Guest Post From Pinterest : Best Practices FAQs Answered

Hi Guys!

Popping in with a non-traditional post for my fellow content creators. To my regular readers, if you also interested in starting a business and utilizing Pinterest, this post is also a good read for you. I will be doing three guest post with Lauren Michaels, Community Marketing Manager at Pinterest on all things Pinterest. She was kind enough to give us insight and write this post straight from the company's perspective and tying in the value for content creators and users. I really love that Pinterest care about their users, they truly do and I know this information, along the the two other upcoming post (in May & June), will be valuable to all of us. We're starting out with a general Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Lauren has answered some of the most FAQs regarding Pinterest below. 

How to make most of your audience?

• Consistent, daily activity is better than a once a week flurry
• You won't get dinged for having a lot of Pins! Just aim to keep your content well organized in relevant boards, and save your ideas regularly, rather than all at once.
• It’s even okay to have multiple Pins that lead to the same webpage. In fact, it can be beneficial to save a variety of images that might appeal to different types of Pinners. Just make sure to add unique descriptions that are specific to each Pin—it’ll improve your SEO.

How to grab your audience with a great visual:

• Steer clear of images that are busy; lifestyle images are often more effective and attention-grabbing than product shots.
• Fashion and style related Pins that show products in real-life scenarios can have 30% higher click-through rates than Pins that show products on a plain background.
• Beauty Pins that show products in real-life settings have 50% higher click-through rates on average, and Pins focused on people see 21% higher click-through rates.
• The ideal aspect ratio is 2:3. Or, 600x900px—square 600x600 work well too. Pins longer than 1560px will get truncated. We optimize for Pins that fit within the preferred aspect ratios.

How to lean into trends and seasonality on Pinterest?

• People use Pinterest to plan their life well in advance of the season, holiday or event they’re planning for.
• Use this to your advantage and start saving Pins that are relevant to upcoming trends, seasons and holidays around 45 days early.
• Then, continue adding more ideas daily and maintain a steady pace.
• This is probably way earlier than what you’d post to social media, but that’s the unique future-looking aspect of Pinterest at play.

How to drive traffic?

• When people find an idea they want to try, they can click through to the specific page on your site to learn how to make, do, or buy it. That means more dollars for you!
• When people click a Pin they expect to be taken to a landing page so they can learn more about your idea. Pins that lead to 404 pages or have broken links will be penalized, so this is critical.
• A good description is key—Pins with descriptions drive more click-throughs than those without. It’s not just helpful for being discovered in search.
• A strong call to action—like "shop," "make," "find" or "buy"—will encourage people to take the next step. On average, your click-through rates will go up 35% if you’ve got a call-to-action in your description for home and DIY content. Fashion and style related Pins with the call-to-action in the description have seen 60% higher click-through rates.
• Add useful advice to your Pins so people can put your Pins to use. Home Pins with lists, tips and advice see up to 93% higher click-through rates, and similar DIY Pins have 45% higher click-through rates (plus 34% higher save rates!).
• Use up to 20 hashtags that describe the content in the Pin. Hashtags should act as broad search terms, not niche humor (#springfashion is great, #ilookterribleinhats is not). Recipes: Describe the main ingredients of the dish, how to cook it, what events it should be served at and specific hashtags like #cleaneating Fashion: Include the type of clothing, designer, season to wear it and specific hashtags like #ootd

Also, if you haven't noticed, Pinterest has a whole new look and I'm loving it. Check out what's new here and check out my new Pinterest profile too. Let me know below you followed me and I will follow you back. Their new Following Tab is also amazing. This new following tab makes it easy for Pinners to discover more ideas from the people and brands they care about. 

Also, if there are any questions Lauren didn't answer above. Please feel free to drop them in the comment section. I will work with her to get them ALL answered for you and update the post.

I do hope you found this post useful.

xoxo

Keyma

Spring Fashion: How To Style Denim + A T-shirt

This post was sponsored by Macy's, a brand that I love. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Hey Guys!

Hope you are all having a great day today. Today's post is all about fashion and I'm bringing to you a fun and easy Spring look. You may look at denim and think "it's not Springlike" but oh yes it is. Denim is all year round and, that's why every season, I get myself a pair of new jeans. This Spring, I decided to take it back to a brand I love since I was in high school. Of course Macy's is one of my first stops when shopping for trends, and they did not disappoint me. I got this Tommy Hilfiger crew neck graphic t-shirt and Tommy Hilfiger pull-on skinny jeans. I styled my look with simple heels, a bag and my sunnies.

