How to use Pinterest to boost your business

Pinterest is commonly thought of as nothing more than a social media app like Instagram or Twitter. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Did you know that Pinterest is in fact a search engine like Google? The only difference is that Pinterest is a visual search engine, so it values image and standard text.

If you’re a business-owner, author, gamer, or really anything that includes products, affiliate links, blog posts, videos, and more, then you actually should never overlook Pinterest. And here’s why:

Pinterest users are here to shop

It’s true, but in a recent Pinterest marketing course I took, I learned that the vast majority of Pinterest users (nearly 90% or more!) are using Pinterest specifically to plan purchases and buy products. Pinterest isn’t like Instagram where you are simply looking at things like travel photos or general lifestyle content–Pinterest was made to be a service to market your services, products, and more.

Pinterest actually encourages account owners to redirect users to other websites. So, Pinterest wants you to add links and it wants its users to look at said links as well.

Pinterest’s main demographic may be moms, but plenty of Pinterest users are men as well and many users are young too. At the end of the day, people like using Pinterest because they want to find things that either inspire them or inspire them to make certain purchases.

Pinterest is great for e-commerce

Pinterest has great integrations with e-commerce platforms like Shopify. If you have an online storefront, then you can’t skip out on Pinterest. As I mentioned before, when you go on Pinterest, you need to remember that people are there to shop. So, if you showcase your products on Pinterest, then you’re more likely to find a consumer base willing to pay money towards your products.

People commonly forget about Pinterest because things like Instagram or even TikTok are more loud in the social media world. However, the problem with a platform like TikTok is that many of its users are younger and probably aren’t willing to spend lots of money on products. The reason being is that a younger social media user will most likely have to go to a parent in order to get permission to buy a product. Like I mentioned previously, Pinterest users are shoppers. They will have the money to spend on your items.

Don’t just slap an image on Pinterest

By this, I mean don’t slap an unoptimized image on Pinterest. Being a visual search engine, you need to prioritize the look of your pins and the way they present your product. Is your pin small? Unoptimized? Blurry? Are your colors mismatched? Then you need to go back and start reworking your new pins.

Pinterest values the way a pin appears, so you have to make sure that there is something on that pin that screams “you want this product/service/thing I am offering.” For example, one of the best ways to get Pinterest users to look at your link is to have a call to action (CTA) on your pin. For example, if you’re advertising a product, you could probably put a large text on the pin that says “SHOP NOW.” This compels the user to click on your link to see what exactly they will be shopping for.

Use Canva to elevate your pins

Canva is one of the best ways to make sure your pins look stunning. When you make your pin, you need to make sure that it’s the following:

  • The right size
  • Pleasing to the eye

When you design your pins, Canva is a great way of making sure your pin looks presentable. You can add graphics, text, and designs to your pin in order to best promote your business. Most Pinterest users actually use Canva because it’s quick and easy. You don’t need to be a graphic designer to make great pins because Canva gives you plenty of ready-made templates and allows you to make your own custom templates.

I mage this for The DZSH Group (digital newspaper) and it’s a custom template
This pin uses a Canva template

If you want to see Canva in action on Pinterest, I made a test Pinterest account where you can see all the different ways you can make your pins look better. Just click the link to go to it and see what you can do with Canva.

If you subscribe to Canva Pro, you can also get more premium templates, graphics, and you can even schedule your pins ahead of time. So, you can just sit down on one day, make a ton of pins and schedule them to be posted over the week. It saves time and is much easier to use. If you’re interested, click this link to get your 30-day free trial of Canva Pro today to see the difference in your work.

Pin example I used on my blog account

All in all, Pinterest is essential for your business. Don’t skip out on using Pinterest. I recommend always setting up a free business account on Pinterest since you can check your analytics and get access to more features that aren’t available on a personal Pinterest.


(please note that I use affiliate links which means that I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)