Teachers are making thousands of dollars per month selling lesson plans and templates on Teachers Pay Teachers. When Amanda came to me she was just starting her consulting business and taking her lesson plans online. In the years since working with Amanda I have worked with dozens of other teachers. One of my very own current clients is a teacher seller and her store makes millions of dollars per year.

In this post, I’m going to break down what a Pinterest strategy would look like for a teacher seller using Pinterest for Teachers Pay Teachers.

She knew she could use Pinterest to send traffic to her store she just didn’t know what to do or how to do it.

Pinterest marketing for teachers is bringing in a new source of organic and paid traffic. It’s allowing some teachers who feel called to quit their traditional jobs and work for themselves.

Promoting Teachers Pay Teachers on Pinterest

Ever wondered how a splash of creativity and strategic pinning on Pinterest could catapult your Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) products into the spotlight? Pinterest is just the place that fellow educators are going to sell their products. 

Pinterest isn’t just about random discovery; it’s the holy grail for TpT sellers – a bustling marketplace where educators are on the hunt, eager to gather fresh resources as they plan their classroom decor and lesson plans.

Here’s the beauty of it: Pinterest users love to plan and organize, and what better matches their hyper organized behavior than Pinterest?

Pinner Behavior

Pinner behavior is very much in line with taking time to really gather and curate options on Pinterest boards before buying anything.

Pinners are planners and sometimes take an average of 18 days before they make a purchase.

They are looking for the best options to suit their needs.

With your pinterest marketing strategy to sell digital products, your pins are being sharing to an audience of dedicated educators scrolling with intent to purchase. By promoting your Teachers Pay Teachers store on Pinterest, you’re stepping into a visually charged environment, your TpT products are under the spotlight of hundreds of thousands of prospective buyers.

Targeted pins serve up your digital products to the exact audience searching for them. We’re not just hurling products into the digital void – we’re strategically serving up Pinterest visuals aligned with the pain points of teachers searching for that perfect classroom resource. Make no mistake, embracing Pinterest to promote your TpT products isn’t just smart; it’s non-negotiable for recognizing the value of your offerings if you want a long-term sustainable marketing strategy.

Creating a Board Strategy for Your Teaching Products

When it comes to Pinterest you need to start with a highly targeted Pinterest SEO strategy that will support your overall boards as well. You want to think about the different ways someone is searching for your products and make boards for those.

For example, if you sell classroom management tools you may have boards for the following:

• Classroom Management Strategy for 2nd Grade Teachers
• Classroom Planning Resources for New Teachers
• Teacher Planners for Lessons Plans

Then you will create pins that go with each corresponding board. This is going to help you to feed your Pinterest board strategy. For more information on this check out our full video on YouTube.

Creating Pinterest-Friendly TpT Product Images

Let’s dive right into transforming your TpT product visuals into absolute scroll-stoppers on Pinterest. Here’s a thing: Pinterest is a visual search engine so you have to have click-worthy graphics in order to get people to pay attention.

You’re going to showcase your teachers pay teachers products in a variety of ways. Here are a few examples that I really think do a great job.

Take photos of your own products

Take photos of the classroom with resources in the photo

Use mockups of your products

Now, conjure up this image: Vibrant colors, crisp fonts, and that perfect blend of text and imagery that screams ‘click me.’ That’s your goal. Overlay your pin with a Pinterest keyword targeting your TpT product. It’s not just about slapping on some text onto a pretty image – it’s the art of seduction, the dance between curiosity and visuals.

If you’re at all wondering what your keyword should be you can start with your TpT keywords.

SignUp for our FREE Pinterest Keyword Workshop

Common Pinterest Pin Sizing: 

• 1000×1500
• 1080×1920

You can and should use video in your Pinterest pin strategy as well. Wondering what other pins you can make? I give you 3 more ideas in this video.

Crafting Compelling Pin Descriptions

Okay, let’s spill the real tea on pin descriptions because they are your secret weapon to make those Pinterest teachers pay teachers pins do the heavy lifting. I’m talking about engaging your potential buyers and skyrocketing your TpT product to the top of search results. But here’s the drill: you can’t just stuff keywords in there like it’s a Thanksgiving turkey. No, no.

You want to use keywords in sentence format. I like to use the 5x5x500 method where I take 5 keywords and write 5 sentences for each totaling around 500 characters.

