Pinterest is one of the go-to social media platforms to promote handmade products because of its unique advantages that make it a great match for Etsy sellers.
But there are some tips you need to know if you want to maximise your chance of success on Pinterest.
In this guide, you’ll learn the strategies to leverage Pinterest to drive traffic to your Etsy shop.
Let’s get started.
Why Is Pinterest Good For Etsy Sellers
Pinterest is a great social media platform for Etsy sellers for a few reasons. For starters, Pinterest has a predominantly female user base of about 69.5%, which aligns with Etsy's user base where nearly 6 out of 10 users are female. So Pinterest is especially good for you if your handmade product appeals to a female target customer.
Also, Pinterest users have relatively high buying intent than most social platforms. Many people use Pinterest as an inspiration or planning tool to collect ideas. 61% of users turn to Pinterest to kick off new projects, and 46% use it to find new brands or products. This makes it a great place to showcase your products in a way that appeals to users looking for inspirations.
Another reason for Etsy sellers to use Pinterest is that successful pins have a longer life-span compared to other social media platforms like Instagram or Tiktok. Successful pins can rank well in search results for months or years, compared to days if not hours in other social media platforms.
Also, Pinterest is getting younger. By 2026, Gen Z has become the fastest-growing audience on the platform. These users aren't just saving ideas; they are actively shopping for "aesthetics" (like "Eclectic Grandpa" or "Cozy Gamer"). If your Etsy items fit a specific visual vibe, this is where you will find your customers.
Prerequisite Before Diving Into Pinterest Marketing
Avoid the temptation of starting social media marketing too soon. Instead, focus on refining your core product offering and optimise your Etsy listings including listing photos and product description. Rushing into Pinterest marketing can take precious time away from those essential parts of your Etsy business.
Imagine if you are bringing traffic to your Etsy shop, if your listings are not well made, those traffic is not likely to convert and buy, or worse, buy from your competitor.
So, before you start Pinterest marketing, it’s important to make sure your Etsy shop has a strong foundation - Compelling product offering and optimised Etsy listings.
Creating Engaging Content For Your Pinterest
Here are some best practices for creating engaging pins on Pinterest:
- Make sure your content is a vertical format. Either 2:3 aspect ratio for image pins or a 9:16 ratio for video pins. If the content is taller than those, it’d get cropped off by Pinterest.
- High quality images with a clear focal point. Sometimes a simple photo of a handmade product can work pretty well on Pinterest like this bar soap label design from my shop which has driven about 800 clicks to my shop:
You can upload your photos or videos yourself, but a more popular method is to save the images directly from Etsy. Here’s how to do it:
- In your Etsy shop, go to the listing you want to pin the image from, copy the link address url.
- Go to Pinterest and go to “Create Pin” in the menu.
- Click “Save from site” underneath the place for uploading your own image/video, then paste the url of your Etsy listing.
- Choose the listing photos you’d like to make as pin for your Pinterest account.
- Then type your pin title and description which we will talk about in the next section.
But keep in mind that you can schedule pins that are created this way.
Using Different Pin Formats
Pinterest has simplified its content. We no longer have "Idea Pins" vs. "Standard Pins." Now, every pin can have a link to your shop. However, you should mix up your media types:
The Standard Static Pin - This is your bread and butter. A single, high-quality vertical image with a text overlay.
The Video Pin (Top Priority) - Pinterest is a video-first platform in 2026. You don't need to dance! Simple 5-10 second clips of you packing an order, showing the texture of your product, or a 360-degree spin work wonders. Video pins occupy more space in the feed and autoplay, grabbing attention instantly.
The Carousel Pin - Great for "Collection" drops. If you launch a new jewelry line, use a Carousel to let users swipe through 5-6 different pieces in one pin.
The Collage - Formerly known as "Shuffles," Collages are taking over. These are cutout-style mood boards where users can click on individual items in the image. You can create these directly in the Pinterest mobile app. They are incredibly viral with Gen Z shoppers looking for "outfit inspo" or "room makeovers."
Maintain a Consistent Schedule
It’s easy to pin everything at once and then go silent for weeks. But maintaining a steady stream of fresh pins usually works better than a single pinning spree.
