Pinterest Beginner’s Guide 

If you’re brand new to marketing your content on Pinterest and you have no idea where to start then you’re in the right place. I’m going to show you the ropes with the Pinterest beginners guide… plus there is a free Pinterest quick-start download to help you get started!

With 500 million active users I’m going to assume that you know a little bit about how Pinterest works because you most likely have been using it for yourself.

Whether pinning recipes, planning your dream backyard, or even planning a big event, Pinterest isn’t “social media”, it’s a visual search engine.

Pinners are there to dream and plan with the beautiful images they see. Studies show that people also go there to seek out information and spend their money.

Pinterest has completely changed the way we search for information. I noticed that I now do most of my online searching on Pinterest over Google.

I use Pinterest as a bookmarking tool to plan my future, find home decorating ideas, DIY tips + tricks, and even look up valuable information on running a successful business.

Pinterest has amassed over 500 million monthly users in 2024… it’s like its own country.

The point here is that if you want to get your blog or biz in front of (potentially) millions of people, drive tons of traffic to your site, and make money (selling anything) then you should be on Pinterest.

I don’t want you to miss out on a huge piece of Pinterest pie just because you don’t know where to start.

So, in this Pinterest for Beginners guide, I’m going to take you through the exact steps you need to get started.

First things first – You need a Pinterest business account

When starting on Pinterest as a beginner, people are confused about whether they should switch their personal account over to a business account or they should create a new business account from scratch.

Let me tell you that the easiest way is to start a new account specifically for your business.

The reason I say this is two-fold.

First, the people who already follow your personal boards are following you for a reason (hint: they like what you pin), so if you switch you might confuse your followers with all these unrelated pins and possibly lose a lot of them as well.

Plus, Pinterest only shows your pins in your followers’ smart feed if they are already pinning content that is similar to yours. So, for example, if you have content related to helping bloggers build a better blog then your pins will not get shown to people who do not currently pin and repin blogging tips.

The second reason is that it is messy and time-consuming to go through all your boards and pins and make sure everything on your profile is attracting your ideal reader or customer.

It just isn’t a good idea, I don’t care if you have 5,000 followers, it will be a mess!

Let’s start fresh and set up a shiny new account for your blog or business.

Step 1 | Set up your account

Go here to set up your new Pinterest business account. You need to have a business account so that you can get access to your account analytics, enable rich pins, and have the ability to advertise with Promoted Pins.

Step 2 | Verify your website

When you verify your website with Pinterest you will get access to your account analytics. Here you can see insights about your audience, what pins are performing the best, and who is pinning your pins. Having this information is very valuable, so don’t wait!

Step 3 | Fill in your name and profile.

1. Your name – You can use two of your most important keywords here along with your name and or business name. For example, my name is Dish It Out Social | Pin Marketing Strategy For Creators. When trying to decide if you should you use your name or your business name. You’ll want to think about what search terms people would probably be searching when trying to find your business on Pinterest.
2.  Your bio is also a great place for your secondary keywords. You have 500 characters to explain what you do and you should also include a call to action. If you don’t have a freebie for people to download then leave your other social media handles. (note: you can only get a clickable link to your verified website in the location field now)

Step 4 | Set Up Your Boards

I recommend that you have at least 10-15 boards that relate to your niche. I also recommend that you add a few boards where you have a cohesive look/style and show some personality with your account.

1. You will want to set up a dedicated board for just your own pins/content.
2. Archive or make secret any boards that are not related to your ideal audience or brand.
3. Change board names to keyword-rich names. For example: don’t be cute or catchy with board names. Instead of “Let’s Eat” name your board “Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes”.
4.  Make sure that every board is optimized with a keyword-rich description, so it will show up in the search.

Step 5 | Go follow people and repin amazing content that your audience is interested in.

1. Follow people in your industry or niche, follow topics, or you can follow individual boards so you will have relevant content to repin.
2. Pin with your target audience in mind. What would they be pinning to their personal boards?
3. Consider creating boards around the most popular topics on Pinterest if they relate to your topics. For example, quotes are always popular. DIY, decorating, fashion, crafts, recipes, etc.
4. Don’t be afraid to infuse your personality into your business account. Think about your brand and try to keep a cohesive brand look.

Why should you repin other people’s content?

This is a question that gets asked a lot so I decided to clarify it for you. You should be repinning quality content (on an everyday basis) to help your ranking on Pinterest and for your audience.

The reasons? Because your account is attached to every pin you repin to your boards. If you pin quality pins that get repinned then Pinterest views your account as valuable. When you’re viewed as valuable then Pinterest will start showing your pins to a wider audience in searches and related feeds. Plus you want to be known (and ultimately followed) for pinning quality and aesthetically pleasing pins. It’s a win, win!

Step 6 – Research Keywords

Pinterest SEO is imperative if you want your pins to show up in your target audience’s feeds and search results. You’ll use these keywords in your profile, boards, and pins to increase your reach on the platform.

Finding relevant and popular keywords is easy with free Pinterest tools. The search bar and the Pinterest trends dashboard will help you discover what people are searching for on Pinterest. 

Want a quick crash course on Pinterest SEO? Grab my Pinterest SEO Crash Course today for just $9!

Download your FREE Quick-Start Guide below!