How To Design Best High Performing Pinterest Pins

Introduction

Hey there! A new blog post on first impressions. That’s what matters on social media: the hooks on Instagram and pin impressions on Pinterest that capture attention. Your pins have less than a second to impress in a feed filled with sponsored content. Make that nanosecond count. But how to design high performing Pinterest Pins

As a beginner, many don’t know what pins this platform prefers. Some are square, some cluttered, some have fonts requiring zoomed pictures. Too difficult for readers.

Here are key points to act on in every pin: ratios, fonts, overlays, contrast. Most important? Mobile readability. Ever seen anyone not glued to their phone? They’re rare now.

These are tried and tested methods I’ve used in my pins, following Pinterest’s guidelines.

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1. Go Vertical – 2:3 Ratio is King

Stick with 2:3 ratio. The app showcases tall pins only. This platform works best with 2:3 aspect ratio (1000 x 1500 pixels). This size takes enough vertical space to stand out without getting cut off.

Anything wider or shorter blends into the feed. Images exceeding 1:2.1 get cropped. Cropped images rarely get clicks—they’re lost in the scroll. 2:3 works best because it displays completely on desktop and mobile. Shorter pics get lost, taller pics get truncated.

I’ve used super tall pins for video pins (reposts from Instagram Reels) or image pins created directly on Pinterest. They work well when done directly on Pinterest. Pinterest rewards time spent on its app.

Pro tip: If using tall pins, align headlines and CTAs in the middle so they’re visible even when the bottom gets cut off. My strategy: create normal 2:3 pins followed by long video/idea pins. For my account, they lead to more saves and clicks. Check your analytics to see what works.

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2. Go Bold with Fonts

Your pin’s purpose is capturing eyeballs within a second. If your audience can’t read your headline, no clicks happen. Fonts must be easily readable. Industry preference: sans-serif fonts like Roboto, Montserrat, Poppins, Helvetica.

Professional font tips:

• Legibility over style: Fancy scripts look pretty but are difficult to read on mobile screens. Use script fonts only for accent words, never main keywords. Use bold, brightly colored fonts for headlines.
• Limit font variety: Maximum 2-3 fonts. Personally, I use two—one sans-serif, one script. Script fonts are always big and bold with letter spacing.
• Stay consistent: Font consistency across pins reinforces brand identity and keeps designs clean.
• Size matters: I used moderate fonts previously, but analytics showed they didn’t work. Now I use big, bright fonts. Most people use Pinterest on phones—large text prevents zooming.
• Test on mobile: Always test designs on your phone or use templates for guidance.

3. Keep Headlines to 5-7 Words Max

Five words or less attracts more attention. Text overlay forms your killer sales pitch.

Remember clicking pins with unattractive descriptions? Almost never happens. With shrinking attention spans, people scan headlines instantly.

Hook them in split seconds:

• Write 5 words or less
• Large font size for readability
• Include SEO keywords: “30 Minute Meals” or “DIY Closet Makeover”
• Headlines should answer what readers want
• Numbers, how-to, power words grab attention
• Keep it short and beneficial

Your pin graphic is the introduction; description is the main body.

Related Post – Pinterest SEO Strategy – How To Find The Best Keywords

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4. Make Colors Pop

Dark overlay with off-white or light pink text creates great color combinations. Vice versa works too. Light and dark contrast makes headlines readable and highly clickable.

Bold fonts and contrasting colors should highlight your pin. They make words stand out during fast scrolling.

Color strategy:

• Check competitor colors or your feed colors
• Notice what attracts you in your feed
• Use Coolors website for good combinations
• Start with light pink on dark overlay or off-white on dark overlay
• Use WebAIM contrast checker for readability standards

Most experts suggest brand colors—that’s great. But that didn’t work for me. I get bored with same colors, so my pins use various colors now.

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5. Design for Mobile First

Last quarter I used medium fonts with average readability. Result? Few clicks or saves. My advice: think mobile screen when designing pins. Large fonts and high contrast readable on average mobile screens.

I used to place headlines at the bottom—I advise against this now. Place at top or middle where it’s not cut off and immediately visible.

Mobile optimization tips:

• Keep space between elements for organization
• Don’t cram too much content
• Write CTAs in descriptions
• Download pins from Canva to your phone to preview before publishing

6. Create Visual Hierarchy

When starting, I was told to add headline, tagline, logo, and blog URL. This left no space for large headlines.

This year I’m seeing minimalism—pins avoiding clutter. Most follow “less is more.” Too many elements overwhelm readers and make headlines unreadable.

Simple hierarchy steps:

• Single focus: One headline with 5-6 words, avoid taglines. Most don’t even write CTAs. Multiple points need multiple pins.
• Give headlines space: White space around headlines draws eyes and improves pin appearance.
• Emphasize keywords: Increase keyword font size, color, and weight. Emphasized keywords capture viewer attention.
• Maintain visual flow: If multiple elements exist, maintain hierarchy directing eyes from headline to tagline to CTA.

Related Post – How Many Pinterest Boards Should You Have For Your Business

7. Strategic Image Use

When starting, everyone said use images as background or focal points. Now I find many pins without images perform extremely well. Image importance depends on niche.

Food or interior decor businesses need image focus. Finance or entrepreneurship makes imagery less important than headlines. My pins with tiny picture cutouts perform extremely well.

Image guidelines:

• Quality matters: Use high-resolution, sharp images. Blurred pictures don’t work.
• Zoom strategically: Close-ups of food and decor are more enticing than wide shots lacking detail.
• Handle busy images: Use Canva to grab key elements, highlight with black/white outlines.
• Background choices: Simple colored backgrounds don’t compete with text. For busy images, decrease transparency or blur so headlines stand out.
• Use negative space: Position main elements off-center, leaving space for headlines to gain spotlight.
• Stay consistent: Having logos and website URLs makes pins distinctive, but I found strict consistency didn’t work for me.

8. Call to Action Strategy

This varies for me because my pins no longer have CTAs. I put them in descriptions if I remember.

I believe if pins answer audience questions, they’ll know to tap for complete answers via blog posts or products.

CTA testing:

• Make pins with and without CTAs
• Check analytics after a month
• See which brings more saves, clicks, and engagement
• CTAs like “tap to read full post” or “save this idea” can go at bottom
• Integrate in buttons or banners to stand out
• Avoid clutter
• Single request: “read now”—don’t say “read now and save later”
• Keep CTAs simple but precise

Related Post – How To Make Money On Pinterest For Beginners

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How I Do It: My Pin Creation Process

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Wrapping It Up

Making great pins is pure strategy. Follow these basic steps to balance visual appeal with clarity and organization.

Make tall vertical pins with 2:3 ratio, bold fonts that are easy to read. Keep headlines short, make pins colorful, avoid clutter, maintain hierarchy. Give elements space to breathe—add white space around headlines so eyes are drawn to them. Pins should be easily readable on both mobile and desktop.

Remember: your pin has one job—stop the scroll and get the click. Everything else is secondary.

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Quick Tips Summary

Pin Mobile Optimization

• 80% of users are on mobile
• Go Vertical: 1000 × 1500px is the sweet spot
• Anything wider gets cut off. Taller images (2000px) perform great for impressions
• Bold, Clear Fonts: No thin scripts. Stick with sans-serif and make text pop against background
• Limit Words: Aim for 5 words max in overlay. Save details for description
• High Contrast: Light text on dark background (or vice versa) stops the scroll
• White on black if you’re not confident with colors yet
• Zoom Into Photos so audience sees details from distance

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