Pinterest design tricks to dazzle your followers and develop your model

Pin design 101

A Pinterest account’s potential lives and dies on its pin design, but looking at a clean canvas or the wall of lovely pins already on the platform could make you are feeling like a deer within the headlights. Maintain onto your laptop computer, as a result of we’re going to blast by means of that feeling with Pinterest design suggestions and finest practices that can put together you to dazzle the followers awaiting you on the platform.

Information to Pinterest design suggestions and finest practices

Associated: The entrepreneur’s information to Pinterest advertising

Why does pin design matter?

When somebody hires me to assist them enhance their Pinterest account, the primary three issues that I have a look at are (on this order):

  1. Account set-up
  2. Pin optimization
  3. Pin design

Optimization and account set-up decide how many individuals see a pin, and pin design determines if the person saves, clicks or (the horror) retains scrolling.

As for superb Pinterest pin design? You’ve discovered your roadmap. And it’s a very good factor you’re right here.

Everybody likes to blame the algorithm when their content material isn’t performing nicely. Generally the algorithm does trigger mysterious dips and shifts, however when your content material doesn’t look the half, you should be searching for options and alternatives to enhance.

Pinterest is a visible platform. A Pinterest person decides whether or not or to not interact primarily based solely on how a pin appears to be like.

 

Sure, pins have titles and descriptions. However are you able to keep in mind the final time you learn one? Customers don’t learn the small print of pins. They scroll, so your whole alternative to seize consideration boils right down to how your graphics look.

There are large alternatives at stake right here.

Most customers mistake Pinterest for a social media platform, but it surely’s truly a search engine. Consider it as Google’s cool cousin, with some fairly distinctive benefits and alternatives for manufacturers.

On Google, you combat for a web page in your web site to point out up within the No. 1 spot for a search. However are you able to think about in case your web site occupied all three of the highest spots? Or all 5?

That is the chance that manufacturers have on Pinterest.

 

Pinterest’s search algorithm doesn’t restrict what number of instances a single model can present up in a single search. The key to dominating search outcomes is to make distinctive pins that can entice completely different viewers to click on.

Optimize your pins accurately, and you may take house an infinite slice of the pie:

Pinterest search results with example posts highlighted
An instance of the search “how you can use Keysearch” on Pinterest displaying 5 of my pins within the prime two rows.

The magnitude of your success on the platform rests in your Pinterest pin design, so let’s focus on fundamentals.

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Pinterest design 101

Good Pinterest pin design is all about getting the viewer to click on or save your picture. However don’t dive straight into designing the snappiest graphics on the net with out nailing down the nitty-gritty.

Earlier than moving into some particular do’s and don’ts of Pinterest pin design, let’s discuss concerning the ideas of efficient design on Pinterest.

Pin format

The beneficial Pinterest pin measurement is 1000 × 1500 pixels. Alternatively, you may as well make lengthy pins which are 1000 x 2000 pixels.

Sq. graphics can typically be efficient (for instance, many quotes and product photographs are sq.), however use them sparingly. By no means use horizontal photographs on Pinterest.

Instance of an extended pin on Pinterest from Loveleigh Loops

Save your photographs as PNGs and shrink them utilizing TinyPNG or one other lossless picture compressor to make your photographs extra environment friendly.

Give photographs file names that match their content material. For instance, “Pinterest advertising pin.png” as an alternative of “my pin.png.”

Originality

By no means obtain photographs from Pinterest and re-upload them as your personal pins. This infringes on different creators’ work and can get your account flagged as spam or suspended.

Stolen or misused content material runs rampant on Pinterest, and encompasses:

  • Downloading a pin from another person and importing it your self
  • Doing this even whereas crediting the unique supply
  • Creating pins that ship Pinterest customers to a web site that you simply don’t personal (for instance: creating pins for an article that you simply revealed on Medium)

On prime of breaking Pinterest’s Community Guidelines, it undermines your account’s credibility. Solely use unique photographs or inventory photographs that you’ve the rights to (an vital word on utilizing inventory photographs arising in a minute).

Readability

When a Pinterest person sees your pin, they’ll spend milliseconds deciding in case your pin may also help them or not.

It’s good to make it abundantly clear what this piece of content material provides pinners otherwise you’ll immediately lose them.

Take this instance from Sarah Design of a drinkware mockup tutorial:

Even at a fast look, you instantly perceive what this pin is about and may self-select whether or not or not it might assist you to. This ought to be the purpose of each pin that you simply design.

