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How to Use Pinterest to Drive Traffic to Your Website or Etsy Store
- renaealk
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Pinterest Isn’t Social Media — It’s a Secret Sales Funnel
If you’re still thinking Pinterest is just for brides-to-be planning mason jar centerpieces or moms hunting for dinner recipes, it’s time for a reality check. Pinterest isn’t “just another app.” It’s a visual search engine where people go with their wallets halfway open.
Think about it: when someone scrolls Instagram, they’re looking for entertainment. But when someone’s browsing Pinterest, they’re looking for solutions, ideas, and stuff to buy. And the best part? Unlike Instagram posts that fade into the abyss after 24 hours, a single well-optimized Pin can drive traffic to your shop for months — even years.
So, let’s talk about how you can use Pinterest to funnel high-quality, ready-to-buy traffic straight to your Etsy shop or website. 🚀
Why Pinterest Is Powerful for Product Discovery
Here’s what makes Pinterest a game-changer for handmade sellers:
It’s a search engine, not just social media. People use keywords to find what they want (just like Google). This means your pens can show up for shoppers actively looking for “luxury wooden pens” or “unique graduation gifts.”
Pins live forever. Instagram posts are gone in hours, TikToks vanish in the algorithm’s black hole — but Pins keep getting re-shared and rediscovered. It’s content with a long shelf life.
Buyers come with intent. People use Pinterest to plan birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and “treat yourself” purchases. In other words: they’re looking for giftable products.
👉 Translation: Pinterest is where your ideal customer is already hanging out, waiting to stumble across your pens.
Setting Up a Business Pinterest Profile
Before you start pinning away, you need a professional foundation.
Switch to a business account. It’s free, and it unlocks analytics (a.k.a. the data you need to grow).
Claim your shop. Connect your Etsy or website so Pinterest knows your account is legit.
Write a keyword-rich bio. Instead of “Just a pen maker,” try: “Handmade Wooden Pens | Luxury Gifts for Writers & Journal Lovers.”
Add a banner image. Use Canva to create a branded header with product photos and your tagline.
✨ Pro Tip: Use your profile name strategically. “Hand-Turned Wooden Pens | Unique Gift Ideas” is not only clear — it’s packed with searchable keywords.
Creating Pin Designs for Pens (Made Easy With Templates)
Good news: you don’t have to be a designer to make scroll-stopping Pins. Canva has your back.
Pinterest gives you a super convenient shortcut — you can simply paste a product link, and it will auto-generate a Pin using the image from your page. While this sounds like magic (and can save time), there’s a catch for pen makers: if your product photo is too small, Pinterest will display a warning or even suppress the Pin from reaching its full potential. Most shop images, especially on platforms like Etsy or older Shopify themes, are too low-res or the wrong shape to work well on Pinterest.
Here’s the formula for a winning pin:
Use vertical format. Pinterest favors 2:3 ratio images (1000 x 1500 px).
Add text overlay. Don’t just rely on the picture of your pen. Add bold titles like: “The Perfect Pen for Dad” or “Hand-Turned Pen for Writers.”
Highlight features. Add quick notes like “Refillable Ink,” “Gift-Ready Box,” or “Custom Engraving.”
Stay consistent. Create 3–5 branded templates in Canva. Use the same fonts, colors, and style so your brand becomes instantly recognizable.
💡 Want a shortcut?
Using Keywords in Pin Descriptions
Remember: Pinterest is a search engine. That means keywords matter.
If someone types “handmade fountain pen,” you want your pin to pop up. To make that happen:
Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions. Example: “Luxury Handmade Wooden Fountain Pen | Refillable Ink | Gift for Writers.”
Sprinkle in related terms: “custom pens for gifting,” “unique desk accessories,” “Etsy pen shop.”
Don’t skip alt image text — it quietly powers your Pinterest SEO. Even if it doesn’t directly boost rankings like titles or descriptions, alt text helps Pinterest understand and categorize your image (especially if there’s no text in the photo), making it easier for the right audience to
Add hashtags to boost discovery: #EtsyFinds #GiftsForHim #WritingTools. Including 1–3 relevant hashtags in your pin description can still help surface your content in searches and feeds, especially for trending topics or seasonal pins.
