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Pinterest has been one of my favorite ways to drive traffic to my Etsy shop – and it’s totally free! But I’ll be honest, when I first started, I wasn’t using it the right way. I was just pinning here and there without much strategy, and then wondering why I wasn’t getting many clicks. If that’s you right now, don’t worry. This post is going to walk you through how to actually share your printable Etsy listings on Pinterest in a way that helps them get seen.

Let’s keep it simple and do this step-by-step.

1. How to Set Up a Pinterest Business Account (or Switch Your Personal One)

Before you start pinning your products, you need to make sure you’re using a Pinterest business account, not a personal one. Why? Because business accounts give you access to analytics, rich pins, and branding tools that help you understand what’s working and grow faster.

Option 1: Create a brand new business account

If you want to keep your personal boards (like your wedding inspo or dream kitchen) totally separate, go to business.pinterest.com and click Sign Up to create a brand-new business account.

Option 2: Convert your personal account into a business account

If you’re okay turning your current account into a business one:

  1. Log into Pinterest on desktop
  2. Click the down arrow in the top right corner
  3. Select Convert to Business
  4. Follow the prompts to update your name, business type, website, and email

It takes less than five minutes, and you won’t lose any of your boards.

P.S: Pinterest no longer allows you to claim your Etsy shop. I still see old information out there saying you can. If you have Shopify, your own site, or you want to publish from your Instagram, you can still do that.

Now that you’re set up, let’s talk about how to actually use Pinterest to bring people to your listings.

2. Understand Why Pinterest Works So Well for Printables

Unlike Instagram or TikTok, Pinterest isn’t a social platform, it’s a visual search engine. People go there with intentions. They’re planning a party, organizing their budget, decorating a nursery…and that means your printables can be the exact thing they’re already looking for.

Here’s the good news: your products don’t have to go viral to be successful on Pinterest. You just need a few solid Pins that keep getting found over time.

Why it matters: Pinterest has long-term traffic potential. One good Pin can drive views to your Etsy shop for months (even years). For printable sellers, it’s especially helpful since you don’t need to worry about shipping deadlines or inventory turnover.

3. Create Pins That Actually Get Clicks

Pinterest users scroll fast, so your Pin needs to stop the scroll. The most effective Pins:

  • Use tall images (1000 x 1500 px is the sweet spot)
  • Have clear, easy-to-read text overlay (think big fonts, short headlines)
  • Show off your product with a high-quality mockup that makes it look useful or beautiful (ideally both)

What works well for printables: lifestyle mockups, usage examples (like a filled-out planner page), or styled flatlays can all work great. If you’re using Canva, they’ve got pre-sized Pinterest templates you can customize to match your brand.

4. Write a Strong Pin Title and Description

You don’t have to be a copywriter, just think about what your ideal buyer would type into the Pinterest search bar. That’s your starting point.

Pin Title Example: “Editable Baby Shower Game Bundle – Printable Party Games for Girl Baby Shower”

Pin Description Tips:

  • Use keywords naturally (don’t keyword stuff)
  • Describe the product and who it’s for
  • Include a clear CTA like “Click here” or “Get it now”

Pinterest, like Etsy, uses these fields to figure out what your content is and who it should be shown to. Make it easy for them.

Each Pin should link to one specific product, not just your shop homepage. That way, when someone clicks, they land right where they can buy.

If you use Etsy’s “Share & Save” link feature, they’ll even reduce your fees by 4% if a sale happens from that click. (Yes, please!)

Pro tip: You can grab the “Share & Save” link from your listing manager on Etsy, it’s under the gear icon (Settings) for each listing and includes your affiliate code automatically.

Snip of an Etsy listing setting for the Share button with Share & Save in green.

You can also just share directly from Etsy. This is by far the lazy *cough* easy – way to do it. You likely won’t get as much traffic from these Pins because they aren’t the ideal size, but it only takes two clicks to do and it can still get you traffic.

6. Use a Pinterest Scheduler (Optional but Helpful)

If you’re only pinning when you remember to, your traffic will probably be hit or miss. Scheduling tools like Tailwind (free) let you load up a week or month’s worth of Pins in one go. That’s what I do now, and it’s definitely a time-saver.

You don’t have to use a scheduler, but consistency really does help.

7. Start with One Product Line

If the idea of creating Pins for your entire shop sounds like too much, don’t do it. If you don’t want to do something in your business, especially when it comes to marketing, there are always other options. Find the one you like the most and do that one.

If you do start on Pinterest, pick one product line to start with. Maybe it’s your meal planners or your holiday games. Create 3–5 Pins for just that product line. Each Pin can have a different image, headline, or color scheme. See which ones perform best, and then use that info to make more.

This is how you grow Pinterest traffic without burning out.

Final Thoughts + What to Do Next

You don’t need to be a Pinterest pro to make it work. You just need to get started with a clear strategy and keep it simple. Pick one product. Make a few strong Pins. See what happens. Then tweak and try again.

And remember, this works best when your listings are already in good shape. That means clear mockups, strong keywords, and helpful titles. If you need a refresher on that, read 7 Simple Etsy Tips to Help You Sell More.

Next steps:

I’m cheering you on every step of the way!