Blogging

How to grow your Pinterest following FAST + expanding your audience

Last updated: August 2018.

The following content uses affiliate/referral links, read my disclosure policy for more info.

My blog wouldn’t be where it is today if it wasn’t for Pinterest.

I talk about Pinterest… A LOT. That’s because I constantly learn new things about it and it’s such a great place for bloggers to share their content- and I really don’t want you to miss out. Pinterest is a very powerful tool. Unlike other social media outlets like Facebook or Twitter where only fresh content seems to be relevant (for a short period of time), pins from your blog can get pinned and shared weeks, months and even years after you’ve published your content. This also means that with Pinterest, you can bring traffic even to posts you’ve published years ago.

In addition to creating Pinterest-friendly images and having a Pin It button installed, you also have to have a Pinterest account (I recommend that you create a Business account). Here’s the thing though: if you want to grow your Pinterest following, you can’t only pin images from your blog and expect people to follow you. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, but we’re not here to talk about those.

I’ve noticed a huge Pinterest growth once I started pinning daily. I created more boards, pinned more original content (other than re-pinning things I come across on Pinterest). After a while though, I noticed that if I have a busy week and simply not enough time to pin every day, the rate at which my account grew would slow down. So, as you can see, consistency is pretty important here. After reading a lot of blog posts about Tailwind, I decided to give it a try and.. it was a game-changer. It’s also a tool that helped me go from 600 to 10,000 Pinterest followers in 6-7 months.

Edit: Since publishing this post, my Pinterest has grown to over 32,000 followers and it still remains my #1 source of traffic with my account receiving 6.2 million monthly views.

WHAT IS TAILWIND?

I’m sure some of you are already familiar with Tailwind– it’s a service that helps you schedule your pins, but it’s so much more than that. It gives you an insight into your analytics where you can see which pins and/or boards are performing the best.

Tailwind is awesome because you can schedule your pins once a week, and they’ll automatically go up. The program itself does a lot of work for you, so you can save time and concentrate on creating more kick-ass content. Tailwind uses a smart schedule that is optimized for your account. This means that the program itself figures out what’s the best time for your pins to go up. That, of course, will give your pins the best chance to get discovered by your followers. I can spend a few minutes, once a week, scheduling my pins into my calendar and not have to worry about neglecting my Pinterest profile.

how-to-use-tailwind

HOW DOES IT WORK?

You sign up by syncing your Pinterest account. After that, Tailwind will analyze your Pinterest profile and create a custom Smart Pin Scheduling calendar for you.  In addition to scheduling your pins, Tailwind also monitors your domain insights, traffic referrals and it allows you to inspect your pins and optimize your images and boards. I also love using the Tailwind browser extension- that way I can schedule pins directly from my browser when I discover something pin-worthy. With the Chrome extension, I can easily pin images and add pins to my queue when browsing Pinterest or my favorite blogs:

tailwind-review

Tailwind Chrome Extension

tailwind-chrome-extension

Tailwind Chrome Extension

When you create your Tailwind account and take a look at your dashboard for the first time, it can feel a little overwhelming with all the options available.  There are a bunch of very helpful video guides under the help section, explaining how everything works.

I also LOVE using Intervals and grouping when scheduling my pins with Tailwind– I explained both in this post.

You can get a completely free trial with some of these options being limited, or you can get Plus membership for $15 per month when billed monthly or $9.99 per month when billed annually. Plus plan includes: Smart Pin Scheduling, Measure Pin Success, Schedule 400 pins per month (with the annual plan, you have unlimited pin scheduling), basic profile and board metrics, Basic Website Insights, 7-Day History Archives. Before signing up for the Plus membership, I signed up for the free trial and used it for a few weeks and really started seeing results within days. You also don’t need to input any kind of financial info when signing up for the free trial, so it’s not like one of those programs where you have to remember to cancel your membership after the trial expires.

Tailwind Visual Marketing Suite

JOIN MY TRIBE

Here’s another thing I love about Tailwind: Tribes. This is a fairly new feature that is still in its Alpha stage, which means that you need an invite to join in. This is how Tailwind Tribes work: it’s a group of bloggers who share their own content, connect with each other and share each other’s pins. It’s a little easier to manage than a Pinterest Group Board because it shows you how many people from the tribe have re-shared your pins. So, the idea behind them is that for every quality pin that you share from your blog, you pin content shared by someone else. This is also a great way to find quality content to add to your boards and to connect with other bloggers and expand your reach.

