Pinterest can be a powerful way to attract new people to your business. But if you’re treating it like Instagram, posting without a clear plan, or waiting for instant results, you could easily give up too soon, thinking that Pinterest “doesn’t work.”
That’s exactly why Pinterest marketing expert Kate Ahl focused on three common mistakes in her recent talk at ThriveCart’s Creator Economy Live virtual summit.
Kate is a Pinterest strategist, educator, and the founder and CEO of Simple Pin Media, a Pinterest marketing agency she launched in 2014. She has worked with more than 700 Pinterest accounts and has taught thousands of business owners how to use Pinterest to increase visibility, reach new customers, and grow their businesses. Kate is also the host of the Simple Pin Podcast, which has more than 3 million downloads and shares practical strategies for using Pinterest for business growth.
As part of our “Creator Commerce: The ThriveCart Series”, Kate’s advice is simple: Pinterest works best when you create useful content, use the words your audience is searching for, and make your Pins easy to understand at a glance.
Key insights
- Pinterest is a visual search platform, not just another social media feed.
- Helpful content gives people a reason to click, learn more, and join your email list.
- Pinterest keywords should come from Pinterest itself, not guesswork.
- Strong images matter because users decide quickly whether a Pin is worth their attention.
- Pinterest is a long-term channel, so give it time to build momentum.
Watch Kate’s full Creator Economy Live session below
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a visual search and discovery platform. People use it to find ideas, plan projects, explore products, and make decisions about their future selves.
That makes Pinterest different from platforms where people mainly scroll to see updates from friends, follow creators, or watch entertainment. Pinterest users are often looking for something specific:
- A new business idea
- A recipe or meal plan
- A workout or wellness routine
- A home project
- A gift
- A course, service, or product
- A solution to a problem they’re facing
As Kate explained in her Creator Economy Live talk, Pinterest is “a visual Google.” People discover an image, decide whether it looks useful, and then click through to learn more.
| Pinterest describes itself as a visual search and discovery platform where people find inspiration, curate ideas, and shop for products. That makes it a useful channel for anyone who sells digital products online to reach people before they’re ready to buy. |
Pinterest by the numbers
The numbers point to a bigger opportunity. Pinterest isn’t just a place to collect pretty images. It can help you reach people who are planning, searching, saving, and making decisions.
The 3 Pinterest mistakes that keep creators from getting results
Mistake 1: You’re not creating enough useful content
A Pinterest image needs somewhere useful to send people.
If you only create a Pin that says “Buy my course” or “Book a call,” you’re asking a cold audience to make a big decision before they know, like, or trust you.
That’s one reason creators and coaches give up on Pinterest. They post an offer, wait for sales, and assume the platform isn’t working.
But Pinterest users often want to learn more before they buy. They may be looking for:
- A simple answer to a problem
- A checklist
- A tutorial
- A beginner’s guide
- A comparison
- A case study
- A free template
- A short video
- A blog post that explains the next step
Kate’s advice is to create at least one useful piece of content each week that gives people a reason to click.
The fix: Create one helpful next step every week
You don’t need to write a huge article every week. Start with one useful piece of content that answers a real question your audience asks.
For example:
- A fitness coach could create “5 easy workouts for busy mornings.”
- A business coach could write “How to price your first coaching package.”
- A photographer could publish “What to wear for your brand photoshoot.”
- A course creator could make a video explaining one common problem their course solves.
- A financial coach could create “One simple way to stop overspending each month.”
The content doesn’t need to give away everything you know. It needs to help someone make progress and show them that you understand their problem.
You can also repurpose one idea across several channels:
- Turn a blog post into three or four Pins.
- Turn a short video into a Pin that leads to YouTube.
- Turn a customer question into a blog post.
- Turn a checklist into an email opt-in.
- Turn a case study into a Pin that leads to your sales page.
Seasonal content can work well, too. If your audience starts planning for holidays, back-to-school routines, weddings, or new year goals months in advance, use Pinterest Trends to see when interest begins to rise. That gives your content time to gain traction before the moment arrives.
