How to Get Reach on Pinterest

Getting more eyeballs on your content is the name of the game, and if you think Pinterest is just for planning weddings and dream kitchens, you're missing out on a massive search engine full of people actively looking for ideas and products. We'll show you exactly how to optimize your strategy to expand your reach. This guide covers everything from mastering the algorithm and conducting proper keyword research to creating standout Pins and a consistent pinning schedule that works.

Understanding How the Pinterest Algorithm Works

First things first: Pinterest is not a typical social media network. It’s a visual discovery engine. People on Facebook scroll to see what their friends are up to, people on Pinterest search for specific solutions, inspiration, and products. This distinction is everything. Your goal isn't just to go viral for a day, it's to have your content show up in search results for months and even years to come.

The Pinterest algorithm prioritizes content it thinks its users will love. To do this, it looks at several signals:

• Relevance: How closely your Pin, its description, and the board it’s on match a user's search query. This is all about keywords.
• Content Quality: High-resolution, visually appealing vertical images and videos perform best. The algorithm can actually "see" the quality of your visuals.
• Creator Consistency: Pinterest rewards creators who regularly share fresh, new content. "Fresh" doesn't necessarily mean a new blog post, it means a new Pin image or video, even if it links to an existing URL.
• User Engagement: When users save, click on, or zoom in on your Pin (called a "Close-up"), it signals to Pinterest that your content is valuable. High engagement tells the algorithm to show your Pin to more people.

Getting reach on Pinterest means playing by these rules: use the right keywords, create beautiful content, and post consistently. That’s the foundation for everything that follows.

Step 1: Build a Strong Foundation with an Optimized Profile

Before you create a single Pin, your profile needs to be set up to attract the right audience and signal your authority to the algorithm. Think of your profile as your storefront - it needs to be clear, professional, and optimized for search.

Switch to a Business Account

If you haven't already, convert your personal account to a Pinterest Business account. It's free and unlocks essential features you can’t get with a personal profile, including:

• Pinterest Analytics: Access to detailed data on your Pin performance, audience demographics, and outbound clicks. You can’t grow what you don’t measure.
• Rich Pins: These are enhanced Pins that automatically pull extra information from your website, like article headlines, product prices, or recipe ingredients.
• Ad Manager: The ability to run ads if you ever decide to boost your top-performing content.

Conduct Keyword Research for Your Profile SEO

Just like Google, Pinterest relies on keywords. You need to start thinking like your target audience. What terms are they typing into the search bar when looking for content like yours?

1. Profile Name: Don’t just use your brand name. Add one or two primary keywords that describe what you do. For example, instead of just "The Cozy Home," use "The Cozy Home | Budget Home Decor & DIYs."
2. Profile Bio: Your bio is prime real estate for SEO. Craft a sentence or two that clearly explains who you help and what you offer, naturally weaving in your main keywords. Forget generic statements and use terms that your audience is actively searching for.

The goal is for someone to land on your profile and know instantly if your content is for them.

Claim Your Website

This is a non-negotiable step. Claiming your website links your Pinterest profile directly to your site. This simple verification process does two things: it gives you attribution on every Pin created from your website (even by other people), and it's necessary for setting up Rich Pins. You'll find the option under Settings > Claimed Accounts.

Create and Optimize Your Boards

Your Pinterest boards aren't just for organizing your own Pins - they're a powerful SEO tool. Each board should be a hyper-focused collection of content centered around a specific niche or keyword phrase.

• Board Names: Be literal, not clever. Name your boards exactly what people search for. Instead of "Yummy Tummy Treats," use "Easy Vegan Dessert Recipes."
• Board Descriptions: Each board has a description area - use it! Write a few sentences describing the content on the board, packed with relevant keywords and long-tail phrases. This helps Pinterest understand the context of the Pins you save there, boosting their relevance in search.

Step 2: Master Pinterest Keyword Research

If you only master one skill on Pinterest, make it keyword research. This is how you move from randomly posting content to strategically creating Pins that show up in front of an audience ready to engage.

Here’s how to find the keywords people are actually using:

Use the Pinterest Search Bar

The simplest method is often the best. Type a broad keyword into the Pinterest search bar and see what autocomplete suggestions pop up. These are real, popular searches.

For example, if you type "living room..." Pinterest might suggest:

• living room decor ideas
• living room layout
• living room paint ideas modern
• living room organization

These are all fantastic keyword phrases to target.

