55. From Pins to Profit: A Practical Guide to Pinterest Marketing for Growing Sales and Visibility with Alex Smykaluk
- Brittany Miller
- Apr 23, 2024
- 12 min read
Updated: Dec 22, 2025
Pin this: Pinterest marketing is one of the most underrated, long-term growth channels for business owners who want consistent lead generation without being tethered to daily content performance. If you’re tired of chasing reels, algorithms, and the 24-hour content treadmill, this blog will walk you through what Pinterest marketing is, who it works for, how to get started, and exactly what to measure so your time pays off.
If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.
I'm joining me on this podcast episode is Alex Smykaluk. owner of Simply Alex Jean. She is a Pinterest specialist sharing her experience using Pinterest to grow her business, so let's dive in.
Table of Contents
Why Pinterest marketing deserves a spot in your marketing plan
Alex shares that Pinterest is not just “another social platform.” It behaves like a visual search engine — more like Google than Instagram — and that changes everything about how it should fit into your business strategy. People come to Pinterest with intent: they want ideas, solutions, and inspiration. That means if your product or service solves a problem, Pinterest marketing can connect you to people actively searching for answers.
Here are the core reasons Pinterest marketing is worth investing in:
Passive lead generation: Pins continue to show up in search results months and years after you publish them. A well-optimized pin can drive traffic while you sleep, on vacation, or focused on other parts of your business.
Long lifespan: Pins can have a shelf life measured in years, not hours. That creates compounding returns: yesterday’s pins help today’s performance.
Search intent: Users arrive with a problem to solve. That makes conversion and list-building easier when your content answers their needs.
Works without being “on camera”: If you dislike showing up on video or daily stories, Pinterest marketing lets you market without being the face of every post.
Scales globally or locally: For online businesses, the potential audience is huge; for brick-and-mortar stores, targeted approaches and Pinterest ads can drive foot traffic from specific regions.
What Pinterest marketing actually looks like
At its heart, Pinterest marketing combines content, keywords, and visuals to match search queries. Your pins (visual posts) link back to your website or landing pages where you capture leads or make sales. Unlike short-form social content, Pinterest marketing is about helping the right people find the right content over time.
Key pieces of a Pinterest marketing strategy:
Keyword research and SEO for Pinterest
Optimized pins and images that convert views into clicks
Relevant boards that organize and surface your content
Landing pages, blog posts, or freebies to capture traffic
Regular pin creation and occasional ad campaigns for short-term needs
Listen to the full conversation for even more insights.
Who Pinterest marketing works best for
Pinterest marketing works well for many businesses, but it’s not universal. The key questions to ask are: Are my ideal customers on Pinterest? Are they searching for solutions that my business provides?
Business types that tend to thrive with Pinterest marketing:
Online service providers: Coaches, consultants, social media managers, and educators who offer digital services or online courses.
Bloggers and content creators: Pinterest drives high-volume website traffic for blog posts that answer clear questions.
Product-based businesses: E-commerce stores, especially those with visually appealing products like home decor, fashion, wedding items, and crafts.
Niche brick-and-mortar businesses: Specialty shops that attract customers willing to travel — bridal boutiques, bespoke studios, specialized retailers.
Less ideal fits include local businesses that rely purely on impulse or immediate proximity for purchases (a neighborhood coffee shop, for example). That said, targeted Pinterest ads can still be useful for local businesses when executed with a clear geo-targeting strategy.
Understanding the Pinterest audience
Demographics on Pinterest have evolved. While Pinterest marketing historically skewed toward women in their 30s–40s, today the platform is broader and more diverse. There are strong numbers in the 18–50 age range, and male users and tech audiences have been steadily increasing.
The important takeaway for Pinterest marketing is this: don’t assume your audience isn’t there. Instead, do a quick search for the keywords and phrases related to your business. If relevant pins show up and people are engaging, that’s your signal that Pinterest marketing can work for you.
