January is often a time for new beginnings, new starts, and start overs. As we celebrate January 1, we start eliminating the processes that hinder us from moving forward to better more successful strategies. This includes a Pinterest account audit, complete with profile, board, and pin updates. Say farewell to inconsistent data, ugly pins, unoptimized boards, and unknown data analytics. Clean up your account and revel in the new found traffic as a result.
This coming year is the time to get serious about your Pinterest marketing strategy. It’s time to audit your Pinterest business account to optimize your Pinterest pins and Pinterest boards as well as build a strong data driven strategy.
(Do note that I said Pinterest business account!) If you have not changed over to a Pinterest business account, or you have not created a business account you are missing out on pertinent information that will help to grow your Pinterest account.

Please Note: Some of the links within this post are affiliate links of which I receive a small compensation from sales of certain items, at no extra cost to you. I will NOT suggest any link who I do not believe to be a great business!
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- Pinterest Business Account
- Claim Business Account – Claim Domain Name – Click here to find out how
- You want to look ‘official’ to your audience and getting ‘claimed’ gives you this certificate of authenticity!
- Claim Other Social Media accounts
- Pinterest Analytics
- Understanding your analytics will help you plan and schedule your content for the year.
- You will understand why your account is growing (or not growing).
- What pins are doing well?
- What content is doing well?
- Pinterest pin code – to find out more about the pin code click here
- Claim Business Account – Claim Domain Name – Click here to find out how

Benefits of a Pinterest Business Account:
Besides having over 400 million active users, Pinterest also…
- Potential audience who are looking for new ideas, products, services (Pinterest users dream, build, envision, and plan their futures)
- Pinterest reaches 83% of women in the US, 25-54, from this number, 80% of them make the buying decisions (according to Sprout Social )
- 85% of women on Pinterest use it to plan life moments, compared to 44% for Instagram and 53% for Facebook. (according to Sprout Social )
- 58% say it helps them make shopping and purchasing decisions. (according to Sprout Social )
- 40% of US dads use Pinterest
- The numbers keep growing. Users discover Pinterest and become fans who search and discover new and fabulous things.
- Your audience will get to know you and your brand
- Increase brand awareness
- More traffic to your site
- more leads > more sales
97% of searches on Pinterest are unbranded … this means you have 400 million people that are waiting to discover your brand!

A Pinterest business account will give you this fancy globe with a check mark next to your website name. You are verified, certified, and appear more authentic!
Update Pinterest Profile
Though Pinterest is a search and discovery platform and not a social media platform does not necessarily mean your audience isn’t interested in who and what you do. This is why you need to keep your Pinterest profile up to date and filled with all the things that make you great while also interspersing necessary keywords throughout the text.
It’s time to update your Pinterest profile image with a picture of you! People want to know you! And the person who offers this fabulous business product /service. Your Pinterest profile pic displays on your pins. This will build familiarity for your viewers.
Go into your Pinterest business account > drop down arrow > Settings
- Profile Image
- Consistent across all media channels
- Displays on pins
- Update ‘about your profile’
- Tell your audience who you are and what your business is about.
- Must contain Pinterest keywords relative to your Niche
- Mobile optimized profile – must be able to read the top two lines of your profile bio from mobile devices


Reconcile Pinterest Boards
Reconciling boards means doing away with what is not necessary. NOT deleting, but merging relevant boards with other relevant boards.
- Consolidate boards
- Does it make sense to merge boards that are very similar?
- If you don’t have enough content for one board, is there another board it should merge with? A ‘naked’ board does not look pretty.
- Does it make sense to merge boards that are very similar?
- Do Pinterest board titles make sense? DO NOT use fluffy words. For example, if you have a kids account, don’t name one of your boards, ‘things my kids do’. Rather, ‘kid projects’ or ‘kid activities’ or ‘kid outdoor activities’. Instead of , yummy food, be more specific. Desserts or more specific with multiple boards, chocolate desserts, healthy desserts, etc.
- Adding sections within Pinterest boards is not necessary. Sections just help you organize your information. They really have no Pinterest SEO influence.

In this case I want to merge my ‘Boy Mom’ board with my ‘Mom of Boys’ board.

