pin_strategy_pinterest v1.0.1

name: "pin-strategy-pinterest" description: "Plan and execute a Pinterest content strategy: keyword research, pin design specs, board SEO, pin formats, and an evergreen scheduling cadence. Triggers on 'Pinterest strategy', 'pin design', 'grow on Pinterest', 'Pinterest SEO', or any request to plan Pinterest content."

Pin Strategy (Pinterest)

Purpose

Turn Pinterest into a compounding traffic source by treating it as a visual search engine, not a social feed. This skill covers keyword research, pin creative, board architecture, format choice, and a scheduling cadence built for evergreen traffic.

Workflow

1. Keyword research (before anything else)

• Start in the Pinterest search bar: type the core topic and note the autocomplete suggestions. These are real user searches.
• Cross-check on Pinterest Trends (trends.pinterest.com) for rising terms and seasonal timing.
• Pick ONE primary keyword per pin, plus 2-4 secondary keywords. Record the exact search phrase the pin targets.
• Think like a saver, not a scroller: Pinterest users are planners collecting ideas for later.

2. Pin creative

Hard specs (verified against current practitioner guidance):

• Aspect ratio 2:3; recommended 1000x1500px. Square or horizontal pins lose feed space.
• Text overlay on the image, keyword-rich, covering ~40% of the image max. Keep it legible; add a subtle logo or brand mark for recognition.
• Vertical images only. Name the file with the keyword before uploading (e.g. small-apartment-desk-ideas.jpg).
• Add alt text: accurate image description with the primary keyword worked in naturally (~125 characters).

Copy specs:

• Title: 100 characters max. Lead with the primary keyword in the first 40 characters. Example: "Small Apartment Desk Setup Ideas for Tiny Spaces".
• Description: 500 characters max. Primary keyword in the first ~100 characters, written as helpful sentences, not keyword soup. 2-4 secondary keywords max. One clear CTA ("Save this for later", "Click for the full guide", "Shop the look"). Hashtags carry minimal ranking weight; 0-3 relevant ones at most, never stuffed.
• If the destination is a site page, set up Rich Pins (article/product/recipe) so metadata pulls in automatically.

3. Format choice (the current reality)

Since May 2023 Pinterest runs one creation flow for all pins: static, video, and multi-element pins are all made from "create a Pin", all can link out, and all can be edited after publishing. The old "Idea Pin" is no longer a separate format.

• Static image pin (2:3): the workhorse for evergreen traffic. Use for anything that ends in a click to your site.
• Video pin (vertical 9:16, short): use for engagement and reach; tutorials, demos, before/after. Keep it short and self-contained.
• Multi-element pin (up to 20 pages of images/video): use for step-by-step content: tutorials, recipes, how-tos. The old Idea Pin DNA lives here. Include a CTA on the last page.

Rule of thumb: static pins drive outbound traffic; video and multi-element pins drive engagement and follower growth. Run both.

4. Board architecture

• Boards rank in Pinterest search themselves. Treat every board like a landing page.
• Board title: up to 180 characters, keyword-led and specific. "30-Minute Weeknight Dinners" beats "Recipes".
• Board description: up to 500 characters; say what is saved here, who it is for, and include keyword variations.
• Start with 5-15 highly specific boards, not 50 generic ones. 10-30 active boards is a healthy mature range.
• Semantic alignment matters: each pin should sit on the most specific matching board. Don't park a keto recipe pin on a generic "Healthy Food" board.
• All content boards must be public; secret boards get zero search visibility. Refresh boards with new pins regularly (roughly 5-10 per board per week is a common cadence).
• Cohesive branded board covers (square, ~600x600px min) make the profile look professional.

5. Scheduling for evergreen traffic

• Pinterest rewards fresh pins, not repins. A single destination URL earns 3-5 distinct designs, spaced ~72 hours apart.
• Steady volume: practitioners report 3-10 pins/day; consistency beats bursts.
• Seasonal content goes up 45-90 days before the event. Christmas pins start in October, not December.
• Link each pin to the most relevant specific page (not the homepage). Evergreen pages compound; a good pin can drive traffic for years.
• Read native Pinterest Analytics, find winners, and make more designs for the winning URLs. Repeat what works.

Output Contract

When asked to produce a Pinterest strategy or pin set, deliver:

1. Target keyword list with the primary keyword named per pin.
2. Pin title (<=100 chars), description (<=500 chars), alt text, and filename for each pin.
3. Board assignment: which board, with title and description if the board doesn't exist yet.
4. Format choice (static / video / multi-element) with the reason in one line.
5. Publishing cadence: which pins, on which days, respecting the 72-hour same-URL spacing.

Worked templates and examples: references/pin-templates.md.

Operating Rules

• Every keyword and spec claim in your output must come from the research step or the sources file in this skill; never invent character limits, sizes, or algorithm claims.
• Never use em dashes (house style law); write with commas, periods, or split sentences.
• No ChatGPT-speak in any user-facing copy: no "delve", "tapestry", no "in today's fast-paced world", no "unlock/elevate/supercharge", no rhetorical-question-then-answer setups.
• Pin copy is helpful-first and slightly fragmented, not full marketing prose. Answer the search, don't tell a brand story.
• If the user asks for a claim you can't verify (e.g. "Pinterest favors X in the algorithm"), frame it as practitioner-reported, not fact.