How to Increase Outbound Clicks on Pinterest

Driving traffic from Pinterest isn't about luck, it's about giving users a reason to leave the platform. Your Pins need to do more than just look pretty in a feed - they need to be an invitation to something valuable. In this guide, we'll walk through practical strategies for turning your Pinterest presence into a consistent source of outbound clicks and meaningful traffic for your website, blog, or store.

Why Outbound Clicks are Pinterest’s Superpower

Unlike other social media platforms where the main goal is in-app engagement (likes, comments, shares), Pinterest operates as a visual discovery engine. Users aren't there to catch up with friends, they are actively planning, shopping, and searching for solutions. They expect to click on a Pin to find the full recipe, the detailed DIY tutorial, or the product page for that perfect lamp.

This user intent is fundamentally different. An outbound click isn't an interruption - it's the successful completion of a user's search. Your job is to make that click irresistible by mastering a few key areas.

1. Design Pins That Are Impossible to Ignore

Your Pin’s design is the first and most important hurdle. In a fast-scrolling feed, it has milliseconds to grab attention and signal value. If the design fails, no amount of clever keywords will save it.

Stick to the Vertical Format

Pinterest is a vertical platform, designed for mobile phones. Your Pins should be, too. Aim for a 2:3 aspect ratio (e.g., 1000 x 1500 pixels). This takes up more screen real estate, making your Pin more prominent and readable compared to square or horizontal images that get lost in the feed.

Use High-Quality, Compelling Visuals

Blurry, dark, or low-resolution images won’t get a second glance. Whether you're using original photography, stock photos, or video, make sure they are bright, clear, and relevant to the content you're linking to. Show the end result - the delicious finished meal, the beautifully organized closet, the final product in use. Help users visualize the outcome they can achieve by clicking through.

Add Bold Text Overlays

A beautiful image is great, but a beautiful image with a compelling headline is a traffic driver. Your text overlay is the hook that communicates the value hiding behind the click. Instead of just showing a photo of a smoothie, your text overlay should say, “The 5-Ingredient Green Smoothie for More Energy.”

Follow these quick tips for effective text overlays:

• Be Clear and Direct: Tell the user exactly what they will get. Use action-oriented and solution-focused language.
• Use Strong, Readable Fonts: Choose clean sans-serif fonts that are easy to scan on a small screen. Avoid overly decorative or skinny scripts.
• Create Contrast: Your text should pop against the background image. You can add a semi-transparent colored block behind the text or use a font color that stands out dramatically from the image.

Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Don't assume viewers know you want them to click. Tell them what to do next. Your CTA can be part of your text overlay or a separate design element. Simple CTAs work best:

• Read More
• Get the Guide
• Shop the Look
• Download the Freebie
• Grab the Recipe
• Learn How

This simple instruction removes ambiguity and encourages the user to take the next step.

Don't Forget Subtle Branding

Adding your logo or website URL subtly to the bottom of every Pin accomplishes two things. First, it helps build brand recognition over time. Second, it adds a layer of professionalism and prevents others from stealing your content. Keep it small and unobtrusive so it doesn't distract from the main message.

2. Write Titles & Descriptions That Convert

Once the design captures attention, the accompanying text is what seals the deal. The title and description are your chance to use targeted keywords and reinforce the value proposition you presented in your Pin's text overlay.

Craft Keyword-Rich Titles

Your Pin title is heavily weighted in Pinterest's search algorithm. Think like a user and ask yourself, "What words would I type into the search bar to find this content?" Front-load your most important keywords in the title. Instead of "My Favorite Dinner Idea," a better title would be "Quick Vegan Pasta Recipe for Weeknights."

Write Benefit-Driven Descriptions

Your description (up to 500 characters) is where you can expand on your title and give the user even more reason to click. Don't just stuff keywords, write natural, conversational sentences that elaborate on the solution or inspiration you're offering.

A good description for the vegan pasta Pin might be: "Looking for an easy weeknight dinner? This delicious vegan pasta recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! Made with simple ingredients, it's a family-friendly meal that’s both healthy and packed with flavor. Click through for the full, step-by-step recipe!"

Notice how this description includes keywords organically (easy weeknight dinner, vegan pasta recipe, healthy meal) while also highlighting the benefits (ready in 20 minutes, simple ingredients) and ending with a direct CTA.

