The Secret To Designing Pinterest Pins That Consistently Get Clicks

One of the key skills almost every type of blogger should know is how to create Pinterest pins. More importantly, learning how to design Pinterest pins that get clicks through to blog content!

In 2020, Pinterest set the rules for pin design best practices. It also shared with content creators (bloggers included) the details of how the site’s algorithm prioritizes and ranks pins in searches.

Many of these rules continue to exist into 2024.

So it’s now very important to create Pinterest pins that drive blog traffic by being, attractive, click-worthy and most importantly of interest to Pinterest users.

They also need to be optimized for the Pinterest algorithm!

The changes have been hard for many veteran Pinterest pinners, especially when it comes to designing a Pinterest pin that drives traffic. However, when you take a step back, the rules make sense.

In this post, I’ll cover:

1. What the Pinterest algorithm changes entail
2. How to create click-worthy pins
3. My tips for creating awesome pins fast
4. Tailwind improvements that address the Pinterest changes and make your pinning activities according to best practices

I’ll go over these changes and provide you with some tips on what you can do to keep your clicks up with awesome pins!

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on a product or service, and decide to purchase it, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All recommended products and services are based on my positive experience with them. For more information, please read my Disclaimer.

Save This Pin To Bookmark This Post

Is Pinterest Still Worth It In 2024?

Before we get into tips for designing Pinterest pins, we have to answer the question many have these days: is Pinterest still worth it?

The simple answer is: absolutely yes.

If you haven’t started a Pinterest Business account for your blog, it’s high time you do!

While Pinterest is tiptoeing into becoming a social media platform, it’s still very much a visual search engine.

In early 2023 we saw a resurgence in static pins, and content creators such as bloggers, started seeing some love from the Pinterest algorithm.

Even my blogging blog that’s not as popular on Pinterest is seeing a boost.

Any blogs that cover the big niches: fashion, home decor, food and drink, health and fitness, etc, do get traffic.

So make Pinterest one of your top promotion channels.

Having a Pinterest business account is a must since it gives you access to important analytics.

Make sure to grow your followers and consistently produce pins each week. You will eventually find some of your Pinterest pins showing up in searches!

| RELATED: How To Start Using Pinterest For Your Blog

What’s New In Pinterest For 2024?

The Pinterest platform is trying to keep people on it longer.

While Pinterest Idea Pins are still floating around, you’re going to be seeing much more of the static pins.

Video pins are a hit-and-miss. However, I find mine sometimes do better than static pins.

There are some Pinterest best practices when it comes to pinning strategies.

They include tips for designing the best Pinterest pins, the pinning frequency, the relevancy of where you’re pinning and the use of Pinterest keywords.

Here are the key things to focus on for your Pinterest strategy in 2024.

1. Pinterest Emphasizes Fresh In 2024

The expectation continues to be that you’re producing fresh pins for blog posts, rather than re-pinning your old ones to every group board you’re following.

What does this mean? It’s no longer acceptable to change the image with the same text font overlay.

Now you need to change the image and font style so the pin looks brand new.

In addition to this, Pinterest is more likely to index your original content, so new blog posts and new pins versus older content.

2. For Pinterest Less Is More

Spamming with the same “new” pin to all of your boards, and all groups is now seen as a no-no and can get your account suspended.

My best practice: pin once to one board, and move on to a new pin.

I will create 3 to 5 pins for a blog post, pin them over a span of a few weeks to my relevant boards (I may have more than one board that works with a blog topic), and then give that post a break.

I revisit it again a month or two later with a fresh batch of pins.

When using Tailwind you’ll get a recommendation of a maximum of 10 boards when you schedule your pins. I wouldn’t use more than one board.

3. Relevancy Is Key On Pinterest

When you’re pinning your pins, pin to your RELEVANT, keyword-optimized board. The algorithm picks this up and can better categorize your pins with keywords.

This is why it’s important to (search engine optimize) SEO your Pinterest pins, and your boards (the description).

Let’s go more in-depth on each of these recommendations and how you can kick ass with your Pinterest game in 2024 by creating beautiful Pinterest pins.

| RELATED: How To Boost Your Blog With The Latest Pinterest Tips And Tricks

How To Design Pinterest Pins: Creating Fresh Click-worthy Pins

I’ve written about this in my post about my top three Pinterest strategies.

It’s so important to learn how to create Pinterest pins that are well-designed, with enticing visuals and text.

