There has been a lot of drama and chatter going on about Pinterest Recipe Rich Pins lately. There’s a big debate going on: should you use them or not?
Let’s Take a Look at Recipe Rich Pins
I’m going to address both sides of the case: for and against having Recipe Rich Pins. I’ll try to present them both unbiased. Then, I will give you my analysis and opinion on the matter as a marketer and a recipe searcher.
Please note: this post is for Recipe Rich Pins only. They function differently than other Rich Pins. If you use Article Rich Pins, keep on keeping on. You want Rich Pins.
Before we dive in, let’s take a look at the difference between Recipe Rich Pins and regular Pins, so we are all on the same page.
Recipe Rich Pins (left) include the title of the post, recipe snippet, ingredients, cook time, and serving info. The information displayed will vary depending on the recipe plugin you use. Rich Pin content cannot be changed by users but will change across the board if you make any adjustments. Regular Pins (right) only show the comment description, which users can change.
In the feed, Pinners will see the post title for Rich Pins and part of the comment description for regular pins.
The Case Against Recipe Rich Pins
Pinterest Recipe Pins give the readers too much information on the pins, making it so they will not click over. You will get more traffic if you disable recipe Rich Pins because they will have to come to your site for the ingredients. Many people who have blocked Rich Pins have reported an increase in traffic since doing so, especially those that create recipes that do not need directions to make.
The Case for Recipe Rich Pins
Recipe Rich Pins provide pinners with information that will help them decide if they want to come to your site: type of meal (Vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, etc.), ingredients, how long it will take to make, and how many people it serves.
Rich pins help improve your potential reader’s experience with your pins. They act as an advertisement for your post.
The additional information in Recipe Rich Pins also tells Pinterest where/who to show Pins to.
Our Take On Recipe Rich Pins
I know that there will be some that disagree with me, but here is my take on the Recipe Rich Pins.
You Might Get More Clicks
I’m sure some bloggers who were already thriving and ranking well on Pinterest noticed a slight bump in traffic since blocking Rich Pins because people wanted to see what was in the recipe. For these bloggers, turning off Rich Pins did cause an increase in clicks. Also, bloggers who create recipes that do not require instructions have noticed an increase in click-throughs.
Recipe Rich Pins Help with Ranking
Clicks on Pins right after disabling Rich Pins is only part of the equation. The other thing to think about is that Recipe Rich Pins provide Pinterest and users important information about the post and recipe. The information contained in the metadata of the Recipe card helps Pinterest know where and who to serve pins to (source). This can be in the home feed, related pins, or search feed.
Have you used the filter tools when searching for a recipe? Pinterest gets that information from Rich Pins.
The big bloggers that disabled Rich Pins had pins and a website that were already ranking well on Pinterest. Their pins are saved on hundreds of boards, by hundreds of Pinners – so the Pinterest machine already knows what their Pins are about and the ingredients in the recipe.
I think new pins (without Rich Pins) will have a harder time ranking in search and related Pins. Eventually, people who keep Recipe Rich Pins will trump those that blocked them. The prominent bloggers will still do alright regardless of Rich Pins or regular pins because they have a strong audience base saving their Pins for them. Bloggers trying to build their audience will struggle to rank.
According to Pinterest, “Search is now responsible for more on-site impressions than any other Pinner action.” Pinners are not checking out your feed; they are searching and seeing pins based on related pins. You want to optimize for Pinterest search.
Pinners are Planners
We know that Pinner’s are planners and that, usually, they aren’t looking to make your recipe right then. They are looking for recipes they can save to Pinterest and make later. Pinterest traffic is already pretty bouncy, and I expect that clicks to non-Recipe Rich Pins will result in higher bounce rates – which is not beneficial.
“One of the best ways to make Pins helpful and actionable is by using Rich Pins since they automatically include extra Information right on the Pin itself.”
“Recipe Pins get cooks excited with all the right info: ingredients, cooking times and serving sizes.” Pinterest 101 for Pinsiders, 2017
Recipe Rich Pins help people plan, dream, and discover new recipes. They improve the Pinner’s experience with your Pins.
As a Recipe Searcher
I am your target audience. I cook dinner at home almost every night for my family of four. I am always looking for new recipes on Pinterest. For the love, please put the ingredients and cooking info back on the pins. To be honest, I will most likely not click over to your site when I first find the Pin.
Here’s what recipe searching looks like for me. I search out specific ingredients or genres and browse the images. I click on ones that look yummy. I look at the ingredients, the cook/prep time. If I want to make it, I save the Pin to my board and add it to my menu for the week.
I make the meal, and I love the recipe (hopefully). I then stalk your blog like crazy (follow your Pinterest account) because if I liked one of your recipes, I’m bound to love more.
As a busy mompreneur, I appreciate Recipe Rich Pins.
Deciding Whether or Not to Use Recipe Rich Pins
Ultimately, it’s up to you. You need to decide what is important to you and what you want to focus on. Do what is best for your business. Are you worried solely about the number of clicks you get and not worried about unknown consequences? Disable Rich Pins. Do you want to succeed on Pinterest long-term and provide an enriched experience for your audience? Leave Rich Pins on.
What Do You Think?
It’s always a little bit nerve-racking to post about controversial issues, but I’m excited to hear your opinion and take on the subject. And we can still be friends if we disagree. 🙂
-Kristie
It’s All About Making a Plan
Kristie Hill is on a mission to help bloggers start and grow their online businesses. She knows that smart bloggers don’t leave their blog’s success up to chance, they make a plan. Kristie helps bloggers DIY their WordPress sites and use tools like Pinterest to grow their online presence.
Kristie has taught an in-depth Pinterest class at a past Tastemaker Conference so don’t miss out on these educational opportunities! Enter your email below to stay up to date with future sales, promotions, and deals to the Tastemaker Conference where you will learn how to grow your business online!
(Images via Oh So Delicioso)
