Inspiring Women in Business Podcast - Episode 30 - What’s working on Pinterest in 2022 - Interview with Tami Abonga

podcast Jun 13, 2022

It is not easy to be visible and to put oneself out there for the people. However, when you think about your purpose of serving these people and that you have something to share, things become easier. You may think that what you have is so small and simple but it is exactly what other people need to take a step ahead. When you give up on your purpose, you’ll never know how close you are to making things happen.

In this episode, I interview Tami Abonga about what’s working on Pinterest in 2022. She also shares some great advice on starting or launching your own business online and overcoming the struggles of going out there and being visible to serve the people.

Listen and Enjoy!

Key takeaways from this episode:

If you have that mindset of serving, it will be easier for you to go out there and be visible.
Even if you are two steps ahead of the person you are trying to help, that is more than enough to help them because you have something that can help them get two steps ahead.
Pinterest works like a search engine so you have to think of what your target audience would be searching for. Find the keywords and use them in your content on Pinterest.
If you are thinking about using Pinterest, the best time is now, so that in six months or three months, you've already built that momentum and you started to build an audience on Pinterest as well.
Create blog posts, have the call to action, and pin them to Pinterest.
It's good to have a separate landing page for whatever lead magnet you've got.
Make sure that you are not just pinning the same thing over and over again instead, you should curate a feed of helpful content for your ideal audience.
Start small, be around other people who are doing the same thing as you, and just go for the business you want to do.
The whole point of being in business is to help people and to enjoy doing it.
When you give up, you'll never know how close you are to finally making things happen.
Focus on where you are and how you can help people while you build yourself up.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 Episode Intro

00:41 Intro

02:03 About Tami Abonga

02:32 What led Tami to her business today

06:40 How Tami overcomes the struggles of going online and talking to people

09:26 Tami’s advice on using Pinterest for business

10:50 How to find the keywords to use for your content

12:10 The best time to start using Pinterest for business

13:02 Getting leads from Pinterest

14:57 How Pinterest changed over the last few years

17:56 Tami’s advice for people who are starting a new business

22:07 Where to find more about Tami

Connect with Tami Abonga here:

Website: https://www.freshpinstudio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshpinstudio

More about Ruth:

Hi, I’m Ruth, a business coach specializing in helping freelancers and business owners adjust their mindset and their marketing so they can get fully booked with clients they LOVE to work with. I’ve helped hundreds of self-employed women achieve the time and money freedom they craved.

I’ve started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I’d created a glass ceiling for myself.

In 2017, I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn’t doing what I loved and fulfilling my true potential. It took a critical illness to give me that wake-up call. I don’t want the same to happen to you.

You can expect practical advice, inspiring stories, and a lot of aha moments as we uncover and kick to the curb all the obstacles you have been putting in your way.

I’m on a mission to inspire women to start and play bigger in business.

Connect and know more about Ruth here:

Coaching: https://www.ruthgilbey.com/coaching

Free Masterclass: https://www.ruthgilbey.com/the-sold-out-solution-2022

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthgilbeymarketingandcoaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruth_gilbey/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthgilbey/

Transcription

Ruth Gilbey 00:00

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to inspiring women in business podcasts. I've got Tami Abonga on the show today, and she's going to be talking about what's working on Pinterest in 2022. But she also shares some really great advice about starting or launching your own online business because she launched her business during the pandemic. She shares great advice about how you can get out of your own way. And if you're feeling frightened about being visible, or putting yourself out there, she shares advice on how to reframe that into serving and helping your perfect people. It's a great episode.

Ruth Gilbey 00:41

Hello, and welcome to the inspiring women in business podcast. My name is Ruth Gilbey, and I'm a business and marketing coach. I'm on a mission to inspire women to start and play bigger in business. Now I started this podcast because when I first went all in and left the corporate world to be a freelancer, I was just grateful for any work that came my way. After over 20 years of freelancing and working for other people, I started to realize I'd created a glass ceiling myself. It was in 2017 when I finally started listening to that voice that had been telling me for a long time that I wasn't doing what I loved, and I wasn't fulfilling my true potential. It took a critical illness to give me that wake-up call. And I don't want the same thing to happen to you. You can expect practical advice, interviews, inspiring stories, and a lot of aha moments as we uncover and kick to the curb. All the obstacles you've been putting in your way. Hi, everyone, welcome back to the inspiring women in business podcast. I am delighted to have Tami Abonga with me today who is a Pinterest strategist. Hi, Tami, thank you so much for being on the show today. How are you?

