Great—you’ve got a Pinterest Business account!
But having one won’t automatically boost your traffic; you still need eye-catching Pins to attract clicks and saves. If you haven’t set up your Business account yet, check out previous article for a step-by-step guide — Laying the Foundation — How to Set Up Your Pinterest Business Account & Rich Pins
This post will guide you through the core design principles and step-by-step workflows—covering five essential elements, top tools & templates, and A/B testing tips.
Let’s make your Pins impossible to ignore, driving clicks and saves!
Stick around until the end to grab your free template.
Why Pin Design Matters
522 million people use Pinterest every month—your potential audience is massive! 60% of users browse on mobile, so vertical images get 50–89% more engagement than other formats. The average Pin engagement rate is around 6%, so standout design really pays off.
First Impressions Happen in 0.25 Seconds
Studies show users form an opinion of a visual in under a quarter-second.¹ Your Pin’s look isn’t just decoration—it’s the deciding factor between “keep scrolling” and “click through.”
Vertical Pins Dominate the Feed
A 2:3 aspect ratio (e.g., 1,000×1,500px) takes up more real estate on mobile screens, boosting engagement by up to 89%.²
Visual Clarity Builds Trust
Well-designed Pins convey professionalism and encourage users to take you seriously—especially important if you’re promoting a product, blog post, or guide.
Don’t have a Pinterest Business account yet? Check out this post “Laying the Foundation: Complete Setup of Your Pinterest Business Account & Rich Pins” to set one up and verify your site!
Pin Design Five Design Principles Elements
1. Embrace Strong Contrast
High contrast between background and text makes your headline instantly readable—even on small screens.
Implementation Steps:
Pair dark text on a light overlay or vice versa. Use your brand color sparingly for accents, not as the sole color.
2. Prioritize Readable Typography
Pinterest users skim quickly. A clear, bold font for your main message stops the scroll.
Implementation Steps:
Use a sans-serif or slab font for headlines (e.g., Montserrat, Roboto Slab).
Limit yourself to 2 font families: one for headlines, one for body/secondary text.
Keep headline size at 18–24pt and subtext at 12–14pt (adjust based on your canvas size. If the canvas scale is larger, the font scale will be enlarged accordingly.).
3. Ample White Space
White (or negative) space draws the eye to your focal point and prevents clutter.Let key elements breathe so the design feels clean and professional.
Implementation Steps:
Leave at least 20% of your Pin area empty around text or main images.
Center your headline or align it strategically in the “golden area” (upper two-thirds of the Pin).
4. Craft a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
A direct CTA (“Read Now,” “Shop the Look,” “Learn How”) reduces friction and boosts click-through rates by up to 80%.³
Implementation Steps:
Place your CTA at the bottom third of the Pin, using a button-style box or a contrasting banner.
Use action verbs and keep it under 3 words.
5. Integrate Branded Elements Subtly
Consistent brand marks (logo, color accent, typography) build recognition without overpowering.
Implementation Steps:
Add your logo at 5–10% opacity in a corner.
Use a small color swatch or icon to tie your Pins together.
If you’re unsure of your style or just getting started, the basic principles are a great place to begin—but they aren’t set in stone. For trendy or lively content, feel free to let your personal style shine through!
Pin Copywriting: Titles & Descriptions That Convert
A. Headlines That Grab
Use “How to…” and “What…”: Pins starting with “How to” or “What” signal a quick tutorial or list.
Include Numbers: “5 Steps to…” “3 Secrets for…” “Top 10 Tips…”—numbers communicate brevity and structure.
Add Power Words: “Ultimate,” “Essential,” “Quick,” “Proven.”
Examples:
“How to Build a Blog from Scratch in 5 Steps”
“What Every New Blogger Needs to Know”
“7 Quick Canva Tricks for Pinterest”
B. Descriptions That Sell
First Sentence Hook: Start with a benefit—“Boost your blog traffic today by…”
Keep It 2–3 Sentences: Pinterest cuts off longer descriptions. *
Include a Secondary CTA: “Click to learn more,” “Download your free checklist.”