High-quality, new content is favoured by Pinterest. And by Pinterest users as well!

New is the operative word. This is why when I switched from using free stock images to paid stock images on my pins, I saw a bump up in my visibility and subsequently, clicks to my blog posts.

Existing posts, products and pages require new, fresh pins to be promoted. So what does it take to create a Pinterest pin design that performs well?

There’s a formula to follow:

Attractive Fonts + Fresh Images + Compelling Optimized Text, Title & Description = Better Ranking & More Clicks

Let’s Jump Into Pin Design…

I’ll take you step by step to create gorgeous Pinterest pins.

It doesn’t matter what design tool you use – Canva, Adobe or other easy design tools such as Visme.

By keeping specific elements of good design in mind, you can create the perfect pin.

1. Vertical Pins

What any Pinterest expert will tell you is that creating Pinterest pins of various formats is OK. However, there are some that are better than others.

Here are the key rules regarding pin sizes:

• 2:3 aspect ratio, with 1000 px x 1500 px as ideal size
• 1:2.1 aspect ratio for tall pins, with 1080 px x 1920 px the ideal size

Should you include square or horizontal pins?

Experiment with them. I usually find that mine don’t do well in this size format.

However, for some niches, it may work. Think Instagram posts repurposed for your Pinterest account!

2. The Right Fonts & Clear Text

Here are my suggestions for font use when you create Pinterest pins:

• Use easy-to-read fonts
• Don’t use more than two fonts
• Choose a sans serif and a serif or a sans serif and script/handwritten font if possible
• When choosing a handwritten font, go for those that don’t make your pins look juvenile and unattractive
• Take advice from designers on font duos
• Make your text overlays readable with larger font sizes
• Don’t go to the edges with your text: leave some white space around it
• Create a visually appealing contrast between the image/background photo and your text

I always choose a sans serif and a script font. But you can also choose a sans serif with a serif font for contrast and emphasis on specific words.

Be careful with handwritten fonts as they can look awful on Pinterest pins.

Example Of A Pin With Poor Font Choices

Here’s an example of a pin that has a poorly chosen font duo. It has a handwritten font and a cursive script font.

The handwritten font (similar to too many that I see in pins out there), looks like crap (no apology for the bluntness) on a pin.

Even on its own, without being paired with the script text, it would look unappealing visually.

ALWAYS use fonts that appeal to your target audience’s aesthetic preferences.

What else is wrong with this pin? Aside from the placement of the text over top of the head of the horse, and the blurriness of the one on the back, the image itself is not bad.

Why? Because the colour is warm. Cool colours don’t often do well for Pinterest pins.

Your selection of a color palette is important as well!

Avoid these cool colours:

• Blue
• Greens
• Cool purples

Choose warm colours:

• orange
• yellow
• red
• fuchsia
• pinks
• blush pink
• coral
• dusty rose

These are colours that get the most clicks.

Beiges and browns are so-so. It depends on the hue. Frankly, they make Pinterest pin images look dull and boring.

Warm greens as an accent squeak by as well.

The only time you are OK with using images with blues and greens is if they are landscapes and related to travel.

So when you’re creating Pinterest pins, consider the colours you use.

Examples Of Attractive Pin Graphics

Here are two more examples of pretty pins, with pleasing font combinations, and better layout and colours.

Fonts: Raleway + Merriweather

Fonts: Josefin Sans + Playfair Display

I re-did the ugly pin, making it look more attractive. It’s more suited to the target audience – moms.

For me, the second one is even better – crisp, modern, and appropriate to the audience (women). It also looks feminine, which appeals to this target audience.

TIP: Always consider what your target audience would find visually attractive in pin design. My target audience is primarily women – Millennials and Gen-X – so I create pins that are feminine and light.

Here are some pins that I created that are ongoing sources blog traffic (these are not short viral pins – they continue to provide traffic on an ongoing basis).

Notice the use of clean, large fonts.

Paired with images that work with the topic, these pins are consistently providing me with great blog traffic each day.

3. Quality Images For Quality Pins

When you create Pinterest pins, one of the most important things to keep in mind is your choice of images.

The Pinterest algorithm prefers pins that use images you haven’t used before. And that others haven’t used too much either!

Pinterest users prefer fresh visuals and pins too. They don’t want to see the same image over and over.

There are a few free stock images out there that are in heavy rotation for pin use.

