Pinterest is definitely one of the best sources (if not, the best) for blog traffic. There’s a huge audience there and with the right conditions, your traffic can skyrocket. But how does one go about harnessing the power of Pinterest?

01. Make your site pinnable.

Not everyone uses a browser extension to pin the things they like, therefore you have to make it easy! Installing a pin it button is quick and easy (see directions here for WordPress and here for Blogger). Now when people come across content they want to share, it’s as simple as clicking a button.

02. Create Pinterest friendly images.

When you use Pinterest, what images are you usually drawn to? Odds are they’re probably vertical and of a decent size. Have you ever seen small 200×200 sized images? Not pretty, right? And now while there’s nothing wrong with horizontal images, the layout of Pinterest just doesn’t showcase them as nicely as vertical ones. Aim for creating images as wide as your blog’s content area (which you’re already doing, right?) and make sure they are longer than they are wide.

Also important is to make sure the image efficiently tells people what your blog post is about. Sharing a homemade mac & cheese recipe? Then use your best closeup image and add some clear text so people know exactly what it is.

03. Create quality content worth sharing.

Probably the most important thing to remember if you want to gain traffic via Pinterest, is to create quality content! People have to like your content, and more importantly want to share it. With each post, think about the value it might provide someone. This could be obvious, as in a tutorial, but it could also be something such as gorgeous photos, where they provide the reader with a sense of escape from the ordinary. If people like what they see, they’ll want to share it.

04. Make your site easily navigable.

There’s nothing worse than clicking on a pin, only to discover that the site it’s from is a complete mess. Nothing gets me to close my tab faster (well aside from music, pop ups, or obnoxious colors). So do a little housekeeping. Clean up your sidebar. Make sure your fonts are readable. Highlight some other posts in a sidebar. Once people get to your site via Pinterest, you want to keep them there! Having a site that one can easily navigate is the first step in that process.

05. Participate.

If you want others to pin your stuff, you have to pin theirs!  While reading blogs, make it a point to pin any interesting posts you come across. Don’t just focus on repinning from others (although that’s always fun too). Curate boards that people will love and make sure to link to your website in your bio. More importantly, make sure you verify your site (see directions here for WordPress and here for Blogger). If people come across your boards and like what they see, they might be inclined to check out your site to see what you have to offer.