Tami Abonga 01:59

Good morning. Thank you so much for having me. I'm really, really excited to be here.

Ruth Gilbey 02:03

Can you just let everybody know who you are and who you help?

Tami Abonga 02:07

Yeah, so my name is Tami. I'm a Pinterest strategist. And I help coaches and service providers use Pinterest to attract leads and sign clients. Find clients passively.

Ruth Gilbey 02:16

Awesome, brilliant. So we're going to get into Pinterest today and how people can use that in 2022 for their business. But before we do that, I really am interested in what led you to have the business that you have today. Sure.

Tami Abonga 02:32

So I went to uni to study nutrition because I was always interested in like science and things like that. But then when I graduated, there weren't a lot of jobs in nutrition. And so I started a blog, just like on the side and I was like freelance writing. And then I was like struggling to kind of grow it. And then I was doing a lot of googling online. And people kept saying try Pinterest, try Pinterest. And it's like, okay, let me figure it out. And I ended up cracking the code. And one day I woke up with like hundreds of new people on my site. And people like signing up on my email list. And I was like, wow, this is really, really cool. And so I ended up blogging on the side for a bit. And I was working at a nine to five, but I really did not like I used to hate it. I used to cry sometimes like in the bathroom because it was just awful. Like waking up every day feeling like you had no true meaning you were just kind of going through the motions. And so like I would literally listen to like podcasts in one ear while I was like doing work or like in between calls, just because I really wanted to wake up every single day and do something that I actually loved. And then fast forward to 2020 When all the madness started kicking off, I ended up getting losing my job at the call center. And so I was like, You know what, I have this time now to do something that I actually want to do in something meaningful. What do I have in my hands that I can actually use and do something creative that I love? And because we were going into like lockdown, it was like February, March time, I was like, I know how to use Pinterest. Why don't I just help other women use that for their business? And so I began reaching out to businesses like those podcasts that I used to listen to. And I ended up pitching to her and I started signing clients and then fast forward a few years later, here I am.

Ruth Gilbey 04:20

That's amazing. So you, you turned it around, you turned around a really difficult situation where you know, you lost your job and you were like I'm going to do something about this. It's interesting how it's just such a stressful time isn't it losing your job, but something I've been through similar I've been made redundant in the past. But, you know, as stressful as those things are something good tends to come out of it, doesn't it?

Tami Abonga 04:46

Right? Like honestly, I look at it. And even in that situation. I think this has happened for a reason. And let me just try and make the best of it. And honestly, it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me because I wake up each day just like just having flexibility, I get to do something that I love, like the customers and the clients that I have getting seeing, like their positive feedback and seeing them finding clients from Pinterest. It just makes me so happy.

Ruth Gilbey 05:12

Yeah, so amazing. And you and I were talking about how just before we went on, before I pressed record, we were just talking about how I was looking you up before I was thinking, wow, you've done such a great job of getting on people's podcasts being so visible, you've got an amazing website and a course. And you've done all that in a relatively short amount of time, haven't you?

Tami Abonga 05:35

Yeah, honestly, I'd get really shocked. Because I'm like, No, don't look at me. But you know what, I just had a goal in mind. And if it will help other people. I'm a firm believer in like pouring into people. And if you've got something like no matter how small you think it is, if it can help someone else, you never know who needs it. Unlike you sometimes think, Oh, well, it's interesting, how's that gonna make a difference, but after, you know, working with like, my clients, they're like, I had no idea how to use it. And now it's helped my business so much. It's like this one little thing I've been able to give to someone else. And it's helped them and changed their lives. And I just think being able to give to other people is really, really amazing.

Ruth Gilbey 06:15

That's brilliant advice. Yeah, I mean, it's funny, I was having a conversation with someone yesterday, and she was saying, I hate putting myself out there. She was a marketer, Digital Marketer, and I like working for my clients. I hate putting myself out there. It terrifies me. I'm scared of putting myself out there. Yeah. How did you kind of when you were launching your own business? How did you kind of overcome that was a did you find it easy?