What I do is I make a collection of pins in bulk in tools like Canva, usually 30-50 pins, and then use the native Pinterest scheduler to spread them out over the next month (You can only schedule pins one month ahead).
Of course, you don't need to create that many pins to begin with. Even pinning 2–3 pins a week can keep your content showing up in fresh feeds and related searches.
Pinterest SEO To Reach More People
If you want to expand the reach of your pins, there are some SEO and optimisation strategies specific to Pinterest that you need to know.
There are some similarities of SEO on Pinterest compared to Etsy SEO. One of the major difference is that the intent of Pinterest users - Pinterest users are more likely to be looking for inspirations, instead of a purchase.
For example, if my listing on Etsy is a “coffee bag label template”, then the same image of Pinterest could become “coffee packaging inspirations” or “coffee bag label design” to fit the search intent of Pinterest users better.
Keyword Research On Pinterest
There are simple ways to look for keywords that Pinterest users use.
- Use Pinterest’s search bar to get keyword ideas. This is similar to how you’d use Etsy’s search bar. Start typing your product keyword and then see what long-tail keyword ideas come up as auto-complete suggestions
- Once you’re in the search result page, there are some places you can get additional keyword ideas:
Optimise Your Pinterest Pins
Now that you have relevant keywords for your content, it’s time to optimise your pins, specifically the pin title and pin description.
In your pin title, describe your content concisely and mention some key product features and characteristics. For example, if you are selling an amethyst ring, you can describe the cut of the gem, metal used for the ring, etc. Also, you can add some keywords like “designs” and “aesthetics” that you get from your keyword research if they fit your product.
Your pin description should be natural and written for your audience. Describe your product and what’s special about the product in the pin. Include a call-to-action which can be like “click here to see this amethyst ring in action” or “click the link to get yourself this ring”.
Brand Your Pinterest Profile
To stand out on Pinterest, it helps to give your profile a cohesive, branded look. Doing that can help interested people a clear reason to press the follow button.
Start by adding a profile picture that reflects your Etsy shop’s vibe. This could be your shop icon/logo or a photo of you the maker. Next, your Pinterest profile name should include your shop name with a short description of what you sell/do. And then, pick a cover photo that showcases your handmade creations in action. And don’t forget about your board covers! Curate or create images that match your style and help your boards look neat and appealing, and that makes people easier to follow your account.
Here are two examples from Angele Kamp and Robert Gordon Pottery:
The "Fresh Pin" Strategy (The Secret to Growth)
Years ago, the strategy was to join "Group Boards" and repin the same image 50 times. Do not do this in 2026. Pinterest could view this as spam.
Today, the algorithm wants Fresh Pins. A "Fresh Pin" is a new image that leads to a URL.
- Old Way: Pinning the same photo of your necklace 10 times.
- New Way: Creating 10 different graphics (different angles, different text overlays, different background colors) for that one necklace listing.
Focus your energy on creating more variations of images rather than finding groups to share them in.
Frequently Asked Questions By Etsy Sellers
Can You Claim & Link Your Etsy Shop?
No, you cannot "claim" your Etsy shop because you do not own the domain etsy.com.
However, don't panic. This doesn't stop you from succeeding. You simply verify your email address. You can still link every single pin directly to your Etsy product page.
Pro Tip: If you own a custom domain (like www.mybrand.com) that forwards to your Etsy shop, you can claim that domain on Pinterest. This gives you better analytics and looks more professional.
Should I Convert My Pinterest Account From Personal To A Business Account?
Yes, it gives you access to Pinterest analytics and other useful information to grow your account. Also doing so gives you the option to run ads on Pinterest in the future. And it’s free to convert to a business account.
Should I Still Use Hashtags On Pinterest?
Pinterest read your whole pin title and description for relevant keywords to understand what your pin is about. So as long as you write the pin description naturally and include relevant keywords about your pin, you don’t need to add hashtags to your pins.
What’s Next
As I mentioned in this guide, setting up a strong foundation can be more important than promoting on Pinterest. To do that, read this guide to maximise your conversion rate on Etsy. Or if you are serious about growing your Etsy shop, access GYC Etsy Academy where you’ll get all the full-length courses and 6-figure roadmap for your Etsy succes.
