How I Grew My Pinterest Views Without Courses or Ads
I haven’t taken a Pinterest course, and I haven’t run ads. But over the past few months, I’ve grown my Pinterest views from about 11k to 195k.
I’m not sharing this as a brag or a blueprint, just as a real look at what’s been working for me so far. My growth came from being more intentional (and honestly, more analytical) about how I use Pinterest.
If you’re a designer, maker, or creative who feels overwhelmed by Pinterest advice, this is my exact process.
How I think about Pinterest (and why this shift mattered)
The biggest shift for me was realizing that Pinterest isn’t social media in the traditional sense. I don’t treat it like Instagram or Facebook. I think of it more like a visual search engine and, in a way, a portfolio.
If I’m going to put time and effort into Pinterest, I want my profile to feel intentional and organized. I want someone to land there and immediately understand what I make, how my work is grouped, and where they can go next.
That mindset influences every step of my process.
Scheduling pins consistently (without burning out)
I schedule my pins directly in Pinterest. Usually around 15–30 pins at a time, spread out across the month. Pinterest currently allows scheduling up to 30 days out, which works well with how I batch my work.
I’m not aiming for daily pinning at all costs. Consistency matters more to me than volume. Spacing pins out every other day or so feels sustainable and avoids the stress of trying to constantly keep up.
Using Instagram to support Pinterest, not replace it
I have my Instagram set up to automatically feed posts to Pinterest. I don’t leave those pins untouched, though.
Every few days, I go into Pinterest and check which Instagram posts have come through. When I edit them, I:
Add a clear, descriptive title
Fix or rewrite the description
Make sure the link goes exactly where I want it to
Save the pin to the correct board
I do this in edit mode rather than repinning.
This step has been especially helpful during busy weeks. Even if I’m a little behind on scheduling pins, Instagram activity keeps things moving, and I can clean things up later so the pins still work the way I want them to.
Focusing on one collection at a time (and why it helps Pinterest)
Before I schedule any pins, I focus on a single collection and do three things:
I create the pin images
I write a blog post related to that collection
I create a dedicated Pinterest board just for that collection
Working this way keeps everything cohesive. The pins, boards, and blog content all support each other, and Pinterest has more context to understand what the content is about.
It also helps me avoid the scattered feeling that can happen when I try to promote too many things at once.
How I batch and schedule Pinterest pins
When it’s time to schedule, I batch the entire process.
First, I decide where each pin will link and copy those links in. Some pins go to a blog post, some go directly to a product (fabric, wallpaper, or home decor), and some go to the overall collection.
I intentionally mix destinations because I think it helps prevent pins from being flagged as spam, and it also matches how people actually browse. Not everyone is ready to buy right away.
Next, I pick the dates. If I don’t have enough pins ready for a full month, I space them out every other day or so and let Instagram fill in the gaps.
Once the dates and links are set, I add the rest of the information, making sure the titles and descriptions are written with my audience in mind, and I always fill out alt text.
About sales, traffic, and realistic expectations
My sales haven’t skyrocketed yet, and I think that’s important to say out loud.
I’ve only been doing this for a few months, and right now my main focus is driving traffic to my blog and my Spoonflower shop. Pinterest feels very top-of-funnel to me. People save first and decide later.
Some of my pins are being saved hundreds of times, which is exciting and a little unsettling. I can see the boards they’re being saved to, and sometimes it looks like people are pinning purely for inspiration or even to reference the design for their own projects.
That said, I’ve been able to trace a few sales directly back to Pinterest through outbound clicks. That tells me the effort is doing something, even if it’s slow.
Where I’m at now (and why I’m sticking with Pinterest)
This approach has helped me grow my views steadily without courses, ads, or trying to game the system. I’m still learning, still watching what works, and still refining my process.
Pinterest feels like a long game, but for me, it’s starting to feel worth the effort.
If nothing else, treating it like a portfolio has made the platform feel more manageable and more aligned with how I already work.