Tami Abonga 06:40

I did struggle with that. So like I started off with like doing outreach to people that I thought I could help or who would be a good fit. And that's how, like, I got my first few clients and like Facebook groups, and then I eventually I think it was some the beginning of 2021, I invested in I'd saved up and I'd invested in like a business coach. And she taught me how to like just outreach to people and you know, put your grow your visibility by, you know, going on, like podcasts and like serving. And if you have that mindset of service, it makes it easier for you to like get online because sometimes I still get the shakes when I have to do like an Instagram Live or something like that, like the other day I posted an Instagram story, and I was gonna delete it. But like you don't post it anyway, where I literally was going to speak to the camera, and then my mind went blank, but like, it's part of showing up online, it's not always going to be perfect. You're not always going to get it right. But just taking a small step, and just focusing on like, Okay, I'm here to serve, I have something that can help someone else. And the rest will work itself out.

Ruth Gilbey 07:44

No, that's great advice. I mean, that's what shifted my mindset. When I started my own business was like, think about who you're helping in, don't see it as selling, seeing as serving, which was a big shock. I was like how I like that, you know, or other messages around, you don't have to feel like the expert, just go and contribute, you know, and help go and help the person help your ideal client, I think if we can get out of our own way and stop thinking about how we look and how we help people. That's just such a great shift. And I can hear that when you're talking about serving and helping. So you've definitely made that shift.

Tami Abonga 08:21

Because that's a good thing. When you think about being like an expert, sometimes even I think oh my gosh, I don't know enough. Like one thing that doesn't go away, or I don't think it's gonna go anytime soon. It's like imposter syndrome and feeling like who are you to get online and help these people. But at the end of the day, even you don't necessarily have to be an "expert". Even if you're like two steps ahead of the person you're trying to help, that's more than enough to help them because you have something you have the knowledge and the information or the skills that can help them get two steps ahead. So even if it's two steps, that's still two steps ahead of where they would have been if you hadn't had helped them.

Ruth Gilbey 08:59

I think we're very aligned here too. So that's what I say as well. I say also, the person who's too far ahead of view sometimes can't help you because they're just too far ahead. They've forgotten where you are. So we've all got an ideal client. We've all got someone who was the best person to help them. So yeah, I love that. Right. Let's talk about Pinterest, then. So yes. What advice would you give someone who's thinking about using Pinterest for their business?

Tami Abonga 09:26

Definitely. My one piece of advice would be keywords because people kind of have this a bit of like misinformation about Pinterest where because it gets categorized as like a social media platform. People think oh, I need to like engage like with Instagram and like follow trends. But Pinterest works like a search engine like Google. And so when like you type something into Google, usually you're searching for something you've typed in specific keywords and Pinterest is the same way. And so if you are thinking about getting on Pinterest, you want to think about what your target audience would be searching for, and then you want to find those keywords and use them in your content. So when you're creating pins and the pin titles or pin descriptions on your actual pin images itself, because Pinterest can read the actual image, like the text on the image. And yeah, using keywords is one of the simplest and easiest things you can do on Pinterest just to start getting your reach higher, because the more relevant your keywords are, when your target audience searches, the higher up you will show in the search results. So that increases your chances of getting people to click over to your website where they can then sign up for like your email list. And now you've converted them into a lead or get passive sales. Eventually, we'll get sales inquiries. So using keywords is a great place to start.

Ruth Gilbey 10:43

And where do people start doing their research for this type of you know, for their own pins? And what they're going to be doing on Pinterest?

Tami Abonga 10:50

Yes, so there are a few ways of like finding keywords, you can use, like the search bar on Pinterest, and that comes up with like suggestions. So for example, if you were a health coach and you typed in health coach literally into Pinterest will come up with a drop-down menu. And everything in the drop-down menu is what your target audience is also searching for in relation to a health coach. So it might come up with like health coach tips, or health coach recipes or healthy recipes and things like that. And those are the kinds of things that your target audience would be searching for. So then you know, okay, let's say healthy recipes came up, you could then create content, so like a blog post around healthy recipes. And then you can then put those pins on Pinterest that link back to that blog post. And that's how you get traffic back to your website.

Ruth Gilbey 11:37

Yeah, so it's very similar to how you're using Google or how you might be doing research for like content marketing, or any kind of content that way, brilliant, just really getting in there, understanding who your ideal client is and what they're actually searching for. And when is a good time for someone to start a Pinterest account? Because I mean, some of my listeners are going to be either at that stage where they're thinking about launching their business, but there's also some listeners as well who are a few years into their business who are thinking, oh, you know, I'm ready for the next step and ready to grow. So when's a good time to start?

