How to upload video on Pinterest - Anita Hendrieka - The first knowledge sharing application in Vietnam

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If you’re a blogger or run an online business, you probably know how vital Pinterest Marketing is.

Especially if your business requires operating through an online storefront, then Pinterest is the right platform.

Not only can you connect your store’s website or create a storefront on Pinterest, but you can use it for a range of marketing strategies.

From creating idea Pins to ads, Pinterest allows you to upload a range of content to promote what you’re offering.

One of the newer additions to Pinterest’s vast content types is video Pins. Like most creators, I had wanted to add video to Pinterest for a long time but had difficulty understanding how to upload video on Pinterest.

How to upload video on Pinterest, black clapper with popcorn coming out of it on bright yellow background Photo by GR Stocks on Unsplash

As a travel blogger and small business owner, videos help me engage with my audience better. I can create more meaningful content that viewers prefer over audio, static imagery or textual content.

However, when I first heard that Pinterest allows you to create video Pins, I was partially ecstatic and confused about how to upload video on Pinterest.

There weren’t a lot of authentic and valuable resources other than the main help page on Pinterest’s official website that gives a brief account of how to upload video on Pinterest.

Paving my path to understanding how this new form of content works, I figured I am probably not the only one out there with no clue how to upload a video to Pinterest.

And, of course, you are one of those too. That’s why you searched for “how to upload video on Pinterest” and found my article.

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In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to upload videos on Pinterest.

Mục lục bài viết

Can you post videos on Pinterest?

Of course! Platforms have drastically changed from what they were in the early 2010s. There are tons of platforms and plenty of ways of content types.

Specifically, for the platform in question, Pinterest, video Pins seemed a bit of a stretch at the start.

Why would a visual search engine have video Pins? Aren’t there enough video search engines? Why do we need another one?

But why not?

Pinterest is the holy grail for those who are into DIY-ing their lives or need inspiration before they start a new project.

How convenient and cool would it be to find an idea for your project and an instructional video to go with it all in one platform?

You can save video Pins to the same Pinterest board you save your standard pins. That’s convenient and saves a lot of time when searching for ideas.

You wouldn’t have to switch back and forth between multiple apps or websites.

Platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat have familiarized the world with their vertical and square form of video content.

It was about time we had something like Pinterest video Pins – which we do now (yay!)

guide to Pinterest video pins, two people looking at and pointing to something on a laptop screen Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

Before we jump to how to upload video on Pinterest, let’s answer the second-most asked query regarding Pinterest video Pins: Can I pin a video on Pinterest?

Of course! You can save video Pins on Pinterest on any of your boards. You don’t need a separate board for a standard or idea Pin and a different one for a video Pin.

There are two different ways of adding Pinterest video Pins: Either you can create a simple video Pin or an idea Pin for relatively longer videos, and you can also include a short description and title to go with that.

We’ll discuss these two content types later.

You might be wondering whether Pinterest has unique video-sharing features like the other social media apps? Are there plenty of formats and ways of uploading etc.?

To sum it up, in this post, I’ll answer all your questions regarding Pinterest video Pins.

Apart from the basics of how to upload video to Pinterest, I will also talk about some of the ways you can make use of marketing automation for video Pins on Pinterest.

How to upload video to Pinterest (step-by-step)

Video Pins are an excellent way of describing your brand’s journey or creative process.

A captivating cover image and smooth transitions are all you need to keep your audience hooked on what your brand offers.

Besides that, premium-quality content helps convert a potential lead into a prospect and eventually a client for your business.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to upload a video to Pinterest.

The first step of “how to upload video on Pinterest” is ensuring you have a Pinterest business account.

Either you need to convert from a regular user account to a Pinterest Business Account or create a Pinterest Business Account from scratch.

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Once you’ve created a Pinterest Business Account, or logged into an existing one, follow these steps:

On the top-left of your screen (Pinterest home page), there’s a “Create” button. Click on that.
Next, click on “Create Pin”. A command prompt will pop up on your screen.
Click the up arrow on the prompt to browse from your gallery or drag and drop a video into the platform’s uploader.
Next, you will select a thumbnail or cover image for your video Pin. Drag the selector right or left to choose a thumbnail from the video you have uploaded.
Once you’ve uploaded the video, it’s time for your Pin’s copy. Write a catchy title and a short yet informative description, attach a destination link (this could be a link to your blog or store’s website) and add tags relevant to the video.
Once the video is uploaded and you’ve written the necessary content, it’s ready for publishing. You can either publish it right on the spot or schedule it for later.
Click “Create board” from the dropdown menu to publish the video Pin.
Click on “Publish” in the command prompt that pops up.

Pinterest takes 24 to 48 hours to review your Pin and approve it for publishing. After that, your Pin will be published automatically or whenever you schedule it.

These eight steps sum up how to upload video on Pinterest. However, there are a few more things you must know while you’re learning how to upload video on Pinterest.

Knowing these tips can make your content more engaging and compelling for the viewers.

For instance, you can also upload more than one video on Pinterest. If there’s an instructional video that you plan on uploading, you can break it down into smaller chunks and upload them.

To upload more videos, follow the steps listed above.

For Pinterest SEO purposes, you can make your Pins accessible by adding alternative text to them. Alternative or alt text helps explain what a user sees in your Pin.

how to add video to Pinterest, turned on iMac screen with video editing software open Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

How long can videos be on Pinterest?

The duration of Pinterest videos can be anywhere between four seconds to fifteen minutes.

Any video Pin longer than fifteen minutes will have to be trimmed before being uploaded to Pinterest.

