Our Pinterest Marketing tool just got more powerful! We're excited to introduce AI Instructions, a new feature that gives you more control over the content our AI generates for your Pins. Now, you can guide the AI to perfectly match your brand's unique voice and highlight what makes your products special.
This guide will walk you through what AI Instructions are, how to use them, and best practices for getting the best results.
What Are AI Instructions?
When you use Alura's AI to create content for your Pins, our system is already designed to generate optimized titles, descriptions, and alt text based on your Etsy listing title and Pinterest best practices.
The AI Instructions feature adds a powerful new layer of customization on top of that. It allows you to provide a "system message" or a specific set of directions that our AI will follow every time it generates new Pin content for your shop.
Think of it as briefing your personal marketing assistant. You're giving it core guidelines about your brand's tone, key selling points, and target audience, ensuring every Pin is perfectly tailored to your strategy.
These instructions are applied whenever you use the "Optimized for Pinterest with AI" option, including:
The Pin New Listings automation
The Smart Pins automation
Manually creating or editing Pins using the AI generation button
How to Set Up Your AI Instructions
Setting up your instructions is simple and only needs to be done once.
Navigate to the Marketing tab in your Alura dashboard and select Pinterest.
Click on the Settings tab within the Pinterest tool.
Find the Pinterest Account section and click the Settings button next to your connected account.
A popup window titled AI Instructions will appear. This is where you'll add your custom instructions!
Enter your message in the text box and click Save.
That's it! Your instructions are now saved and will be used for all future AI-generated Pins.
Best Practices: Writing Effective AI Instructions
To get the most out of this feature, it's important to give the AI clear and concise directions. The goal is to guide the AI, not to write the content yourself.
Here are some tips and examples to get you started:
Focus on Your Brand Voice and Tone
Tell the AI how you want your Pins to sound. This helps create a consistent brand identity across Pinterest.
Example 1: "Please use a sophisticated and descriptive tone. Our brand is focused on timeless, heirloom-quality goods."
Example 2: "Write in a fun and friendly tone. Our products are for bachelorette parties."
Example 3: "Adopt a calm and minimalist tone. Focus on words related to serenity, organization, and mindfulness."
Highlight Key Features or Materials
Ensure the AI mentions the most important details about your products that might not be in the listing title.
Example 1: "Emphasize that all our items are handcrafted in our studio and are made from sustainably sourced materials."
Example 2: "Always mention that our prints are digital downloads, which means instant access for the customer."
Example 3: "Highlight that our products are customizable and make perfect personalized gifts."
Define Your Target Audience
Tell the AI who you're trying to reach. This helps it choose the most effective language to attract those specific customers.
Example 1: "Write for new moms looking for stylish and practical nursery decor."
Example 2: "Our target audience is college students who are decorating their dorm rooms on a budget."
Example 3: "Aim the content towards travel lovers and those looking for unique travel souvenirs."
Putting It All Together: Before and After
Let's see how a strong, general instruction can improve the AI's output for a specific product. Imagine a shop that sells minimalist, handcrafted jewelry.
The shop owner could set a general AI Instruction like this:
Use a minimalist and elegant tone. Emphasize that each piece is handcrafted for everyday elegance and makes a thoughtful gift. Always mention our use of recycled sterling silver.
Now, let's see how the AI applies this shop-wide rule to a specific listing.
Etsy Listing Title: "Dainty Initial Necklace, Personalized Letter Charm, Sterling Silver"
AI Output (Without Instructions):
Pin Title:
Dainty Initial Necklace with Letter CharmPin Description:
A beautiful personalized initial necklace in sterling silver. This dainty letter charm necklace is a lovely custom accessory for yourself or as a gift.
AI Output (With the General Instruction Applied):
Pin Title:
Elegant Handcrafted Initial NecklacePin Description:
The essence of everyday elegance. Our handcrafted initial necklace adds a delicate, personal touch to any look. Made from recycled sterling silver, it's a thoughtful, sustainable gift.
As you can see, even though the instruction was general, the AI intelligently applied the elegant tone, the concepts of everyday elegance and thoughtful gifts, and the specific detail about recycled sterling silver to the individual necklace. This creates on-brand, persuasive content for every Pin without needing to write new instructions for each product.