Disclosure: Posts on this site may contain affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through those links. Please read our disclosure policy for more info.
So you’ve heard that Pinterest is the platform to be on to help promote your blog, but how do you actually design pins that are worthy of clicks?
If the whole Pinterest pin designing process is really not your thing, you’re not alone!
The first ever pin I made (for my other blog) took me HOURS, and it still turned out like a 5 year old made it.
But guess what?
After educating myself with a few Pinterest pin design basics, lots of trial & error, and after lots more practise, I am proud to say that I have finally got the hang of it!
And you will too!
If you are struggling to create Pinterest pins that look somewhat decent, then read on for a few helpful tips.
Design your Pinterest Pins on Canva
If you haven’t heard about Canva yet, you are going to be so thrilled when I tell you about this nifty (edit: GAME-CHANGING) graphic design website.
Okay so, Canva is basically a simple design and content creation platform, ideal for those who are not graphically inclined (yep, me).
It consists of a vast array of fonts, images and templates which makes it super easy for users to create professional-looking designs. This online design platform is centered around its user-friendly drag-and-drop design tool as well as other powerful features.
Simply put, Canva is the go-to place for making all your images and graphics for your blog.
And best of all, you can use it for FREE.
Say whaaat?
Well, you can sign up for Canva’s premium account to get access to more features, but honestly, the free account is amazing and good enough! It even has a “photos” tab where you can search for free or affordable images you can use on your Pinterest pins.
Like most other bloggers, Canva is the platform I use for making my pins (and everything else).
It’s just so easy and reliable, and I can make pins so quickly and effortlessly.
So go ahead and register for a free account with Canva HERE if you haven’t done so already, and then we can move on!
Ideal pin size
Now that you’ve opened up your account with Canva, you’re probably bursting to design some Pinterest pins!
“So what size should my pins be?” I hear you ask.
Well, Pinterest states that your pin format should be vertical and they recommend using 2:3 aspect ratio for all of our pins.
This means that our pins should have a width that is 2/3 of its height.
In 2018, Pinterest recommended Pin sizes to be 600 pixels wide x 900 pixels tall.
The current example size in 2020 that Pinterest provides is 1,000 pixels wide x 1,500 pixels tall.
However, the ideal pin size for YOU is for you to find out.
Some people find longer pins perform better for them.
I have some pins which are 600 x 1200 pixels that have done extremely well.
What I would do is experiment with different sizes, some at 2:3 ratio and some longer, to see what works best for you.
Just be mindful that if you do go out of proportion, your pin may be distorted or cut off.
Enticing headline
I strongly believe that the headline/title is the most important aspect of a successful pin.
Pins that perform well and get clicks are those with captivating headlines that entice people. When people are intrigued or when they believe you will help solve their problem, they will click through.
Therefore, you need to make sure your pin has a strong, tempting title that communicates to users on a personal level and triggers them emotionally.
For example, if you were wondering what postpartum items you need, which pin headline would you click on?
“Things to Buy for Postpartum Recovery” or “7 Postpartum Essentials You’ll Regret Not Buying”
You chose the second example, right?
Why?
It’s most likely because it tugged on your curiosity strings and answers your question – you want to know what the essentials are and you definitely do not want to regret leaving anything out!
Make sure you use easy-to-read fonts and colors which makes the text stand out (especially the keywords).
I would also recommend avoiding using script fonts for keywords to make it easier for Pinterest’s visual recognition (more on this below) to pick up those keywords!
Choose your image carefully
You find an image/picture that you like, but can you actually use it on your pin?
If you are not using your own images, make sure that you have the right to use the image so that you avoid any legal dilemmas down the track.
Another reason you should choose your image carefully is that Pinterest actually uses visual recognition to try and determine what your pin is about, to try and place it in the algorithm.
It picks up images in your pin, so make sure the picture you place in your pin is actually related to what your pin is about!
For example, I once had a pin about money-saving tips and I added an image of a flower. The related pins (or “more like this” pins) which showed up had NOTHING to do with tips to save money even though my pin was well keyworded etc.!
Don’t forget to add your blog name/URL/logo
For all of your pins, you’ll want to make sure you include your blog name or URL somewhere.
Not only will it help prevent others from taking your pin and claiming it as theirs, but it also helps your readers to recognize what’s yours.
It helps get your name out.
The more pins you publish onto Pinterest, the more you will get recognized (if your branding is clear). The average person will start to recognize you after seeing you three to seven times! So put yourself out there!
Create Multiple designs for each post/product
Your success on Pinterest is all about seeing what works best for you and your content.
That means, creating multiple pin designs for each of your posts or products!
Start with 2 or 3 designs for each post. Monitor the pins to see how they perform and then create more of what’s working!
Try out different colors, styles, fonts, pin size and images to see what performs best for you.
Another tip is, sometimes, when one pin for a particular post takes off, if you create more pins for that post afterwards, it may be successful as well!
Because you will essentially be making a lot of pins, it is a lot easier and time-saving if you create pin templates and modify them each time!
This can save you SO MUCH stress from trying to come up with new designs each time and dramatically cuts down on your time spent on making pins. And plus, you can easily save templates on Canva so you can make your pins as quickly and effectively as possible!
In conclusion, you don’t have to be a professional designer to create high performing Pinterest pin graphics.
All you need is a user-friendly and easy-to-use design tool like Canva, follow the above tips and start playing around with it!
You’ll be making eye-catching pins in no time!
If you found this post useful, don’t forget to pin it for later or share it with others!
0 Comments