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Pinterest has been testing Story Pins for several months, but they’ve only just officially been released as a beta test about a week ago. Story Pins are available to those with Pinterest Business Accounts, but you may or may not have access to them at this time.
What are Pinterest Story Pins?
Pinterest Story Pins are collections of up to 20 related pins. Unlike regular pins, Pinterest Story Pins do not allow a spot to include a link (for US based accounts). (Note: Pinterest Story Pins in other countries do allow you to add links, so this feature may be coming to the US.) Some social media commentators are stating that Pinterest is using Story Pins to promote users staying on Pinterest and not clicking to outside websites.
If you are thinking about Story Pins being similar to Stories on say Instagram or Facebook, they aren’t. They are permanent pins that do not disappear after a period of time.
How Do I Create a Pinterest Story Pin?
Pinterest Story Pins are created in Pinterest, either using the Pinterest App or the website. Here is a quick walkthrough using the Pinterest website:
- From your profile page, click ‘Create’ along the top. Then, select ‘Create Story Pin’.
2. The pin builder will launch and you can drag and drop or upload your images or videos into it. The recommended image size is 1080×1920.
3. After uploading, the pin builder will switch views and you’ll see all the images you just uploaded.
4. A few things to know about the pin builder:
- You can change the order of the pins by dragging them around. You can add up to 20 images.
- In the ‘Layout’ tab, there are two layouts to choose from. One allows you to add text under it.
- The ‘Image’ tab allows you to edit the image.
- From the ‘Text’ tab, you can overlay text onto your image.
Click ‘Next’ when you are happy with your arragement.
5. Choose a theme for your Story Pin. You can choose from: Recipe, Crafts, or Blank. Then, add details about your pin. For my pins, I’m choosing ‘Blank’, and then adding details. It is important to put a link to where the buyer can buy your products in the details section. (Alternatively, you can also put your shop link on the images… or both!)
Click ‘Next’ after you’ve added the details.
6. Finally, add the audience details. Give your Story Pin a keyword rich title, choose a board, and add related tags. (Note: Tags are populated in Pinterest and there aren’t a lot to choose from.)
Last, click the ‘Publish’ button to put your Story Pin on Pinterest.
Are Story Pins Worth It on Pinterest?
So, are they worth it? In my opinion, it depends on your goal.
- If you are looking to drive traffic to your website directly from your Story Pin – then no, Pinterest Story Pins are not worth your time right now. They may be worth your time if links are allowed at a future date.
- If you are looking to drive traffic to your Pinterest account – then yes, Pinterest Story Pins are worth it. See, Pinterest has recently rolled out Story Pins and they are putting a lot of effort into promoting Story Pins throughout the network. Accounts using Story Pins see a lot of views on their Story Pins – and quickly. This may lead to new followers on Pinterest. Additionally, what I’ve personally seen is that it also leads to increased views on the pins I upload immediately before and after the Story Pins.
Example Story Pins
Interested in seeing some Story Pins live on Pinterest?
Next time, I’ll share ideas for using Story Pins in your craft business.
Need help using Pinterest in your Silhouette or Cricut business? Check out my book.
Since 2015, Christine Schinagl has been helping crafters start and run craft businesses through her blog, Cutting for Business. As a Silhouette and Cricut crafter herself, she has a unique take on what works and what doesn’t work in the craft business world. She also teaches a course on creating digital SVG designs, available at How to Design SVGs.