We’re just over a month into my Pinterest experiment, and I haven’t shared anything about it on the podcast yet. There are over 1,000 creative business owners following along with the view of applying what I learn to their own Pinterest accounts, and if you’re one of them, I’d love to share more in this episode and blog post. If this is the first time you’re hearing about it, I’ll make sure you’re fully caught up.
The Experiment: What We’re Testing
At the beginning of August, I started a six-month experiment testing whether creative business owners can use Pinterest as part of their marketing in a way that feels completely sustainable.
The key criteria? It doesn’t add extra hours of work to your week, it’s fun and creative so you can express yourself authentically, it represents you and your brand well, and it actually markets your offerings successfully… with a focus on bringing people to your website, where you can then look after them and develop loyal customers and clients over time.
I’m sharing everything as it happens. The successes, the mistakes I make, the failures – the whole lot as I learn, test, and hopefully refine and improve what I’m doing.
The Big Revelation
The biggest discovery has completely changed my understanding of how Pinterest actually works.
I started with the assumption I’d heard everywhere – that Pinterest rewards frequent posting. The more you post, the happier the algorithm is. I’ve read advice and watched videos where people recommend creating up to 30 posts a day. Thirty posts! Which just sounded like regurgitated content being thrown onto the platform… completely unappealing, definitely not fun or enjoyable, certainly not creative.
I couldn’t understand how that was helpful to anyone. It simply sounded like trying to trick the algorithm into submission.
But I was nervous about not being consistent and not posting enough content. What if that was absolutely the right approach? So I decided to start with posting once a day… seven times a week. At least this way there was consistency and I was creating and uploading content to the platform each day, but rather than 30 pins, reducing it to one felt sustainable and more enjoyable.
Thankfully, I quickly discovered that Pinterest success isn’t about posting more. I was hugely relieved about this. Instead, it’s all about posting strategically.
I’m now in a much happier place. I always prefer careful and practical strategy over sheer numbers for the sake of it. I’m very practical and focus on things that make sense, and it appears that the algorithm doesn’t appreciate spamming, particularly if it’s similar content appearing close together.
August Results: The Real Numbers
So what actually happened in month one?
I hit just over 11,000 impressions – for context, the benchmark for new and reactivated accounts is 1,000-10,000, so hitting just above the higher end feels genuinely encouraging.
More importantly, people are clicking through from Pinterest to my website. Small numbers, but proof that the fundamental goal is working.
The most significant shift happened around week three when I realised that posting daily was starting to feel like a chore. That’s always my warning signal… when something that should be helping my business starts to feel exhausting, it’s time to adapt.
I scaled back to three strategic pins per week, spaced properly, and mixed up the formats: quote graphics, blog highlights, podcast previews, behind-the-scenes content, and actionable tips from my expertise.
The key learning? Leave at least seven days between any pins linking to the same content (the same URL). This prevents you from competing with yourself – something I wish I’d known from day one.
Template Development and What’s Next
Month one was about experimentation… throwing different content types at Pinterest to see what resonated. Month two is about identifying patterns. Which pin formats get the best engagement? Which topics drive the most website traffic? And ultimately, how can I create a sustainable system that doesn’t require constant decision-making?
This is where the strengths-led approach I teach becomes really practical. Instead of trying to do everything I’ve read about Pinterest strategies, I’m focusing on what actually works for my content, my audience, and what I enjoy and can sustain energy-wise.
What excites me most about September is testing whether this more strategic, sustainable approach actually outperforms the “post daily” advice I started with. My hypothesis is that it will – that quality, consistency, and strategic thinking create better long-term results than pure volume.
The Deeper Lesson
The more valuable lesson is about how to test new strategies in a way that actually serves your business long-term. Most people try something new for a week or two, get excited about initial results, then either abandon it when the novelty wears off or push through even when it’s draining their energy.
I hope this experiment shows a different way. It’s important to focus long enough to get past the initial excitement, be completely honest about when something isn’t working, and be strategic enough to adapt based on real data rather than assumptions.
Why Share the Learning Process?
Usually, when I create content or courses, I share strategies that have been tested and refined. I give you the polished, proven frameworks – approaches that have been thoroughly tested and proven to work.
There’s absolutely value in that… you want to know that what you’re investing your time and energy in has been tested. But there’s also something brilliant about following along with someone as they’re figuring things out in real-time.
You get to see the real decision-making process, the pivots when something isn’t working, the genuine “aha” moments, and equally importantly, the moments when things feel hard or unsustainable.
This Pinterest experiment is exactly that. You’re getting a front-row seat to how I approach testing new marketing strategies, how I prioritize sustainability over quick wins, and how I adapt when my initial assumptions are wrong.
What This Means for You
If you’re thinking about Pinterest for your business, here’s my key learning so far: start with three strategic pins per week, definitely not thirty a day. Plan well, space your content properly, and mix up your formats.
But more importantly, leave at least seven days between any pins linking to the same content. This prevents you from competing with yourself.
The deeper lesson is about permission to share your learning process, not just your achievements. Permission to be honest about what’s working and what isn’t. Permission to prioritise sustainability over impressive-sounding metrics.
Looking Forward
Over the next few months, you’ll see this experiment evolve. September is about finding balance and implementing AI research tools. October will focus on voice development – what makes my Pinterest content distinctively mine. November is planned for optimisation and scaling, December for integration and innovation, and by January, we should have a complete framework.
This Pinterest experiment represents something I believe deeply – that sustainable business growth comes from building around our natural strengths rather than forcing generic strategies that don’t feel right and drain our energy.
Follow Along
If you want to follow along with the complete experiment, you can get the guide above. You’ll get real-time monthly updates, behind-the-scenes details, and access to my strategy as it develops.
And if you try any of these Pinterest approaches in your own business, I’d love to hear about it. Tag me on Instagram or send me an email with your discoveries… I’m genuinely curious about what works for others too.
Your curiosity and questions make this experiment so much more meaningful, and honestly, it’s definitely helped me through those few days when Pinterest felt too much like a chore.
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