwise. The Impact Map outlines how to strike the perfect balance between the two, ensuring your Pinterest strategy works effectively for your goals and your audience.

3. Optimizing Boards

Boards are the foundation of a Pinterest platform. The Impact Map outlines how to create keyword-rich, audience-focused boards that enhance visibility and connect with user searches. Thoughtful board optimization ensures your content not only gets noticed but stays relevant over time.

4. Maximizing Web Content

Pinterest thrives on robust web content. From landing pages and book lists to blogs and opt-ins, The Impact Map analyzes how to leverage your website effectively, ensuring it supports a strong Pinterest presence. Pinterest loves depth, and your site’s content plays a crucial role in building your platform’s success.

A Tool for Clarity and Direction

One of the most valuable aspects of The Impact Map is its flexibility. It’s a resource that provides direction—whether you’re new to Pinterest or already building a platform. There’s no obligation to continue collaborating with us. Instead, it’s about offering insight and guidance, empowering you to make decisions that align with your goals.

This approach makes The Impact Map particularly beneficial for smaller indie publishers or individuals curious about Pinterest’s potential. It’s also a welcome addition for publishers with established marketing teams who want to fine-tune their strategies.

Why Pinterest Matters

Ultimately, The Impact Map is about more than selling books. It’s about creating a space where your audience can discover, connect, and engage with your content. Pinterest’s evergreen nature means your efforts can continue working for you long after a pin is posted. For book creators and sellers, this isn’t just a tool—it’s an opportunity to build something lasting.

If you’ve ever wondered how your books, programs, or services might resonate on Pinterest, The Impact Map offers a thoughtful starting point. Let’s explore the possibilities together.

What to Expect in Your First Four Months on Pinterest (and Beyond!)

So, you’ve decided to invest in Pinterest as a marketing tool—great choice! You’re about to see why this platform is a game-changer for book creators, educators, and sellers. But here’s the thing: Pinterest success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a long-term strategy, not a quick fix.

To help you understand what to expect, I’m breaking down the first four months of building a strong Pinterest presence. Each phase plays a critical role in setting you up for long-term growth, engagement, and visibility.

Let’s get started.

 

Month 1: Laying the Groundwork for Success

Think of Month 1 as setting up your house before guests arrive. Everything needs to be polished, inviting, and easy to navigate.

  • First, we’ll make sure your Pinterest business account is set up properly.

  • Your bio will be crafted to clearly communicate who you are and what you offer.

  • A professional and on-brand profile image will help establish credibility.

  • We’ll create 10 to 15 keyword-rich boards that reflect your niche and are optimized for search.

The most important step in this phase is keyword research. Pinterest functions as a search engine, so understanding what your audience is looking for is key to making your content discoverable. By the end of Month 1, your profile will be fully optimized and ready to attract the right audience.

 

Month 2: Creating and Organizing Your Content

With a solid foundation in place, it’s time to start filling your boards with quality content. Rather than posting randomly, we’ll take a strategic approach.

This month, we’ll:

  • Develop a content calendar to ensure a steady and organized posting schedule.

  • Establish a mix of fresh pins, repins from other creators, and trending content.

  • Maintain consistency, which is essential for growing an engaged audience.

  • Begin tracking analytics to identify which content is resonating most.

By the end of Month 2, you’ll have a structured pinning routine in place, making Pinterest an active and strategic part of your marketing plan.

 

Month 3: Fine-Tuning, Optimization, and Promoted Pins

At this stage, your content is flowing regularly, and it’s time to refine your strategy to maximize engagement.

  • We’ll experiment with different pin designs, fonts, and formats to see what attracts the most clicks.

  • Analytics will be closely monitored to understand which pins and topics perform best.

  • Your posting schedule will be adjusted based on data insights to reach your audience at the most effective times.

  • Now that Pinterest has indexed your content, we’ll have valuable insights into what’s performing best organically. This is the perfect time to explore promoted pins—paid advertisements that amplify the reach of your most successful content. By leveraging Pinterest’s data, we can ensure we’re promoting the pins that will drive the most engagement, clicks, and conversions.

By the end of Month 3, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what works best, an optimized pinning routine, and a strategic approach to using promoted pins for maximum impact.