If you want to join my Tailwind Tribe for Bloggers, you can click this link for your invitation. If you’re new to Tailwind you will also receive a free month of Tailwind Plus (Tribes is a free feature, even if you don’t already use Tailwind). Before you decide to join in though, there are a few rules: pins need to be vertical, high quality and need to be relevant to lifestyle/blogging niches.

REMEMBER TO ALSO…

Whether or not you decide to or already use a service like Tailwind, there are a few other things that you should keep in mind. First, you need to keep your Pinterest organized. Move your boards around once in a while, especially when it comes to seasonal boards like holidays, etc. If you don’t have rich pins set up for your blog, get on that ASAP- I explain how to do it right here.

Another great thing you can do for your blog is to optimize your images for Pinterest- we recently talked about it in this post. You don’t always have to cover great photography with overlays and/or text, but this works really great when you want to encourage Pinterest users to click on your pins. Adding text works for posts like DIY ideas, recipes (I’d suggest you keep text to a minimum when it comes to recipes to make sure that you show off the recipe/meal nicely) tips/advice posts, list posts, etc. If you post something like an outfit of the day or monthly favorites, don’t bother adding text.

Quick tip for fashion/style bloggers: images with no faces get more re-pins. If featuring an outfit, make sure to add a few shots to your post that capture small details.

I get so many emails from a lot of you guys, with questions like how to grow a blog, increase traffic and expand your audience. Truth is, there isn’t a short answer to this. It’s also a lot of work. You can’t just depend on one tool when it comes to expanding your audience. It’s all up to what kind of content you publish and how you choose to promote it- you have to figure out what works for you. I love anything that’s visual and I love photography, so naturally, I’m drawn to outlets like Pinterest and Instagram as that’s where I feel most comfortable. BUT, there are resources like Facebook groups, Twitter chats, there’s StumbleUpon- you kind of have to try everything to see what works best for you and your blog.

More Pinterest tips:

+How to Create Pinterest-Friendly Images
+How to Use Pinterest to Increase Your Traffic
+Pinterest for Blogging- What Are Rich Pins and How to Set Them Up
+How to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Blog

How to grow your Pinterest

The fastest way to grow your Pinterest following is to pin daily- once you start doing this, you’ll notice your following grow quickly. I highly recommend that you download the mobile app, too- it’s so much better and easier to use than the browser version! Keep in mind that you should pin quality content and that if you really want to grow your following, you shouldn’t pin only for yourself- keep your audience in mind. Which of your boards have most followers? What kind of pins get most repins? Pay attention to those things! Remember that sharing your own content to multiple boards is important too- just don’t be spammy about it and avoid doing it all at once.

As always, if you have any questions, leave them down below.

For a list of ALL of my blogging resources, including my favorite affiliate networks, see this post

62 Comments

  • Reply
    Elishia
    October 11, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    This is fascinating! I never thought of Pinterest being that sort of social site BUT now you’ve pointed it out, it makes COMPLETE sense. Whenever I click a link, were does it take me? 9 times out of 10 it’ll link to someone’s blog! This is really useful, thanks so much for the tips and tricks!

    http://www.englsihgirlinnewyork.org

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 12, 2016 at 7:18 pm

      Pinterest is huge. I know a lot of full-time bloggers who get as much as 70% of their traffic from Pinterest. It’s a great resource for bloggers, for sure. x

      • Reply
        Elishia
        October 14, 2016 at 1:34 pm

        Lol, well I’m not surprised by how clueless I am, such a novice, I still don’t really get snapchat! You’ve converted me :) Thanks

  • Reply
    makeupsessions
    October 11, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    Great post Paula! I don’t pay attention that much to my Pinterest account and I should, I’ll take your advice and pin daily just to see if it makes a difference.

  • Reply
    Jackie
    October 11, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    Amazing. So thankful for your blog!

