How to Build Pinterest Followers

Gaining more followers on Pinterest isn't about chasing vanity metrics, it's about building a genuine audience that drives traffic, sales, and brand awareness. Forget the follower-for-follower games and quick-fix hacks. This guide gives you a repeatable strategy for attracting the right followers - people who are actively searching for the ideas, products, and inspiration you offer.

First Things First: Understand How Pinterest Works

Before jumping into tactics, you need a mental shift. Pinterest is not a traditional social media network, it's a visual search engine. People don't come to Pinterest to see what their friends are up to. They come with a purpose: to find ideas, plan purchases, and get inspired. They search for things like "healthy weeknight recipes," "small bathroom remodel ideas," or "fall wedding guest dresses."

This means your primary goal is to show up in their search results. A follower is a fantastic side effect of doing that well, because when someone follows you, Pinterest is more likely to show them your new content. But remember, a huge percentage of your traffic and engagement will come from non-followers who discover you through search. Your strategy should serve both: attract new people via search and give existing followers a reason to stick around.

Step 1: Rock Your Profile and Set Up for Success

Your profile is your digital storefront. It needs to be clear, professional, and optimized so that both users and the Pinterest algorithm understand who you are and what you're about. Think of it as Pinterest SEO 101.

Craft a Keyword-Rich Profile Name

Don't just use your business name. Your display name is a prime piece of searchable real estate. A great formula is:

[Your Business Name] | [Main Keywords]

For example:

• The Cozy Minimalist | Simple Home Decor & Organization
• Weekend Baker | Easy Baking Recipes for Beginners
• Bloom Digital | Social Media Marketing Tips for Small Business

Write a Bio That Connects and Converts

Your bio should quickly tell visitors who you are, who you help, and what they can expect from you. Weave in your most important keywords naturally. Instead of saying "I sell custom branding packages," try "Helping service-based entrepreneurs build a gorgeous brand with Squarespace templates and branding tips." The second option is benefit-driven and includes searchable terms.

Claim Your Website (This Is Mandatory)

This is a non-negotiable step. Claiming your website links your Pinterest account to your domain and unlocks several massive benefits:

• Better Analytics: You'll see which pins are driving the most traffic to your site.
• Your Profile on Pins: Every pin from your site will have your profile photo and a "Follow" button added, increasing your visibility.
• Potential for Rich Pins: Rich Pins automatically sync info from your website, like product prices or recipe ingredients, right onto the pin.

You can find the "Claimed Accounts" option in your settings. Just follow the step-by-step instructions - it’s easier than it sounds.

Step 2: Build a Strong Content Foundation with Strategic Boards

Your Pinterest boards are how you organize your ideas. They're like file folders for your content, and they are critical for SEO. Randomly named boards like "Cool Stuff" or "My Faves" won't help you.

Create Niche, Keyword-Focused Boards

Think about the categories your ideal follower searches for. Get specific! A health coach shouldn't have one giant board called "Health." They should have several targeted boards:

• "Healthy Breakfast Ideas"
• "Beginner HIIT Workouts at Home"
• "High-Protein Meal Prep"
• "Stress Management Techniques"

Aim for at least 10-15 boards directly related to your niche and consistently pin to them. This helps Pinterest understand your areas of expertise.

Optimize Your Board Descriptions

Every single board has a description box, and most people leave it empty. Don't! This is another perfect spot to tell Pinterest's algorithm what the board is about. Write a few sentences describing the content, working in different variations of your keywords. For the "Beginner HIIT Workouts at Home" board, you might write: "Find the best beginner HIIT workouts you can do right at home without any equipment. This board is full of quick cardio routines, bodyweight exercises, and full-body workout inspiration to help you get fit."

Step 3: Create Pins That People Actually Want to Save and Click

Now for the fun part: creating the content. On Pinterest, this means creating "Fresh Pins." A Fresh Pin is simply a new image or video you haven't uploaded to Pinterest before. The algorithm heavily favors fresh content over repinning the same old images.

The Anatomy of a High-Performing Pin

• Vertical Format: This is a must. The ideal aspect ratio is 2:3 (e.g., 1000 x 1500 pixels). Vertical Pins take up more space in the feed and are mobile-friendly.
• High-Quality Visuals: Use clear, bright, non-pixelated photos or videos. Lifestyle images generally perform better than sterile product-on-white-background shots.
• Text Overlay: This is arguably the most important element. Add a bold, easy-to-read headline right on your Pin image. The text gives context and grabs attention as users scroll. E.g., "5 Mistakes to Avoid When Painting a Room" rather than just a photo of a painted room.
• Subtle Branding: Add your logo or website URL at the bottom of your Pin image so your brand gets visibility even if the pin description gets shortened.

Optimize Every Single Pin Title and Description

Just like with your profile and boards, every Pin is an SEO opportunity. Don't be lazy here. Always write a full, thoughtful description for your Pins using the keywords you researched.

• Pin Title: Use your primary keyword here. Keep it clear and compelling, like a mini blog post title.
• Pin Description: You have up to 500 characters. Use them all. Write 2-3 sentences that tell a story or explain the benefit of clicking. Weave in several related keywords naturally. A call to action like "Click to read the full recipe" or "Shop the look on the blog" helps encourage a click-through.
• Always Add a Link! Every Pin (except for some Idea Pin formats) should link back somewhere of value - a blog post, a product page, a landing page, etc. That's the whole point!

Step 4: Stay Consistent and Engage Smartly

Pinterest rewards consistency above almost everything else. Pinning 30 pins in one day and then going silent for a week is far less effective than pinning 3-5 fresh, high-quality pins every single day.

Create a Pinning Schedule

The thought of creating 3-5 brand new Pins daily can feel overwhelming. This is where planning helps. Dedicate one block of time per week to batch-create Pin designs in a tool like Canva. You can create multiple Pin variations for a single blog post by changing the background image or headline text.

Aim for a mix of content formats:

• Static Pins: The standard image-based Pin.
• Video Pins: Short, dynamic videos capture attention very effectively. They're great for tutorials, process videos, or showing a product in action.
• Idea Pins: These are multi-page, story-style Pins. While they don't always link out directly on every slide, they are amazing for follower growth because they live natively on Pinterest and are heavily promoted by the platform. Use them to share quick tips, tell a story, or create a step-by-step guide.

Do Not Re-Pin Your Own Pins

Years ago, the strategy was to re-pin your popular content over and over to different boards. The Pinterest algorithm has changed. Today, it wants fresh content. Re-pinning signals that the content is old, which can hurt your distribution. Create a new Pin image for that same link instead - that's considered fresh!

Final Thoughts

Growing your Pinterest following isn't about a single secret trick. It's about systematically applying a search-focused strategy: optimize your profile, organize your content with keyword-rich boards, consistently create high-quality vertical Pins that solve a problem, and stay consistent. By treating Pinterest like the powerful search engine it is, you'll attract an audience that is an ideal fit for your brand.

Manually creating and publishing fresh Pins every single day is the key to consistency, but it can quickly become a significant time commitment. At Postbase, we use our own tool's visual calendar to plan, schedule, and automate our Pinterest content in batches. Using Postbase helps us keep up with the demands of the algorithm without spending hours in the platform each week, letting us focus on creating content instead of just publishing it.