 

Month 4: Expanding Reach and Building Engagement

Now that your content strategy is running smoothly, it’s time to focus on expanding your audience and deepening engagement.

  • We’ll develop an engagement strategy that includes commenting, liking, and interacting with others to increase visibility.

  • Group boards will be explored as a way to connect with new audiences.

  • Collaboration opportunities with influencers or brands will be considered to expand reach.

  • If applicable, we’ll continue testing and refining promoted pin strategies to accelerate growth.

This is also a great time to create pins that lead directly to your website, book sales pages, or lead magnets to drive conversions. By the end of Month 4, your Pinterest presence will be well-established, and you’ll start seeing real momentum in engagement and audience growth.

 

Looking Ahead: What Comes Next?

At this point, your platform is running efficiently, but the work doesn’t stop here. The next phase focuses on diving deeper into analytics, optimizing top-performing content, and planning for seasonal trends.

Pinterest success builds over time, and with consistent effort, your content will continue working for you long after it’s posted. If you stay committed, you’ll see long-term growth, increased visibility, and an audience that keeps coming back for more.

If you’re ready to make Pinterest a key part of your marketing strategy, now is the time to put these steps into action. 

Beyond Pins and Boards: Building a Legacy on Pinterest

Pinterest isn’t just another social media platform—it’s a search engine for inspiration and ideas. Think of it as Google with pictures. Pinterest users aren’t mindlessly scrolling; they’re actively searching and saving, looking for solutions and ideas to enrich their lives. Unlike traditional social media, where posts fade fast, Pinterest content is evergreen, growing in value over time. It’s not about who you know on the platform—it’s about what you know and how you share it.

Building a legacy on Pinterest is about so much more than crafting pretty pins and organizing solid boards. Sure, those are tools to help communicate your message, but real success comes from understanding who your audience is and what they need. In this article, we’ll explore four key elements that not only set you up for long-term success on Pinterest but also serve as a smart foundation for any kind of marketing. These are principles every savvy marketer should weave into the plot of their own unique marketing story.

 

Know Your Audience: The Heart of Pinterest Success

  • Defining Your Audience Personas: To succeed on Pinterest—or any platform, really—you need to start by knowing exactly who you’re talking to. Who are your readers, and what are they searching for? Are they parents looking for bedtime stories with heart? Teachers hunting for classroom resources? Librarians curating diverse booklists? Take the time to imagine their lives: What do they care about? What problems are they trying to solve? By defining your audience personas, you’ll gain the clarity you need to connect with them in a meaningful way.

  • Developing a List of Keywords: Once you’ve defined your audience, it’s time to think about the words they might type into that Pinterest search bar to find you. Keywords are the backbone of discoverability. Start with terms directly related to your books, programs, or services. For example, if you’ve written a picture book about ocean conservation, think of phrases like “kids’ books about the ocean,” “ocean-themed activities for kids,” or “teaching environmental conservation.” From there, think about related topics your audience might be interested in. This step helps you predict their search habits and position your content as the answer they’re looking for.

  • Creating Optimized Content: Now comes the fun part: using all this information to create Pinterest content that resonates. "Optimization" might sound intimidating, but all it really means is tailoring your boards, pins, titles, and descriptions to include those audience-specific keywords. When your pins align with what your audience is searching for, they’re more likely to be saved, clicked, and shared. But it’s not just about keywords—it’s also about creating scroll-stopping graphics and thoughtful descriptions that speak to your audience’s needs. A well-optimized pin doesn’t just look good; it works hard to make sure your content is found, saved, and loved.

 

Define Your Message: What Do You Stand For?

  • Ask the Right Questions: Before you even think about creating a pin or designing a board, take a step back and ask yourself: What do I stand for? What’s the heart of your book, program, or service? Why does it matter? Who will benefit most from it, and how will it enrich their lives? These aren’t just abstract questions—they’re your guide to creating content with purpose. For example, if your book tackles themes of resilience for teens, think about how you can communicate that to a school counselor looking for resources. Your message isn’t just “Here’s my book”—it’s “Here’s how my book can make a difference in your classroom or therapy sessions.” This clarity helps you craft pins that resonate with your audience and clearly articulate your value.

