Today’s episode is all about using Pinterest to market Teachers Pay Teachers products. We do have another episode about how to use promoted pins with TPT, but we didn’t have an episode that covers the basics of how to get it your TPT store and running and how to market it effectively. In today’s interview with Shelly Rees of Appletastic Learning, we review the basics, dive into strategies, then wrap up by answering some burning questions.

Making a Difference in Classrooms Around the World

Back in 2014, Shelly was teaching 5th-grade. It was her 23rd year of teaching and her family was in need of some extra money because her husband was out of work at the time. She decided to set up a Teachers Pay Teachers shop. Her shop really started taking off, and she soon found herself working until 2:30 in the morning some days to keep up.

It was hard work, but it felt great to realize that she was making a difference in the lives of teachers and students all around the world. She left the classroom two years ago to focus on her business full-time.

Shelly discovered the importance of Pinterest marketing early on. She didn’t do it perfectly from the start but she knew enough to utilize the platform successfully. Pinterest worked a bit differently compared to how it works now.

Using Pinterest to Market TPT Products: The Foundational Elements

We’re going to dive right into the foundational elements.

First – set up and optimize your profile. Make sure that you include both your niche and your specialty in your profile. Your readers should know what they’re going to gain by following your boards and pins. Tell them what problems you will solve for them. Use the search bar on Pinterest to determine what teachers are searching for.

Are there specific boards you should be creating? Shelly suggests creating two boards right out of the gate. Create a board for blog pins and another board for your TPT store. Beyond those two boards, create boards directly related to your niche.

Related: How to Clean Up Pinterest Boards

The best way to optimize a pin description for a TPT seller is to get really familiar with the search bar. Type into the search bar a term that teachers will use to find your particular product. Pinterest will generate some suggested terms. Make a list of those terms and use them in your easy-to-read pin description.

Also, be sure to experiment with using hashtags in your pin description.

How do you create the best TPT seller image? Current best practice is to use images with a 2:3 size ratio. This size looks perfect on mobile. Avoid images that are too busy. It’s a mistake that a lot of people make. Use one strong image in conjunction with an easy-to-read title. The combination that works best for Shelly is one large image of her finished product and the title of the product place at the top of the pin in bold letters. 

Related: Creating Pinterest Images that Convert

What about branding and logos? Shelly doesn’t put her logo on most of her pins. Having the logo on the pin is best practice for some people, but Shelly just likes to make sure she has her name somewhere on her images.

If you have editable resources, make sure you highlight that aspect on your images. People love these!

Strategy and Daily Pinning

Once you have everything set up and have covered all the basics, now what?