Tami Abonga 12:10

Now. Because you know what? Pinterest now has, it's evolved, it does take longer now to get like for your pins to gain traction. So before back in, like 2019, when I was blogging, you could post a pin and it goes viral, sometimes within days or weeks. And it was just I loved it so much. Whereas now you have to put in the work and pin consistently for like a good few months. So like between three to six months, and you'll start to gain traction. So if you are thinking about using Pinterest, the best time is now so that in six months' time or three months' time, you've already built that momentum and you started to build like an audience on Pinterest as well.

Ruth Gilbey 12:54

Okay, awesome. And how, what advice when how do people get leads from interest from Pinterest?

Tami Abonga 13:02

Yeah. So the best way is if you've got like a lead magnet, so whether it's like a free guide or a masterclass, like one of my clients, she has got like a, like masterclass training. And so that has its own landing page on your website. And so what you want to do, because Pinterest loves content in so this could be blog posts, YouTube videos, podcast episodes, so you want to create content on your website that lives on your site. And in those pieces of content, you want to have a call to action. So if we're wanting to get, let's say, to grow your email list and get leads onto your email list, so they go into your funnel, what you want to do is create those blog posts have the call to action, and then pin them to Pinterest, and then it sends the traffic back there where because your content is really optimized with those call to actions, they sign up another way as well. And this is what I do from one of my clients is I also pin their landing page. So it's really good to have like a separate landing page for whatever lead magnet you've got. So if it's like training, having a landing page for your training on your website, and then you can create multiple pins like you can literally create 5000 pins, if you wanted to, for one link, you're not going to get penalized on Pinterest for that as long as you change like the graphics slightly, because if you're putting the same image over and over again, they think it's spam. But yeah, you can create multiple different graphics, which are pins, and then you can link it back to like your landing page and drive traffic directly to your landing page. And it works around the clock as well. So that's an easy way of getting leads to sign up for your email list. Or if you had like a sales page that you wanted, or you've got like a low ticket offer that you've got, and you want people to sign up to that then again, you can create pins for those individual links. And you can drive people to those links and then they can convert into leads into also paying customers if it's like a digital product.

Ruth Gilbey 14:49

Brilliant. And how would you say over the last few years has Pinterest changed or has it changed?

Tami Abonga 14:57

It has it has changed. So before I think people let me not lie, we did try and game the system in a way, it was way easier back then to literally

Ruth Gilbey 15:08

Like everything.

Tami Abonga 15:11

And you know, they caught onto us and the light nurse stopped doing that. So before you can literally create, as I said, you need to create multiple different graphics now. Whereas before, you could literally create duplicate the same pin and pin it over and over again. And Pinterest's be like, that's fine, that's fine. We'll send traffic here. They're everywhere. Whereas now, and this is actually where I rebranded and that's where I got like my new name Fresh Pin Studio from is because Pinterest wants fresh pins. And so what they want when they say fresh pins is a new pin image with a new piece of content that's never been pinned on there before. It's like a brand new link, or it could be a link that's already been pinned before but with a new graphic. So you basically just need to remember new images each time. So before whereas Pinterest wanted, you could just create as much and repin as many times as you want. Now they are really thinking about like the user's experience and creating valuable content because they really want Pinterest to be like a happy, positive, and inspirational place where people can go to get ideas. And so you want to make sure that you're not just pinning the exact same thing over and over again. But instead, you're like curating a feed of helpful content for your ideal audience.

Ruth Gilbey 16:21

Which is good it's a good thing isn't it for all of us, you know, it's good. I go on Pinterest quite a lot for like shopping and curating things for the house. You know, I so yeah, people are going on with that kind of intention of trying to find things aren't and trying to find a solution. Microsoft was there yesterday looking for a new sofa and came up with a new board, you know, pinning things. So yeah, I love Pinterest. And it's interesting because I've been a few times it's I see them the messaging around making it a safe and happy space for everybody. So a welcoming space and inclusive as well, which is good, because so many places aren't.

Tami Abonga 17:00

I think if I weren't mentioned the name, because I don't want to get sued. But I think certain platforms, it's just really, really toxic. And it's just not a nice place to be. Whereas on Pinterest, there's no you literally go there to like dream basically like I've got all sorts of boards, like my dream house, my dream office, my dream wedding, I literally have, like, so many boards. And it's a nice place to go and feel inspired. And it's an actual, like, a helpful place to be as well. Like, whenever I'm searching for something, I go to Google and I also go to Pinterest as well to see, okay, who's created content for the question that I've got? And it's helpful. It's a really helpful platform.