  • Go Beyond the Cover: It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking your book cover or a simple product description is enough, but it’s not. Pinterest users aren’t there to buy; they’re there to discover. The purchase follows a genuine connection once they resonate with your content. You need to show them how your work meets their needs in a creative and actionable way. For instance, instead of a pin that simply says, “Check out my book on resilience,” create one that says, “5 Strategies for Helping Teens Build Resilience,” with your book as one of the featured tools. This approach shifts the focus from self-promotion to service, which builds trust and makes your content more shareable. Always remember: Pinterest is a discovery engine, and your pins need to provide value upfront to stand out.

  • Be Clear About the Call to Action: Every piece of content you create should include a clear call to action—a specific instruction guiding your audience on what to do next. In Pinterest terms, this could mean encouraging users to “Download this free resource,” “Visit my blog for more tips,” or “Save this pin for later.” A call to action gives your audience a reason to engage with your content and lets Pinterest know how to categorize and index your pins. The algorithm thrives on clarity, so be direct about what your content offers and what you want your audience to do. This isn’t just about clicks or saves; it’s about setting the stage for a lasting relationship with your audience—and building the legacy you want Pinterest to represent.

 

Tease Out Themes: Educational and Evergreen Content

  • What Does ‘Evergreen’ Mean and Why Does It Matter? Evergreen content is content that remains relevant and useful over time—whether it’s next week, next year, or five years down the road. On Pinterest, evergreen content is the key to building a lasting presence. Why? Because Pinterest isn’t about fleeting moments; it’s about discovery. Evergreen pins continue to generate traffic long after they’re posted, helping your audience find you when they need your content the most. To make your content evergreen, focus on themes that align with your audience’s ongoing needs and interests, like “STEM activities for kids” or “books that inspire kindness.” When your content solves a problem or provides value, it keeps working for you—day in and day out.

  • Discover Trends and Align Your Content: While evergreen content is timeless, aligning it with Pinterest trends can supercharge its visibility. Trends are seasonal or timely topics that gain traction on the platform, such as “Back-to-School,” “Women’s History Month,” or “Earth Day Activities.” Creating pins that tie your content to a relevant trend makes it easier for Pinterest to surface your pins to users who are actively searching for those topics. Pinterest even offers a tool called the Pinterest Trends Tool, which helps you identify what’s popular and when. For example, if you’ve written a nonfiction biography about a president, you could create pins centered around “Presidential History Month Activities.” Or if your book is science-focused, consider pins like “STEM Projects for Earth Day.” Tying into trends not only boosts your content’s reach but also positions you as someone who understands and serves your audience’s current needs.

  • Speak Directly to Your Audience’s Needs: To create content that resonates, be as specific as possible about what your audience is looking for. Don’t just think, “This book is about science,”—instead, think, “This book teaches kids about the water cycle through fun, hands-on experiments.” The more clearly you articulate the value of your content, the better chance you have of connecting with the right people. If your audience includes homeschool parents, create pins like “Homeschool Lesson Plans for Kids: Exploring the Solar System.” If your book is a nonfiction biography about a trailblazing woman, tie it to themes like “Women’s History Month Reading List for Classrooms.” And don’t stop there—keep a log of the terms, titles, and descriptions you use in these campaigns. Great content is always repurposable, and a well-documented strategy will save you time while keeping your messaging consistent.

 

The Long Game: Patience and Persistence

  • Set Realistic Expectations: Pinterest isn’t a platform for quick wins—it’s a long game. Unlike social media posts that fade within hours or days, Pinterest content takes time to gain traction. It might be weeks or even months before your pins are fully indexed by the Pinterest algorithm and begin appearing in search results consistently. This is normal and part of the process. Success on Pinterest requires patience, a clear strategy, and the understanding that every pin you create contributes to building a library of valuable content that can pay off for years to come.

  • Consistency is Key: To see real results on Pinterest, consistency is non-negotiable. Aim for a sustainable posting schedule—somewhere between 10 to 15 pins a week—and stay engaged with your platform by regularly analyzing your performance. The Pinterest Analytics Tool is your best friend here, offering key metrics like Impressions (how often your content is shown), Engagements (the total interactions your pins receive), Saves (how often users save your pins to their own boards), and Click-Throughs (how often users visit your website from a pin). These numbers provide insight into how well your content resonates with your audience and how effectively Pinterest is indexing and distributing it. Trends and performance may fluctuate throughout the year, but a steady flow of high-quality content will keep your platform active and relevant.

