Are you looking for more avenues to market your business through video?
Were you aware that Pinterest allows video posts?
If not, don’t worry most businesses aren’t aware either.
So, you are now probably wondering exactly how to upload videos to Pinterest?
Video marketing has taken social media by storm. Whether you post an advertisement or a tutorial, you can engage and generate more leads with the help of a video. That is exactly why 62% of B2B digital marketers think that video content is an effective marketing tactic.
Most marketers tend to prefer uploading videos to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Vimeo. But Pinterest is slowly picking up steam when it comes to video content. So much, that “how to upload videos to Pinterest” is becoming a trending topic.
The platform isn’t complicated so it is easy to get a hang of it. We have the step by step guide for you in your quest of how to upload videos to Pinterest.
Pinterest over the past few years has really grown in terms of users. The number of users multiplied by two and a half folds in the past two years to 250 million. It’s not just about the millions of users but the platform presents businesses with a unique way to market.
You can post content in the form of images and video with description. The content can then be shared with anyone on Pinterest, through the process of pinning. Pinned content when clicked by a third person links back to you.
This process leads to direct sales where a business can advertise products and services. If the viewer would like to buy it, they can then click on the content providing it directs them to the appropriate page.
If your business has been marketing with videos then this is another platform you can upload them to. Most businesses have yet to join the video pin party. Giving you the chance to stand out with video pins amongst many images in your prospect’s feed.
Before we talk about how to upload videos to Pinterest, you need to understand who can upload the videos.
The functionality isn’t available to everyone just yet.
Who Can Upload Videos to Pinterest?
Video pins at the moment are exclusive to those that have a business account with Pinterest. So you need to establish a business account first before the functionality is enabled.
This means that Pinterest will ask you for billing information, so have a credit card handy.
For those that are not interested in paying for an active campaign to post videos, there is a way around it. You can enter your billing information and sign up, immediately after deactivating the campaign. This allows you to upload video pins and not have to pay for an active campaign. So you don’t have to worry about paying additional for the functionality.
Pinterest Video Specifications
The platform has a simple requirement for videos which are fairly easy to meet.
These show up as soon as you click to upload a video.
The specifications are as follows:
🎥 You can upload either a .mp4 or .mov file, encoded H.264.
🎥 The maximum file size of the video allowed is 2 GB.
🎥 It can be anywhere from 4 seconds to 30 minutes long.
The platform also provides you with some suggestions for the video:
✅ Keep them short, between 10-20 seconds.
✅ The frame rate should be 25 FPS.
✅ The resolution of the video should be 240 PPI.
✅ It should be shot in either square (1:1) or vertical (9:16) scale.
If you have made videos before, you know these specifications are pretty ordinary. You can even shoot with your phone and meet these requirements. Most videos you should shoot for Instagram can easily be pinned on to Pinterest.
Now that we have the who and the video requirements are taken care of. We can move on to how to upload videos to Pinterest.
How to Upload Videos to Pinterest
Step #1: Uploading The Video
Just like you would with posting an image, start by clicking the “+” button. You will see the option to “upload video” click that and proceed.
You will then be directed to a screen that shows you the requirements and suggestions for the video. At the bottom right, there is a button “choose a file,” this is where you’ll select the appropriate video.
Once you have selected the file, the video will begin to upload. During this process, you can select the thumbnail you want to display. You have two options here, you can either go with a thumbnail that is suggested or upload a custom one.
Like with most other platforms, it is always better to opt for a custom thumbnail. This gives you a chance to make a better first impression with the video. You can also use text in the thumbnail if you want. But make sure not to overcrowd the thumbnail with text.
#Step 2: Video Optimization
After selecting the thumbnail, you will be directed to a window to edit the pin. You will need to spend a little time here and make sure you have the perfect title and description.
You will want to use the right keywords in both so that when searched by the targeted audience, it appears fairly high up.
Once you have saved the details, you will be given a preview of what the board will look like.
Top Tips for Pinterest Videos
Tip 1: Keep the video short
While Pinterest allows you to upload a video of up to 30 minutes in length, you want to keep it as short as possible. The platform suggests that videos should be kept between 10 to 20 seconds. The reason for that is because users have a short attention span. They aren’t going to stick around to watch a 5 minute or longer video. If you truly want your content to be effective, it has to be pitched fast and in an engaging manner.
At times, 20 seconds will be short for a video to get its message across. The maximum time limit we recommend for a video is 2 minutes. You need to make sure that the content is engaging throughout.
Tip #2 Start with your branding
Don’t wait till the end to show your branding, you should start your video with it. A study shows that viewers are more likely to remember your brand if it is displayed in the first 3-seconds of the video. While the study was conducted by Facebook, it still applies to Pinterest. It relates to how viewers watch videos on social media.
Tip #3 Pin Your Instagram Stories
You will benefit greatly if you decide to use Pinterest and Instagram in harmony, especially as you start to post video pins. Both platforms have more or less the same requirements for videos so whenever you shoot a story on Instagram you can easily pin it.
The best part is, stories are always short since Instagram has a 15-second limit per post. So the video you pin will be short. This way you can keep both the platform in mind as you shoot one video. This will save time and effort as one video would be used for both platforms.
Tip 4: Use Pinterest to your grow your social media presence
Pinterest is a great platform to boost your followers on other social media platforms too. You can pin videos from YouTube and Instagram and link them in the pin. This allows users to go directly to your page, watch the content and potentially follow you there also.
You can do the same to drive traffic to your website. The option to add a link to your video pin allows you to link and direct traffic to anywhere on the internet you like. So it doesn’t just impact the viewer through content but guides them too.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to upload videos to Pinterest. It’s fairly simple and we hope this guide has been useful.
You just need to make sure that the video you shoot is of decent quality and contains engaging content.
