Grid Pinning is a new feature on Instagram and Facebook (aka Meta) has had this option for a while.
I wanted to bring you up to date on pinning posts on Instagram and Facebook because it can be a great way to boost your online visibility and engagement too!
And that’s what I love sharing … Ways to help you get more people knowing about your practice or business with your marketing!
PINNING POSTS ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK.
Facebook has had this “pinning” feature for a while, but recently Instagram announced that users will now be able to pin grid posts to the top of their Profile. It’s called Grid Pinning.
Pinning a post means being able to have it stay at the top of your newsfeed – this is a good strategy to be able to feature items for people to find, boosting the visibility of that post.
Soooo, as the wise Beyoncé says … If you like it then you shoulda put a ring pin on it! 😊 Well, now you can!
PINNING POSTS ON FACEBOOK.
You can pin and highlight posts on your Facebook Page (only one can be pinned at a time) AND it is something you can do as well on Facebook Groups. In groups, it’s called Featured posts and you can have more than one in groups. This can be an ideal way to make certain posts stand out to your group members.
I use this for the Inner Circle Facebook group for members in the program.
We pin the post with the monthly schedule so members can easily find the dates/times and the Zoom links.
Yes, we send email reminders, but making sure members have as many ways as possible to remember the coaching sessions, the more show up live!
We also feature in the group our weekly accountability posts. That way members can always find the post and so can I. It is the one post where folks share their progress each week, so I always want to be watching for that and encouraging them or answering questions.
GRID PINNING ON INSTAGRAM.
This is NEW in the last few months and is now rolling out to everyone. With this new option on Instagram, a pinned post will take the top left-hand spot on your grid and will display a small white pin icon 📌 in the top-right corner. That pin icon makes it stand out to show that it’s not necessarily the most recent post.
Now, if you don’t have this feature yet do not panic. They are rolling it out to all users but sometimes it takes a while. I am bummed I don’t have it yet and can’t wait to try it out.
On Instagram, you can pin Feed Posts with Images, Videos or even Reels.
I believe part of the reason they have added this feature is to help address some complaints from users that if they want to use more images than videos and not get into the Reels game, it is going to help them feature some of those static image posts on their Instagram Grid and feed. But I think truly there is way more strategy behind the feature and it can really help you make your messages stand out more on your profile.
It’s very easy to pin a post on Instagram. And, like some things, it is a feature you must do on your mobile device.
HERE ARE THE 5 STEPS TO PIN A POST ON YOUR INSTAGRAM GRID
- Open the Instagram app on your phone or tablet.
- Tap your Profile Picture in the bottom-right of the screen.
- Go to the post you want to pin and feature.
- Click the 3 dots in the top right corner by the post. This is the same for a Reel or Video.
- Then click the “Pin to Your Profile” option from the choices that appear. This will “PIN” that post to the top of your profile.
Note: If you try to pin more than 3 posts at a time on Instagram, it will give you a warning. Then you have to decide what one to let go of!
LIMITATIONS
You can only pin up to 3 different posts on your Instagram Grid feed. When you pin them, they get added in the Pinned area from left to right, so if you want them to be in a specific order, you will need to pin them in that order.
But it’s easy to fix if you mess up the order: just unpin and do it again in the right order.
Unpinning is simple. Click those 3 dots again and hit unpin!
Always keep in mind that folks will only see these three posts all nice at the top when they visit your profile. They will not pop out or jump up into your feed.
INSTAGRAM GRID PINNING STRATEGY
There is a strategy to using pins on Instagram – even Facebook and also Twitter where it’s been a feature for many years. You want to consider the type of content you want to feature and pin, as well as the reason why you want to feature and pin it.
The 3 Strategies to Pinning Content on Instagram and Facebook
- Mix the Type of Content. Mix this up and have a variety of the type of content with static images, videos and even reels. If you only do images, then make sure what you pin has some variety to the look of each pin.
- Have a Purpose to the Content. Ensure that there is a purpose behind the pinned content. Make sure that it is of value to your community, and that they can learn from it. You can mix up what you share on these three posts; sometimes it is info, and sometimes it is sales and promotional (especially when launching a new program/service.) If you really want it to stand out – do just one pin during those important launch times.
- Catch Attention with the Content. Make sure that the image/visual showing for the pinned post catches attention and helps people stop and read or listen to the post content. You can try to lay them out and pin them in an order that has a flow, almost like a roadmap or even a website menu.
When you plan the content you want to pin, and put these three strategies behind them, you will find they serve a better purpose than just pinning random pieces of content. Just like any marketing you put out there … it needs to help you reach one of your goals.
A NOTE ABOUT UN-PINNING!
When your pin is no longer relevant, you want to un-pin it!
This is something many folks forget. The best way to remember – the moment you pin a post of any kind, set a reminder to yourself for when it is to be removed. Otherwise, you end up having irrelevant and even out of date highlighted posts on your Instagram Grid or Facebook Page or Group. These can make people doubt you are current or relevant. Never plant doubts in your credibility or authority with your marketing content online.
YOUR ACTION STEPS…
If you use Instagram, check that you have the feature – just look at any post and hit those 3 dots – and if you have it, start thinking about what you could be featuring and how you could be using that feature.
If you use your Facebook Page or a Group, plan to use the feature to highlight content on these social media channels.
Want to get started planning your marketing content more efficiently?
We offer a free guide to Streamline Your Marketing and it shares with you the ONLY 7 pieces of marketing content you need to fill your marketing calendar.
Stop Struggling and Start Thriving! My passion is helping to guide people just like you, dietitians, and private practice owners, who are often frustrated with all their wasted time spent on marketing that gets you nowhere. You can learn strategies to attract a steady flow of clients and build a thriving and profitable practice. Get started with some of the free resources on my Pepper It Marketing website, especially this Guide to Streamline your Marketing. I also offer several self-study training programs to help you attract more clients so you can Build a rewarding and profitable private practice and still have time to LIVE your LIFE!