Use Relevant Hashtags Sparingly

Hashtags on Pinterest work more like categories than they do on Instagram. You don't need dozens of them. Add 2-5 specific, relevant hashtags at the end of your description to help Pinterest categorize your content. These should be broad and evergreen terms, like #veganrecipes, #pastadinner, or #easydinners.

3. Master a Strategic Pinning Workflow

How, when, and where you share your Pins can dramatically impact their reach and, subsequently, your outbound clicks.

Pin Consistently, Not Intensively

Pinterest rewards consistency. It’s better to pin a few high-quality Pins every day than to upload 50 Pins in one session and then disappear for a week. A steady stream of new content signals to the algorithm that you're an active and valuable creator. This is where a scheduling tool can become your best friend, allowing you to batch your Pin creation and drip them out over time.

Embrace the Power of "Fresh Pins"

A "fresh Pin" is an image or video that Pinterest’s algorithm has never seen before. Critically, it can link to content you’ve shared before. Pinterest prioritizes fresh content, so simply repinning your old Pin to new boards won't give you the same boost as creating a brand new design.

For a single blog post or product, you should create 5-10 different Pin designs. Experiment with:

• Different images or video clips
• Different text overlay headlines
• Different colors and layouts
• Different calls-to-action

This strategy allows you to promote the same URL over and over without your content becoming stale in the eyes of the algorithm.

Leverage Different Pin Formats

Don’t limit yourself to just static image Pins. Diversify your content to reach more people:

• Video Pins: Short, compelling videos (15-60 seconds) perform exceptionally well. They auto-play in the feed and can quickly demonstrate a process, showcase a product, or share a quick tip, leading to an outbound click for more details.
• Idea Pins: Idea Pins are multi-page video or image stories. While they were originally designed to keep users on-platform, Pinterest has since added link stickers. This is a game-changer. You can now add a destination URL to any page of your Idea Pin, creating a direct and powerful CTA to your blog post or product.

4. Nail the Technical Setup

These background steps are critical. They build trust with both Pinterest and its users and unlock a wealth of data to help you improve.

Claim Your Website

Claiming your website is non-negotiable. This process verifies that you own your URL. Once claimed, your profile picture and a "Follow" button will appear on every Pin that originates from your site, no matter who saves it. It gives you credibility and provides access to more in-depth website analytics.

Enable Rich Pins

Rich Pins automatically sync information from your website to your Pins. This gives pinners a better idea of what they’re about to click on. There are three types:

• Article Pins: Add a headline, author, and story description.
• Product Pins: Include real-time pricing, availability, and where to buy.
• Recipe Pins: Display ingredients, cooking times, and serving sizes.

Rich Pins are more informative, professional, and tend to get higher click-through rates because they reduce uncertainty for the user.

Ensure a Seamless Landing Page Experience

All your hard work is wasted if the user clicks through to a frustrating experience. Your destination page must:

• Load quickly.
• Be mobile-friendly.
• Deliver *exactly* what the Pin promised.

A poor landing page experience will not only turn that user away but will also hurt your standing with the Pinterest algorithm over time.

5. Analyze and Refine Your Strategy

Once you’re pinning consistently, take time to look at your Pinterest Analytics to see what’s working.

Pay close attention to the “Outbound Clicks” metric for your individual Pins. Ask yourself:

• Which Pin designs get the most clicks? Look at the visuals, colors, and font styles.
• What kind of headlines resonate most? Are they listicles, how-to guides, or question-based?
• Which topics are driving the most traffic? Double down on what your audience loves.

Don't be afraid to experiment. A/B test different Pin designs leading to the same URL to discover which style your audience responds to. Let the data guide your future content creation for a continuous cycle of improvement.

Final Thoughts

Driving more outbound clicks from Pinterest is a process of refinement, not perfection. It combines compelling design, direct copywriting, smart keyword strategy, and a consistent publishing habit. By always keeping the user’s goal in mind and making it easy for them to find the solution you’re offering, you can transform your Pinterest account into one of your most valuable sources of web traffic.

We know that staying consistent with a stream of fresh Pins is the key to Pinterest success, but it can also be the hardest part to manage. That's why we built Postbase with a clean, visual content calendar. Being able to see all your scheduled content at a glance, drag and drop posts to different dates, and have everything planned out frees you up to focus on creating Pin designs that get clicks, not worrying about when to post them. It brings a sense of calm to the necessary chaos of content creation.