Stop Overthinking Pinterest: Here’s How to Dominate the Platform

As a content creator, I’m always on the lookout for strategies that can help you get ahead. Recently, I tuned into an episode of the Niche Pursuits Podcast featuring Tony Hill, a veteran in the niche site world. His insights on Pinterest were nothing short of eye-opening, especially in a digital landscape where Google’s algorithms can flip your traffic upside down overnight. Tony’s approach to Pinterest is something every content creator needs to hear, and I knew I had to share it with you.

Tony said it best: “Pinterest might be a visual platform, but just like Google, it’s driven by text and keywords.” This simple yet powerful insight made me realize that Pinterest isn’t just another social media site—it’s a search engine with massive potential. If you’re serious about driving traffic and growing your audience, Pinterest needs to be a key part of your strategy. Let’s dive into what I learned and how you can start dominating Pinterest today.

1. Pinterest is More Than Just Pretty Pictures

I hear it all the time: “Pinterest is a visual platform.” Yeah, no kidding. But here’s what most people miss—Pinterest is driven by keywords, just like Google. If you’re not optimizing your pins with the right keywords, you’re just wasting your time.

As Tony Hill laid it out on the Niche Pursuits Podcast, “Pinterest is driven by text and keywords, just like Google.” You’ve got to stop thinking of Pinterest as just a place for pretty pictures. This is a search engine, and if you don’t play the keyword game, you’re gonna get left behind.

Here’s How You Dominate Pinterest with Keywords

Start with Pinterest’s Search Bar:

• Get Real About Keyword Research: Don’t just guess what people are searching for—use Pinterest’s own search bar to figure it out. Start typing in your niche and pay attention to what pops up. These are the keywords you need to be targeting, plain and simple.
• Dig Deeper: Don’t stop at the first keyword you find. Click on it and look at the related searches. These are more opportunities to get in front of your audience.

Supercharge Your Strategy with PinClicks:

• Unlock Pinterest’s Entire Playbook: If you’re serious about this, you’ve got to check out PinClicks. This tool gives you access to Pinterest’s entire interest database, including the top 20,000 interests that are driving traffic right now. It’s like having a cheat code for Pinterest.
• Target the Heavy Hitters: With PinClicks, you can pinpoint the exact interests that are blowing up in your niche. These are the ones you need to align your pins with if you want to dominate the platform.

Nail Your Pin Titles:

• Stop Being Lazy with Titles: Your pin title isn’t just a headline—it’s a magnet. It needs to pull people in while being packed with the right keywords. For example, “10 Home Office Ideas That Actually Boost Productivity.”
• Mix It Up: Don’t use the same title over and over. Create variations that hit different keywords to broaden your reach.

Optimize Your Pin Descriptions:

• Maximize Every Character: Pinterest gives you up to 500 characters—use them. Pack your description with relevant keywords, but make sure it’s still readable. And don’t forget to tell people what to do next: “Click to discover more home office tips.”

Leverage Alt Text Like a Pro:

• Don’t Sleep on Alt Text: This is where most people drop the ball. Alt text isn’t just for accessibility; it’s another opportunity to stuff in those keywords. Make it count.

Create Multiple Pins for Maximum Exposure:

• Repurpose Like a Boss: One blog post, multiple pins. Each one should target a different keyword. This isn’t cheating—it’s smart strategy. The more pins you create, the more chances you have to get noticed.

By combining smart keyword research with the firepower of PinClicks, you’re not just making pins—you’re building a strategy that’s going to drive serious traffic. Pinterest isn’t just a visual playground—it’s a search engine, and keywords are the key to the game.

2. Stop Being Afraid to Repurpose Content

You’ve got killer content just sitting there, gathering dust. Why aren’t you using it? Stop overthinking and start repurposing. Pinterest isn’t like Google—it doesn’t care if you reuse content. In fact, it rewards you for it. Tony Hill dropped a truth bomb on the Niche Pursuits Podcast: “You can take your top-performing blog posts, tweak the year, and create fresh pins for them. Pinterest doesn’t care if you reuse content. It works.”

Here’s How You Get the Most Out of Your Content

Identify Your Winners:

• Go Back to Your Best: Look at your analytics. Which blog posts have brought in the most traffic? Which ones got the most engagement? These are your golden tickets. Don’t let them go to waste.
• Think Evergreen: Focus on content that’s evergreen—stuff that’s still relevant today and will be next year. These are the posts that keep giving.

Tweak and Update:

• Change the Year, Update the Details: You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Just update the year, add any new info, and you’re good to go. This is a quick win.
• Create Fresh Pins: Don’t just slap the same pin on your board. Create new designs, use different images, and target different keywords. This keeps things fresh and reaches a wider audience.

