How to Link Pinterest to Instagram

Building a bridge between your Pinterest and Instagram accounts is a powerful way to expand your reach and grow your brand across both platforms. This guide walks you through exactly how to connect them, from the official linking process to smart strategies for cross-promoting your content effectively.

Why Link Pinterest to Instagram in the First Place?

Before we get into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." Your audiences on Pinterest and Instagram have different mindsets. Instagram users are often looking for immediate inspiration and behind-the-scenes community connection. Pinterest users, on the other hand, are planners and curators, they are actively searching for ideas, products, and tutorials to save for the future.

By connecting these two platforms, you can:

• Drive Quality Traffic: Guide your engaged Instagram followers to your content-rich Pinterest boards, and lead inspired Pinners to your Instagram profile for timely updates and community interaction.
• Boost Discoverability: You give people who find you on one platform an easy way to follow you on another, increasing your total audience size. Someone might discover your brand through a Pin but prefer to engage daily on Instagram.
• Strengthen Your Brand Story: Use Instagram for your daily storytelling and community building, and use Pinterest as a beautiful, organized library of your best ideas, products, and evergreen content. Together, they create a more complete picture of your brand.

Method 1: Claim Your Instagram Account on Pinterest (The Official Way)

This is the most important technical step you can take. "Claiming" your Instagram account on Pinterest officially links the two profiles. It tells Pinterest that you own the Instagram account, which unlocks some useful benefits.

What Claiming Your Account Actually Does:

• Adds Your Profile Picture & Follow Button: When you or anyone else creates a Pin from one of your Instagram posts, Pinterest will attribute it properly by adding your Pinterest profile picture and a "Follow" button directly on that Pin. This makes sure you get credit and gain followers, even when others share your content.
• Unlocks Analytics: You'll get access to analytics for any Pins that are created from your Instagram account. You can see how many impressions and clicks your Instagram content gets on Pinterest, which helps you understand what's resonating with the planning-focused audience.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Claim Your Instagram Account

The process is straightforward and only takes a couple of minutes. Here’s how you do it on a desktop:

1. Log in to your Pinterest Business account. You need a business account to access this feature. If you're on a personal account, you can convert it for free in your settings.
2. Go to your Settings. Click the down-arrow icon in the top-right corner of your screen and select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
3. Navigate to "Claimed Accounts." In the left-hand navigation menu, click on "Claimed accounts." Here, you’ll see options to claim your website, Etsy, YouTube, and Instagram accounts.
4. Click the "Claim" button next to Instagram. A pop-up window will appear, asking you to authorize the connection and log in to your Instagram account.
5. Log in and Authorize. Enter your Instagram username and password into the safe pop-up window and click "Allow" to give Pinterest permission to access your profile information. Don't worry, this doesn't give Pinterest the ability to post on your behalf.

That's it! Your Instagram account is now officially claimed. You'll see it listed under the "Claimed accounts" section in your settings. Now, any future Pins sourced from your Instagram will carry your brand attribution.

Method 2: Add Your Pinterest Link to Your Instagram Bio

While claiming your account works in the background on Pinterest, you also need a visible way to send people from Instagram to Pinterest. The best spot for this is the "link in bio" on your Instagram profile.

Your Instagram bio is premium real estate. It's one of the few places on the platform where you can put a clickable link. Dedicating it to your Pinterest profile is a great strategy if your focus is on building that library of evergreen content.

How to Add a Link to Your Instagram Bio:

1. Open Instagram and go to your profile.
2. Tap the "Edit Profile" button right below your bio description.
3. Find the "Website" field. This is the only field where a URL will become a clickable link.
4. Paste your Pinterest profile URL. It will look something like https://www.pinterest.com/yourusername/.
5. Tap "Done" or the checkmark to save your changes.

Pro Tip: Don't just drop the link in there - tell people why they should click it! Add a line in your bio text like, "Click here for all my free guides and inspiration! 👇" or "Follow me on Pinterest for more tutorials and ideas!" to direct people's attention to the link.

Beyond Linking: Smart Strategies for Cross-Promotion

Simply connecting your accounts is just the first step. The real magic happens when you build a content strategy that allows each platform to support the other. This isn't about just reposting the same image everywhere. It’s about being thoughtful about how and what you share.

Turn Your Instagram Content into High-Performing Pins

Your Instagram feed is full of potential Pins, but a simple screenshot usually won't perform well. Instead, repurpose your best content with a Pinterest-first mindset.

• For Instagram Carousels: Did you create an awesome 5-slide carousel post on Instagram? Turn that into a tall, vertical infographic Pin. Design a beautiful, Pin-friendly graphic that summarizes the key points from your carousel, and add a text overlay with a compelling title.
• For Instagram Reels: You can share your Reels directly to Pinterest as Idea Pins. Since they are both vertical video formats, the transition is seamless. Just be sure to remove the Instagram watermark first if possible and add a keyword-rich title and description on Pinterest to help it get discovered in search.
• For Single-Image Posts: Grab that beautiful photo from your Instagram feed and add a stylized text overlay that turns it into a solution-oriented Pin. For example, if you're a food blogger who posted a photo of a cake, create a fresh Pin graphic with the title "Easy, Step-by-Step Chocolate Cake Recipe." This frames the content for a Pinner's search-focused intent.

Encouraging Traffic from Instagram to Pinterest

Don’t just hope people find your Pinterest link - actively send them there.

• Use the Link Sticker in Instagram Stories: When you're talking about a new blog post, a recipe, or a tutorial, tell your audience, "You can find this and save it for later on my Pinterest!" Then, add a link sticker that leads them directly to the relevant Pin or board.
• Create "Pin This!" CTAs: Include a small text call-to-action in your Instagram post captions. For example, "Love this idea? Head to the link in my bio and hit 'Follow' on Pinterest so you never miss a tip!"
• Promote Your Boards: Run a "Pinterest board takeover" on your Instagram stories for a day. Share screenshots of a specific board and explain the type of content your followers will find there, with a direct link to follow that board.

Encouraging Traffic from Pinterest to Instagram

The bridge works both ways. Use your Pins to grow your Instagram community.

• "Follow for More" Pins: Create Pins specifically designed to advertise your Instagram account. For example, a home decor Pinner could create a graphic that says, "5 Couch Styling Tips" and include a line at the bottom that says, "For daily home tours, follow me on Instagram @YourHandle." This gives users a clear reason to switch platforms.
• Show "Behind the Scenes": Create Pins that tease a more in-depth story only available on Instagram. A Pin might show the beautiful finished result of a DIY project, but the caption could say, "Want to see the hilarious fail that happened halfway through? Check out my 'DIY Projects' Story Highlight on Instagram!"

Final Thoughts

Connecting your Pinterest and Instagram accounts is less about a single technical link and more about building a strategic bridge. By officially claiming your account, using your Instagram bio effectively, and creating a thoughtful cross-promotion strategy, you create a powerful system where both platforms work together to grow your brand and reach new audiences.

We know that managing a consistent visual content strategy across multiple platforms can feel like a full-time job. It’s exactly why we built Postbase. With our visual calendar, you can plan your Instagram posts, Reels, and Pinterest Pins side-by-side, so you always have a clear view of your entire content plan. That way, you can focus on creating great content, not just juggling schedules across different apps.