Mistake 2: You’re guessing at keywords
Pinterest is a search engine, so the words you use matter.
One of the most common Pinterest mistakes is choosing keywords based only on what sounds good to you. Another is copying keywords from Google without checking whether Pinterest users use the same language.
Pinterest gives you free clues through its own search bar and Trends tool. Use them.
The fix: Use Pinterest’s search suggestions
Start by searching for a broad topic related to your business. For example:
- Plant decor
- Meal planning
- Business coaching
- Budgeting tips
- Digital products
- Home workouts
- Marketing template (as in the screenshot below)
Pay attention to the words Pinterest suggests. You may also see related terms or guided search options that help you make the phrase more specific.
For example, “plant decor” could lead to:
- Plant decor for apartments
- Plant decor for living rooms
- Small-space plant decor
- Easy plant decor ideas
These more specific phrases can help you create content that matches what people are actually looking for.
Pinterest Trends can help you understand when interest rises and falls. The tool lets you explore search, save, and shopping trends across regions and countries.
Try this simple process:
- Search your business name, product, service, and main topics on Pinterest.
- Write down the suggested phrases that match your audience.
- Check those phrases in Pinterest Trends.
- Look for seasonal patterns or rising interest.
- Use the best phrases in your Pin title, description, image text, and linked content.
Don’t stuff every keyword into one description. Write like a real person. Use the main phrase naturally, then explain what someone will get when they click.
For example:
❌ Instead of writing: “Business coach, business coaching, business tips, entrepreneur tips, online business, business growth, coaching advice” | ✅ Try: “Want to grow your business without adding more hours to your week? These simple business tips will help you focus on the next step and create a plan you can actually follow.” |
The second version sounds more human, while still giving Pinterest useful context.
Mistake 3: You’re treating your Pin image like an afterthought
Your Pin image is often the first thing someone sees. If it’s confusing, hard to read, or visually flat, people may scroll past before they understand what you offer.
Pinterest users often decide quickly whether an image is worth exploring. Your image needs to communicate the value of the click without making people work too hard.
Kate recommends thinking of a Pin like a small billboard. It needs one clear message, a strong visual, and enough information to make someone curious.
The fix: Design for the mobile scroll
Most Pinterest users are browsing on their phones, not desktop. Pinterest recommends a vertical 2:3 format for creative, which helps your content use more of the mobile screen.
When you create a Pin, focus on these elements:
- One clear promise: Tell people what they’ll learn, solve, or discover.
- Readable text: Use large type and strong contrast.
- A relevant image: Choose an image that supports the topic instead of using a random stock photo.
- Consistent branding: Add your logo, colors, or visual style without letting them overpower the message.
- A clear next step: Use phrases such as “Read the guide,” “Get the checklist,” or “Watch the tutorial.”
- A mobile-friendly layout: Check the Pin on your phone before you publish it.
Another example of how to make a Pin more specific:
❌ Weak | ✅ Stronger |
“Business tips” | “3 simple ways to find your first coaching clients” |
Obviously, “3 simple ways to find your first coaching clients” is clearer. It tells people who the content is for and what they’ll get from clicking.
You also don’t need every Pin to look identical. You can test different colors, photos, layouts, and headlines while keeping your brand recognizable.
The goal isn’t to make every image perfect. It’s to make every image clear enough that your ideal customer wants to learn more.
Kate Ahl’s Pinterest tips for entrepreneurs who want more than views
Pinterest can help people discover your business, but views alone won’t build a sustainable business. You need a simple path that turns attention into a relationship.
Try this:
- Create a Pin around a useful topic.
- Link it to a helpful blog post, video, guide, or product page.
- Offer a relevant free resource so visitors can join your email list.
- Use email to build trust and introduce your paid offer.
- Make it easy to buy when someone is ready.
This is where your website, email marketing, and checkout experience matter.