So back to my high school story. Tommy Hilfiger was the brand back in my high school days. I had a cross-body bag, shoes, jeans, belt, tops-everything Tommy Hilfiger. I remember any kind of school parties that were happening, called for only one brand, Tommy Hilfiger. I'm literally smiling as I type.

I used to visit my aunt from Jamaica (for those who are new two blog blog-I was born and raised in Jamaica), and we would always go to Macy's to shop for clothing for me to bring back home. My aunt actually used to work at Macy's in the home department, so she knew her way around. I cannot remember if we actually bought Tommy Hilfiger stuff in Macy's, but I remember it was our prime destination. Fast forward many years later and I still love shopping there.  

I was so indecisive on a few other options that would be perfect for Spring. Off-the-shoulder dresses, track bottom pants, off-the-shoulder tops etc. However, I wanted to keep it classic and to feed my nostalgic feeling. What I love most about these pieces, is that they are timeless. The fabric on my T-shirt is so soft and the color is just perfect for Spring. These jeans are amazing and nothing like I've owned before, because the waist is stretchy and doesn't need a belt. This means a much more polished and chic look for my half-tucks.

I have plans to be wearing these pieces all Spring so don't judge me ok? Hehe!

Three other chic ways to style these pieces for a chic vibe:

1. Wear these jeans with a fun dressy top and pumps
2. Wear this top with a tulle skirt or a midi or mini skirt and wedges
3. Wear the exact outfit as is in my photo and switch out the heeled sandals for a pointy toe flat.

Thanks for stopping by, Loves.

Let me know what you plan to pick up from Tommy Hilfiger Spring styles at Macy's.

xoxo

Keyma

Combating Sugar Cravings With The Revolutionary Sweet Defeat

This post is sponsored by by Sweet Defeat, all options are 100% my own. 

Hi Loves, 

I'm so filled with excitement and I have been wanting to share this with you all. So, I have been using these lozenge called Sweet Defeat. What it does is it helps to cut my sugar cravings and I take it before my meal, during the daytime or, when I feel a sugar craving come on. I even take it after one bite of something sweet. I was at first worried that it would have an aftertaste, which makes me feel sick. To my surprise it tasted like a regular piece of mint you would buy at the store. I kind of got a two-in-one; freshened breath and no sugar craving. I simply put it in on my tongue and it dissolves away. It'll cut the sweet craving for about an hour or so but you can take it multiple times throughout the day to resist the need for sugar intake. 

With my wedding coming up, I really wanted to focus on shedding a few pounds to fit my dream dress perfectly. I do work out and I maintain for the most part a healthy lifestyle. However, one of the hardest thing for me is to curb my sugar cravings. I'll go days not craving or consuming much sugar and then here comes the sugar devil on my shoulder-"get that ice cream" "eat all of the chocolate girl"  "you need those M&Ms at the counter-pick them up". You get what's happening here right? I often think "meh why not, I'm working out in the morning anyway". That is so not good.

Finally, a product I can use and trust especially that Sweet Defeat is made of high quality plant-based ingredients. I want to shake the hand of the founder and say "THANK YOU". 

Now, I know I am not the only one struggling here. I know many of you have your candy on deck-in your handbags, in your office drawers at work, on your bedside table, on your coffee table and all over your pantry. Oh, let's not forget that tub of ice-cream in your freezer. These are our go-tos, I know trust me. These are our stress relievers-but really are they?

It's time to combat the habit guys so, join me and let's do it together shall we? I'm on a mission to fit my dress for my wedding and even if you do not have a specific mission/goal, I need to have you on this journey with me. So, grab your first box of Sweet Defeat and here’s a code for 50% off your first box (STYLEWEEK50). I know you're going to tell me it changed your life.  

I really hope you found this post useful, Loves.

Come back and let me know what you think once you've tried it.

xoxo

Keyma

A Weekend Guide To Napa Valley

Hey Guys!