This means a “new, fresh pin” isn’t one with the same background photo with a new text overlay with new fonts.

Each NEW pin you create should use an image that:

• Relates to the pin topic (e.g., desktop, keyboard for blogging, bathroom/spa for self-care, etc.)
• Attracts your target audience’s eyes in the Smart Feed / Following feed
• Doesn’t distract from the text
• Hasn’t been used before by you (with an exception)
• Is preferably a stock image you purchased

I’ll expand on the last two points as they do affect how you create Pinterest images.

| Read More: 11 Key Pinterest Tips For 2024 Blog Promotion Success

Use Different Parts Of The Same Photo

When making Pinterest graphics, be smart in how you use stock photos. You can use the same image if you’re using a different part of it.

For example, you’ve used one part of the photo in a previous pin, and have now used the other. This is OK.

Here’s an example where I used this one image below. I created two pins using the same image.

This is a useful practice as it can shave off much pin-creation time. There’s no need to waste time searching for a new, relevant image for your post.

Here’s the image I chose to use for two different pins. Landscape images are better as they can be carved up into two images easily. With vertical images, you can zoom in on one side or the other, or flip the image around when possible.

The first version:

The second version:

They use different fonts and text, and the image has been moved and expanded in the second one to be fresh.

I also didn’t add a gradient overlay image in the second one so it’s a bit darker.

So when you use a stock photo, zoom in, play around with it to make it “Fresh”. This technique makes using stock photos you paid for more cost-effective.

Purchase Stock Photos For Fresh Pins

As for my second point about stock images: try to use paid stock images whenever you can when you create Pinterest pins.

Since fewer people use paid stock photos, Pinterest and users will see your pin as fresh and unique.

This pin used an over-used free stock photo and an over-used template from Canva.

As I was writing this post, I noticed at least three different bloggers using this image and template for their recent pins.

This one below is on the same topic includes a paid stock photo and my own template, with one bolder, larger font (Open Sans). See the difference?

I’ve also used my brand colours, choosing a photo that would work with them well.

Which one would you post to your feed? The first over-used one, or the fresh second one?

To find awesome stock photography, check out my long list in my 50+ Blog Tools and Resources post. I love using:

• Ivory Mix
• Styled Stock Society
• PixiStock
• Creative Market
• Stocklane
• Envato Elements (has thousands of photos In addition to other design elements!)

4. Clickworthy & SEO’d Text, Title, Description

The new Pinterest algorithm and Pinterest users not only love fresh-looking, attractive pins, but also text, titles, and descriptions that are new and enticing.

Think of a pin as an ad. What would make you want to click it to learn more about a product or service? Or purchase it?

You need to have the following elements to not only let Pinterest identify what your pin is about (and rank it in the right searches) but ultimately to get a user to click on the pin to read more.

• A compelling “click-worthy” title on the pin with dynamic action words that relate to the link content
• Pin title that includes the Pinterest keyword phrase relating to your link content
• An optimized description, including keywords and relevant Pinterest hashtags

With your pin’s text, you’re signalling to a Pinterest user what your link is going to be about. So ALWAYS be spot-on in delivering what you’re promising in your pin.

Be clear about what the Pinterest user can expect when they click your pin.

Read more on how to create click-worthy pins with awesome catchy text in my post on my top three Pinterest strategies.

Time-Saving Pin Production: My Process Secrets

Pins can take forever to create if you’re a perfectionist or a busy person like myself.

On average it takes me about 15 to 20 minutes to craft a pin.

To make it easier, I always use Canva, and I’m going to share my tips on how to make it faster to create pins.

First of all, you can always rely on free and paid templates. I have these free Pinterest templates you can download and use for your own personal pins.

And there are more on my Confident Blogger Academy & Resource Collection site for you to purchase and use. They’re affordable and work with Canva.

If you want to make them from scratch by yourself…

• Make templates for yourself. These are easy to produce in advance when you have more time. Remember to make extra copies of a Master template for each. Make a fresh copy of the copy and rename it for the pin you’re about to create.

• Upload a batch of stock photos to Canva before you begin designing your pin. It’ll be easier and quicker to pick out an image. Delete the image from your image list when you’ve used it twice in pins so as to not use it accidentally again.

• Create two pins for each URL at the same time using the same base image, just zooming in on the image and changing the font and the text.

