There is no way to be successful online today without harnessing the megalith that is social media. Social media is imperative in driving visitors to your site and creating linkbacks that make your site more available to search engines.

As a food blogger, it is important to understand the role social media plays in making your project successful. By their very nature, recipes lend themselves to be shared with friends, family, etc. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow you to share your content with a broader audience, and they allow your audience to share your information amongst each other.

When it comes to food blogging and websites, the most valuable means of social media sharing may be through Pinterest. Pinterest has become a giant traffic driving force for those who are writing about and photographing their food experiences for the world to share.

If you haven’t already become familiar with Pinterest, it’s important to take some time to explore the site. IT allows users to create virtual pinboards to share ideas, photographs, and projects with their friends and family. Pinterest is an especially visual mode of sharing and works wonderfully to highlight the visual aspect of food.

To really master the power your website has to change the internet, you need to devise a strong Pinterest strategy. I’m here to share some tips for how to make setting up your Pinterest account and getting it to work for you.

Sharing Is Good

Make it easy for your readers and users to share your posts, photos, and recipes. Go ahead and add a “Pin it” button to your posts. There are a few ways to do this. If you are already running WordPress, the easiest thing to do is download a Pin It button plugin and install it (or just use WP Ultimate Recipe and automatically get a Pin It button for free at the end of each recipe).

Many food bloggers are noticing how effective Pinterest is at driving traffic to their blog. Allow people to get the word out about what you have to offer by making it easy for them to share your content. The simpler it is for them to share, the more likely it is that they will.

Creating Strong Content and Finding Your Niche

Just like with building your food blog, your Pinterest account needs to have strong content. Since Pinterest is social in nature, it’s not enough to simply pin your own material. You need to go out and interact with the Pinterest community and the internet at large to create content for your boards.

Another truth of the internet that holds true to Pinterest is that you will be more successful if you can find your niche. When your site or pinboard provides content or information in a way that other places don’t, you can build a loyal following. So if you’re an expert at dessert, or know everything there is to know about baking bread – create boards that reflect your expertise. Create a resource for other people looking to know more about what you do best.

Maximizing Visual Appeal

Keep your pinboards full. Your Pinterest page looks best when it’s full and visually appealing. Work on completing your first boards so that your page will keep readers for longer. If they come to your board and have plenty of things to keep their eye on the page, you’re more likely to gain followers or have your pins shared.

Pinterest is unique in that it uses vertical thumbnails to display pins. This is an amazing advantage to the food blogger, since food lends itself well to this sort of shot. Maximize the vertical space you have by taking photos that draw the eye upward – like a stack of pancakes. Making the most of your thumbnail photos can take your Pinterest page from boring to worthy of being in a food magazine.

Leverage Group Boards And A Sense of Community

An awesome feature of Pinterest is the ability to start group boards. Group pinboards allow posting access to more than one user. The possibilities with this feature are endless. Start a board about the best breakfast recipes and get your fellow food bloggers to join in and share their own findings. Create the ultimate holiday dinner planning board and create a megalith of resources for others to use.

An added bonus to group boards is they generate even more traffic to your content and your website. You’re drawing on the audience and following of the other people using the board alongside you. It’s a great example of networking that has tangible results – more people will see your recipes and yummy photos.

Make It Interactive

Get your audience involved in your board. Pinterest is great for showcasing photos and recipes, but it can also be used to generate excitement for upcoming events and articles. Use Pinterest as a venue to give away special content or tutorials to your most loyal followers. Set up a contest on Pinterest and see how big it grows. There are many different ways to use Pinterest to engage your followers.

Of course, the key to developing strong group boards is to develop strong relationships with your fellow food bloggers and Pinterest pinners. That means getting out there and engaging the community, even if it’s from the comfort of your own couch. Spend some time exploring Pinterest, commenting and re-pinning. Just be careful not to lose a whole week; it’s easy to get addicted.

There are a plethora of social media platforms out there these days. Pinterest may be the most valuable for the food blogger or writer. It’s set up so perfectly to help drive traffic to your site by providing highly stimulating. visual content.

Pinterest is fun and addicting. While your hands may be full trying to devise recipes and figure out the best light to photograph in, take a break and explore Pinterest. Get involved with the community and share your love of food with those who love it as much as you do. Use Pinterest to market your stie to the pinning masses. Watch your audience grow. Oh, and have fun!