After I merge boards I can also organize my pins according to most popular or based on interest.
Organize Pinterest Boards
When a pinner goes into your boards on your Pinterest account, they will see your default pin order. You can rearrange these pins according to popularity.
- Be sure you have a business board that you only pin your own pins.
- Most Popular Boards at Top
- Business Boards
- Niche boards relevant to your business
- Group boards
- Other Secret boards
- Most Important Boards at Top
- Relevant Boards
- Make sure that you have been created relevant boards to your specific niche
- Integrate boards that are directly or indirectly associated to your brand
- Example: Desserts > Chocolate Desserts, Desserts> Cupcakes, Desserts > Healthy Desserts
Organize Pinterest Pins
- Move pins based on popularity
- Reschedule best pins that have performed well. (don’t get crazy) Pinterest will always favor new over old.
- Update old blog posts with any changes that have happened within the past year.


Research and Optimize Pinterest SEO
Your Pinterest SEO is important and needs to be integrated in several areas of your Pinterest account. These include:
- Pinterest Profile
- About Me Section in profile
- Pinterest Boards / Board descriptions
- Pinterest Pin Titles / Descriptions
- Pinterest pin text overlay
Read this post “Grow Your Pinterest with Keyword Placement” for more information on where to put your keywords.
If you are looking for a how to find your keywords, check out my Pinterest Keyword Planner. Find and utilize your niche keywords for optimal blog and Pinterest performance.
Pinterest Tools
- Tailwind Scheduler
- Tailwind Create
- Canva
Get a head start on your Pinterest strategy for the new year. There are a few tools that you will love and will benefit your Pinterest success. Start scheduling your content and be proactive in posting consistently.
A new year means a new way of doing things. Start your year off right with a strong Pinterest scheduling strategy.
Tailwind app
Tailwind is an amazing tool for scheduling your Pinterest content. The application also has a NEW CREATE tool which enables you to create and design pins in no time flat.
Use Tailwind Create” class=”ek-link”>Tailwind as a scheduling tool so that you can stay consistent and grow your traffic. Check out Tailwind for a FREE trial!
Canva
Use Canva to design amazing, scroll stopping visual content. Designing wonderful Pinterest graphics should be part of your new year Pinterest goals.
To find out more about Pinterest pin design guidelines read “Pinterest Pin Design”. Sign up for a FREE Canva account or start designing amazing graphics with the Try Canva Pro Today ” class=”ek-link”>Canva Pro account.
For a FREE Pinterest Design Checklist click here.

Pinterest Analytics
For a Pinterest Account Audit as well as throughout the year you will want to refer to your Pinterest Analytics, using Google Analytics, you can assess what pins and posts are working for your business.
- Google Analytics
- All traffic > referrals > traffic
- What pins are driving traffic to your site
- Acquisitions > Social, Network Referrals > Pinterest
- What posts are driving traffic to your site
- All traffic > referrals > traffic
- Pinterest Analytics
- You don’t necessarily want to rely on the numbers found in your Pinterest Analytics.
- Pinterest analytics gives you the numbers of impressions that your Pinterest account receives. Impressions are not a driving factor in what is or is not working for your site. Impressions includes any time your pin has been scene (not necessarily saved or clicked).
- If you are just starting with Pinterest you can refer to your “all activity” section of Pinterest analytics. From here you can see what has been pinned and saved. This gives you an idea of what has been popular to your audience.
- if you are a vetted Pinterest business you will want to use Google Analytics to
- You don’t necessarily want to rely on the numbers found in your Pinterest Analytics.
Pinterest Goals and Benchmarks
When it comes to a successful year you will need to determine your Pinterest goals and benchmark where you would like to be at this time next year.
You are not concerned with followers, views, or likes. You are more concerned about the impressions that make a difference to your bottom line. These are your Key performance indicators and in turn your Return on investment.
What are your Key Performance Indicators? What numbers will you use to assess whether you are growing? What numbers will you use to determine your Return on Investment? All of the time you are putting into your business you want to be able to understand the correlation between what you have been doing and what happens once you’ve done it.
Depending on your business, key performance indicators could include:
- Sales
- Email Sign Ups
- Opt ins
- Facebook Group Joins
- etc.
Get your Pinterest planner out and record your Pinterest analytics and data. Include goals and dates for when you want to meet those goals.
Consider:
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
Clean up For Amazing Results
A Pinterest Account Audit is tedious, yes. There is so much to do and so little time! I get it! Just think, once you do the audit and get down and dirty with niche keywords and account clean up, you will be set to RULE PINTEREST and start driving traffic to your site.
If you find yourself needing a Pinterest audit and don’t want to do it yourself, check out my Pinterest Marketing Services!
As always, comments below, and start auditing!
Xoxo, Jenn

Other Tips for a NEW YEAR!
BE POSITIVE!