• Pre-write your pin text overlay, pin title and pin description in advance. This should be a monthly exercise you do for your top pins and any pins that need a boost. Save them in a database (I use Google Sheets).

• Get inspiration on pin titles from others. Save the ones that really catch your eye in a private Pinterest board for future reference.

Creating Pins The Smart Way

When creating pins, I like to work smart. Subsequently, I can shave off an hour or two each week to create fresh pins.

I don’t always have the time to create a batch of 5 to 10 pins from start to finish. So what I do is take advantage of any spare moment I have to work on my pins. For me, most time is spent in the evenings after my kiddo is asleep. I’m sure many parents can relate to this.

Between using the desktop version (the best) of Canva, and the iPad/iPhone app, I can prep things like text overlays, templates, and image backgrounds.

Here’s my process for creating Pinterest pins using Canva, step by step.

1. Create A Batch Of Fresh Pin Templates

Create a batch of fresh pin templates using new background images in the Canva desktop version. Save each for further editing later when you have time.

I can make anywhere from 10 to 15 draft pin templates with images in 30 minutes.

Here’s an example of a few draft pins I created based on pre-existing pins.

All I did was copy the pins, replace the background image and name them with a “NEW” in front to identify that I’m working on them. You can also write “DRAFT” or whatever you like.

I used previously created pins as my templates, duplicated them and started editing with new background images and titles (see the NEW….). This shows you this part of the process.

The next step: use my iPad Canva app to change the text overlay to the new text for that pin!

2. Update The File Name With The Pin Text

Make sure you give each new pin the correct pin file name in Canva.

This helps you keep track of the pins you need to create when you’re using the iPad or iPhone versions. I like to add “NEW” or “DRAFT” to the title if it’s a pin I’m still working on.

3. Use The Canva Apps For On-The-Fly Editing

I can come back to editing the pins later on with my iPad or iPhone version of Canva. This is when I add the fresh new text overlays and design features. I can easily do this when relaxing before bedtime and I don’t have my laptop turned on.

4. Fine-Tune With Canva Desktop

If you’re happy with the pins you updated with the Canva app, you can download them to your phone or iPad and pin using Pinterest.

If not, then fine-tune the images on the desktop version of Canva for perfect design and when you’re using the PRO version with access to your very own custom fonts.

TIP: Pre-write your pin text overlays, titles, and descriptions on Google Sheets that you can access both on your desktop and your phone/iPad for easy reference.

And there you go – an easy way to create click-worthy Pinterest pins when you’re busy.

So now you have your awesome pins and the next step is to get them pinned to Pinterest.

You can schedule up to 100 pins for one month’s worth of pins on Pinterest.

Don’t have time to create pin templates from scratch? I’ve got you covered! Get my FREE 10 Pinterest Pin templates for Canva, that are easy to customize.

If you need more pins, check out my TEMPLATE store where you can get access to this pack of 100 Pinterest Pin Templates for Canva and more!

Using Tailwind To Speed Up The Pinning Process

Tailwind used to be all the rage a few years ago with bloggers. Is it still useful for Pinterest scheduling?

Although Pinterest’s scheduling tools have improved, there are some reasons why I would recommend beginner bloggers use Tailwind.

It does speed up the process for batching and scheduling, with guides that ensure you don’t forget important things like descriptions and URL links.

Read my Tailwind review regarding the latest Tailwind features (including Ghostwriter AI) that help new bloggers build their Pinterest accounts and blog traffic.

Wrapping It All Together… Let’s Get Pinning

So there you go. All the latest Pinterest best practices for 2024.

To summarize:

1. Consistently create fresh pins with fresh images, text, etc.
2. Less is more: don’t pin to every board you have and are part of (group boards)
3. SEO and relevancy are key

Before you go, I have a few other useful tips and posts to boost your Pinterest success:

• Make sure your Pinterest profile is up-to-date
• If you still haven’t set up rich pins, do so now so that you can benefit from pins that attract interest from Pinterest users
• Play around with different types of Pinterest designs: image aspect ratios of 2:3 and taller pins to see which ones do better
• Always remember that beautiful pins are worth the effort!

Finally, learn why a Pinterest pin at the end of a blog post is a powerful way to end it.

QUESTION: What is your greatest challenge in creating Pinterest pins with best practices (i.e. always pinning fresh pins)?

Like this post? Share it on Pinterest – thank you!

Love it? Share it! Thanks!