Pinned post

What is a pinned post?

A pinned post is a social media feature that allows users to permanently display specific content at the top of their profile, page, or feed regardless of when it was published. 

This strategic positioning ensures maximum visibility as visitors don't need to scroll through chronological content to find important information. 

Available across major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, and others, pinned posts serve as anchored content that remains easily accessible to profile visitors.

For businesses and content creators utilizing social media management tools, pinned posts represent a valuable opportunity to highlight priority content that deserves extended exposure and engagement.

How pinned posts work on different social media platforms

Each social media platform has implemented the pinned post feature with slight variations in functionality and appearance. Understanding these differences helps in developing effective social media strategies for each platform.

Facebook pinned posts

On Facebook, users can pin posts to the top of their personal profiles, group pages, or business pages. Facebook business pages particularly benefit from pinned posts as they help maintain important announcements visible despite regular content updates.

Facebook allows only one pinned post at a time, which remains at the top until manually unpinned or replaced by a new pinned post. 

Pinned posts on Facebook are subtly marked with a small pin icon, making them distinguishable from regular chronological content.

When scheduling Facebook posts through management platforms like ContentStudio, remember that pinning functionality needs to be applied manually after publication.

Instagram pinned posts

Instagram introduced the pinning feature more recently, allowing users to pin up to three posts to the top of their profile grid. This feature works for regular posts, Reels, and carousels, giving Instagram users flexibility in showcasing their best content.

Pinned Instagram content is identified by a small pin icon in the top-right corner of the post. 

This visual indicator helps visitors identify which content the profile owner wants to highlight. For businesses focusing on Instagram marketing strategies, pinned posts provide valuable real estate to showcase products, services, or brand messaging.

Using Instagram scheduling tools can help plan content that will eventually be pinned, ensuring these high-visibility posts receive proper strategic consideration.

Twitter (X) pinned tweets

Twitter (now X) allows users to pin one tweet to the top of their profile. This pinned tweet appears first when someone visits a profile, regardless of when it was originally posted. For businesses and creators, a pinned tweet is often used to highlight recent announcements, promotions, or content that best represents their brand.

When managing Twitter accounts, pinning strategic tweets can significantly impact first impressions and direct visitor attention to specific messaging or calls to action.

LinkedIn pinned posts

On LinkedIn, users can pin one post to the top of their personal profiles, while company pages can feature a pinned post that remains prominent above other content. Given LinkedIn's professional nature, pinned posts often highlight career achievements, company milestones, or thought leadership content.

For professionals focusing on LinkedIn content strategies, pinned posts serve as professional introductions or portfolio highlights that remain visible to profile visitors.

Pinterest pinned posts

Pinterest offers a different approach to pinning, as the entire platform revolves around "pins." However, users can still pin specific pins to the top of boards, ensuring important content receives priority placement. When marketing your brand on Pinterest, strategic pinning helps organize content and highlight seasonal or promotional material.

Benefits of using pinned posts in your social media strategy

Incorporating pinned posts into your social media content strategy delivers several key advantages for brands, businesses, and content creators.

Increased visibility for important content

The primary benefit of pinned posts is enhanced visibility for your most valuable content. By securing prime positioning at the top of your profile or feed, pinned posts receive significantly more views than standard posts. This increased exposure is particularly valuable for:

• Timely announcements or news
• Promotional campaigns with limited duration
• Key information about products or services
• Content that clearly communicates your brand mission or values

When creating a social media content plan, identifying which content deserves this prominent placement should be a strategic consideration.

Extended lifespan for high-performing content

Social media feeds typically operate chronologically, with newer content pushing older posts down and eventually out of view. Pinning extends the lifespan of your best-performing content, allowing it to continue generating impressions, engagement, and conversions long after publication.

This feature is especially valuable for content that has already proven its effectiveness through strong social media engagement metrics or conversion rates. Rather than letting successful content fade into your timeline history, pinning gives it permanent visibility.

