How to Get Blog Traffic From Pinterest: A Beginner’s Guide

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Most new blogs get almost no Google traffic for the first several months while search engines decide whether to trust them. Pinterest is different. It works like a visual search engine: people type in what they want (“easy side hustle ideas”, “home office setup”), and pins that link to helpful articles show up in the results. One good pin can keep sending visitors long after you post it.

This guide walks you through setting up Pinterest the right way for a blog, step by step, using free tools. No paid ads, no follow-for-follow tricks.

Why Pinterest works for bloggers

Pinterest users are usually planning something: a project, a purchase, a new routine. That makes them more willing to click through to a full article than people scrolling a social feed. And because Pinterest is search-driven, your pins can be found for months rather than disappearing after a day.

It works best for “how to”, list and checklist posts in topics people plan around: money, side hustles, home, food, travel, health, DIY and blogging itself.

Step 1: Set up a free business account

Go to Pinterest and create a business account (or convert your personal one in Settings). It’s free and gives you analytics, the ability to claim your website, and tools for bulk publishing.

• Profile name: your brand plus what you cover, e.g. “InsightHive Side Hustles”. Keep it short.
• Profile photo: your logo, centered so it survives the round crop.
• About: one or two sentences in plain language with the words people search, e.g. “side hustle ideas”, “blogging tips”.
• Website: your homepage URL.

Step 2: Claim your website

Claiming proves you own your site. Your profile picture then appears on every pin from your site, even pins other people save, and you get analytics for them.

1. In Pinterest, open Settings → Claimed accounts → Websites → Claim.
2. Choose the HTML tag option. Pinterest gives you a line like <meta name="p:domain_verify" content="..."/>.
3. In WordPress, paste just the code into your SEO plugin’s Pinterest field (in Rank Math: General Settings → Webmaster Tools → Pinterest Verification ID), or paste the full tag into your site’s header.
4. Clear your site cache, then click Verify in Pinterest.

Step 3: Find the keywords people search

Pinterest SEO is a lot like Google SEO: use the words your readers type. Two free ways to find them:

• The search bar: type a broad topic like “side hustle”. The suggestions that drop down, and the colored idea bubbles under the search bar, are real searches.
• Pinterest Trends (trends.pinterest.com): shows what’s rising and when topics peak during the year. Many topics are seasonal, so start pinning 30–60 days before the peak.

Keep a simple list of 10–20 phrases for each topic you write about. If you’re new to keyword research, our keyword research guide for beginners covers the basics.

Step 4: Create boards that get found

Boards are how Pinterest understands what your account is about. Create 5–10 boards that match your blog’s categories.

• Name boards with keywords: “Side Hustle Ideas for Beginners” beats “Money Stuff”.
• Write a board description: one or two natural sentences using your keyword phrases.
• Add a cover image so your profile looks tidy and on-brand.
• Save relevant pins from others too, especially early on, so new boards don’t look empty.

Step 5: Design pins people click

A pin has about a second to stop someone scrolling. What works:

• Tall images: Pinterest recommends a 2:3 ratio. Use 1000 × 1500 pixels.
• A clear text headline on the image, large enough to read on a phone. Promise a specific result: “12 Realistic Side Hustles You Can Start This Weekend”.
• Your brand: the same fonts, colors and logo or URL on every pin, so people start recognizing you.
• Several pins per post: make 3–5 different designs for each article with different photos and headline angles. Pinterest favors fresh images, and you’ll learn which style works.

You don’t need design skills. Canva has free Pinterest pin templates in the right size. Pick one, change the colors to your brand, and save it as your template.

Try Canva’s free pin templates

Step 6: Write pin titles and descriptions

• Title (up to 100 characters): lead with your main keyword. “Side Hustle Ideas: 12 Realistic Ways to Earn Extra Money”.
• Description (up to 500 characters): two or three natural sentences about what the reader will get, with 2–3 keyword phrases worked in. Add a few relevant hashtags at the end if you like.
• Link: the exact blog post, not your homepage.
• Alt text: describe the image for screen readers. It helps accessibility and search.

Step 7: Post consistently (and automate it)

Consistency beats bursts. A few fresh pins a day, every day, does better than 50 pins once a month.

• Schedule pins: Pinterest’s own scheduler lets you set pins to publish later for free.
• Auto-publish from your blog: in Settings → Bulk create Pins → Auto-publish, add your RSS feed (usually yoursite.com/feed/) and pick a board. Pinterest then creates a pin for each new post. Make sure your feed includes featured images. On WordPress, a free plugin such as “Featured Images in RSS” adds them.
• Repin new designs for old posts. Your best evergreen articles can get a fresh pin every few weeks.

Step 8: Track what works

After a few weeks, open Analytics in your business account. Look at outbound clicks, not just impressions. Clicks are visits to your blog. Then:

• Make more pins in the style of your top performers.
• Write more posts on the topics that get the most clicks.
• Check Google Analytics (or Site Kit) to see which articles Pinterest visitors read and how long they stay.

Be patient. Pinterest traffic usually builds over two to six months as the platform learns what your account is about.

Mistakes to avoid

• Linking pins straight to affiliate offers. Send people to your helpful blog post instead. It builds trust, and the article carries your disclosure.
• Skipping disclosure. If a pin or post earns you a commission, say so clearly. The FTC’s rules apply on Pinterest just like on your blog.
• Clickbait headlines that the article doesn’t deliver on. People bounce back, and it hurts your account over time.
• Generic boards and keyword-free descriptions. Pinterest can’t show pins it doesn’t understand.
• Giving up after a month. Pinterest is a slow build, but it compounds.

Quick-start checklist

1. Business account with logo, keyword-rich name and about.
2. Website claimed and verified.
3. 10–20 keyword phrases per topic.
4. 5–10 keyword-named boards with descriptions.
5. A branded 1000 × 1500 pin template.
6. 3–5 pins for each of your best posts.
7. Auto-publish from your RSS feed, plus a few fresh pins a day.
8. Monthly check of outbound clicks in Analytics.

Related reading

• Keyword research for beginners
• How to write a blog post that ranks: a 10-step checklist
• Best AI tools for bloggers
• Affiliate marketing for beginners

Sources

• Pinterest Help: Claim your website
• Pinterest Business: Creative best practices
• Pinterest Trends
• FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers

Pinterest features and settings change from time to time; menu names are current as of October 2026. InsightHive isn’t affiliated with Pinterest. Results vary and traffic is never guaranteed.