When to start Pinterest marketing for maximum impact
Pinterest rewards planning and consistent content. If you’re building a business, the best time to start Pinterest marketing is when you have foundational assets ready:
A website you own (not just a social profile)
At least several pages of content — blog posts, product pages, resource pages, or freebies (aim for 5–10+ pieces)
A basic capture system (an email list or a place visitors can opt into a freebie)
A longer-term marketing mindset (six months to a year strategy rather than instant wins)
For most businesses, that means starting Pinterest marketing in the first or second year after launch. If you’re still pivoting your offer or changing your target audience frequently, it’s worth stabilizing your core messaging first so your pins point to consistent content.
How to get started with Pinterest marketing — a simple checklist
Follow this practical checklist to launch a Pinterest marketing program that’s focused and effective:
Switch to or create a Pinterest business account.
Conduct keyword research on Pinterest (use the search bar and autocomplete to see what people are typing).
Audit your website content and list pages that directly solve problems your audience has.
Create boards that reflect the search categories your audience uses.
Design eye-catching, readable pins that make the solution clear.
Add keyword-rich titles and pin descriptions that match Pinterest search behavior.
Schedule pins consistently (aim for one to three new pins per day depending on experience level).
Set up tracking (Pinterest analytics and Google Analytics) to monitor outbound traffic and conversions.
Keyword research for Pinterest marketing (the foundation)
Keyword research on Pinterest is different from Google. People type short, intent-driven phrases and often ignore grammar. To do keyword research for Pinterest marketing:
Start typing likely queries into the Pinterest search bar and note autocomplete suggestions.
Click through to relevant pins and check the language used in their titles and descriptions.
Look at related search terms and categories Pinterest suggests at the top of results pages.
Create a list of primary and secondary keywords and use them across pin titles, descriptions, and board names.
Pro tip: copy and paste your keyword list into a content planner so you can map pins to specific pieces of content on your website.
Designing pins that convert
Your pin needs to stop the scroll and clearly communicate the benefit. Here are design principles that work consistently with Pinterest marketing:
Bright, high-contrast images: Increase brightness and saturation so your pin pops on small mobile screens.
Simple, readable fonts: Avoid intricate scripts for primary text. Use bold, legible type that reads at thumb size.
Clear promise in the headline: Front-load the problem and the solution. Example: “5 Easy Meal Plans for Busy Moms” tells the user exactly what they’ll get.
Include branding: Add a small logo or website name to protect your work and keep attribution when pins are shared.
Test multiple pin designs: Sometimes the plainest pins outperform the prettiest ones. Try several variations and track performance.
How often should you pin?
Forget the outdated advice to post dozens of pins per day. Pinterest’s guidance and practical experience show that quality beats spam. For Pinterest marketing, focus on consistency and quality:
New accounts: Aim for 1 fresh pin per day to build momentum.
Established accounts (1+ year): You can pin 2–3 times per day, occasionally up to 4–5 if you have the bandwidth and variety.
Avoid mass pinning: Pinning 10–30 times per day often triggers spam filters and can lead to reduced distribution or account penalties.
Remember: a small number of well-optimized pins can outperform a large quantity of poor ones. For most business owners, Pinterest marketing should not be a time-sink — with a streamlined process, it can take 1–4 hours per week depending on experience.
How long before Pinterest marketing starts to work?
Be prepared for the long game. Pinterest needs time to index your content and understand how users interact with it. Typical timelines look like this:
Initial activity: First few weeks — you’ll see impressions but limited outbound traffic.
Sweet spot: 4–6 months — Pinterest starts to trust your content and give it broader distribution.
Full momentum: 6–12 months — your snowball effect begins. Pins from earlier months start performing alongside new pins, compounding traffic and leads.
One of Pinterest marketing’s biggest advantages is longevity: pins from two or three years ago can still drive your highest traffic if they matched search intent and solved problems.
What metrics matter for Pinterest marketing
Stop obsessing over followers or likes — Pinterest marketing success looks different. Focus on meaningful business metrics:
Outbound traffic: The number of sessions Pinterest sends to your website. This is the primary metric for lead generation and sales.
Engagements and saves: Clicks, saves, and saves indicate that users found your pin relevant. Saves are increasingly important — they signal interest and future intent.