  • Leverage Analytics for Strategy: Analytics are more than just numbers—they’re a window into what’s working and what’s not. When you notice a pin or board performing well, ask yourself why. Is it tied to a trending topic? Does it feature an engaging call to action? Use these insights to craft a strategy that builds on your successes. At the same time, if certain content isn’t gaining traction, consider tweaking the pin title, description, or design. The goal is to learn and adapt. By combining your understanding of analytics with a keen eye on trends, you can refine your tactics to align more closely with what your audience is searching for—and maximize Pinterest’s ability to amplify your message.

 

Wrapping It All Up: Your Pinterest Journey Begins NOW!

Building a lasting presence on Pinterest doesn’t happen overnight, but the steps to get started are simple and achievable. First, know your audience—take the time to understand who they are, what they need, and how your content can meet those needs. Define your message clearly, focusing on how your work serves your audience and creates value in their lives. Tease out themes from your content that are both evergreen and aligned with Pinterest trends, making your pins relevant now and for years to come. Finally, embrace the long game—Pinterest rewards patience and persistence, so stay consistent and let your content work for you over time.

Remember, there is a place for your voice, your stories, and your expertise on Pinterest. Your audience is already there, searching for solutions and inspiration that you can provide. Start with baby steps: create one well-optimized pin, build a board around a specific theme, or use the Pinterest Trends Tool to explore what’s resonating with your audience. Every pin you create is an opportunity to connect with your readers and make a meaningful impact. So, what are you waiting for? Your readers are out there, ready to discover your content. All you need to do is take the first step—and keep going. Pinterest is ready to work for you.

 

Why Pinterest? A Powerful Marketing Platform for Book Creators & Book Sellers

If you're a book creator—whether you're an author, illustrator, publisher, or e-commerce seller—chances are you've heard of Pinterest, but you might not understand why it's the perfect platform to highlight your work. With the mission of Pin Lit Marketing focused on getting your books seen online, let's dive into why Pinterest stands out as a vibrant, evergreen marketing tool that can boost your visibility, marketability, and even your credibility.

  • Visibility that Lasts: Evergreen Content

    Pinterest isn’t like most social media platforms where content disappears within days or even hours. Pins on Pinterest have a long shelf life, often gaining traction months—or even years—after they’re initially posted. This makes Pinterest an ideal platform for book creators who want to showcase their work for the long haul. When you pin strategically, your content doesn’t just vanish; it stays relevant, drawing attention to your books over time.

    At Pin Lit Marketing, we specialize in making your content work for you, helping you utilize Pinterest's unique algorithm to consistently attract the right eyes. Our mission is to boost your book's visibility not just for a moment but for the long term.

  • It’s Not Just Pins—It’s Strategy

    Pinterest is more than just posting pretty images; it's about connecting those visuals to your audience's needs and interests. A thoughtful Pinterest strategy involves meticulous planning—optimizing pins for search, targeting the right keywords, and crafting images that stand out among millions of others. At Pin Lit Marketing, our strategy isn't just about pinning; it’s about positioning your content, so it gets seen by your target audience, drives traffic to your website, and amplifies your online presence.

    Whether you're an author with a new release or a publisher with a backlist of titles, we use SEO tactics to make your books discoverable and bring readers to you.

  • Harnessing the Power of a Visual Search Engine

    Pinterest is, at its core, a visual search engine, and that's what makes it so effective. Users come to Pinterest to search for ideas, inspiration, and answers. This presents a huge opportunity for book creators to be discovered by potential readers who are actively seeking content like yours. With a robust search engine behind the scenes, Pinterest categorizes and sorts your content in a way that helps you reach audiences interested in your genre, niche, or art style.

    Pin Lit Marketing taps into this search functionality, crafting visually compelling and optimized content that ensures your books are not only seen but also remembered.