Now here’s a caveat…. your e-commerce platforms may overwrite your Pinterest pin descriptions so if that is the case you will need to ensure your shop listing is optimized for the platform you’re on and the Pinterest search.

Building a Pinterest Marketing Strategy for Teacher Products

Let’s delve right into crafting that rock-solid Pinterest marketing strategy for your treasure trove of TpT products.

Here are your pillars:

• Content strategy – i.e. the pins you make
• Pinterest keyword strategy
• Pinterest board strategy
• Pin design
• Pinterest trends
• Analytics

A well-thought-out strategy over random pinning is like. Here’s the deal, we start by identifying our target audience – know those savvy educators and voracious learners who love collecting resources like yours. They’re your bullseye.

You’re going to start by going after them in your keyword strategy for Pinterest. Your boards, descriptions, pins, profile display name, bio – all have keywords that pinners are searching for.

Your board strategy should encompass topics you create products and blogs on as well as any other supporting resources your audience would appreciate.

Your pin design is going to be the arrow in this story. Your keywords are the bow and your pins are the arrow. You need them to land so be strategic with your images, keywords used and the board you put them on.

Utilizing Pinterest Trends in Your Pinterest Strategy

Next up, Pinterest trends…. a lot of teachers have a couple really big seasons on Pinterest for their content. You also have the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere to think about.

This Pinterest strategy is often glossed over—leveraging Pinterest Trends. We’re not just talking about throwing a few seasonal keywords into the mix and calling it a day. The real magic happens when you meticulously dissect what’s trending on Pinterest and mirror that in your pins.

You are going to use the trends 30-90 days in advance to really get your pins going before a trend happens. You want to ride the way not be clobbered by it. You want to publish like the arrow is showing when the trend is low so you can be on the platform when it’s rising.

But I don’t just want you to hop on every single bandwagon. Use discretion. Align your TpT products with trends that make sense. Got a product that fits with an up-and-coming holiday? Get ahead of the rush and start pinning weeks before. It’s all about timing and relevance. Use those trend insights to inform not just the products you promote but also the content you create. This could be the big difference—pinners planning their lessons could stumble across your timely, trendy products and it’s a match made in heaven!

Bear in mind, trend spotting is not about guesswork. It requires the same level of precision as crafting those top-notch product images and descriptions. With each pin, with every board, you’re telling Pinterest, “This is what I bring to the table.” And when their trends align with your content, well, that’s when the Pinterest algorithm nods in approval and showers you with reach and engagement.

Related: Pinterest Trends Tool: How to Use the New Pinterest Keyword Tool

Leveraging Pinterest Analytics

Okay, let’s dive right into the goldmine that is Pinterest Analytics because I’m telling you, this tool is like having a crystal ball for your TpT store’s Pinterest strategy. Pinterest Analytics doesn’t just spit out numbers and graphs; it tells a story about what’s resonating with your ideal educators and what’s not.

Now, when you pop into your analytics dashboard, the first thing that’s going to catch your eye are those big, beautiful metrics—impressions, saves, clicks, engaged audience… But wait, don’t just do a happy dance when you see numbers climbing. I want you to play detective. Ask yourself, why did that pin about classroom management get more saves than your usual content? Was it the eye-catching image, or was it because you hit the nail on the head with those pain points teachers face?

Related: Pinterest Analytics: A Simple Guide to Read & Analyze Your Data

But don’t just stop at what’s poppin’ right now. Use Pinterest Analytics to suss out long-term trends. Are certain topics a hit during back-to-school season? Are your organizational tools for teachers the must-have during conference times? This is premium intel for crafting that follow-up product or blog post that’ll keep your TpT store the talk of the teacher’s lounge.

By getting cozy with Pinterest Analytics, you’re not tossing pins into the void and hoping for the best. You’re making each pin count, each strategy smarter, and speaking of smart, that’s what your next steps should be—calculated, data-driven, and I’ll bet, pretty darn successful.

The Role of a Teacher’s Blog

Diving straight into the meat and potatoes here—maintaining a blog as a teacher isn’t just a side hustle; it’s a power move. Think about it. You’ve got this treasure trove of expertise, right? You’re crafting these golden nuggets of TpT products that are already helping folks. But imagine coupling that with a blog, a space to share your insights, stories, and strategies further. It’s like inviting your audience into your classroom where you dish out even more value.