Impressions: Useful as a general temperature check, but impressions alone don’t move the business needle.
Conversion metrics: Email opt-ins, product purchases, and contact form submissions originating from Pinterest traffic are the end goal.
Set goals around outbound traffic and conversion rates, then use pins and landing pages to raise those numbers. Pinterest analytics combined with Google Analytics gives you the full view.
Measuring ROI from Pinterest marketing
Calculating ROI for Pinterest marketing requires tracking the journey from pin to conversion. Ask these questions monthly:
How much organic traffic does Pinterest send to my website?
How many new email subscribers came from Pinterest traffic?
How many sales, bookings, or inquiries originated from Pinterest referrals?
What is the lifetime value of a customer acquired via Pinterest compared to other channels?
When you tie inbound traffic to real business outcomes (email subscribers, sales, booked consultations), you can determine how much time or ad spend to allocate to Pinterest marketing.
Do you need Pinterest ads?
No — Pinterest marketing does not require ads to succeed. Many businesses grow steadily with organic pinning and good SEO. However, ads can be a strategic tool when you have:
A short-term goal (a time-limited launch or sale)
Low organic reach for competitive seasonal searches
A desire to accelerate results during key marketing windows
Use ads to amplify specific pins and landing pages, especially for events, launches, or local promotions where targeted geo-audiences matter. For most long-term list-building and organic traffic, consistent organic Pinterest marketing is sufficient.
Seasonal and trend-focused Pinterest marketing
Pinterest is a planning platform. People search weeks or months ahead for seasonal ideas. Use this to your advantage with a forward-looking content calendar:
Seasonal content lead time: Start pinning seasonal content 4–6 weeks before folks begin searching. For bigger holidays like Christmas, start as early as September or October.
Map seasonal pins to content: For each seasonal pin, link to relevant pages or freebies that capture interest.
Update evergreen pins: Refresh titles, descriptions, and images seasonally to keep older pins relevant.
Think two to three months ahead when planning holiday or seasonal campaigns. That lead time gives Pinterest the opportunity to index and surface your pins when search volume rises.
Content creation workflow for Pinterest marketing
To make Pinterest marketing manageable, follow a repeatable process:
Brainstorm topics using your keyword list and audience pain points.
Create a cluster of content for each topic (a blog post, a freebie, a landing page).
Design 2–4 pin variations per piece of content — different headlines, images, or colors.
Schedule pins with a scheduler or Pinterest native scheduler, spacing them over weeks and months.
Review analytics monthly and refresh underperforming pins with new headlines or images.
With a little practice, this workflow can be streamlined to 1–3 hours a week for many business owners.
Common Pinterest marketing mistakes and how to avoid them
Don’t let small missteps derail your results. Alex shares a frequent mistakes and fixes:
Posting without keywords: Fix: Do basic keyword research and use those phrases in pin titles, descriptions, and board names.
Using unreadable fonts: Fix: Choose clear, bold fonts that are legible on mobile.
Pinning too much low-value content: Fix: Prioritize problem-solving content that links to helpful pages or capture points.
Expecting overnight results: Fix: Commit to a 6–12 month plan and track outbound traffic and conversions.
Abandoning during dips: Fix: Maintain consistency. Minor dips are normal, especially when big brands run heavy ads during holidays.
Alex shares a valuable reminder:
“Pinterest is a snowball — the content you create today helps the content you create next month and next year.”
Protecting your work and branding on Pinterest
Pins get shared and repinned. Add a small logo or your website URL to pins so your brand travels with them. If someone duplicates your content, visible branding makes it easier to reclaim or document your original work when needed.
Scaling Pinterest marketing once you have traction
When your pins begin to drive consistent traffic and leads, scale thoughtfully:
Repurpose top-performing pins into new designs and formats.
Create pillar content that supports multiple pins (e.g., a comprehensive guide with several pins pointing to different chapters).
Use Pinterest ads to amplify best-performing pins during launches or key selling seasons.
Outsource routine tasks like design and scheduling to free your time for strategy.
