Have you ever tried something you thought might be tricky, and were pleasantly surprised when it actually worked? It happened to me a short time ago. I was reading through a list of ways to optimize and make the most of Pinterest for my blog. I had done everything on the list except one thing. A Pinterest widget needed to be added to my sidebar, and I had no idea how to get it done. I noodled around, read through some tutorials, then gave it a try. Here’s what I learned.
Pinterest Gives a Terrific Boost to Blog Traffic
It’s no secret that Pinterest sends the most traffic to this blog. To increase my Pinterest visibility even more, I decided to add a Pinterest widget in the blog sidebar. The widget is interactive, and can be scrolled through. If you’re viewing this with a phone, the widget is down below the blog post. If you are viewing this post on a computer, just take a look at the top of the side bar on the right-hand side. Pretty cool, right? The pins I saved to my Pinterest account most recently are shown. If you promote your blog posts on Pinterest like I do, you will definitely want to try this. It’s easy! Here’s how to add a Pinterest widget to your WordPress blog to increase Pinterest engagement.
What in the World is a Widget?
A widget is kind of like a mini-application which links to another program. In this case, the Pinterest widget links directly to Pinterest. Here are the simple steps to installing one. Before you begin, you need to know this works best on a laptop. You should also have your WordPress editor open.
Go to the Widget Builder on the Pinterest Developers Site
On the Pinterest Developers page, go to the Widget Builder. Here’s a direct link: Pinterest Widget Builder. I’m not sure why, but on my laptop, the page display for this site is very tiny.
Follow These Steps in Pinterest Widget Builder (Option 1)
This first option is for those who do not yet have a featured board containing just their own pins. Perhaps you are just starting out on Pinterest and don’t have enough of your own content to fill a board. In that case, you will want to follow this option.
- Once you are on the Widget Builder, select the Profile option.
- Scroll down and enter your Pinterest URL in the box. You should see your Pinterest profile pop up in the preview window below.
- Select Square from the Size drop down menu.
- Scroll down and copy the html code from the Widget Builder.
Follow These Steps in Pinterest Widget Builder (Option 2)
This second option is for those who do have a featured board containing just their own pins. This is the ideal option, because you don’t want people clicking on content made by others. As long as you have a board containing your own pins exclusively, this is the option for you. There are only slight differences in the first two steps.
- Once you are on the Widget Builder, select the Board option.
- Scroll down and enter the URL of the board you want to use in the box. You should see the board pop up in the preview window below.
- Select Square from the Size drop down menu.
- Scroll down and copy the html code from the Widget Builder.
Follow These Steps in Your WordPress Editor Appearance (Both Options)
Once you have completed one of the options above and have gotten the html code and script code in the windows, proceed to this part of the process.
- In the left-hand menu in WordPress, go to Appearance>Widgets
- Drag a Custom HTML widget over to the Sidebar.
- Paste the code you copied from the Widget Builder into the Custom HTML widget and Save.
Follow These Steps in Your WordPress Editor Settings
- Briefly return to the Pinterest Widget Builder and copy the script code from the bottom window.
- In the left-hand menu in WordPress, go to Settings>Header Scripts box, if you have one.
- IMPORTANT: If your WordPress theme is like mine and does not have a Header Scripts box, you can install the Insert Headers and Footers plugin to allow you to paste custom scripts code into a header or footer. Here’s the link to the plugin, if you need it: Insert Headers and Footers plugin
- Paste the scripts code you copied into the Scripts in Header box and Save. If you have other lines of script already in the box, make sure you put this new script on a new line.
Prepare to be Amazed
I almost fell over in shock when I realized I had just successfully added a Pinterest widget to my blog and it worked! I tested it out in the web browser on my phone and my computer. Hooray!
Need Some More Pinterest Support to Increase Engagement?
If you use Pinterest to promote your blog or business, I have a Facebook group just for that purpose. It’s called Blogging Well with Pinterest. We have daily share threads, tips and advice. It’s a very supportive community of bloggers and entrepreneurs looking for ways to boost their Pinterest game. It would be great to have you join in!
How About You?
Do you have a favorite free technology tool you like to use? A favorite meeting tool? I’m always on the lookout for ways to make online communications more convenient, and I enjoy learning about innovative ways to interact. If you are a fan of technology tools, you might like to read my review of Visme Complete, a terrific tool for creating infographics, or my post about the free Zoom Meeting tool. You might also like my eBook containing information about some excellent free media tools for bloggers.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my site today. Have a wonderful week!
Lisa Mitchell is a school librarian who likes to use her job as an excuse to stay up far too late reading books and noodling around with tech tools.
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