  • Reply
    mika
    October 11, 2016 at 11:16 pm

    Another great post! It also helps if your photos are as beautiful as yours, of course! Pinterest has a certain photo aesthetic I feel like… I usually don’t do vertical photos since it’s hard for me where I take pictures but I might try to do them more in the hopes of using pinterest to help my blog/IG. Your blog and photos are like exactly what pinterest loves! So it’s no wonder with all of your hard work and amazing photography that it all just worked so well together. Congrats on all of your success, Paula! Someday I’ll get the hang of pinterest, this granny needs to sit down and just fiddle around I guess! Thanks for your tips~

    xoxo
    http://www.hellohimawari.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 12, 2016 at 7:24 pm

      Thanks so much Mika! Haha omg I didn’t get Pinterest at first either (I actually thought it was annoying but I’m now obsessed) and that’s how I still am about Twitter. I feel like I’m just too old for Twitter haha.

  • Reply
    sketchastyle
    October 12, 2016 at 2:51 am

    great posts , I still working on my blog but your posts are always useful to me, i learned a lot about blogging from you , thanks a lot , paula :)

  • Reply
    sketchastyle
    October 12, 2016 at 2:51 am

    great post , I still working on my blog but your posts are always useful to me, i learned a lot about blogging from you , thanks a lot , paula :)

  • Reply
    Leonie
    October 12, 2016 at 3:24 am

    Thanks for this post! I’ve never heard of Tailwind before so will be looking into using that xx
    Leonie ♥ Lo On The Go

  • Reply
    Aleksandra // bunniesaremagic
    October 12, 2016 at 4:04 am

    My Pinterest took a big jump forwqard once I started using Tailwind… For like a month. Now it is as stale as ever, although I pin every day and only pin good pins. I think I just still don’t get it :)

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 12, 2016 at 7:32 pm

      Strange! Maybe you’re not pinning enough? haha :) With Pinterest, like any other outlet, really, I think it’s all about trial/error and finding out what works best for you. x

  • Reply
    Lauren Victoria
    October 12, 2016 at 4:58 am

    This is such a helpful post! My Pinterest is something I do want to grow as I absolutely love the whole concept of it and always read how rewarding it can be for your blog, so I’m definitely going to be trying some of these tips xx

    Lauren | itslaurenvictoria.blogspot.co.uk

  • Reply
    Ambar Syed
    October 12, 2016 at 5:46 am

    I’ll definitely take your tips on board as my Pinterest is something I really do need to grow. Would be really nice to see a similar post with your tips on growing your Instagram :)
    Ambar x
    http://www.herlittleloves.co.uk

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 12, 2016 at 7:33 pm

      Thank you Ambar! I’m definitely no expert when it comes to Instagram, but I’ll keep that idea in mind!

  • Reply
    Kiss & Make-up
    October 12, 2016 at 7:35 am

    I am not active on Pinterest at all, oops.

  • Reply
    Dea Andriany
    October 12, 2016 at 9:21 am

    Lots and Love and kisses for you, Paula! I definitely will step up my pinterest game after reading this. You’re such a lifesaver ;)

    Selene Addicted

  • Reply
    Katie S.
    October 12, 2016 at 10:48 am

    Huh, I’ve never even heard of this! I’m definitely going to be giving this a try. I LOVE Pinterest but I feel like I forget about it sometimes and then I pin A TON of stuff, then I forget about it and so on.
    Although, I will say the recent update on the notifications is annoying. I kind of find it a little more difficult to see what actually is performing well, which I think this would certainly help with! I have the Pinterest analytics but I think that’s a little limited and doesn’t let you dive in enough.
    Thank you for sharing this!! I can’t wait to play around with it!

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 12, 2016 at 7:38 pm

      Haha yes, that’s not really ideal. You want to make sure that your pins are spread out over time so not to seem spam-y.

      You can turn those notifications off, I hated them too- so annoying.

      Thanks so much Katie, hope you give Tailwind a try!

  • Reply
    Emma Engmark
    October 12, 2016 at 1:01 pm

    Again, I thank you for all these helpful tips <3

    http://styleonheels.com/

  • Reply
    LuxBubs
    October 12, 2016 at 2:33 pm

    What an informative post ?? Thank you so much for sharing as I learned so much. I will definitely look further into these tips and apply them to my feed. Thank you again lovely

  • Reply
    Natalie Harney
    October 12, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    Thanks for this, I’d never heard of Tailwind, but I’m definitely going to start using it now

    – Natalie
    http://www.workovereasy.com

  • Reply
    EdyeNicolesMakeup
    October 12, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    YES! I love using Tailwind too! It works wonders :)

    Blessings,
    Edye | gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com

  • Reply
    Federica Mutti
    October 12, 2016 at 8:28 pm

    Hi Paula!