Insert Image 3: Screenshot of a Pin with highlighted title and description fields
Tools & Templates to Speed Up Your Workflow
- Canva: Browse and customize Pinterest templates in seconds.
- Tailwind Create: Generate multiple design variations automatically and schedule with one click.
- Adobe Spark: Add animations or extra polish to make your Pins pop.
A/B Testing Made Simple
What Is A/B Testing?
A/B testing (also called split testing) is the process of comparing two versions of the same Pin—Version A and Version B—so you can see which one drives better results (like higher click-through rates or saves).
By changing just one element at a time (e.g., headline text, background color, CTA placement), you can pinpoint exactly what resonates with your audience and double down on the most effective design.
Why It Matters
Data-Driven Decisions: Instead of guessing, you let real user behavior guide your design choices.
Optimize ROI: Small improvements in CTR add up over time, boosting overall traffic and engagement.
Continuous Improvement: Regular testing keeps your Pins fresh and aligned with evolving trends.
Implementation Steps:
- Choose One Variable to Test
- Headline wording vs. layout
- Background color A vs. color B
- CTA phrasing (“Learn How” vs. “Get the Guide”)
- Create Two Pin Variations
- Copy your original Pin file and tweak only the chosen element.
- Set Equal Budgets & Audiences
- If using paid pins, allocate the same daily budget to each variant and target the same audience segment.
- Run the Test Until You Hit a Statistical Threshold
- Aim for at least 100–200 impressions per version before calling a winner.
- Analyze Key Metrics
- CTR (Click-Through Rate) = Clicks ÷ Impressions
- Save Rate = Saves ÷ Impressions
- Conversion Rate (if you have objectives tied to a landing page)
- Implement the Winner & Iterate
- Roll out the more successful Pin broadly.
- Pick another element to test next, keeping the process ongoing.
-
Focus on One Change
Test a different headline or image variation, not both at once, so you know what moves the needle.
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Use UTM Parameters
Tag your Pin URLs (e.g.,
?utm_campaign=pin_test&utm_content=versionA) to track performance in Google Analytics. -
Let It Run
Aim for at least 3–5 days or 1,000 impressions before drawing conclusions.
Make a simple comparison table, as follows
| Test Element | Variant A | Variant B | Impressions | Clicks | CTR | Saves | Save Rate |
| Headline Phrase | “How to…” | “Top 5 Tips…” | 150 | 12 | 8.0% | 9 | 6.0% |
| Background Color | White overlay | Semi-transparent black | 200 | 18 | 9.0% | 15 | 7.5% |
By making A/B testing a regular part of your Pin design workflow, you’ll continually refine your visuals based on solid evidence—turning good Pins into great ones.
Conclusion & Next Steps
I hope this simple four-step helps you master the pin-making process even more quickly so you can create your eye-catching works!
1. Draft Your Copy
Jot down your headline and description in a plain doc. Play with the wording until it feels punchy and on-point.
2. Pick Your Template
Head into Canva and choose a 1,000 × 1,500 px template with text placeholders—it makes layout a breeze!
3. Sprinkle on Design Magic
Follow your core principles: tweak fonts, colors, logos, and white space so your Pin pops and leads the eye right where you want it.
4. Export, Preview & Tweak
Download a crisp PNG, upload it to Pinterest, and check it on your phone. Spot any legibility or contrast quirks? Tweak away until it’s just right.
Quick Before & After Examples
- Blog Setup Pin
- Before: Tiny text, low contrast, no clear CTA (CTR: 2%)
- After: Big “How to…” headline, white text overlay, bold “Read More” button (CTR: 7%)
- E-Commerce Product Pin
- Before: Just the product photo—no context
- After: Product shot + three benefit highlights + “Shop Now” button
Sign up now to get your free Canva Pin template!
This 1000×1500 px Canva file is fully editable—swap out the headline, images in seconds.
Pinterest Journey: Setup, Design & Scale
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