Why You Need to Start a Blog Before Starting Pinterest

Many creators jump into Pinterest expecting traffic but don’t have a foundation or backlog of content to share.

Pinterest isn’t a strategy—it’s a distribution channel.​

That’s why anyone who wants to grow on Pinterest needs to start a blog FIRST. Blogging builds authority, and Pinterest amplifies it.​

It’s my core belief that you won’t see the results on Pinterest you want unless you have a solid blog strategy and content to support your efforts.

How Pinterest Actually Works

You’ve probably heard this, but I’m gonna say it again, just in case.​

Pinterest is a search engine, not a social platform. It uses keywords typed into a search bar to provide relevant pins to users. Pins don’t disappear from algorithms in 5 seconds like Instagram. 

They stick around in search results for YEARS, which is why so many business owners are obsessed with growing on Pinterest.

The pins themselves don’t contain the value. The goal of pins is to catch attention and redirect people to a URL. That’s why it’s so important to start a blog and maintain it on your website.

What Happens When You Start Pinterest Without a Blog

Empty or thin websites struggle to gain traction because you’re either pinning the same stuff over and over (and over) again, or people aren’t happy with the content they’re landing on after clicking the pin.

​If you try to grow on Pinterest without a blog, this is what you might run into.

You send traffic to nowhere meaningful.

Linking to homepages or product pages can hurt conversion and lead to higher bounce rates. Or if you’re trying to earn affiliate income and linking to those landing pages, people feel deceived because they were expecting value, not to be sold to.

And Pinterest doesn’t like it when businesses link anywhere other than their domain. They might not even approve or rank those pins. IDK, confirm that with one of these Pinterest managers.

You run out of content fast.

There’s nothing more stressful than feeling like you have nothing to post. Then you end up reposting something you’ve already talked about a billion times, and there isn’t a strategy behind it.

Pinterest requires consistent pinning volume, as in like 3-5 pins a day for basic growth. Aggressive growth strategies put you at 10+ pins a day.

Where the heck are you gonna get all that content unless you have a blog?!

SO, a blog strategy and a robust backlog of content are the secret to growing on Pinterest.

Why Blogging Is the Foundation of Pinterest Success

Besides all the points above, when you start a blog first, you’ll see better results on Pinterest. Here’s why:

Blogs give Pinterest something to rank.

Each blog gives you multiple pin opportunities—it’s not just one-and-done. You can repurpose the blog in LOTS of ways.

​Take this blog, for example: How to Use Tailwind for Your Creative Business.

​I could totally just post it like that. That’s pin #1. But then I can also rephrase the headline into these other options for more pins:

• A Beginner’s Guide to Using Tailwind for Your Business
• Use Tailwind to Simplify and Scale Your Creative Business
• Pinterest Marketing with Tailwind for Creative Businesses
• Best Way to Use Tailwind for Pinterest Growth
• Are You Using Tailwind Wrong? Here’s How Creative Businesses Should Use It
• Why Every Creative Business Needs Tailwind (and How to Use It)
• Stop Overthinking Pinterest—Here’s How to Use Tailwind Instead

And on top of that, I can use different pin templates to further diversify. That one blog post just became 20+ pins.

​And keep in mind that each of these new headlines targets a different audience. I could reach WAY more people with that one blog by switching up the headline and graphics.

Blogs create keyword-rich landing pages.

Pinterest needs destinations optimized for search intent. Blog posts naturally align with long-tail keywords that are typically searched on Pinterest.

Think about how you search on Pinterest. You want to know something. 

You’re probably typing “gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts for a company potluck” rather than just “gf desserts.” You’re looking for something specific, and blogs are the perfect place to send people to.

Your home page is great—it’s how people learn about your business and who you are. But it doesn’t answer their super-specific questions, like where to find clients for online businesses or how to bring new traffic to your blog.

Those queries are reserved for blog posts that can explain the topic in much more detail.

Blogs improve conversion rates from Pinterest traffic.

Educational content builds trust before selling, so you’re gonna see better email opt-ins, sales, and engagement from Pinterest.

Pinterest brings cold traffic to your website. They aren’t ready to see a sales page for your newest offer. They need to learn from you first before building trust.

The Content Workflow You Actually Need

We love a good content workflow, so you don’t have to spend literal hours creating content.

​This is how it’s gonna look:

• Blog is published on your website
• Create pins and distribute on Pinterest
• Traffic comes back to your blog post
• The person subscribes to your email list (that could be through a CTA or freebie)

The blog is your home base. It’s where you write long-form, authoritative content that shows off your expertise and convinces people to continue learning from you.​

Pinterest helps people discover your content. It shares it with the right people in the right queries to direct traffic back to your website.

Your email list nurtures readers into buyers over time.​

Your blog is the foundation for all other marketing channels, which is why you need to start a blog before you do anything else.

How to Set Up Your Blog for Pinterest Success Before You Pin Anything

PUT THE CANVA TEMPLATE AWAY.​

Sorry for yelling. We aren’t there yet.​

First, we’re choosing SEO-driven blog topics. I prefer using an SEO tool to find keywords, but guess what?

​If Pinterest is a search engine, then you absolutely can do keyword research on it. Start to type your topic in the search bar and see what it starts to suggest. There’s your keyword!​

I’d still confirm the data in an SEO tool, but Pinterest can be a good starting point.​

Then, you’ll want to follow this guide on how to actually write a good blog post. One that people will want to read.​

The biggest thing I want to point out is that including a strong CTA and/or lead magnet is 100% required. You have to give cold readers other ways to connect with you.​

And this is how you grow your email list to nurture and sell from there!

Realistic Timeline of Results

It might take you some time to build a backlog of high-quality blog posts. That’s okay. I’d prefer you spend time on that than jump into Pinterest too quickly and get overwhelmed.​

Once you feel confident in your blogs and have a good plan to keep posting, you can start pinning to your business Pinterest account.​

Again, it takes some time to see results, but here’s what you can expect:

• Month 1–2: indexing, setting up boards, and posting initial pins
• Month 3–6: compounding traffic starts
• Month 6–12: evergreen growth and authority

Blogging First Isn’t Optional

Pinterest amplifies the content you post on your website. It doesn’t (and can’t) replace it. Without a blog, Pinterest becomes a chore and stressor rather than a traffic machine.​

Start a blog, and then you have my permission to market your business on Pinterest.​

And if you want help building a backlog and posting consistently to your blog, let’s chat! I’d love to take that off your plate so you can focus on the Pinterest side.

Or outsource that out, too. That also works!

FAQs About Starting a Blog Before Pinterest