How to Get More Views on Pinterest Pins

Getting your Pinterest Pins in front of more people isn't about luck, it's about strategy. If you feel like you're putting in the work but not getting the views you deserve, you’re in the right place. This guide walks you through the practical, step-by-step methods you can use to optimize your pins, appeal to the Pinterest algorithm, and ultimately drive meaningful traffic and engagement.

Foundation First: Master Pinterest SEO

Pinterest is, at its heart, a visual search engine. People come here to find ideas, solutions, and inspiration. To get more views, you need to treat it like one. That means keywords are your best friend. Your goal is to use the same words your ideal audience is typing into the search bar. When you do this correctly, Pinterest connects your content with the people actively looking for it.

How to Find the Right Keywords

Don't just guess what people are searching for. Use Pinterest’s own tools to find high-performing keywords directly related to your niche.

• The Pinterest Search Bar: This is your starting point. Type in a broad topic related to your content (e.g., "healthy recipes"). Pinterest will automatically suggest related, longer-tail keywords that people are actually searching for, like "healthy recipes for weight loss" or "healthy recipes for dinner." These refined searches are gold because they show specific user intent.
• Pinterest Trends: Found in the "Ads" section, the Pinterest Trends tool shows you the search volume for keywords over time. You can compare different terms to see which is more popular and identify seasonal trends. For example, you can see exactly when searches for "fall home decor" start spiking and plan your content accordingly.
• Competitor Analysis: Look at the top-performing pins for your target keywords. What phrases are they using in their titles and descriptions? What words appear in their text overlays? This gives you an idea of what’s already working.

Where to Use Your Keywords

Once you have a list of solid keywords, you need to place them where Pinterest's algorithm can find them. Weave them naturally into:

• Pin Titles: The most important spot. Make it clear and direct.
• Pin Descriptions: Use your keywords in a few conversational sentences that add context.
• Board Titles & Descriptions: This tells Pinterest what your collection of pins is about.
• Text Overlays on Your Pin Images: Yes, Pinterest can read the text on your images.
• Your Profile Bio: Let people know what you're all about from the moment they land on your profile.

Create Pins People Can't Ignore

SEO gets your pin found, but a great design gets it clicked and saved. In a sea of visual content, your pins need to stand out immediately. A poorly designed pin can undo all your hard work on keyword research.

Designing for Maximum Impact

Follow these design principles to create pins that grab attention and look professional.

• Go Vertical: Always use a vertical aspect ratio. The recommended size is 1000 x 1500 pixels (a 2:3 ratio). Vertical pins take up more screen space on mobile devices, where most Pinterest users browse, making them much more visible.
• Use High-Quality Images & Videos: Avoid blurry, dark, or pixelated visuals. Use clear, bright, and compelling images or video clips that tell a story. Video Pins, in particular, can be extremely effective because the motion automatically catches the eye as users scroll.
• Add a Bold Text Overlay: Don't assume people will read your description. Your headline should be a text overlay right on the pin image. Use a clean, easy-to-read font that contrasts with the background. For example, instead of just a picture of a smoothie, add the overlay: "5-Minute Energy Boosting Smoothie."
• Brand Your Pins Consistently: Incorporate your brand’s colors, fonts, and a subtle logo on every pin. This isn't just about looks, it builds brand recognition. When someone sees your pin, they should instantly know it’s yours. This creates trust and encourages a follow.

Think Beyond the Standard Pin

Pinterest offers a few different formats. Tapping into them gives you more ways to reach your audience.

• Standard Pins: The classic image pin linking to an external website or blog post. This is the workhorse of any Pinterest strategy.
• Video Pins: These are short videos that play automatically in the feed. They are great for tutorials, behind-the-scenes content, or showcasing a product in action.
• Idea Pins: This multi-page format is similar to stories and allows you to build a narrative with video clips, images, and text. They are designed to keep users on Pinterest and are heavily favored by the algorithm right now. While they don't link out directly, they are fantastic for building an engaged following and showing up in new places on the platform.

Optimize Every Element of Your Pin

Treat every pin as a miniature landing page. Every component should work together to convince the user your content is what they're looking for.

Write Compelling Titles and Descriptions

Once your visual has hooked them, your copy needs to deliver. A pin with a weak title or no description is a missed opportunity.

• The Title Formula: Your title should be clear, contain your main keyword, and create curiosity. Use up to 100 characters. Instead of "Chicken Recipe," try "Easy 30-Minute Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken." It’s specific, uses keywords, and sets an expectation.
• The Description Formula: Use the 500 characters available to tell a story and naturally include your keywords. The first 50-60 characters are most important, as they’re what users see in their feed. Expand on the promise of the title. What will they get by clicking? What problem does it solve? End with a gentle call-to-action (CTA) like, "Find the full recipe on our blog!" or "Shop this look now."

Don't Forget the Link

Make sure the destination URL is correct and leads to the relevant content promised on the pin. A broken link or a link to a generic homepage creates a bad user experience, and Pinterest will notice. Sending users to a page that doesn’t deliver is a quick way to lose their trust.

Develop a Consistent Pinning Strategy

Pinterest rewards consistency. Creating and forgetting isn't a strategy, showing up regularly is what builds momentum and tells the algorithm your account is active and valuable.

Fresh Pins Are Your Priority

In the past, repinning other creators' content (or your own) was a popular strategy. Today, Pinterest heavily prioritizes fresh pins. A fresh pin is defined as a new image or video combination that has not been seen on Pinterest before.

This doesn't mean you have to create brand new content every single day. You can create multiple fresh pins for a single blog post or product. For example, if you have one recipe for "Lemon Herb Chicken," you can create 5-10 different pin images for it. Use different photos, different text overlays, and slightly different descriptions. Each one counts as a fresh pin.

Pin at the Right Time

While Pinterest's algorithm is smart, posting when your audience is most active can give your pins an initial boost in engagement. You can find this data in your Pinterest Analytics under "Audience Insights." General wisdom suggests weekends and evenings are high-traffic times, but your specific audience may behave differently.

This is where scheduling comes in handy. You can batch-create your pins for the week and schedule them to go out at peak times without having to be online constantly.

Use Your Boards Strategically

Don't just pin to one board. Save your new pin to the most relevant board first. Then, you can save it to a few other related boards over the next few days. For our chicken recipe pin, you could save it to "Dinner Recipes," "Chicken Dinners," "Easy Weeknight Meals," and "Healthy Comfort Food." This multiplies its reach without being spammy. Just keep the boards relevant and space out your pins.

Final Thoughts

Getting more views on Pinterest comes down to a consistent combination of strong SEO, compelling visuals, and strategic pinning. By treating Pinterest as a search engine and consistently creating fresh, valuable content for your audience, you build the foundation for sustainable growth and engagement.

Staying on top of a consistent pinning schedule can feel like a full-time job, but it’s the most important part of the process. This is why we built Postbase with a clean, visual calendar and rock-solid scheduling. You can plan your content weeks ahead, upload your pins once, and trust they'll go live exactly when you want them to - so you can focus on creating great content, not just managing it.