Now, don’t just stop there. Each blog post you hammer out becomes this dual-threat when you transition that content over to Pinterest. Repurpose your posts into catchy, pinnable graphics and boom—you’re directing traffic right back to your blog and TpT store simultaneously. Now you’ve got this self-feeding cycle; your blog supports your TpT products, and your Pinterest presence brings in the viewers. It’s like each component’s got the other’s back in this symbiotic dance of credibility and content marketing.

The strategic move here includes visuals on Pinterest that hook your audience. Lift those choice quotes, snazzy infographics, or snapshot summaries from your blog, sprinkle some Pinterest magic, and watch as those pins start working overtime. It’s not just about increasing sales, it’s about building that trust and establishing yourself as the go-to guru in your field. It’s leveraging the eyes on Pinterest, and guiding them through a journey that starts with curiosity and ends with them hitting that buy button on your TpT store. It’s just smart business—it’s a long term sustainable marketing channel.

Promoting Seasonal and Holiday-Themed Products

Timing in marketing is like catching the wave just right – it’s exhilarating, and when you nail it, oh boy, does it pay off. Imagine it’s just before the back-to-school craze, teachers are on the hunt for fresh lesson plans, and bang – your Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) store pops up with exactly what they need. That’s the magic of nailing the seasonal market on Pinterest with your TpT products.

Here’s my take on strategizing for seasons and holidays that’ll have your TpT store buzzing like a bumblebee in a field of flowers. First, I’m digging into my content calendar and planting pins at strategic times. A rule of thumb? Start pinning your seasonal content about 30-90 days in advance.

Now, when crafting those holiday-themed pins, I’m not just throwing up a product shot and calling it a day. No, no, no. It’s about setting the scene. A Halloween worksheet nestled among autumn leaves?

• Compiled Timely Boards: I’ve got boards for every occasion on my Pinterest profile. When Halloween rolls around, I’ve already curated a spooky collection on my board, ready for the picking.
• Dressed-Up Descriptions: I’m peppering my pin descriptions with seasonal keywords. Those little phrases are like breadcrumbs that lead Hansel and Gretel right to my TpT product’s gingerbread house.
• Rich Resource Pins: I’m also serving up some seriously value-packed resource pins. A free sample of a Christmas-themed activity might just be the appetizer that leads to the feast – the full product purchase.
• Strategic Sequencing: Now, remember that your promotion game needs a sense of rhythm. I’m not unleashing all my goodies in one go; I’m spreading them out, maintaining a steady drumbeat of anticipation with teasers leading up to the major holidays.

With pins primped for the holiday school bell, you’re set to propel your TpT store right into the limelight. Keep that Pinterest snowball rolling; because, after all, every teacher’s out there looking for that perfect resource, and with your timing aligned just right, it can make all the holiday difference.

Next Steps and Keeping Momentum

Alright, listen up because I’m about to drop some knowledge bombs on keeping that Pinterest strategy strong. Once you’ve laid the groundwork with your Pinterest teachers pay teachers strategy and your TpT product pins are all jazzed up and looking sharp, you can’t just sit back like, “Yep, my work here is done.” Nope, the digital world waits for no one, and Pinterest marketing strategy to sell digital products is a beast that needs constant feeding.

• Regular Pinning: Keep that content rolling out consistently. Schedule your pins because, let’s be frank, you have a life, right? Tools like Tailwind save your sanity and keep your feed fresh.
• Content Creation: Create new TpT products and accompanying pins, but also recycle the gold from your existing content. A fresh take on an old resource? Yes, please!
• Pinterest Trends: Tap into those Pinterest analytics, spot the trends, and ride those waves early. Promoting your teachers pay teachers store on Pinterest means being a bit of a trendsetter yourself.
• Networking: Collaborate with other Pinterest teachers pay teachers champs. Swap shoutouts, share boards, and cross-pollinate audiences. It’s like multiplying your presence without cloning – which if we could do, we totally would.
• Educate and Innovate: Keep leveling up your skills. Pinterest is an ever-evolving platform, so upskilling is non-negotiable.
• Reflect and Revise: Regularly revisit your Pinterest marketing strategy. What worked last month might be this month’s old news. Analyze, adapt, and advance.
• Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose: Repurpose TikToks and Reels from IG that are performing really well and link them to your resources.

The key is to maintain that momentum by strategically updating and invigorate your approach. Pinterest for teachers is a marathon, not a sprint, and there’s always room to up your game. Keep those creative juices flowing, keep interacting with your community, and your Pinterest presence could be the thing that skyrockets your TpT store into an online sensation.

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