Improved first impressions for new visitors

First impressions matter enormously on social media. New visitors to your profile often make quick judgments about whether to follow or engage based on the initial content they see. 

Pinned posts ensure that these crucial first impressions are formed by your strongest, most representative content rather than whatever happens to be your most recent post.

For businesses focused on building brand authenticity on social media, pinned posts provide control over the narrative new visitors encounter first.

Strategic marketing opportunities

Pinned posts serve as valuable marketing real estate that can be strategically utilized to:

• Highlight current promotions or limited-time offers
• Feature lead generation content or calls to action
• Showcase testimonials or social proof
• Direct traffic to specific landing pages or conversions
• Announce new products, services, or features

When integrated into comprehensive social media marketing plans, pinned posts become powerful tools for driving specific business objectives.

Best practices for creating effective pinned posts

To maximize the impact of pinned posts across your social media presence, follow these strategic best practices based on industry expertise.

Select content worthy of prominence

Not all content deserves the premium placement of a pinned post. When deciding what to pin, prioritize content that:

• Represents your brand values and voice: Choose content that clearly communicates who you are and what you stand for.
• Provides immediate value to visitors: Educational content, resources, or information that helps solve common problems.
• Features strong calls to action: Content that guides visitors toward meaningful engagement or conversion actions.
• Demonstrates authenticity: Content that builds brand authenticity and establishes trust with your audience.

Remember that pinned posts often form first impressions, so they should exemplify your highest quality content.

Keep pinned content fresh and relevant

While pinned posts provide extended visibility, they shouldn't become stale or outdated. Establish a regular cadence for reviewing and refreshing your pinned content:

• Set calendar reminders to evaluate pinned content monthly or quarterly
• Update seasonal or time-sensitive information promptly
• Rotate pinned content to highlight different aspects of your business or brand
• Refresh visuals even when the core message remains relevant

When using social media automation tools, schedule regular reviews of pinned content alongside your regular content planning.

Use compelling visuals and copy

Pinned posts need to capture attention quickly and communicate value instantly. This requires:

• Eye-catching visuals optimized for each platform's specifications
• Strong headlines that clearly communicate the post's value
• Concise, scannable copy that gets to the point quickly
• Branded elements that reinforce visual recognition

For businesses working on social media branding, pinned posts represent prime opportunities to reinforce visual identity and messaging consistency.

Include clear calls to action

Effective pinned posts should guide visitors toward specific next steps. Whether you want profile visitors to:

• Click through to your website
• Sign up for a newsletter
• Download a resource
• Make a purchase
• Follow your account

Always include a clear, compelling call to action that directs the visitor's journey. When managing social media engagement, your pinned posts should initiate conversation or action.

Analyze performance and iterate

Like all social media content, pinned posts should be subject to performance analysis and optimization. Track metrics including:

• Engagement rates compared to standard posts
• Click-through rates on links
• Conversion actions resulting from pinned content
• Feedback or comments specifically addressing pinned content

Using social media analytics tools to monitor these metrics will inform decisions about when to refresh or replace pinned content.

How to pin posts on different social media platforms?

Each major social media platform offers pinning functionality with slightly different processes. Here's how to pin posts on each major network:

How to pin a post on Facebook

1. Navigate to your Facebook page or profile
2. Find the post you want to pin
3. Click the three dots (⋯) in the top-right corner of the post
4. Select "Pin to Top of Page" from the dropdown menu
5. The post will now appear at the top of your timeline with a "Pinned Post" label

When managing Facebook marketing, remember that only one post can be pinned at a time, and new pinned posts will replace previous ones.

How to pin a post on Instagram

1. Go to your Instagram profile
2. Select the post you want to pin
3. Tap the three dots (⋯) in the top-right corner of the post
4. Select "Pin to your profile" from the menu
5. The post will now appear at the top of your grid with a pin icon

Instagram allows up to three pinned posts, giving Instagram business accounts flexibility in highlighting different content types.