Parting advice for busy business owners
Since Pinterest marketing rewards patience and consistency, treat it like planting a garden. You prepare the soil (your website and content), plant the seeds (pins), and then water them consistently. Over time those seeds produce a steady stream of traffic and leads that compound month after month.
If you’re juggling motherhood, client work, or a team, Pinterest marketing can be one of the most sustainable, low-stress channels you add to your mix. It gives you marketing momentum without the pressure to create a viral piece of content every week.
Pinterest marketing is an investment in long-term, passive growth. It complements other channels like email and social media by acting as a discovery engine that funnels warm prospects into your marketing funnel. Start with strong foundational content, use keywords intentionally, create clear and compelling pins, and measure what matters: traffic and conversions. If you commit to consistent action and plan ahead for seasonal trends, Pinterest marketing can become one of your most reliable channels for building an engaged audience and sustainable revenue.
For help with your Pinterest marketing reach out to Alex, she offers Pinterest Setups, Coaching and on-going Pinterest Management. and don't forget to download her free resources:
Pinterest Keyword Guide - https://simplyalexjean.com/free-pinterest-keyword-guide/
Pinterest Planner - https://simplyalexjean.com/free-pinterest-planner/
Frequently Asked Questions About Pinterest Marketing
What is Pinterest marketing and how is it different from other social media marketing?
Pinterest marketing uses visual posts (pins) optimized with keywords to appear in a search engine-like environment. Unlike social platforms focused on followers and short-term visibility, Pinterest marketing focuses on search intent, long-term discoverability, and driving outbound traffic to your website for lead capture and sales.
How soon will Pinterest marketing send traffic to my website?
Expect initial results within a few weeks, but more meaningful growth typically appears around the 4–6 month mark as Pinterest indexes and learns your content. Compounding benefits are often seen between 6–12 months.
Do I need to create Multiple pins Everyday to succeed with Pinterest marketing?
No. Quality and consistency trump quantity. New accounts should aim for one fresh pin a day; established accounts can post two to three if they want. Avoid mass pinning (10–30 pins per day) which can trigger spam filters and hurt distribution.
Can local brick-and-mortar businesses benefit from Pinterest marketing?
Yes, especially niche shops that draw customers from a wider area or for businesses that sell products online. Pinterest ads also offer geo-targeting to reach local audiences, but success depends on whether your ideal customer is searching for your product category on Pinterest.
What metrics should I focus on for Pinterest marketing?
Prioritize outbound traffic from Pinterest, saves and engagements on pins, and conversion metrics like email signups and purchases originating from Pinterest referrals. Impressions are useful but not the main indicator of business impact.
Is paid advertising necessary for Pinterest marketing success?
No. Many businesses meet their goals organically with consistent, well-optimized pins. Ads are useful for short-term boosts like launches, sales, or when targeting specific geographic areas.
How far in advance should I create seasonal or holiday pins?
For most seasonal content, start creating and publishing pins 4–6 weeks before search volume rises; for major holidays like Christmas, begin 2–3 months ahead (September or October is common) to give Pinterest time to index and distribute your pins.
How much time should Pinterest marketing take each week?
With practice, many business owners can manage Pinterest marketing in 1–4 hours per week. New accounts may spend more time learning, creating pins, and setting up systems. The goal is to streamline with templates and scheduling tools so it becomes low-maintenance.
Episode References
Pinterest Keyword Guide - https://simplyalexjean.com/free-pinterest-keyword-guide/
Pinterest Planner - https://simplyalexjean.com/free-pinterest-planner/
Pinterest VIP Week - https://simplyalexjean.com/pinterest-vip-week/
Connect with Alex
Come say hi!
Ready to level up your life and business taking it from good to great? Hit follow and please leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! The kids and I might even bust out a happy dance! 💗 - Brittany
00:00 Intro
5:25 What is Pinterest
8:15 Who does Pinterest work for
11:30 Demographic of Pinterest users
14:00 When to start using Pinterest for your business
17:30 Where to start with Pinterest marketing
19:45 Creating pins
23:45 How long does it take for Pinterest to work
29:00 Pinterest ads
36:00 Content creation tips & tricks
38:00 Wrap up
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