For digital creators, bloggers, and online business owners who feel overwhelmed by Instagram and TikTok — you’re not alone. Constant engagement, chasing trends, and feeling like you need to show your face every day can be exhausting, especially if your business is more product- or content-focused than personality-driven. The good news? You don’t need social media to grow online.
Pinterest offers a refreshing alternative. It’s not really a social media platform — it’s a visual search engine. And when used strategically, it can bring in months — sometimes years — of traffic to your blog, product pages, or digital shop, all without the burnout of daily posting.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how Pinterest marketing works (even if you’re starting from scratch), how to create pins that actually get clicks, and which tools — many free or one-time-purchase — can help you grow using Pinterest alone.
Pinterest Is Not Social Media (And That’s a Good Thing)
Let’s clear up a big misconception: Pinterest is not like Instagram or TikTok. While it has a feed and visual content, it works more like Google. People don’t scroll to be entertained — they come to search for ideas, solutions, and inspiration.
This means your pins show up in search results long after you post them. Unlike social media posts, which disappear in 24 hours or fade within a day or two, a well-optimized pin can drive traffic for months. I’ve had pins linking to Notion templates on my blog bring in clicks for over a year, with zero extra effort.
If you sell digital products, run a blog, or create tutorials or tools (like I do with Notion templates), Pinterest is the ideal low-maintenance marketing platform.
Setting Up a Pinterest Business Account
To get started, create a free Pinterest Business Account. This gives you access to analytics and lets you claim your website, which is important for trust and visibility.
Choose a username that reflects your brand or niche, and write a clear profile bio using keywords that match your audience’s interests. For example, mine includes “Notion templates, productivity tools, and digital planning.” You’ll also want to enable Rich Pins — this allows Pinterest to pull extra information from your blog posts or product pages, which helps with visibility and SEO.
Once your profile is set up, start creating boards — think of them as themed folders. Each board should focus on a niche keyword or topic. Some of my most effective boards are things like “Notion Templates for Students,” “Simple Productivity Systems,” and “Digital Planners for Creators.”
Creating Click-Worthy Pinterest Pins
This part is both fun and strategic. Your pins are the visual “ads” for your blog posts or products — and a good pin is both attractive and informative at a glance.
Your pins should always be vertical (2:3 ratio, ideally 1000×1500 pixels), and include:
- A bold, readable title (like “Free Weekly Planner Template” or “Notion Setup for Freelancers”)
- Clean fonts and consistent branding
- A short subtitle if needed to explain the benefit
- A call-to-action if possible (“Get it free” or “Read more”)
But what is about pinning Notion-templates? If you want to link to your blog, the procedure above is recommended. However, if you sell Notion planners, you can also occasionally upload aesthetic screenshots of your dashboard as pins. This works well on Pinterest.
You want to create Notion templates but don’t know where to start? I got you! Check out my Notion Creator Course where I teach you how to create good planners, and how to market them!
I design all of my pins in Canva, which is free to use. But if you want more control or prefer a one-time software purchase, Affinity Designer is a great option — no monthly fees.
You don’t need to post daily, but I recommend you to do! I recommend creating 2–3 variations of each blog post or product, and pinning them across relevant boards. You can also schedule your pins in advance using a tool like Tailwind (which has a free plan), or simply pin manually once a week. I sit down once or twice a month and work on new blog posts and, above all, pins. I create many at once in Canva, save them, and upload them from my phone as drafts, without titles, captions, etc. (Be careful, these are only available for a maximum of 30 days). This way, I can schedule my pins from anywhere. On the subway, while waiting for the train, etc. When I have time, I simply plan 5-10 for the next few days. This way, I don’t run into any problems, since you can only schedule a maximum of 100 pins on Pinterest. AND: You won’t get confused about your drafts (which ones you’ve already scheduled) because you upload all pins as drafts, and they disappear once you’ve scheduled them. You’ll then find them in the timeline under scheduled pins.
Finding Keywords That Actually Get Traffic
Pinterest works best when you use the right keywords — ones your audience is actually typing into the search bar.
Start by using Pinterest’s own search box. Begin typing your topic (like “Notion”) and Pinterest will show auto-complete suggestions — these are real search terms. Click on a suggestion, and you’ll often see colored bubbles underneath — more keywords you can use in your pin descriptions, titles, and board names.
For broader keyword research, the Pinterest Trends Tool (free) is also useful. It shows what’s trending in your niche and how interest changes over time. You can also cross-check your ideas in Google Trends to see how they perform in web searches.
If you want more detailed data without a subscription, try Keywords Everywhere — it’s a browser extension that works on Google and Pinterest, and runs on credits you only need to buy once (about $10 lasts a long time). Another option is Pin Inspector, a desktop Pinterest research tool you pay for once and own forever. It shows trending pins, keywords, and what’s working for your competitors.
Pinterest Without Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook? Yes.
Some people worry they’ll miss out if they don’t also post on Instagram or TikTok. But here’s the truth: Pinterest doesn’t reward daily engagement or trending audio. It rewards quality content that solves problems — blog posts, tutorials, checklists, freebies, templates, and guides.
This is why Pinterest is perfect for:
- Bloggers who write how-to content
- Creators who sell printables, templates, or downloads
- Small businesses with limited time or capacity for social posting
I’ve experimented with Instagram and TikTok, but honestly? It felt like a lot of effort for minimal return — especially for evergreen products like Notion templates. Pinterest allows me to create once, schedule, and move on — while still bringing consistent traffic to my blog and sales pages.
Measuring Success with Pinterest Analytics
Once you’ve been pinning consistently, it’s time to check your progress. Pinterest offers built-in analytics for business accounts — you can see which pins are getting the most impressions, clicks, and saves.
You can also link your site to Google Analytics to track exactly how many people are clicking from Pinterest, what they do on your site, and whether they buy, download, or sign up.
I look at this data every couple of weeks and adjust accordingly:
- I double down on pin designs or topics that perform best
- I create fresh pins for my top blog posts
- I use high-performing keywords again in new pins
This way, I’m always growing — without having to “start over” every day like with social media.
Final Thoughts: Pinterest Is Quiet but Powerful
Pinterest is like the introvert of online marketing: quiet, intentional, and deeply effective over time. You don’t need to post constantly, follow trends, or “go viral” to win. You just need to create value, use the right keywords, and make your pins helpful and clickable.
If you’re a digital creator who wants to build a sustainable content-based business without the chaos of social media, Pinterest might just be your most powerful platform.
Want to get started faster? I can share my Pinterest content checklist or a pack of Canva pin templates to help you launch your first batch of pins. Let me know what you’d like!