What is Pinterest and how does it work?
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Pinterest is more than a platform to share beautiful pictures – it is a powerful tool which can enhance your business to the next level. But what exactly is Pinterest, and how does it work? In this article, you’ll find the answers. I’ll show you what Pinterest is and how you can use it to reach more people and gain more clients.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a visual search engine where users discover, save and share images, videos and graphics (so-called “pins”).
The idea behind Pinterest is to give users a place to collect all their ideas and inspiration. Recipes, fair-fashion outfits, sustainable wedding planning, or moodboards for a vision board — the possibilities are endless!
By the way: “Pinterest” is a portmanteau word meaning “pin” + “interest” = saving something interesting.
Pins are organized into thematic “boards”, which help you store your ideas in a structured way. For self-employed folks, Pinterest offers an excellent opportunity to present visually appealing content that fits your brand and speaks directly to potential customers.
Since its launch in 2010, the platform has become one of the most popular. Millions of people use it worldwide: It had had 518 million monthly users in the first quarter of 2024, with Gen Z leading the way.
Is Pinterest a Social Media Platform?
No, Pinterest is not a social media platform.
They describe themselves as a visual search engine. Yes, users can like, comment on, and share pins. However, that’s not the platform’s focus
I can count on one hand how many comments and messages I have received on my account “Aennis Life” (my sustainable lifestyle blog) since 2017. I even discovered some of the comments by chance a year after they were posted.
What is a “virtual search engine”?
Imagine you are searching for the term “upcycled gifts” on Ecosia and Pinterest. On traditional search engines, you’ll mainly see snippets of posts and have to open lots of links or scroll for a long time to find something helpful. Pinterest, on the other hand, shows you images and videos (known as “pins”) straight away. You’ll see the results of DIY projects or gift ideas presented in the posts.
This means you can tell much more quickly whether the linked blog post matches what you need or whether it inspires you to put your own spin on the idea.
Now that you know what Pinterest is, let’s look at how the platform works and how you can use it specifically for your business.
How does Pinterest work?
Pinterest works similarly to a search engine: users enter keywords to search for specific topics, such as “sustainable fashion,” “DIY projects,” or “vegan recipes.” Pinterest then displays relevant pins based on these search terms.
As mentioned above, the key difference is visual content. Pinterest displays images instead of text results, making it faster and easier for users to find what they’re looking for.
Along the way, users interact in various ways:
- Clicking pins to find out more
- Saving pins to their boards
- Liking, commenting, or sharing on other platforms
The special thing about Pinterest is that pins can be saved permanently. Your content remains discoverable and relevant even months or years after it was created—perfect for driving long-term traffic to your website.
In addition to the pins already on Pinterest, pinners can also save images and graphics from other websites. The following graphic is one of my pins for this article. You can already find it on Pinterest—or, you can hover your mouse pointer over the graphic and the pin will appear in the upper corner. If you click on it, you can easily pin this post to one of your boards.
Pinterest for your business – The potential
Pinterest offers great potential for freelancer, service providers and small businesses. The platform is not only a powerful traffic generator but also serves as a source of inspiration for future customers.
By creating high-quality, well-optimized content, you can increase your reach and strengthen your business in the long term. Whether you sell products or offer services, Pinterest helps you market your brand creatively and strategically.
With the right approach, Pinterest can become an essential part of your long-term business success.
Want to finally make your business shine on Pinterest? Let’s work together to expand your reach! With my Pinterest management service, I’ll take care of everything—from strategy to execution. That way, you can sit back, relax, and watch your Pinterest profile and audience grow. Curious? Check out how I can help you!