Follow the Colored Bubbles (Guided Search)

After you complete a search, you’ll see colored bubbles appear beneath the search bar. This is Pinterest's Guided Search, and it’s a goldmine for finding related long-tail keywords. If you searched for "home office ideas," the bubbles might include "small space," "on a budget," "for two people," or "ikea." Click on these to narrow your search and find even more specific keywords to use in your Pin descriptions and board titles.

Analyze Your Competitors' Pins

Find successful accounts in your niche and look at what keywords they’re using in their Pin titles and descriptions. Pay attention to how they structure their copy. Don't copy them directly, but use their strategy as inspiration for your own. A well-written Pin description seamlessly blends natural language with multiple keywords.

Step 3: Design Pins That Capture Attention

A great Pin does three things: it solves a problem, it stops the scroll, and it entices a click. Your design and copy work together to achieve this.

Visual Best Practices

Every Pin you create should follow these fundamental design rules to maximize visibility.

• Go Vertical: Pinterest is a vertical platform. Always use a 2:3 aspect ratio, like 1000 x 1500 pixels. Horizontal pins get cropped and perform poorly.
• Use High-Quality Imagery: Blurry or pixelated photos won't cut it. Use crisp, clear, and well-lit images or videos that look professional.
• Add a Text Overlay: Your visual should capture attention, but the text overlay should instantly communicate the value. Use a bold, easy-to-read font to create a clear headline that solves a problem (e.g., "5-Minute Healthy Lunch Idea" or "How to Style a Small Balcony").
• Brand Everything: Add your logo or website URL to the bottom of every Pin. This builds brand recognition and helps prevent your content from being stolen without credit.

Write Compelling Pin Titles and Descriptions

Your visual design is just one part of the equation. Your copy helps the algorithm categorize your Pin and convinces users to take action.

Pin Titles

Your title is the clear, concise headline. Make it keyword-rich and benefit-driven. It's the first thing users read and heavily weighted by the algorithm.

Pin Descriptions

Your description is where you can expand. Write 2-3 natural sentences that explain what the Pin is about and who it’s for. Sprinkle in your primary and secondary keywords, including a few long-tail phrases. End with a clear call-to-action (CTA) guiding the user on what to do next, like "Click through to read our full guide on eco-friendly cleaning hacks!"

Step 4: Develop a Consistent Pinning Strategy

Consistency is more important than volume. The algorithm favors creators who show up regularly over those who dump 50 Pins on a Sunday and then disappear for two weeks. Building a sustainable workflow is the key to long-term reach.

Prioritize Fresh Content

Pinterest explicitly states that its algorithm prioritizes fresh Pins. A "fresh" Pin is a new image or video that hasn’t been seen on Pinterest before. This doesn't mean you need to write 10 new blog posts a day.

Here’s the strategy: Take one piece of content (a blog post, a product page, a podcast episode) and create 5-10 different Pin designs for it. Use different images, headlines, colors, and A/B test your CTAs. You can then schedule these unique Pins to go out over several weeks or months, continuing to drive traffic to the same URL without being spammy. This is the single most effective way to stay in the algorithm's good graces.

Find Your Best Time to Pin

While consistency is the top priority, you can give your Pins an initial boost by posting them when your audience is most active. Dive into your Pinterest Analytics, go to the "Audience Insights" tab, and see when your followers are typically online. Schedule your content to go out during these peak times.

The Power of Scheduling

Pinning fresh content every day can feel overwhelming. This is where a scheduling tool becomes invaluable. By planning and scheduling your Pins in batches, you can maintain a consistent presence without having to live on the platform. Tools designed for visual content are especially helpful because they let you see your content calendar at a glance, spot gaps, and ensure you have a steady stream of Pins going live every day.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, growing your reach on Pinterest comes down to a simple formula: treat it as a search engine, consistently publish high-value, visually-driven content that your audience is looking for, and leverage analytics to refine your approach. If you follow the steps outlined here, you’ll build a powerful engine for traffic and brand discovery that works for you around the clock.

Crafting a diverse stream of fresh Pins across different formats requires organization and a solid plan. That's why we built Postbase with a visual calendar that lets you see your entire content strategy at a glance. You can drag and drop your Pins to reschedule them, plan weeks in advance, and trust that our rock-solid scheduling will publish everything on time, every time - something that's often a point of frustration with older tools.