How to pin a tweet on Twitter (X)

1. Navigate to your Twitter profile
2. Find the tweet you want to pin
3. Click the three dots (⋯) in the top-right corner of the tweet
4. Select "Pin to your profile" from the dropdown menu
5. The tweet will now appear at the top of your timeline with a "Pinned Tweet" label

When developing a Twitter marketing strategy, pinned tweets should align with your current campaign objectives.

How to pin a post on LinkedIn

1. Go to your LinkedIn profile or company page
2. Locate the post you want to pin
3. Click the three dots (⋯) in the top-right corner of the post
4. Select "Pin to top of profile" from the dropdown menu
5. The post will now appear at the top of your activity section

For professionals focusing on LinkedIn marketing for B2B, pinned posts should highlight industry expertise and thought leadership.

How to pin a post on TikTok

1. Navigate to your TikTok profile
2. Find the video you want to pin
3. Tap the three dots (⋯) icon on the video
4. Select "Pin" from the menu options
5. The video will now appear at the top of your profile

When developing a TikTok marketing strategy, pinned videos should showcase your most engaging and representative content.

Common mistakes to avoid with pinned posts

Even with this seemingly straightforward feature, there are several common mistakes that can undermine the effectiveness of your pinned posts.

Letting pinned content become outdated

One of the most common mistakes is simply forgetting about pinned posts. Because they remain static at the top of profiles, it's easy to set them and forget them. However, outdated pinned content can:

• Promote expired offers or events
• Reference irrelevant seasonal content
• Contain statistics or information that is no longer accurate
• Project an impression that your profile isn't actively managed

When managing multiple social media accounts, set regular calendar reminders to review all pinned content across platforms.

Pinning overly promotional content

While pinned posts are valuable marketing real estate, choosing overly promotional content can turn off new visitors. Avoid pinning content that:

• Makes aggressive sales pitches without providing value
• Focuses exclusively on product features without addressing benefits
• Uses pushy or inauthentic language
• Lacks personality or authentic brand voice

Instead, focus on content that demonstrates brand authenticity on social media while subtly guiding visitors toward conversion actions.

Ignoring platform-specific considerations

Each social media platform has a unique audience with different expectations. A common mistake is using identical pinned content across all platforms without considering:

• Different image and video format requirements
• Varying content preferences by platform audience
• Platform-specific language and trends
• Different performance metrics that matter on each platform

When creating a social media content calendar, plan platform-specific pinned content that aligns with each network's unique characteristics.

Failing to include clear calls to action

Pinned posts without clear direction waste valuable attention. Common call-to-action mistakes include:

• Vague or unclear next steps for the visitor
• Too many competing calls to action in a single post
• Missing links or incorrect destination URLs
• Calls to action that don't align with current business objectives

When measuring social media ROI, effective call-to-action implementation in pinned posts is essential for converting visibility to measurable results.

Measuring the impact of pinned posts

To truly understand the value of pinned posts within your social media management strategy, implement systematic performance measurement:

• Compare engagement metrics between pinned and non-pinned content
• Track click-through rates from pinned posts to destination pages
• Measure conversion actions directly attributable to pinned content
• Monitor comments and interactions specifically on pinned posts
• Analyze profile follower growth after implementing strategic pinned content

Using comprehensive social media analytics will help quantify the impact of pinned posts and inform optimization efforts.

Conclusion

Pinned posts represent a powerful yet often underutilized feature across social media platforms. By strategically selecting and optimizing pinned content, businesses and content creators can significantly enhance their social media presence, improve first impressions, extend content lifespan, and drive measurable business results.

When integrated into a comprehensive social media content strategy, pinned posts serve as anchors that highlight your most valuable content and guide visitor journeys. 

By avoiding common mistakes and following best practices, you can transform this simple feature into a powerful tool for strengthening your brand presence and achieving social media goals.