How to Use Pinterest Marketing for Business Success

Pinterest is one of the most underrated search engines for product discovery, brand visibility, and long-term marketing ROI. With over 482 million active users, Pinterest offers inspiration and intent, which is why it’s a goldmine for businesses ready to convert browsers into buyers.

If you’ve been wondering how to use Pinterest for marketing or how to use Pinterest for business marketing, this guide is your starting line. Leveraging Pinterest with intention can fuel brand awareness, drive sales, and become a core part of your Social Media Management strategy. Let’s explore how you can make Pinterest work for your brand with a little help from Spark Social.

Why Pinterest Deserves a Spot in Your Marketing Strategy

Pinterest users aren’t just passive scrollers. They come with the intent to dream, plan, and buy. According to Pinterest’s own data:

• 83% of weekly users have made a purchase based on Pins from brands.
• 97% of searches are unbranded, meaning there’s a level playing field for small and large brands.
• The average order value from Pinterest traffic is higher than that from other social platforms.

In other words, Pinterest is about how you present it.

Step 1: Optimize Your Pinterest Foundation

Before diving into Pinning, your profile needs to be polished and strategic. Here’s how to set the stage for success:

• Claim your website: This unlocks analytics, boosts credibility, and helps you track performance.
• Choose a clear, high-quality logo as your profile image.
• Write a keyword-rich bio that explains what your brand does and who it serves.
• Enable search engine visibility in your settings so Google can index your profile and boards.
• Audit competitor accounts to identify what’s working in your niche and where you can differentiate.

This is also the perfect time to align your visual identity. Stick with consistent fonts, brand colors, and design elements across your Pins.

Step 2: Build Strategic Boards (Not Just Pretty Ones)

Your boards should reflect your audience’s interests and your brand’s offerings.

Start with 4-6 foundational boards based on:

• Product categories
• Use cases (e.g., “Holiday Gifting Ideas” or “Home Office Inspiration”)
• Customer interests and aesthetics
• Seasonal or trend-based content

Use keywords in your board titles and descriptions, as Pinterest boards are indexed by Google. For example: “Minimalist Bathroom Remodel Ideas” will perform better than “Our Inspiration.”

A well-organized board structure also helps Pinterest’s algorithm understand your content and serve it to the right users.

Step 3: Create Content That Converts

Pinterest is a visual-first platform, so content creation is where many brands fall flat or take off. When creating your own content:

• Use vertical graphics (2:3 ratio) for best performance.
• Overlay text on images to tell a story or highlight a benefit.
• Incorporate keywords in image file names, titles, and descriptions.
• Pin original content consistently, but also repin relevant content to show your brand’s personality.

Types of Pins to consider:

• Product Pins with pricing and availability
• Video Pins (great for tutorials and storytelling)
• Infographics for how-tos
• Carousel Pins for step-by-step or multi-product features
• Idea Pins (Pinterest’s native format that functions like Stories)

Batch-create content monthly, and schedule Pins using a tool like Later or Tailwind to maintain consistency.

Step 4: Use Pinterest SEO to Get Discovered

Pinterest = visual search engine. So if SEO isn’t part of your strategy, you may be missing massive potential.

How to use Pinterest for business marketing with SEO in mind:

• Use Pinterest’s Trends tool and Ads keyword planner to find relevant search terms.
• Avoid overly branded keywords. Terms like “natural skincare for dry skin” perform better than “BrandName’s Hydrating Cream.”
• Incorporate keywords into every part of your Pin:

1. Title
2. Description
3. Alt text
4. Image file name

Keep your keyword strategy natural. Write for humans and optimize for discovery.

Step 5: Amplify with Pinterest Ads & Targeting

While organic reach is strong on Pinterest, paid campaigns can accelerate success.

Use Pinterest ads to:

• Retarget visitors from your website using the Pinterest tag.
• Build actalike audiences based on your highest-converting users.
• Promote seasonal campaigns, bestsellers, or product launches.
• A/B test creative formats to find your highest-performing visuals.

With Pinterest’s native ad tools and integrations, you can create highly segmented and data-informed campaigns that drive ROI.

Step 6: Track What’s Working

Pinterest Analytics is your best friend. Use it weekly to spot patterns and monthly to refine strategy. Here are the key metrics to watch:

• Impressions and saves (are people seeing and engaging with your Pins?)
• Outbound clicks (are people clicking through to your site?)
• Top-performing boards and Pins (what content is resonating?)
• Audience insights (who are your viewers and what are they interested in?)

Use these insights to double down on what works and improve your creative where needed.

Step 7: Cross-Promote and Reuse

Maximize your Pinterest investment by repurposing Pins on other platforms:

• Share Pins in Instagram Stories or Facebook posts.
• Add a Pinterest widget to your website or email newsletter.
• Use Idea Pins as content for TikTok or Reels.
• Turn a Pin into a blog post, or vice versa.

Pinterest works best when integrated into your full-funnel social media strategy.

When to Call in the Experts

Pinterest has its quirks. If your team doesn’t have time to create visuals, stay on top of trends, or manage SEO and paid campaigns, it might be time to bring in professionals.

Partnering with a boutique agency like Spark Social means:

• A custom, agile approach that evolves with trends
• A dedicated content production studio to create scroll-stopping visuals
• Hands-on reporting that shows ROI (not just impressions)
• Strategy that puts storytelling, connection, and conversions first

We specialize in Social Media Management across platforms, but Pinterest holds a unique space for visual-first brands and we know how to use it.

Pinterest, Perfected

If you’re still wondering how to use Pinterest for marketing, here’s the bottom line: Think of it less like Instagram and more like Google. It's not for going viral, just findable and memorable in the moments that matter.

Pinterest rewards consistency, creativity, and strategy. With the right partner and a content engine that doesn’t quit, your brand can turn Pins into profit and browsers into believers. If you're ready to elevate your Pinterest game (and every other platform), Spark Social can help.

Spark Social, an award-winning boutique social media agency, continues to be recognized as an industry leader by several prestigious awards, including the Hermes Creative, Shorty Awards, MarCom, dotComm, NYX, and TITAN Health.