    I’ve just found your blog and I’m so happy I’ve discovered such a nice place where I can find a lot of useful tips on blogging, social media and lifestyle. This is so great, I will read with pleasure your older posts and find a lot of helpful content to improve my new personal blog.

    See you in your next posts and thank you again for all your tips!

    Federica | http://www.federicamutti.com

  • Reply
    Kelly
    October 12, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    Love all your advice for bloggers, it’s extremely helpful. I need to organize my Pinterest more, thanks for the tips.

    Perfect Shade of Mauve

  • Reply
    Abigail Alice
    October 13, 2016 at 5:17 pm

    thanks for these tips. i’ll have to check out Tailwind!

    Abigail Alice x

  • Reply
    steff @ brighterdarling.com
    October 15, 2016 at 8:48 am

    I’ve been using Boardbooster for almost a year but have noticed a dramatic drop in growth recently and ALSO – it’s DOUBLE the price ($20/month) for 500 pins (for me, at least). I think I need to make a change lol. Thanks for sharing all of your great advice :)

  • Reply
    Margaux White
    October 15, 2016 at 9:01 am

    Thank you for the Tailwind tip! I’ll see if I manage to use it correctly at some point ahah x
    Margaux ・ http://www.bonjourwhite.com

  • Reply
    The Gossip Darling
    October 27, 2016 at 11:22 am

    WOW! This was well worth the read, thanks so much for the really informative post!

    XO

  • Reply
    Primrose Bigwood
    November 12, 2016 at 1:00 pm

    Amazing! really helpful as Id love to use Pinterest more to help create more traffic – l’ll definitely use it daily now! x

    http://www.stylepetal.co.uk

  • Reply
    Andrea
    December 21, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    Wow! Thanks for such an informative post! I am a newbie at the whole blogging scene but posts like this really help me out when it comes to Pinterest strategies (and help get rid of some frustration as well). Cheers!

  • Reply
    Callie Mann
    March 8, 2017 at 10:16 am

    Thank you so much for all of these blogger tips posts! I’ve been reading all of them over the past few days and really trying to implement what you’ve said. I set up rich pins (!!!), organized my Pinterest boards, and am making a plan to pin every night as well as create more photos with text overlays.
    Thank you for all this help!! Keep these awesome posts coming please :)
    http://www.BeyondBeautyBlg.com

  • Reply
    mediamarmalade
    April 23, 2017 at 1:36 pm

    fab tips, Pinterest is such an incredible tool for bloggers

    Mel x

    http://mediamarmalade.com/

  • Reply
    Suze Cooper
    September 17, 2017 at 12:59 am

    Thank you – great tips and ideas.

  • Reply
    Natasha Nicole
    October 22, 2017 at 5:48 am

    Another blogger here, I’m getting ready to relaunch my b log. I’m drawn to mental health blogs bc I’m in the addiction recovery niche and they go hand in hand. Anyhow, I found your blog today through Pinterest (ofcourse lol) and I LOVE IT! I can tell where I will be spending a lot of free time.

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      October 22, 2017 at 10:56 am

      Thank you SO much, Natasha!! This makes me so happy to know. Wish you best of luck with your recovery, congratulations! x

  • Reply
    Nicole Alvarez
    December 2, 2017 at 6:39 am

    This is amazingly helpful!! I have officially decided to start using Tailwind this month. I think it’s time to take it up a notch! Pinned, and will be back to reference :) Thanks!

  • Reply
    Milan Tesic
    February 5, 2019 at 10:44 am

    Just a quick tip. Don’t put 13 tailwind aff links in your post. As I was reading and analyzing this post, I figured that you should have no more than 4 links to tailwind. I know that you get most of your traffic from Pinterest, but this practice is bad for SEO. Getting that organic traffic is worth considering. Cheers.

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      February 12, 2019 at 8:43 pm

      Interesting! As far as I know as long as the links have a “nofollow” attribute, Google doesn’t crawl them.

  • Reply
    evelienlangeveld
    September 5, 2019 at 12:34 am

    Helpful article. Full of excitement I clicked your link to join your Tailwind Tribe, only to find out then you need to have 100 Pinterest followers to be able to join :(

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