  • Building Relationships with Your Target Audience

    Pinterest allows you to connect with a targeted, enthusiastic audience who are eager to learn, explore, and discover. For authors, publishers, and illustrators, this is a goldmine. The platform lets you highlight more than just your books—it provides an avenue to share the inspiration behind your stories, your creative process, and what makes your work unique. Pinterest also creates opportunities to drive engagement through educational content, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and links to your author blog or website.

    At Pin Lit Marketing, we help you create a visual storytelling journey that establishes online relationships, building trust and loyalty among potential buyers and readers.

  • Overcoming the Fear of Self-Promotion for Authors

    For many authors, the idea of self-promotion can feel overwhelming. Social media might seem daunting, with its fast-paced expectations and constant demands. Pinterest, however, operates differently. It’s a slower, more reflective platform that rewards thoughtful, evergreen content over viral trends. This makes it a perfect space for authors who may feel uncomfortable with traditional social media marketing.

    At Pin Lit Marketing, we guide authors to confidently share their stories without anxiety. We help clarify your goals, focus your efforts, and provide the skills needed to effectively market your books.

  • Artistry on Display for Illustrators

    For illustrators, Pinterest is an ideal platform to display your unique style. The visually driven nature of Pinterest offers endless opportunities for creativity—whether it's video pins demonstrating your artistic process, static images of your finished illustrations, or carousel pins that showcase the journey from sketch to final piece. It’s a space where your portfolio can shine, attracting both book buyers and potential collaborators.

    Pin Lit Marketing supports illustrators in crafting engaging pins that highlight the artistry behind each book, allowing for self-expression while making a mark in the children's book market.

  • Pinterest as a Hub for E-Commerce Sellers

    For those in the business of selling books, Pinterest’s demographics-targeted, interest-based promoted pins offer effective solutions for every marketing goal—be it boosting brand awareness, increasing website conversions, or even driving offline sales. With paid advertising options, Pinterest allows you to reach highly specific audiences, ensuring that your book gets in front of those who are most likely to engage.

    We understand the e-commerce side of the book world, and at Pin Lit Marketing, we create campaigns that resonate with Pinterest’s diverse and dedicated user base. It’s about matching your book with the right readers and making sure your content gets noticed.

  • Why Choose Pin Lit Marketing?

    Our passion for Pinterest keeps growing, and at Pin Lit, we are dedicated to bringing you the best strategies for Pinterest marketing. It’s not just about pins; it’s about creating a consistent, steady system that works for you. Whether you're a seasoned book creator or just starting, Pin Lit Marketing is your expert partner for skyrocketing your marketability and gaining academic credibility on Pinterest.

Ready to get your books seen online? Let’s work together to elevate your books, content, and promotions to the next level.

Contact us today, and let's start crafting your Pinterest strategy to drive traffic, grow visibility, and connect you with readers who can’t wait to discover your work!

Pin Lit Marketing is the premier Pinterest strategist for books, blending literary insight with unmatched expertise in captivating young readers. Your new audience awaits! Sign up for a Fit Call today!

Pinning Your Legacy: A Long-Lasting Strategy for Book Creators on Pinterest

I’m often asked how Pinterest differs from other social media and why book creators and sellers should consider using it. Unlike platforms where content fades within hours or days, Pinterest is built for the long haul. Think of it more as a discovery engine than a social feed—one designed for ongoing inspiration and continuity. Rather than quick interactions or fleeting likes, Pinterest offers a place where your books, guides, or illustrations can be pinned today and rediscovered months or even years down the line. For book creators, that’s a game-changer! Each piece of content becomes evergreen, continually finding new audiences whenever they’re ready.

Pinterest’s focus on visual storytelling makes it ideal for highlighting your work. Every pin offers a snapshot of the world you’ve created, whether it’s a glimpse into your book’s themes, a character’s journey, or an educational takeaway. So, why Pinterest? If you’re passionate about leaving a lasting impact, Pinterest is a natural fit—not just another social platform, but a space for your life’s work, where audiences can engage on their terms, at their pace.

Much like crafting a book, success on Pinterest requires time, refinement, and consistency. Patience is key here; think of each pin as a seed that takes time to grow. Unlike fast-paced social platforms, Pinterest’s slow-burn growth is an advantage. When you invest in creating quality pins, they don’t just disappear; they continue to work for you, reaching new audiences again and again. For book creators, this means your work has lasting power, allowing your content to find its audience naturally, on their schedule, not the platform’s.

