5 Pinterest Strategies for Bloggers: Tips for a Winning Account
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Last Updated on November 28, 2024 by Nell Marie
Pinterest is a topic I get asked about all the time.
What I’ve found is that many people either don’t fully understand it, assume it’s outdated, or have tried using it for their blog or business but gave up when they didn’t see immediate results.
Here’s the truth: Pinterest is not something to sleep on!
It’s a powerhouse for driving traffic if you know how to use it effectively.
For example, my blog is nearing 10,000 sessions per month, and it’s growing every week. (To put that into perspective, that is about as much traffic as I get from Google now, making my blog truly traffic-diverse, which is my main goal.)
My goal is to scale that to 30,000–50,000 sessions per month within the next year, and Pinterest is a key part of that plan. Why? Because Pinterest isn’t just a social platform—it’s a visual search engine that works exceptionally well for many niches.
As Google continues to roll out its “helpful content updates” (which have made life harder for many bloggers relying solely on SEO), more bloggers are either quitting or seeking alternative ways to drive traffic.
Platforms like Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, and Flipboard have become go-to solutions, and out of all of them, Pinterest is my favorite.
Once I figured out how to use Pinterest strategically, it became a simple yet powerful part of my daily blogging tasks.
In this article, I’ll dive into five effective strategies to help you harness Pinterest and grow your blogging career. Whether you’re new to Pinterest or looking to optimize your efforts, these tips will set you up for success.
Let’s get started!
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Pinterest Strategies for Bloggers
I don’t claim to be an expert, but as a blogger who has seen the benefits of Pinterest firsthand, I’m passionate about helping other bloggers—especially those just starting out—learn how to use Pinterest effectively for their blogs.
The tips I’m sharing today helped me grow a brand-new Pinterest account to nearly 500,000 impressions and 10,000 blog sessions a month. And that’s just scratching the surface of what Pinterest can do!
To put it in perspective, my blogging mentors have accounts with even more impressive stats (millions of impressions!), proving just how powerful Pinterest can be for driving traffic.
So, let’s dive into the five most important tips I have for you today. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your Pinterest strategy, these insights will help you make the most of this incredible platform.
Strategy One: Harnessing Keyword Research for Pinterest Success
To make the most of Pinterest, keyword research is key. Recently, I discovered an incredible tool called Pin Clicks, and I’m completely sold on it already!
This tool is a game-changer—it helps you identify the best keywords, uncover related keywords, and analyze the most popular pins for those terms.
Plus, it gives you insights into your competition, so you can create pins that stand out.
While I’ve only been using Pin Clicks for a few weeks, it’s quickly become an essential part of my Pinterest strategy.
If you’re not ready to invest in a paid tool, don’t worry—there are plenty of workarounds to find winning keywords for Pinterest:
- Use Pinterest Trends Alerts from Pin Generator
This free resource allows you to monitor trending topics in your niche. I’ve been using it for a few months, and it’s incredibly helpful for capturing trending topics just as they’re gaining momentum. - Explore Pinterest Trends in the Business Hub
Your Pinterest account’s business hub has a “Trends” section where you can find data on what’s popular. It’s a fantastic way to stay ahead of the curve and align your content with audience interests. - Leverage Pinterest’s Search Bar for Auto-Suggestions
When you type a keyword or phrase into Pinterest’s search bar, you’ll notice auto-suggestions pop up. These are gold! They’re based on what users are actively searching for, making them perfect for tailoring your content. - Drill Down with Suggested Topics
Once you select a keyword, Pinterest often suggests related topics. Use these to refine your focus and target a specific audience. For instance, starting with “healthy recipes” might lead you to narrower keywords like “healthy recipes entrees” or “healthy recipes delcious.”
By incorporating these keyword research strategies into your Pinterest routine, you’ll ensure your content is optimized for visibility and discoverability, giving you a leg up in driving traffic to your blog.
Strategy Two: Creating Keyword-Rich Boards
Your Pinterest boards are like the foundation of your account, and setting them up strategically can make a huge difference in how your content gets discovered. The key is to create boards with targeted keywords in the titles and descriptions—just don’t go overboard and stuff them with keywords in a spammy way.
For example, if you’re creating a board for recipes, you might title it something like “Healthy Recipes” or “Easy Dinner Recipes” In the description, include a natural flow of keywords to explain what the board is about.
Something like:
“This board is dedicated to sharing delicious recipes, including healthy recipes, dinner recipes, quick recipes for families, and meal ideas for busy weeknights. Whether you’re looking for low-carb meals or kid-friendly dishes, you’ll find it all here.”
This approach makes sure you’re using relevant keywords while still sounding helpful and engaging to your audience.
Pinterest’s algorithm picks up on these keywords, which helps your boards—and your pins—show up in search results.
A few tips for optimizing your boards:
- Stay niche-focused. Instead of just creating broad boards like “Recipes,” go specifically with boards like “Healthy Breakfast Ideas” or “15-Minute Dinner Recipes.”
- Include related keywords. Use variations of your main keyword to capture a wider audience while keeping the description natural and conversational.
By putting a little extra thought into your board setup, you’re not only improving your chances of being found by your target audience but also signaling to Pinterest that your content is relevant and well-organized.
This strategy is simple but incredibly effective in driving consistent traffic to your blog!
Strategy Three: Stay Active and Consistent
Pinterest rewards active users, so the golden rule here is simple: pin every day. Yes, I said it—every day.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t take a break now and then (I’ve had days where I didn’t pin at all and still maintained a successful account), but I firmly believe my account would be even more successful if I’d stayed consistently active the entire time.
