Creating pin images can be seriously time consuming if you like to fiddle around with Canva like I do. On a visual platform like Pinterest, creating the perfect pins can bring some serious pressure. After all, you have to figure out a way to grab people’s attention and make them stop scrolling before they will even read your content. So how do you do that? 

There’s no magic button to make this work (don’t you wish there was?). But there are a few things you can do to ensure your pins have a chance at gaining lots of views. Here’s 5 simple tips I use when I create pins for my clients: 

1.Keep everything away from the edges. If you have ever sewn something, you know to stitch at least a quarter inch away from the edge to give it strength. That’s called a seam allowance. Do the same with your pins! Pinterest rounds off the edges when you upload the pin images so sometimes things that are pushed to the very edge can get cut off and make the whole pin look unprofessional. 

2. Don’t use lots of flowery cursive texts. (Remember when they stopped teaching cursive in schools and us old folk use it as code? Nevermind, I digress). Cursive is hard to read when you’re viewing these tiny little pins on a mobile device- and that’s what most of the users are scrolling on, so make sure they can read the font if it’s tiny. (Pro Tip: If you’re using a platform like Canva, zoom out on the pin once you’re done to make sure you can still read everything ok). Plus, Pinterest can’t “read” cursive either, so use it sparingly. 

3. Use contrasting colors. This may seem elementary, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to add white text to a light teal background because it’s pretty, but when you zoom out, there’s not enough contrast to easily read the text. I’m speaking from experience here. Users are scrolling so fast and if your color palette isn’t easy to see, they will scroll right by. Don’t underestimate the power in a white background, and remember your audience- what colors would they be attracted to? 

4. Use a relevant and eye catching image. Remember how Pinterest is a visual search engine? Well, the AI analyzes everything from the text to the graphic image you put on there. Take advantage of that! If you’re creating a pin about flower arrangements, include a gorgeous bouquet in the pin. That will not only help stop the scroll, but also help Pinterest know what the pin is all about. Win Win! 

5. Use your logo or website on a small part of the image as a “watermark”. On one level, this plays into brand awareness, and users recognizing your pins. BUT the real reason I do this is to prevent plagiarism. The last think you want is to do all of that hard work and have someone steal your image as their own. Yes, it happens. I know there’s debate about whether or not Pinterest is OK with putting your .com on the image, but I do it for my clients and right now, I can’t see any negative side effects. If you don’t want to put your .com on there, your logo in the corner will work great too.

As you get faster in Canva these tips will become easier to implement, and you will hopefully be seeing increase in views, engagement, and those coveted outbound clicks. Creating great, quality pins doesn’t have to be hard, but if you do need help, reach out to me- I’ll be glad to get some resources your way or set you up with one of my Pinterest services to get you on the right track.

-Sarah