Multiple Pins, Multiple Angles:

• Hit It from All Sides: One piece of content can spawn multiple pins. Each pin should target a different keyword or angle. For example, if your post is about “Home Office Ideas,” you can create one pin for “Small Space Home Offices” and another for “Budget-Friendly Home Office Tips.”
• Keep the Content Flowing: The more pins you create, the more chances you have to get seen. Pinterest loves fresh content, even if it’s repurposed. Use that to your advantage.

Don’t Worry About Google:

• Focus on Pinterest’s Rules: Stop worrying about duplicate content penalties like you do with Google. Pinterest isn’t playing that game. Repurpose, repost, and keep your content circulating.

By repurposing your content strategically, you’re not just saving time—you’re maximizing your reach and getting more eyes on your work. Pinterest loves it when you keep things fresh, even if you’re just reworking what you already have. Stop letting your best content collect dust—put it back to work.

3. Forget About Virality—Focus on Consistency

Everyone’s obsessed with going viral. But here’s the thing: chasing virality is a waste of time. You’re better off showing up every single day and being consistent. Tony Hill nailed it when he said, “It’s not about going viral; it’s about showing up every single day. Consistency wins, period.”

Here’s How You Build Consistency on Pinterest

Create a Pinning Schedule:

• Set It and Stick to It: Whether it’s daily, every other day, or weekly, pick a pinning schedule that works for you and stick to it. Consistency doesn’t mean burning yourself out—it means being reliable. Pinterest rewards creators who are consistent. Your content doesn’t have to go viral every time, but it does need to be there when your audience is looking for it.
• Batch Your Content: If you’re struggling to keep up, try batching your content. Spend one day creating a week’s worth of pins, then schedule them out. This keeps you ahead of the game without the daily grind.

Focus on Quality Over Quantity:

• Don’t Sacrifice Quality: Just because you’re posting consistently doesn’t mean you should skimp on quality. Each pin needs to offer real value. Whether it’s a fresh idea, a unique perspective, or simply stunning visuals, make sure your content stands out.
• Keep It Relevant: Make sure every pin you create is relevant to your niche and your audience. Pinterest’s algorithm loves fresh, high-quality content that resonates with users.

Engage Regularly:

• Be Active, Not Passive: Don’t just post and ghost. Engage with your audience. Respond to comments, repin valuable content from others, and keep the conversation going. The more active you are, the more visibility you’ll get.
• Use Analytics to Improve: Consistency isn’t just about posting regularly; it’s about learning and adapting. Use Pinterest Analytics to see what’s working and what’s not. Double down on what’s driving traffic and tweak what isn’t.

Don’t Chase Trends—Set Them:

• Be a Leader, Not a Follower: Stop chasing after the latest trend just because everyone else is. Focus on what you do best and create content that reflects your brand and expertise. When you’re consistent in your message and your content, you become the trendsetter.
• Stay True to Your Brand: Consistency isn’t just about frequency—it’s about staying true to your brand. Make sure every pin aligns with your brand’s voice, style, and values.

When you focus on consistency, you build trust with your audience. They know what to expect from you, and they keep coming back for more. Forget about chasing that one-hit wonder. Instead, be the creator who’s always there, always delivering, and always consistent. That’s how you win on Pinterest.

4. Leverage Pinterest’s Interests and Annotations

Most people don’t realize how deep Pinterest’s algorithm goes. It’s not just about pretty pictures—it’s about aligning your content with what people are actually searching for. Tony Hill dropped some serious knowledge on this: “Pinterest has a massive database of ‘interests’ that it uses to show your pins to the right people. You need to align your content with these interests if you want to get noticed.”

Here’s How You Tap Into Pinterest’s Interests and Annotations

Understand Pinterest’s Interest System:

• Know the Game: Pinterest isn’t just about keywords; it’s about interests. These are the categories Pinterest uses to organize content and show it to users who are most likely to engage with it. If you’re not aligning your pins with the right interests, you’re missing out on a huge chunk of traffic.
• Use PinClicks to Find High-Performing Interests: Tools like PinClicks give you access to Pinterest’s entire interest database, including the top 20,000 interests. This is where the magic happens. By targeting these interests, you ensure your pins are seen by the right people.

Align Your Content with Top Interests:

• Target What’s Trending: Use PinClicks to identify the most popular interests in your niche. These are the interests that are driving traffic right now. Tailor your content to align with these interests, and you’ll see a significant boost in visibility.
• Optimize Your Pins for Annotations: Pinterest automatically categorizes your pins using annotations, which are based on the interests you target. Make sure your pin titles, descriptions, and alt texts are optimized for these interests so your content shows up in the right feeds.

Create Pins That Hit Multiple Interests:

• Broaden Your Reach: Don’t limit yourself to just one interest per pin. Think about how your content can fit into multiple interests. For example, if you’re creating a pin about “Home Office Ideas,” it might also fit into interests like “Interior Design” or “Productivity Tips.” The more interests your pin hits, the broader your reach.
• Experiment and Analyze: Try targeting different combinations of interests with your pins. Use Pinterest Analytics to see which ones perform the best and double down on those.