You’ll hear varying advice on how much to pin daily. Some suggest pinning 20–50 of your own pins each day, while others recommend focusing on 5–10 fresh pins and supplementing with repins.
Personally, I aim for 10 fresh pins a day—thanks to the size of my blog, I have plenty of content to work with—and then I repin around 10 pieces of content from other creators.
The most important takeaway here is that consistency is key. Whether you decide to pin 2–5 fresh pins a day with a few repins or aim for higher numbers, stick to a schedule that works for you, your blog, and your lifestyle. Adjust as needed, but try to maintain a rhythm that keeps your account active and engaged.
A few tips for staying consistent:
- Batch your work. Dedicate time once or twice a week to create and schedule pins so you’re not scrambling every day.
- Use a scheduling tool. Tools like Tailwind can help you keep a steady stream of content flowing without manually pinning throughout the day.
- Focus on quality over quantity. Whether it’s 2 pins or 20, make sure your content is visually appealing and optimized for Pinterest’s search engine.
Remember, Pinterest is a long game. By staying active and consistent, you’ll build momentum over time and see the results in your traffic and impressions!
Find a rhythm that feels manageable and sustainable, and watch your Pinterest account thrive.
Strategy Four: Don’t Stress About Perfect Pin Design
Here’s the truth: your pins don’t need to be perfect to perform well. In fact, some of my top-performing pins are the simplest in design!
Instead of obsessing over every detail, focus on creating pins that resonate with your audience and align with what’s already working on Pinterest.
To gain insight into effective pin designs, I highly recommend using tools like Pin Clicks. This tool helps you identify the top-performing pins for your targeted keywords.
Take note of the styles, images, fonts, colors, and wording that are getting the most engagement—not to copy them but to create designs that stand out while still aligning with what’s trending.
If you’re not ready to invest in a tool like Pin Clicks, there’s a simple workaround:
- Search Pinterest for your targeted keyword. For example, type “healthy recipes” into the search bar and see what pins appear at the top.
- Analyze the “above-the-fold” pins. Look at the ones that dominate the screen without scrolling. What’s consistent across them? What stands out?
- Design to differentiate. Use what you’ve observed to create a pin that’s visually distinct while still appealing to the audience interested in that keyword.
Remember, it’s not about copying—it’s about understanding what works and using that knowledge to craft a unique design that captures attention.
Simple designs with clear, bold text and relevant images often outperform overly complicated or overly polished pins.
The goal is to make your content clickable and engaging, not just “pretty.”
So don’t stress over perfection. Test different designs, track what works best for your audience, and refine as you go.
Pinterest is all about experimenting and learning what drives results!
Some of my currently popular pins.
I show you this to give you an idea of what I mean by pins don’t need to be pretty or polished or super professional to bring in traffic.
Strategy Five: Use Canva to Create Pins
If you’re looking for an easy and effective way to design Pinterest pins, Canva is your best friend. Whether you’re using the free version or investing in Canva Pro, this tool makes it simple to create stunning pins without a lot of effort.
One of my favorite Canva hacks is to duplicate my pin designs and make slight alterations to each one. This lets me quickly create multiple pins for the same content while giving each one a fresh look. It’s a huge time-saver and ensures I’m putting out a variety of designs that appeal to different viewers.
Here’s how to make the most of Canva for Pinterest:
- Start with templates. Canva has tons of ready-made Pinterest templates that you can customize. Pick a few that fit your brand’s style and tweak them with your colors, fonts, and imagery.
- Batch your designs. Set aside time to create several pins at once. Duplicate your templates, change up the images or text slightly, and you’ll have a batch of pins ready in no time.
- Learn the basics. Spend a little time getting familiar with Canva’s features, like resizing, layering, and text effects. Once you get the hang of it, creating pins will feel like second nature.
Investing time upfront to learn how to create reusable pin templates is worth it. Once you have a system in place, you’ll be able to churn out high-quality pins quickly and consistently.
Canva is beginner-friendly and powerful, making it one of the easiest tools to streamline your Pinterest strategy.
Some prefer to use tools like Tailwind to create and schedule their pins and I may one day do that but right now I’m happy to manually create all my pins and manually schedule them in the Pinterest native scheduler.
Conclusion: Unlocking Pinterest’s Potential for Bloggers
Pinterest isn’t just another social media platform—it’s a visual search engine with incredible potential to drive consistent traffic to your blog. Whether you’re a seasoned blogger or just starting out, leveraging Pinterest can be a game-changer for growing your audience and building your brand.
The strategies we’ve covered—using research tools for keywords, creating optimized boards, staying active, designing effective pins, and streamlining the process with tools like Canva—are simple yet powerful ways to harness Pinterest’s capabilities.
The key to success is consistency and experimentation. Stick to a plan, track your results, and don’t be afraid to adjust your approach as you learn what works best for your niche.
Pinterest rewards those who put in the effort to understand its platform and tailor their content accordingly. So, don’t let doubts or past experiences hold you back. With the right mindset and strategies, Pinterest can become one of the most valuable tools in your blogging toolkit—helping you attract more readers, grow your influence, and reach your blogging goals.
Now it’s your turn to take action. Start implementing these strategies today, and watch your blog traffic soar!
Have any questions? Leave them in the comments!
If you feel you need more Pinterest education, I recommend the following products. Please keep in mind that Pinterest changes and some things may be outdated, like Idea Pins, but the basic foundational knowledge you need to know will still be found in the course and products below.
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