Pinterest Marketing Strategy: A Step-by-Step Framework
Most Pinterest accounts don't fail for lack of pins; they fail for lack of direction. Pins go out about whatever is new, link wherever is convenient, and nobody checks what worked. A Pinterest marketing strategy fixes that with a few decisions made once and reviewed regularly.
This framework has eight steps. Work through them once (it takes an afternoon), write the answers down, and you'll have a strategy you can reuse every month. If you're completely new, set up your account first with our Pinterest for beginners guide.
1. Set One Primary Goal
Pinterest can do several jobs, but a strategy needs one main one. It decides what you measure and where pins link:
| Goal | Main metric | Pins link to |
|---|---|---|
| Website traffic | Outbound clicks | Blog posts and guides |
| Product sales | Conversions and revenue | Product and collection pages |
| Email list growth | Sign-ups | Lead magnet landing pages |
| Leads for services | Enquiries | Service pages, case studies, booking pages |
2. Define Who You're Pinning For
Write two or three sentences about the person you want to reach: what they're planning, what they search for, and what would make them click. For example: “First-time homeowners furnishing a small space on a budget, searching for layout and storage ideas, who want renter-friendly and affordable options.”
3. Choose Content Pillars
Pick three to five topics you can publish about for a year and that connect to your goal. Each pillar becomes a group of boards and a stream of pins.
- Home decor shop: small-space living rooms, bedroom styling, storage, seasonal decor
- Food blog: weeknight dinners, meal prep, baking, drinks
- Business coach: marketing tips, productivity, templates, client stories
4. Build a Keyword Map
For each pillar, list the phrases people type into Pinterest, then assign each phrase to a page you want traffic to. One phrase per pin; several pins per important page. Our Pinterest keyword research guide shows the process and a simple spreadsheet layout. Use Pinterest Trends to add the season each phrase peaks in.
5. Structure Boards Around Pillars
Give each pillar a few clearly named boards that match searches (“Small Living Room Ideas”, “Renter-Friendly Storage”). Put your main boards first on your profile. If you schedule pins to several boards, group closely related boards so every save is relevant.
6. Set a Production and Publishing Rhythm
Separate making pins from publishing them:
- Production: one batch session a week or month where you create fresh pins for your priority pages.
- Publishing: a steady daily or weekly schedule that releases those pins.
- Mix: most pins for pages tied to your goal, some for supporting content, and a few saves of others' pins to keep boards useful.
Our guide to how often to post on Pinterest suggests a pace for each stage, and planning a month of Pinterest content shows the batch session in practice.
7. Plan Seasons in Advance
Seasonal searches start rising well before the event. From your keyword map, list the seasonal moments that matter to you, check in Pinterest Trends when interest starts climbing, and schedule pins before that point.
A simple seasonal rule
Whatever Pinterest Trends shows as the start of the rise, aim to have your seasonal pins published a few weeks before it.
8. Review Monthly and Adjust
- Sort pins by your main metric (outbound clicks, conversions, or sign-ups).
- Note which pillars, keywords, and pin styles perform.
- Make more fresh pins for winners; try new angles for pages with impressions but few clicks.
- Every quarter, revisit goals, pillars, and boards.
For traffic-focused strategies, our guide to getting traffic from Pinterest explains how to diagnose where clicks are being lost.
One-Page Strategy Template
| Section | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Primary goal and metric | e.g. Blog traffic, measured by outbound clicks |
| Audience | Two or three sentences |
| Content pillars | Three to five topics |
| Priority pages | Ten pages you most want traffic to |
| Keyword map | Link to your spreadsheet |
| Boards | Board names per pillar |
| Rhythm | Batch day and weekly publishing pace |
| Seasonal moments | Dates and when pins go live |
| Review | Monthly results check; quarterly strategy check |
Every step here depends on Pinterest search. For the details, see our Pinterest SEO guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Pinterest marketing strategy?
A plan for what you publish on Pinterest, who it is for, which searches it targets, where it links, how often you publish, and how you judge results. The point is to make every pin serve a business goal rather than posting whatever is new.
How often should I review my Pinterest strategy?
Review results monthly and the strategy itself every quarter. Monthly reviews tell you which topics and pin styles to make more of; quarterly reviews are the time to change goals, pillars, or boards.
Should my Pinterest strategy include ads?
It can, but it doesn't have to. Many businesses build Pinterest traffic organically first, then use ads to amplify pins that already perform. This framework focuses on organic publishing.
What metrics matter most on Pinterest?
Outbound clicks for traffic goals, conversions (via the Pinterest tag or your own analytics) for sales goals, and impressions and saves as leading indicators of whether Pinterest is showing your pins to the right people.
Decide Once, Publish Every Week
A good Pinterest strategy is short enough to fit on one page and specific enough that anyone on your team could make the next pin from it. Write it down, publish against it consistently, and let the monthly review tell you what to change.
Put the publishing rhythm on autopilot
Pin Generator creates pin designs from your pages and schedules them across your boards, so your strategy turns into a steady flow of fresh pins.
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