Major disclaimer- I may be holding a wine glass in EVERY photo- Do not judge me :)

Hope you're all doing great. Two weekends ago I took some time off work and my fiance and I went to Napa Valley and we had an amazing time. This was our second trip to Napa Valley (read my post back in 2014 here). Our first time was a day trip and we remembered feeling so at ease and so relaxed- must have been the wine, right?), and so we always knew we wanted to return. However, we were going to return and we were going to stay in Napa and enjoy it all. This was exactly what we did. We spent 3 nights and 3 full days. We stayed at Rancho Caymus Inn, a cute Spanish style hacienda boutique and we loved it. They served a lovely continental breakfast and the property is so cute and quiet. 

On our first day we had a quick bite at the cute and newly renovated Clif Family Winery. They usually have a food truck for lunch but it wasn't there when we went. The decor inside and ambiance is perfect for a quick stop and bite as soon as you get into town.
We then did a wine pairing class at The CIA Copia and it was amazing. The class was about 1 hour long and we learned how to pair foods with our wines. You guys, if it's one thing you MUST do in Napa Valley, you must do the wine pairing class. We left feeling super educated and excited to really dive into what we eat with our wines. It really really makes a difference. We even left loving wines we didn't like before. 

The next day we took The Napa Valley Wine Train and we did the Legacy Tour. We visited three wineries on that tour- Robert Modavi, Charles Krug and, V. Sattui. So, we're on an actual train and it comprises of a four course meal package (breakfast, lunch, dinner and, desert). We were on the train for about 6 hours. At each stop we visited a winery, learned about the history, tasted some of their wines and we got sometime to explore on our own. After each stop we head back to the train, where we were served a course. This was such a good way to spend the day. We didn't have to drive, we sat next to other folks, made conversation and, enjoyed the journey together. 

On our third day we visited three other locations- Oakville Grocery, Durant and Booth tasting room, and Chimney Rock Winery. 

Oakville Grocery is the eldest grocery store in California. The food was so yummy. You have to try their home-made pizza. This guy makes the pizza and he will come out and talk to you. They were so friendly and amazing. Also, try the fried chicken and the Kale salad-ahhhhmazing. 

Durant and Booth is literally steps away from Oakville Grocery. We also did a wine tasting session there and their wines are amazing. The one thing I loved about Durant and Booth was the decor. Oh My Gosh! You must wear you chicest daytime look so you can capture amazing photos. It was so beautiful.

Finally, we made our way on the either side of Napa Valley to Chimney Rock Winery and they do say save the best for last. This was our favorite winery of them all. It has a really friendly hang out spot feel. The staff was amazing an their wines were immaculate. It's a beautiful property where you can just get your wine and have a seat outside with the most beautiful backdrop of vineyards. 

I'll be posting a video of our trip on my Instagram soon so make sure you're following me there. 

A few tips for your first trip to Napa Valley:

Fly into San Francisco-see a bit of San Fran then drive up to Napa Valley

Rent a car-drive responsibly

Do the hot air balloon ride- we were supposed to do it but the weather was too bad that weekend.

Spread out your visits to wineries

Try Italian Food at Pasta Prego (it's like a 10 star for me and I'm not even an Italian food fan)

Wear comfortable shoes

Pack your camera and bring your cell phone chargers

Book everything in advance

I really hope you enjoyed these photos from my trip to Napa Valley. It's such a beautiful and tranquil town. You won't regret your trip. Should you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment here below. I'll respond. 

xoxo

Keyma

Wardrobe Refreshers + A Giveaway + Shop These Amazing Affordable Tops

Hey Guys! I recently wore this look while in Napa Valley and wanted to share it with you. I love cute fun tops and this one caught my eye while shopping in TJ. Maxx. I love the transition of winter to spring because I get to fully leave all dark clothing and jump into light, fresh and, airy. I don't know abut you but I love a wide variety of fun and cute tops that I can wear throughout spring and summer.

With that said, I decided to go shopping for you and round up 10 amazing tops along with some pairings for Spring. These are tops that you can wear through the end of summer and then transition them into Fall. You can pair them with any bottom really. All you have to do is get creative with your bottoms. Mix and match and go boldly with confidence. Remember, you OWN your style. Not everyone will like what or how you wear your clothes. As long as you feel confident and comfortable, that's all that matters. Trust me here!

I teamed up with fellow bloggers to host this giveaway!

Enter to win a $500 Target Giftcard by earning points!

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