👉 Think of Pinterest like matchmaking. The right keywords make sure your pins end up in front of the right buyer — the one already searching for you.
How to Schedule Pins (Without Losing Your Mind)
Consistency is key, but nobody has time to pin manually every day. Enter: scheduling tools.
Tailwind is the go-to for Pinterest. It lets you upload a batch of pins, schedule them for the week, and even repurpose old content.
Schedule 5–10 pins per week. That’s enough to stay active without burning out.
Mix it up. Don’t just pin your own listings. Add related content: journal setups, desk accessories, handwriting tips. This makes your boards more appealing.
Join Tailwind Communities. Think of these like group boards. You share your pins, and others re-share them, giving you instant reach.
✨ Bonus: Tailwind also analyzes the best times to post, so your pins get maximum eyeballs.
The Hidden Power of Pinterest Board SEO
Pinterest boards aren’t just a way to organize your content — they’re one of the most powerful tools you have to get found. Pinterest acts like a visual search engine, and your boards serve as SEO categories that help the platform understand what your content is about. When you create a board with a clear, descriptive name (like “Patriotic Gifts for Veterans” instead of just “Cool Stuff”), you’re using the same keywords people are typing into the search bar — and that boosts your chances of showing up.
Your board description takes it even further. This is your chance to tell Pinterest (and Google) who your content is for and what it’s about. A good description naturally includes search-friendly phrases like “handmade American flag pens,” “veteran-owned gifts,” or “Father’s Day patriotic gifts.” These little details might seem minor, but they play a huge role in helping your pins rank higher and stay discoverable over time. A strong board setup can quietly drive traffic to your products for months or even years — no ads required.
Humanize 177 words
Track Results and What to Tweak
Once you’ve been pinning for a few weeks, it’s time to geek out on analytics.
Look at clicks, not just impressions. Impressions mean people saw your pin, but clicks mean they cared enough to visit your shop.
Check your top boards. If your “Gifts for Writers” board outperforms “Desk Accessories,” double down on what’s working.
Refresh underperformers. If a pin flopped, update the title, swap the photo, or try a new keyword.
👉 Data isn’t scary. It’s like a treasure map — showing you where the gold is buried.
✅ Pinterest for Pen Sellers: Quick Checklist
Keep this by your desk and check off as you go:
Convert to a business account
Claim your Etsy shop or website
Write a keyword-rich bio & profile name
Create 3–5 branded Canva templates
Use vertical pin format (1000 x 1500 px)
Add text overlay + product features
Schedule 5–10 pins per week with Tailwind
Mix product pins with related lifestyle content
Review analytics every month & tweak underperformers
Keep going — consistency compounds!
You’ve Got This
Let me be your hype squad for a second.
Yes, Pinterest feels overwhelming at first. Boards, pins, keywords, Tailwind — it’s a lot. But remember: every successful seller you admire? They started with zero followers too.
Here’s the thing: your pens are already gorgeous. Pinterest just helps the right people find them. The collectors, the gift-givers, the writers who can’t resist beautiful tools — they’re out there, scrolling right now, waiting for your pin to pop up.
You don’t need to go viral. You don’t need 1 million followers. You just need your pins to reach the right 100 people. Because out of those 100, ten will click, three will buy, and one will become a repeat customer who tells everyone they know about you.
That’s the power of Pinterest. That’s the power of showing up consistently.
So stop overthinking and start pinning. Even your first “messy” pin has more chance of being discovered than the one you never post.
You’ve got this. And I can’t wait to see your pens trending on someone’s “Gift Ideas” board.
Next Steps
Your pen has a story — make sure Pinterest is telling it. Every pin is a doorway back to your shop, a little breadcrumb trail leading buyers right to your handmade world.
So don’t just pin casually. Pin with intention. Pin with keywords. Pin with strategy.
And watch what happens when your pens go from “hidden gem” to “pinned and saved by hundreds of buyers.”
Want more practical tips (without the overwhelm)?
Join my free email list for inspiration, writing tools, and creative ideas to help you grow your shop.
Need personalized help?
Book a free intro call—I work with makers who want to sell more by saying more.
And hey, let’s be pen friends:
Or just email renaealk@gmail.com if you’ve got a question.