If you’ve been curious about adding Pinterest to your content strategy, this is the perfect place to start. Pinterest is one of the few platforms that works for you long after you hit publish. You don’t need a huge following, daily videos, or perfect aesthetics. You just need clarity, consistency, and a handful of repeatable ideas that help Pinterest understand what your account is about.
In this guide, we’re walking you through exactly what to post, when to post it, and how often, so you never feel lost or overwhelmed, and you always know your next step.
Why Pinterest Is So Beginner-Friendly
The biggest mindset shift is this: Pinterest isn’t social media, it’s a search engine.
People open Pinterest because they’re actively searching for something: an outfit to recreate, a holiday idea to save, a recipe to try, a DIY to follow, or a gift to buy. That means your content doesn’t need to be viral; it just needs to be helpful and easy to understand.
Pinterest rewards:
- Clear topics
- Helpful titles
- Good keywords
- Steady posting
- Seasonal timing
Once Pinterest understands your content, it keeps resurfacing your pins for months or even years. It’s slow at first, then suddenly it’s your highest-converting traffic source.
What to Post on Pinterest
Your Pinterest strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the most successful creators repeat the same few formats over and over. Think of Pinterest like a library you’re building; your job is simply to add new “books” to the shelf each week.
Here’s what performs best:
Standard Pins (your foundation)
These are simple, scroll-stopping graphics. They’re for capturing attention quickly and giving users a clear idea of what they’re about to click or save. They’re also the easiest type of pin to create consistently, which makes them the foundation of a strong Pinterest strategy. They’re perfect for:
- Outfits and collages
- Home decor ideas
- Gift guides
- Recipes
- Single-product pins
- Blog graphics
Anything you want people to click or save can be a standard pin.
Idea Pins (your mini tutorials)
Pinterest uses Idea Pins to distribute educational content. They’re perfect when you want to show a quick sequence or step-by-step moment. Think of them as mini blog posts that break down your idea into clear, digestible steps. They help Pinterest understand the structure of your content while giving users something they can follow, save, and come back to later.
Use them for:
- How-to guides
- Holiday or seasonal ideas
- Styling tips
- Quick tutorials
- Step-by-step recipes or crafts
Short, clear, and visual works best.
Video Pins (movement catches attention)
These do not need fancy editing. They simply need movement. Pinterest users aren’t looking for cinematic videos. They just want a quick visual that helps them understand the idea. A few seconds of motion is often enough to catch attention and signal to Pinterest what the content is about.
Ideas:
- Try-on clips
- Decorating walkthroughs
- Before and afters
- Quick product demos
- Aesthetic POV videos
Add text on screen that includes keywords so Pinterest understands the topic instantly.
Choose Your Core Content Pillars
Just like with email or affiliate strategy, Pinterest performs best when your content stays within a few consistent categories. This helps Pinterest know who to serve your pins to, and helps you create content faster without reinventing your strategy every week.
Pick 3–5 pillars that reflect what you already post, such as:
- Fashion / outfits
- Home decor
- Mom hacks
- Travel
- Party ideas + holidays
- Recipes
- Beauty
- Gift guides
- Organization ideas
- Wellness
You don’t need to post every category every week. You just need to cycle through them regularly so Pinterest sees a pattern.
When to Post on Pinterest (the Timing Secret Everyone Misses)
The biggest thing to understand about Pinterest is that it runs ahead of real life. Pinterest users plan early, much earlier than Instagram or TikTok, which means you need to post early, too. People come to Pinterest to map out their seasons, holidays, projects, outfits, and gift lists long before they actually need them. Posting early helps your content get indexed, build momentum, and show up right when people are actively planning, which is why timing matters so much more here than on other platforms.
Here’s your cheat sheet:
- Valentine’s Day → post in December
- Easter → post in February
- Summer → post in April
- Back-to-School → post in June
- Fall → post in July
- Halloween → post in August
- Thanksgiving → post in September
- Holiday/Christmas → post in October
If it feels early everywhere else, you’re right on time for Pinterest.
As for time of day? Pinterest isn’t sensitive like TikTok. Post when you batch content and let the scheduler handle distribution.
How Often to Post on Pinterest
This is the part that scares beginners, but it’s simpler than you think. Pinterest does not require constant content. It just needs fresh content consistently. Once Pinterest recognizes your posting rhythm, it begins distributing your pins steadily in the background without demanding daily pressure from you. Think of it as building a small but reliable routine that compounds over time, not a platform that needs you glued to it every day.
A realistic beginner schedule is:
- 3–5 fresh pins per day, or
- 20–30 fresh pins per week
That’s enough for Pinterest to learn from you without overwhelming your workflow.
What counts as a fresh pin?
- A new collage
- A graphic in a different layout
- A blog post pin in a new design
- A video version of a pin you already posted
- An Idea Pin based on existing content
Freshness comes from the visual. Not the link.
Keywords: The Real Secret to Pinterest Growth
Pinterest works like Google. Keywords are how your content gets discovered, not hashtags, not timing, not aesthetics. The clearer you are, the faster Pinterest will understand your account. Keywords tell Pinterest exactly who your content is for and what problems it solves, which helps your pins surface in the right searches sooner. When your titles, descriptions, and text overlays all reinforce the same message, Pinterest can confidently push your content to people already looking for ideas just like yours.
Use keywords in:
- Your titles
- Your descriptions
- The text overlay on your pins
- Your board names
For example, instead of writing “Holiday Outfit,” a keyword-friendly title would be:
Holiday Party Outfit Ideas | Christmas Cocktail Dress | Winter Event Look
The more specific you are, the easier it is for your audience to find you.
Pinterest Isn’t About Perfection. It’s About Presence
If you can remember one thing about Pinterest, let it be this: you don’t need to create complicated content to succeed. You just need to show up consistently, use keywords intentionally, and post early for every seasonal moment. Pinterest rewards makers, planners, and problem-solvers, and your content already fits that mold.
Start simple.
Build slowly.
Add fresh content each week.
And let Pinterest work for you behind the scenes, long after you hit publish.
If you want support while you build this out, we’ve got you. Here at Notoire, we help creators turn platforms like Pinterest into real, sustainable growth engines. Whether you need a done-for-you pinning system, custom templates that match your brand, or a strategy you can follow step-by-step, we can walk with you through the entire process. You don’t have to figure this out alone. We make Pinterest simple, repeatable, and tailored to the way you create.
