When it comes to Pinterest, there is no question video pins are the superstars right now with increasing engagement and popularity.

Before you jump on that gravy train, however, there are some very specific things to keep in mind for successful results.

Let’s look at 10 Pinterest video best practices so you can create truly powerful content.

What are Pinterest videos?

Pinterest video pins are basically Pinterest pins that you publish to your boards, except in video format. They were introduced to Pinterest users in early 2017 and Pinterest updated their video pin publishing format in 2019.

Video pins have continued to explode in popularity on Pinterest since then. Even now, they are fast becoming the most efficient way to reach a broad audience and receive engagement at the same time.

The purpose of a video pin is to offer high-quality content to viewers in a matter of seconds, introducing a new idea or method. 

Video pins offer high-quality content to viewers in a matter of seconds, introducing a new idea or method.

From basic video pins to video ads and promoted videos, Pinterest pins are massively successful because they offer much more valuable information at a glance to the user, thus increasing exposure to the company or brand that has published the video.

Pinterest video pins are a highly effective way to tell a story, teach something, inspire, or share beautiful content in a matter of seconds. 

Because 85% of Pinterest users are already primed for a project and are searching with intent, using a video to give that information is a ripe opportunity to gain a strong following.

Since most Pinterest users say they are more likely to watch a video on a topic rather than read something, creating pins to stop the scroll and get your content seen isn’t just a good business move. It’s now becoming necessary to stay current in front of your audience.

What are Pinterest video best practices?

Simply put, Pinterest video best practices are a set of guidelines that you need to keep in mind when creating video pins for Pinterest.

These guidelines by Pinterest help keep the user’s experience positive and inspired and makes Pinterest successful overall.

Following these guidelines primes your pins for higher engagement and click-through, which means website traffic and opportunity for conversions. Summed up, that’s more revenue!

We’ll go over the most important guidelines for you in detail, so you can literally create the perfect video in a matter of minutes.

1. Pinterest video pin size and duration

Pinterest recommends a minimum of 540 x 960 pixels when creating vertical video pins.

Pinterest recommends a minimum of 540 x 960 pixels when creating vertical video pins.

Experiment with different video sizes to see which ones get more engagement, but keep these recommendations in mind to avoid low-performing videos.

Wave.video offers ready-made templates to make your life easier and cut the fuss, so you can focus on content creation. If you’re just beginning creating video pins, start by using these ready-made templates.

 

2. Video pin’s title, description, tags & links

Similar to standard pins, video pins with a compelling title and description will perform better overall.

The point of video pins on Pinterest is to create visually compelling content that tells a story and inspires the viewer. It’s important to put that same effort into your verbiage in the title and description as well.

• Title 

Take advantage of your title to heighten interest. You have up to 100 characters to create a compelling headline.

Take advantage of your title to heighten interest. You have up to 100 characters to create a compelling headline.

• Description

Use the longer description box to supply your viewer with enough information that they want to know more. According to Pinterest video best practices, your description should be longer than 100 characters.

• Tags

Add popular and relevant Pinterest tags to index your video so it ranks accurately in the feed.

• Links

Don’t forget to link to your website! You can also tag products within the video.

3. Create a compelling Pinterest video pin, even without sound

Part of the fun and creativity in creating video pins for Pinterest is being able to use sound, whether it be you speaking directly or audio background.

There’s an important detail for you to keep in mind. A large number of Pinterest viewers will see your video while scrolling through their feed on their phone and their sound may be off.

Create your video with that in mind so you don’t lose impact, even if the viewer watches your video without sound.

If the Pinterest video is of you speaking, add subtitles or text overlay. If your video is instructional or listicle, add text overlay with list items.

You can use colorful text that pops off each scene and keeps your viewer’s attention. The longer they view, the higher chance of getting that click!

4. Design an impacting and creative cover photo

Just like with standard pins, your video pin has less than a second to “stop the scroll.” That’s why it’s important to take advantage of your cover photo.

Plan your video cover photo. Design a graphic that is eye-catching and hooks the viewer, making them pause. Once they’ve paused, your video has more opportunity to catch and hold their interest.

Design a graphic that is eye-catching and hooks the viewer, making them pause.

You can use a compelling portion of your own video, or use Wave.video’s stock footage options to create a scroll-stopping cover image.

5. Use Wave.video’s creative features for more impact

When you’re creating your video, Wav.video editor gives you the option to choose how you want each scene to enter the frame. 

You can make each scene fade in or pop into the frame, or a number of options for a scroll-stopping start to your Pinterest video pin.

Take advantage of features like this so you can create an animated and creative video that stands out in the feed.

6. Use the first 3 seconds of your video to grab attention

Start your video pin off with a bang. Captivate the viewer by opening your video with an eye-catching start.

What do you want your Pinterest video pin to accomplish? What are you trying to help the viewer achieve? How can you make that crispy clear and convey it in an interesting way?

Keep the purpose and message of your video pin concise to hold attention, provide information, and ultimately inspire.

7. Make your Pinterest video pin SEO friendly

Since you’re putting in the effort to create an awesome video pin, it needs to be seen! It’s important to keep SEO in mind when publishing your video.

Don’t forget to include keywords in your pin title and description. Remember to use fluid language and avoid keyword stuffing.

Don’t forget to include keywords in your pin title and description.

What makes Pinterest successful is its beautifully unique combination of social and search engine functionalities. Apply those very same concepts to your video pin.

Create artistic, expressive videos that add value and contribute something to Pinterest, but don’t forget to add the details (like keywords and phrases) to help your pin rank in search.

8. Brand your video pin

Naked pins don’t perform as well as branded ones. That’s because Pinterest viewers are more likely to click on something once they’ve formed a connection.

You’re offering value and inspiration to your audience, but now you need to connect.

How can you accomplish a branded Pinterest video pin, exactly? It’s not one-size-fits-all, but there are a few details you can fine-tune to make that pin absolutely yours and raise your brand awareness

Here are some details you can add to brand your pins:

• Brand colors
• Brand fonts
• Website name or logo
• YOU (an image or footage)
• Consistent aesthetics that match the content of your website (graphics and styling of elements, choice of photos).

9. Use call-to-action on your video pins

No doubt about it – strong click-to-action buttons raise conversions. Did you know you can add that to your video pins, too?

If your pin is designed to have a viewer click to your website, you can add compelling phrases like, “learn more,” or “find out how…” to your pin.

Place your click-to-action at the end of the video, once you’ve provided a juicy offer.

Heads up! Make good on that offer! If you claim to give the exact steps to do something, provide every step. Give them whatever it is they clicked for.

It’s important to give Pinterest viewers a quality experience. Everybody needs to feel like it’s a win-win.

10. Pin your video pin to relevant boards

This is an important rule when publishing standard pins, and the same rule applies to Pinterest videos.

In order to rank properly, you need to publish your video pin to a board that makes clear sense with the topic of your video content.

Pinning to an irrelevant board will confuse Pinterest’s algorithm, lowering your ranking power. Avoid that mess by publishing your video to relevant boards.

Ready to expand your Pinterest reach?

Pinterest video pins are a hot opportunity right now to grow your reach. If you’re waiting for the right time to make something happen on Pinterest, it’s now, and Pinterest videos are the ticket.

By following Pinterest video best practices and getting your creative gears turning, you can see rapid growth to your blog, business or brand.