The secret to creating standout Pinterest boards

You might know about Pinterest boards as a place to save, collect and organise inspiring ideas. But better yet, these collections of ideas are an easy way to showcase your content, tell your story and enhance your discoverability, all in one go. With almost 25% of Pinterest’s SEO traffic going to boards, it’s an unassuming but effective format that’s well worth getting on board with.¹

Build a better board

Different boards have different purposes. After all, if you’re just looking to spark an idea or gather aesthetics that catch your interest, go with the flow and collect away. Your secret boards? Save those Pins and carry on. (Although a little extra organisation is always a good idea.) For boards that perform, here are some key tips to help elevate and take your boards to the next level.

1. Keep it fresh
Regularly add Pins to your relevant board. Boards that have been updated within the last three months have been shown to help drive higher Pin engagement.²

2. Play the numbers game
Consider the number of Pins in your board, to keep your curation compelling but not exhaustive. Between 20 and 100 Pins in a board is ideal for those without board sections. The same is true for the number of Pins within a board section.

3. Put on your photo editor hat
Looks matter when it comes to your Pins, so you’ll want to put your most visually appealing content first or higher up in the order of Pins in your board. Also, factor in that what some see as visually appealing might not be the same for others. So remember to look at your content through the lens of your target audience. (For example, low-fi tends to be popular with Gen Z.)

4. Add variety
As you add more Pins to your board, each individual Pin becomes part of a collection. Your curated collection. Assess your board holistically to ensure that it’s visually engaging. Try mixing it up if things are too repetitive (whether it’s colour, composition, etc.) or work in different formats (images, video, collages).

Board best practices for niche content

Here are some additional considerations to keep in mind for curating specific categories of content.

• Fashion: Double down on overall variety. Check that your content includes a range of poses, vendors, price points and a balance of lifestyle/stylised Pins and product-focused Pins. Outfit shots should be clear, with vibes that match your audience. Board ideas: Aesthetic, seasonality, occasion, milestones.

• Food: Showcase bright, colourful images, and the final dish or completed recipes. Video is an ideal format for combining a recipe how-to with personality or entertainment. Board and board section ideas: Food type, ingredient, cooking method, length of recipe, expertise level, dietary restrictions.

• Beauty: Think instructional and actionable, such as video tutorials and step-by-steps. Keep an eye on variety as well, so that you have a good mix of formats (photos, infographics, videos, products), skill levels, styles and skin tones covered. Board and board section ideas: Hair types, product types, occasion, skill level.

• Art and photography: Look to feature different photography set-ups and styles, a diverse range of subjects, plus real-life references and tutorials. Boards and board section ideas: Skill level, medium, format, aesthetic, photo style, photo set-up.

• Fitness: Themes are helpful for people navigating your content, as well as sequenced photos and/or videos to illustrate a complete workout, and before and after photos. Board ideas: Targeted workouts, weekly series, content by skill level.

• Products: When your goal is to showcase your products and grow conversions, you’ll want to aim for Pins that feature your products on a non-blank background. Consider using a mix of formats: images and videos (depending on your content), as well as both product Pins and inspirational Pins within a board.

Boards are here for you. Be as hands-on or hands-off as you want to be, depending on your goals. And if you want to keep the curation party going, don’t forget to share and promote your board with friends, fans and followers on your social platforms using the board sharing feature.