On Pinterest, trending matters will come up (who WASN’T making sourdough bread in 2020) however design developments for creators are a lot much less vital.

Pins that you simply make this yr will nonetheless be circulating in 2025, so don’t marry your Pinterest pin design to developments.

 

As a substitute, let’s have a look at the developments which are particular to Pinterest customers.

Seasonal content material

Pinners flip to Pinterest for his or her planning moments, they usually flip early. Would it not shock you to study that Christmas searches begin as early as July?

Pinterest trend tool line graph showing indexed searches over time for the word “christmas”
Screenshot of the Pinterest Trends instrument exhibiting Christmas searches beginning in the summertime

You must produce your seasonal content material the quarter earlier than the season itself. Pinners aren’t off-put to see Thanksgiving concepts whereas they’re nonetheless in shorts — they recognize it.

Huge textual content

The large textual content development is a response to pinners’ quick consideration spans. Huge textual content not solely jumps out of the feed, but it surely additionally forces creators to boil their content material down to a couple phrases.

Take this instance from The Mindful Mocktail. As a substitute of claiming “the simplest wholesome various to consuming a raspberry alcoholic margarita,” we’ve got “straightforward raspberry margarita mocktail.” Growth.

Inspiring photographs

Pinners open the Pinterest app to plan, study and be impressed. Faucet into this want along with your picture choice.

Take this instance from Grateful Gypsies. All of us learn the textual content however really feel the imagery.

Think about these very same phrases written on a white web page. The impact wouldn’t even be shut.

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Pinterest design suggestions for non-designers

Are you pondering, “this all sounds good, BUT…”

Let me guarantee you: you don’t want to be a graphic designer to make Pinterest pin designs that talk to your readers and drive visitors to your web site. You simply must create a pin design course of that works for you.

Make a temper board

Browse the platform for Pinterest pin designs that you simply assume look good. Then, save all of them to a secret board.

Use this secret board as a temper board to search out templates that you simply like, or to ship to a graphic designer if you happen to select to outsource.

Use pin templates

Together with your temper board in hand, browse Pinterest templates and search for designs that match your branding and communicate to your readers.

When modifying Pinterest templates, at a minimal, customise:

  • Colours
  • Fonts
  • Pictures or video
  • Plus, add your model identify

These ought to all match your branding and make your pin look completely different from the others on-line created utilizing the identical template.

You’ll accumulate extra saves, clicks and Pinterest followers in case your pins are distinctive and never a knock-off of what customers have already seen.

With these fundamentals in thoughts, listed here are a few of the prime Pinterest pin design secrets and techniques that can assist you to maximize your potential on the platform.

Notice: With 1000’s of customizable templates, GoDaddy Studio is designed particularly that can assist you simply create beautiful content material in minutes.

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Pinterest design suggestions: Do’s and don’ts

Feeling energized to create pins to your model? Don’t get misplaced down the design concepts rabbit gap with out sticking to those primary finest practices.

Do: Use photographs that match content material

Keep away from the urge to make use of generic engaging photographs in your pin designs. Picture selection performs a big half on Pinterest, each to the person and the algorithm.

The front-end of the Pinterest SEO process is much like different serps: you do key phrase analysis, then embrace these key phrases within the pin title, description and file identify.

However Pinterest veers away from different platforms with its superior visible search capabilities.

The Pinterest algorithm can also be studying the textual content on the picture, and scanning the picture’s contents.

Pinterest search results for travel gear
It’s not a coincidence that all the search outcomes for “journey gear” embrace precise gear photographs and never a random sundown photograph.

Be particular once you might be. Take this instance from Ms Travel Solo. She might’ve shared a generic journey image for this weblog submit on journey gear, however as an alternative, she confirmed pinners the gear itself:

Don’t: Use templates or photographs that match everybody else

Whereas it’s good to take a look at what’s already performing nicely whereas designing your pins, don’t marry your design course of to what you already see otherwise you threat being redundant.

Exhibit A: this widespread free inventory picture. A fast visible search on Pinterest exhibits that dozens of accounts have used this precise inventory picture repeatedly, unedited and with no added branding.

Visual search results showing the same stock photo on multiple pins

Take the time to customise inventory imagery and free Pinterest pin templates:

  • Add your model colours or filters on inventory photographs
  • Change the font to match your branding
  • Complement inventory images with unique images

I do know I’m repeating myself, however skipping this step actually units your designs again. And it’s straightforward to amend.