Pinterest also rewards clarity and focus. Over time, you’ll notice which pins resonate most, giving you invaluable feedback to refine your visuals and messaging. This refinement process often reveals insights about your audience—like which themes, colors, or phrases resonate most deeply. Refining your approach on Pinterest is about aligning your brand, whether it’s a book series or artwork, with the values that best connect with your audience.

Finally, consistency is essential. Success on Pinterest isn’t about a single great pin; it’s about showing up regularly. Consistent posting keeps your content visible and builds familiarity, helping your audience know they can rely on you for inspiring or informative content. This ongoing presence builds trust and keeps you top of mind when someone is ready to explore or recommend a new book or resource. Consistency gives Pinterest its strength as a long-term marketing partner—by showing up steadily, you’re creating a lasting connection with your audience.

In conclusion, time, refinement, and consistency are the foundation for sustainable growth on Pinterest. You’re not just marketing for the moment; you’re building a presence that reflects your life’s work, ready to connect with people for years to come.

Pin Lit Marketing is the premier Pinterest strategist for books, blending literary insight with unmatched expertise in captivating young readers. Your new audience awaits! Sign up for a Fit Call today!

Tips from a Pinterest Marketer: We’re in it to win it together!

Of late, the KidLit industry has been turned on it’s head, to say the very least. The most part, promotional events are still being held online. Actually, book festival promoters, book sellers, and conference hosts have discovered that offering their programming digitally is affordable, accessible, and highly profitable. For those reasons alone, we all need to embrace the digital space as our new marketing frontier. Easier said than done for most of us, right? 

We’re used to meeting our audiences face-to-face. We rely on one-to-one conversations about our books, programming and services. We've grown to depend on the personal touch to develop a know-like-and-trust connection with kids, parents, and educators. For many of us, those opportunities are still nonexistent. Well….fiddlesticks! What are we going to do now? 

Here’s our plan. We’re going to thoughtfully lean into the digital space with cunning and zeal. To begin with, here is what we are NOT going to do. We’re not going to react in panic by repeatedly posting graphics about ourselves. Nope. Instead, we’re going to shift our thinking to an audience-centric mode.  We’ll begin this process by developing the mindset of a successful Pinterest KidLit Marketer.

  • Step One: Take yourself out of the equation.  Successful digital marketers keep their audience’s needs, wants & desires at the forefront. We must set aside our angst and explore ways to inspire, educate, encourage, entertain and entice our peeps to click through to our content. Once we land a greatly-appreciated click-though, we want to set sights on developing a relationship. There are a number of ways to achieve this goal. For now, just consider ways to edify them first. As one of my clients said, “I like that Pinterest is all about the other and not about me. It feels right.” I agree, wholeheartedly. 

  • Step Two: Give something away. Create something of value for your audience to access for free from your website. Think thoughtful trinkets. You can go grandiose by offering a multi-paged educator guide or tiny by an invitation to  register for a fifteen minute free Face Time read aloud. Since we are not able to schlep our swag at a book festival table, we have to make it digital. But most of all...we must make it fun.

  • Step Three: Stay in it to win it. As it goes with any worthwhile endeavor, establishing visibility on Pinterest requires posting consistently, whatever consistently means to you. Once a week. Twice a week. Daily. Always keep in mind , it’s not YOU that your audience is looking for. (Ouch, right?) It’s your authentically genuine messaging that will catch their eye. They're looking for  tangible ways your CONTENT, including your books, can solve a problem, answer a question, or serve as a vehicle of encouragement and/or of inspiration. 

The strategy we’re going to take is to lead with THEM in mind. Not us. We’ll work to anticipate their needs by examining ways that we can be exceedingly helpful. Showcasing book lists. How-to videos. Tips and tricks of the trade. Things like that. (Don’t worry. All of the good things you’ve done and are doing to this point will not go to waste. All those awards and accolades are important, for sure. Good for you!) 

We’ve got this. We’re in it to win it together! 

Debbie Gonzales is an author, educator and a Pinterest Management Specialist. Learn more about Deb and her many fascinating projects at debbiegonzales.com and guidesbydeb.com.


Your new audience awaits.