A Pinterest user may not be ready to buy the first time they see your content. They may save the Pin, visit your website, compare a few options, and come back later. Your job is to make the next step simple and useful.
When you’re ready to sell, ThriveCart gives creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs tools to build branded checkouts and funnels for digital products, courses, coaching, memberships, and subscriptions.
That means Pinterest can do what it does best, helping people discover your business, while ThriveCart helps you turn that interest into a clear buying experience.
How long does Pinterest take to work?
Pinterest is usually a slow-burn marketing channel. It can take time for your content to be indexed, saved, shared, and discovered by new people.
Kate recommends giving Pinterest several months before deciding whether it works for your business. She describes Pinterest as being like a snowball: it may start slowly, but momentum can build as you add more useful content.
That doesn’t mean you should post blindly for nine months. Review your results along the way.
Look at:
- Which Pins get the most saves
- Which topics drive outbound clicks
- Which images get the most attention
- Which pages keep people engaged
- Which email opt-ins come from Pinterest
- Which products or services receive the most interest
Pinterest’s own analytics include impressions, saves, Pin clicks, follows, and outbound clicks. These metrics can help you improve your content without guessing.
Give the platform enough time to show you patterns, then use those patterns to make better decisions.
The bottom line on using Pinterest to sell online
The best Pinterest strategy doesn’t require you to become a full-time content creator or a technical marketing expert.
Start with three habits:
- Create one helpful piece of content each week.
- Use Pinterest’s search suggestions and Trends tool to guide your keywords.
- Make your images clear, vertical, branded, and easy to understand on a phone.
Avoid the most common Pinterest mistakes, stay consistent, and focus on helping people before asking them to buy.
Pinterest can bring new people into your world. With the right content, email strategy, and checkout experience, those people can become subscribers, customers, and long-term fans.
FAQ
Q: Is Pinterest worth using if I sell coaching or services?
A: Yes. Pinterest can work well for coaches and service providers because people often use it to research problems, compare options, and learn before they buy. Instead of sending every visitor straight to a sales call, consider offering a helpful guide, checklist, video, or email series first. This gives people a lower-pressure way to get to know you.
Q: Do I need a blog to use Pinterest?
A: No, but you do need useful content to link to. That content could be a blog post, YouTube video, podcast episode, free guide, quiz, product page, or email sign-up page. A blog is one option, but it’s not a requirement.
Q: How often should I post on Pinterest?
A: Start with one useful piece of content each week and create several Pins for it. This gives you a consistent rhythm without requiring you to create something completely new every day. Quality and relevance matter more than posting as much as possible.
Q: Can I use ThriveCart if I’m new to selling online?
A: Yes. ThriveCart is designed to help creators and entrepreneurs sell online without needing a complicated technical setup. You can use it to create checkout experiences for products, courses, coaching, memberships, and subscriptions.
Q: How does ThriveCart fit with Pinterest marketing?
A: Pinterest helps people discover your content and business. ThriveCart helps you create a clear path to purchase, with revenue-optimized checkout and sales funnel tools, once someone is ready to buy. For example, you might use Pinterest to promote a helpful guide, invite readers to join your email list, and then send interested subscribers to a ThriveCart checkout for your course or coaching offer.
Q: Do I need a large Pinterest audience before I can make sales?
A: No. You don’t need millions of views to make Pinterest useful. A smaller number of relevant visitors can be more valuable than a large number of people who aren’t a good fit for your offer. Focus on reaching the right audience, giving them useful information, and making the next step easy.
Watch all the summit sessions on demand
Want on-demand access to watch all the summit sessions? These include expert advice from:
- Jamar Diggs on YouTube
- Nina Clapperton on SEO
- Liz Wilcox on emails
- Jenni Maroney on AI sales funnels
- Melissa Rogers on Instagram
- Liz Theresa on sales pages
- Becky Beach on AI
- Panel session with Ismael Wrixen, Cindy Bidar, and Tanya Smith