Take this instance from Courtney Kelly, who made her pin stand out by making use of a pink filter to this inventory photograph and supplementing along with her personal images:

There’s nothing mistaken with utilizing free inventory images in your Pinterest pin design course of, however don’t reduce corners when customizing them.

Associated: The right way to use a inventory photograph 8 alternative ways

Do: Embody your branding

This level is so vital that we have to zoom in. Together with your branding in your Pinterest pin design is a matter of:

  • Readers remembering and revisiting your content material
  • Constructing a singular visible identification
  • Being acknowledged by the algorithm

Take this instance from Inspirational Tea Co. — the branding oozes out of each design ingredient on this pin.

It checks each field whereas nonetheless remaining true to the model of the model:

  • The content material is obvious
  • The pinner instantly understands the call-to-action (store now)
  • The product photographs shine alongside textual content

The cherry on prime: beneath of this pin, if you happen to scroll right down to the “Extra Like This” part, the algorithm is exhibiting extra content material from this model:

Highlighted Pinterest pins showing the “More like this” results

Good Pinterest pin design extends a hand to the viewer with out making all of it about them, which is a typical newbie fumble.

Don’t: Make all of it about you

Everybody who consumes content material on-line is subconsciously screening for a solution to the query “how can this assist me.” 

The quickest strategy to interact with viewers is to soak up the accountability of speaking that message into your Pinterest pin design. Don’t make them marvel, guess or attempt to remedy the riddle themselves.

Educate from the “you” perspective, not “I.” For instance:

  • “How I make $100 a day on-line” is about you.
  • “How one can make $100 a day on-line” is concerning the pinner, and goes to inherently decide up extra traction.

Right here’s one other instance:

  • “How I wrote a complete e book in 1 month” is about you.
  • “Secrets and techniques behind writing a complete e book in 1 month” is about what the reader can study.

Take this pin instance from Sojournies. This textual content might’ve learn “what I like and dislike about residing in Europe” however is concerning the viewer as an alternative:

Should you wrestle with this in your Pinterest pin design, ask a good friend for a second opinion earlier than you publish your pins.

Do: Add textual content

This is likely one of the most neglected Pinterest design suggestions. You must add textual content, even once you’re simply utilizing images.

Textual content on pins orients pinners and improves click-through charge and pin saves.

 

Ask your self which of those pins you’d be more than likely to have interaction with:

Examples of text on photos for Pinterest images
Pinners will solely spend milliseconds deciding whether or not or not your content material may also help them. Make it straightforward for them to say sure, or they’ll say no.

Even if you happen to’re creating pins that completely exhibit images, take the time to edit the design utilizing an answer like GoDaddy Studio so as to add a couple of phrases that can orient the pinner.

Take this instance from Sisters’ Sunflowers. As a substitute of merely exhibiting off a standalone sticker picture, minimalist textual content aids viewers in understanding this content material.

Textual content ought to all the time be direct and assist in understanding. When you could be tempted to make use of playful copywriting like “you understand you need me,” direct language goes to assist customers self-select extra rapidly. Simply don’t design pins with textual content that finally ends up working towards you …

Don’t: Make it arduous to learn

Textual content that’s unclear, complicated or troublesome to learn will trigger viewers to maintain scrolling. A number of guidelines of thumb:

  • Use script fonts very sparingly
  • Change font sizes to create a visible hierarchy
  • Readability trumps every thing else

Take this instance from my model, Writing From Nowhere. Various textual content sizes and fonts create distinction and hierarchy:

The font measurement varies from 45 factors (backside row of textual content) to 275 factors (the phrase “successful”). Had all the textual content been the identical measurement or all been written within the script font, the lead would’ve been misplaced.

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Ultimate ideas

Do your pins move the take a look at? Earlier than importing to Pinterest, ask your self:

  • Is it immediately obvious what this pin is about?
  • Is it straightforward to learn, even on cell?
  • Would I cease my scroll to take a look at this?

In case your pin design is an afterthought, your content material will comply with go well with within the eyes of the pinner. Apply these Pinterest pin design fundamentals to your static pins, concept pins and product pins to see large enhancements to your engagement charge.

I hope that these Pinterest design suggestions and finest practices have left your fingers itching to start out designing! Get began proper now with GoDaddy Studio.