Capitalize on Pinterest’s Taxonomy:

• Understand the Hierarchy: Pinterest’s interests are organized into a hierarchy, much like Google’s entity graph. For example, “Home Office” might fall under “Interior Design,” which falls under “Home Decor.” Understanding this taxonomy helps you create content that’s more likely to rank higher in searches.
• Focus on Long-Tail Interests: Just like with SEO, long-tail interests (more specific topics) can often drive higher engagement because they’re less competitive. Use PinClicks to discover these niche interests and create content that targets them directly.

When you leverage Pinterest’s interests and annotations, you’re not just creating pins—you’re creating content that’s strategically aligned with what people are actively searching for. This isn’t about luck; it’s about understanding the system and playing it to your advantage.

5. Create a Pinning Schedule That Works for You

If you want to dominate on Pinterest, you need a strategy, and that strategy includes a consistent pinning schedule. But here’s the thing—how much you need to post depends on how well you’ve done your homework.

As Tony Hill wisely pointed out on the Niche Pursuits Podcast, “The less research you do, the more you’re going to have to post to make up for it.” What Tony’s saying here is that if you’re not putting in the time to really understand what works on Pinterest—if you’re not digging into the data, analyzing what your audience wants, and optimizing your content—you’re going to need to throw a lot more content at the wall to see what sticks. But if you do the research and get strategic, you can post less and still see great results.

How to Set Up Your Pinning Schedule

Start with Research:

• Know Your Audience: Before you even think about creating a pinning schedule, you need to understand your audience. What are they searching for? What are the top interests in your niche? Use tools like Pinterest’s search bar, Analytics, and PinClicks to gather this information.
• Identify High-Performing Keywords and Interests: Once you’ve done your research, focus your content on high-performing keywords and interests. This allows you to be more efficient with your posts.

Determine Your Posting Frequency:

• Quality Over Quantity: If you’ve done your research and optimized your pins for the right keywords and interests, you can get away with posting fewer times per day—maybe 3-5 high-quality pins. This is enough to keep you active and relevant without overwhelming yourself.
• Increase If Needed: If you haven’t done as much research or if you’re testing new content ideas, you might need to post more frequently to see what sticks. In this case, aim for 10-15 pins a day, but make sure you’re still focusing on quality.

Batch Your Content:

• Create in Bulk: To maintain consistency, consider batching your content. Spend a day or two creating a week’s worth of pins. This way, you’re not scrambling to create new content every day.
• Use Scheduling Tools: Tools like Tailwind can help you schedule your pins in advance. This ensures your pins go out at optimal times without requiring daily attention.

Monitor and Adjust:

• Track Your Performance: Use Pinterest Analytics to monitor how your pins are performing. If you’re seeing good engagement with fewer posts, stick to that schedule. If not, consider increasing your posting frequency.
• Stay Flexible: Your pinning schedule isn’t set in stone. As you gather more data and see what works, adjust your schedule accordingly. The goal is to find a balance between posting enough to stay relevant and maintaining high-quality content.

Consistency is Key:

• Stick to Your Schedule: Whatever frequency you choose, the most important thing is to be consistent. Whether you’re posting 3 times a day or 15, make sure you’re showing up regularly. Consistency builds trust with your audience and helps you stay top-of-mind.

By creating a pinning schedule that’s informed by research and tailored to your audience, you can maximize your impact on Pinterest without burning yourself out. Remember, the goal isn’t just to post more—it’s to post smarter. As Tony Hill said, the more research you do, the less you’ll need to rely on volume to achieve success.

About Lori Ballen

Lori Ballen is a powerhouse in the digital marketing world, renowned for her no-nonsense, results-driven approach. With decades of experience as a content creator, entrepreneur, and affiliate marketing expert, Lori has built a multi-faceted business empire that spans blogging, social media, and online education.

Lori’s expertise lies in creating actionable strategies that empower content creators, entrepreneurs, and business owners to harness the power of digital platforms. Whether it’s driving traffic through Pinterest, mastering SEO, or building a brand that stands out in a crowded market, Lori’s insights are grounded in real-world experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed online.

Lori’s style is direct, inspirational, and highly actionable. She doesn’t just talk about what’s possible—she shows you how to make it happen. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, Lori Ballen’s insights will equip you with the tools, strategies, and mindset needed to achieve your goals.

When she’s not building digital marketing courses, Lori is an advocate for work-life balance, a fitness enthusiast, and a dedicated mentor to those looking to make a meaningful impact in the digital space. Her mission is simple: to empower others to live life on their own terms by mastering the art of digital marketing.