Pinterest for My Small Business: My First 30 Days of Testing It

 Okay, let’s talk about Pinterest. You know, that platform we all use to save recipes we’ll never cook and DIY projects we’ll never actually attempt? (or is that Just me? 😆)

Well, turns out, Pinterest isn’t just for dream home inspiration—it’s a powerful marketing tool for small businesses. So, I decided to test it out for the past 30 days and see if it could actually drive traffic to my Etsy shop.

Did it work? Kinda.
Was it confusing? A little.
Am I sticking with it? Absolutely.

Here’s what I learned after one month of trying Pinterest for my small business.

1. Pinterest is More Like Google Than Instagram

I went into this thinking Pinterest was just another social media platform.

❌ WRONG. Pinterest is actually a search engine—just like Google or Etsy. Meaning? People use it to search for things they want to buy, learn, or try.

💡 Lesson: If you treat Pinterest like Instagram (just posting random photos), you’re doing it wrong. Instead, you have to use keywords so people can find your content. Remember - people need to find us!

2. Pins Have a Longer Shelf Life Than Social Media Posts

A post on Instagram? It gets buried within hours. A pin on Pinterest? It can be discovered months (even YEARS) later.

I pinned something my first week, forgot about it, and weeks later—it suddenly started getting traffic. That doesn’t happen on most social platforms!

💡 Lesson: Pinterest is a long game. It’s not about instant engagement like Instagram, but rather consistent pinning that builds momentum over time.

3. The Numbers Are Small… But Promising

Alright, let’s talk real results. After 30 days, here’s what my Pinterest analytics looked like:

📌 1.8K Impressions (People who saw my pins)
📌 64 Engagements (Clicks, saves, or close-ups)
📌 6 Outbound Clicks (People who actually went to my Etsy shop)
📌 1 Save (Hey, I’ll take it!)
📌 Total Audience Up 21%

Now, I won’t pretend these are massive numbers, but considering I started with zero, I’ll call this a win.

💡 Lesson: Growth takes time, and even small wins count. If 6 people clicked through to my shop this month, imagine what could happen if I keep going!

4. Keywords Matter (Yes, Even on Pinterest!)

Remember how I said Pinterest is more like Google? Well, that means SEO is a big deal here. 

I started noticing that pins with strong keywords in the title & description got more engagement. Meanwhile, my "cute tumbler!" pins? Lost in the Pinterest abyss.

💡 Lesson: Use specific, searchable terms in your pin descriptions. For example:
❌ “Cute glass cup” → Too vague
✅ “Custom glass tumbler for iced coffee lovers” → Searchable & specific

5. Consistency is Key (And I’m Still Working on That)

Pinterest loves consistency. Unlike Instagram, where you can post whenever you feel like it, Pinterest works best when you’re pinning daily.…which, let’s be honest, is easier said than done when running a small business. 😅

💡 Lesson: I’m testing out batch-creating pins once a week (yes, you can schedule) so I don’t have to think about it every day. (Because let’s be real—who has time for that?)

6. Fresh Pins Perform Better Than Reposting the Same Ones

I thought I could just reshare the same 3 pins over and over. Pinterest was like, “No ma’am.”  Pinterest wants new, fresh content, even if it’s just tweaking the design or wording of an existing pin. So instead of reposting the exact same image, I’ve started:

✔️ Changing up the pin design
✔️ Using different headlines for the same product
✔️ Testing new keyword variations

💡 Lesson: Even if you’re pinning the same product, try different angles, colors, or wording to keep it fresh.

7. Does Pinterest Actually Drive Traffic?

Okay, let’s get to the real question: Did Pinterest bring people to my Etsy shop? The answer? YES—but slowly. My traffic from Pinterest isn’t huge yet, but I’m seeing small, steady increases—and from what I’ve read, that’s normal in the beginning.

💡 Lesson: Pinterest is a long-term strategy—it’s about planting seeds now for future growth. (Kinda like an Etsy listing that gets better over time!)

Final Thoughts: Am I Sticking with It?

Yep. 100%.  Pinterest isn’t a quick fix, but it has a ton of potential. I love that it keeps working for me even when I’m not actively posting, and I’m excited to see where it takes Rise Up Designs in the next few months.

If you’re a small business owner, have you tried Pinterest? What’s worked for you? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your experience!

📌 Shop my designs here 🛒

Until next time,
Jecca