No “how to upload video on Pinterest” guide will tell you how to add videos longer than fifteen minutes on Pinterest.

What size should videos be for Pinterest?

Pinterest’s help desk states that video files must not be more than 2GB.

So, on average, a 2GB video file can be between ten to thirty minutes, depending on the camera quality and amount of editing you put into it.

Regarding the videos for Pinterest ads, the allowed duration is between four seconds and fifteen minutes.

However, Pinterest recommends keeping the length of video ads between six to fifteen seconds. The longer the ad, the less engaging it becomes.

If you’ve searched for how to upload video on Pinterest, you probably also want to know the aspect ratio and the file type required for uploading videos.

Don’t worry; we’ve included everything you need to know.

The recommended file types by Pinterest are .mp4, .mov and .m4v. Similarly, the aspect ratio for a video Pin is taller than 1.9:1 for a standard video and shorter than 1:2.

Other recommended ratios are 1:1 (square) or the vertical ratios of 2:3, 4:5 and 9:16.

How to use videos on Pinterest, Pinterest logo on red background Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash

Video pin vs standard Pin

If you’ve searched for how to upload video on Pinterest, most likely, you already know how to navigate Pinterest if you’re a business owner or blogger.

And you most definitely know what a standard Pin is – the regular image pin you see on Pinterest.

So, why is an article on “how to upload video on Pinterest” talking about a standard image Pin?

Or, why does someone with an online presence like you need both types of content to stand out from the crowd?

Well, first of all, here’s the difference between the two:

Video Pin is a simple video post on Pinterest. It is similar to an image Pin but has a video, instead of a static image. To upload a video Pin, you would follow the steps mentioned earlier.
A standard Pin is an image posted on Pinterest. It’s in a portrait style and added to Pinterest boards. It complies with the recommended dimensions for a standard image which are 1000 x 1500 pixels.

So, why do you need both as a business owner?

Ideally, Pinterest is a visual search engine which started as an image-sharing platform. So, people will always use Pinterest for its catchy or aesthetic visuals, whether in an image form or video.

But then, does it matter if you choose either? Yes, and no.

As a business owner or blogger, your online presence depends on your content’s engagement and compelling factors.

Sure, you can click aesthetically pleasing images of a landscape and put that up on your travel blog, but aren’t there already thousands, perhaps millions, of such images on Pinterest?

That’s where your skills as a creative come in. Don’t just post a scenic image of the last place you went to.

Make a short video with cool transitions and a captivating cover image. Maybe add a short description like “10 things to pack when travelling to XYZ”, and add a link to your blog.

Your video could give a glimpse into the “things” you’ve talked about in your blog, but the blog would have more detailed information on what you’re trying to convey.

There you have it. Not only will your video Pins be visually pleasing, but they have a call-to-action like a link or a short description with a captivating or thought-provoking question.

guide to uploading videos on Pinterest, whiteboard with the word audience and several arrows pointing towards it Photo by Melanie Deziel on Unsplash

Do videos perform well on Pinterest?

If you have made it this far into this guide for how to upload video on Pinterest, you’re probably 50% convinced of the importance of including video Pins in your brand or blog’s content marketing strategy.

But the remaining 50% is you second-guessing whether video Pins are that big deal.

So, now let’s move on to the “why”.

First, don’t get intimidated by the amount of work that goes into creating a video Pin – the idea generation, filming, editing, copywriting and publishing.

Initially, you might feel like it is taking a toll on you, but the long-run impact of creating engaging video content for your target audience supersedes the pain of creating that content.

It also depends on what your blog or business is about and the amount of effort you need to put in.

If you already have a digital marketing strategy, you are probably creating content for other social media platforms.

So, adding another one shouldn’t be a hassle, especially if it’s a relatively easy-to-use platform like Pinterest.

If you have already been creating video content for another platform, you can do some readjustment and upload the same or start from scratch. Your call!

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So, are video Pins worth it?

1. More information

Compared with the standard Pins (the plain portrait style images), a video Pin is more upfront about the value your business or blog is trying to generate for the viewer.

There is room for putting out more information than what a 1000 x 1500 pixels image can fit.

2. Higher click-through rate (CTR)

Videos have a greater CTR, as is clear from popular video search engine platforms and the point of this “How to upload video on Pinterest” article.

Viewers are more inclined to engage with a video and click on whatever link, profile or post is attached. So, video Pins can be of excellent service if you’re trying to divert traffic to your blog.

3. Video Pins appear at the top of search results on mobile phones

When a user searches for something on Pinterest, video Pins appear first in the search results.

More than 80% of Pinterest users navigate the platform on their phones, so your video Pins are more likely to show up than your standard Pins for the same keyword.

4. Videos can be searched separately

Pinterest users can search video Pins separately. Similar to searching separately for a board or Pinterest user, viewers can look up videos separately.

Another plus point is to finish this “how to upload video on Pinterest” article and get going with your content creation game!

Now that you know how to upload video on Pinterest, it is time for you to take Pinterest marketing, especially video Pins, seriously.

Video Pins are a relatively new form of content for Pinterest users, especially those not engaging with other video-sharing platforms. It is your time to shine through your video content.

Not only can you get your video Pins to the top of search results, but you gain more traction for your blog or website!

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We have reached the end of this short guide on how to upload video on Pinterest. It’s time for you to start brainstorming and filming short-form video content for your Pinterest Business account.

How to best use video pins on pinterest, open laptop with a screen displaying Pinterest Photo by Fahim Reza on Unsplash