Ruth Gilbey 17:41

Yeah, it really is. It's brilliant. That was awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your advice about Pinterest. My last couple of questions for you, Tami is what advice would you give to someone who's thinking about starting a new business or launching their business online?

Tami Abonga 17:56

Just go for it. Honestly, just it's the best thing that I've ever done, like locked down and just being in lockdown thinking, okay, you know what, what can I spend this time doing, because I really didn't want to go back to that horrible nine to five environment because it was just a really miserable place to be. I just, I didn't like waking up in the morning feeling like, you know, you don't have like a purpose or enjoy your work. And if that's you, if you're thinking about, oh, you know what, I don't feel inspired, or I have like a dream of doing my own thing, honestly, just go for it. Because you never know. And you never know who else might need the skill that you've got, like, you might think it's like a small skill, something that's like not relevant, but you never know who needs it. And if I hadn't have taken the leap to start, like, I see like my clients and like my students in my course. And they find it so helpful. And I think, Hmm, this small thing that I knew how to do has helped so many women in their own businesses as well. So you never know, like, who you're gonna have an impact on as well. So just start small, and I think also be around people or like be in spaces with other women who are doing the same thing as you and just go for it.

Ruth Gilbey 19:07

Yeah, that's such great advice. I think the other thing that you said where you were saying start small, I think that's really important in a way because I think, I don't know if it's a female thing that we feel like we've got to do every single thing out there and do every single thing, when actually that thing that maybe that one thing is the thing that we develop and we may into the specialism the niche and I see it happen where people are overloading themselves, I have to learn this. I have to learn that because there are so many interesting things out there, but it sounds like you really stayed in your lane and you're like, this is what I do. And you've really developed that.

Tami Abonga 19:44

Yeah, I think also my word for 2022. Actually, funnily enough, was simply because I've been in that space before like I think the first a bit of the beginning of 2021. I was kind of like trying to do this and do this and do that. But that's when I was reflecting at the end of 2021. And going into 2022. I was like, You know what, keep things simple, even with like your offers how you're showing up online, you don't need to be on LinkedIn, and also building YouTube channel and running a podcast and blogging and doing Instagram lives five times a week, because you're literally going to get exhausted, and you're not going to enjoy it. as well. Like the whole point of being in business. Yes, it's to help people but you also want to enjoy it as well. Or else you'd be back at the call center, like me doing something that you didn't like. So I think also just keeping things simple. And also, another thing I'd say is don't give up. And this is coming from someone who used to give up very, very easily. And I think when you give up, you never know how close you are as well to finally like making things happen. And also comparing yourself so there are so many things, but another one is also like comparison. And that's comparison is such a dream killer, because you might see someone who literally started at the same time as you, this was me. And they are funnily like miles ahead and you think, oh, no, I'm not doing enough. But there are people in your pool that you're called to serve specifically. So yes, this person is miles ahead, but you still have people here that need you. And you can serve. So just focus on them. And also, they will also refer people as well, that's a big thing as well, like you never know, the small pool that you have, we might think all my followers are too small. But if you at the moment of doing this podcast, I don't even have 400 followers on Instagram. But imagine standing in front of 400 people, suddenly that just is not small at all. And so you always look at it from a place of service. And also just focus on where you are and how you can help people, the people that you've got in front of you while you build yourself up.

Ruth Gilbey 21:49

That's just such good advice. I love that advice. And I've really loved talking to you, Tami, it's been so great to chat with you. Thank you so much for being so helpful and sharing such amazing advice for everyone on Pinterest and starting a business. How can people find out more about you? Where do you hang out? Where are you apart from Pinterest?

Tami Abonga 22:07

Yeah, I'll be on Pinterest definitely. But I'm also on Instagram. It's just @freshpinstudio and then my website is freshpinstudio.com

Ruth Gilbey 22:16

Amazing. Thank you so much again, Tami. It was lovely to have you on the show.

Tami Abonga 22:20

Thank you so much for having me. It's been lovely.

Outro 22:23

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the inspiring women in business podcast. Please do take a few moments to leave me a review. I love getting reviews they absolutely make my day. Also, go and check out my business-building hub. In there, you're going to find lots of great resources, free resources for business owners who are launching, running, or growing their businesses and I have a brand new masterclass for you. It's called the Sold Out Solution and in that, I share my exact roadmap to help you get your first online clients in 30 days. And guess what? It's only a 29-minute masterclass as well. So I get straight into the value. Lots and lots of great advice for you in there. And also, for those of you who watch the masterclass a freebie for you within the masterclass as well go and check it out.