Using Pinterest to Market Your Book: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Pinterest Is a Hidden Gem for Authors

Most authors think of social media marketing and immediately picture Instagram reels or Twitter threads. Pinterest rarely makes the shortlist — but it should. With over 450 million monthly active users and a user base that skews heavily toward readers, creatives, and lifelong learners, Pinterest is one of the most underutilized book marketing platforms available to independent and traditionally published authors alike.

Unlike other social platforms where content disappears in hours, a well-optimized Pinterest pin can drive traffic to your book page for months or even years after you publish it. This guide walks you through exactly how to set up and grow a Pinterest presence that sells books.

Step 1: Set Up a Pinterest Business Account

If you already have a personal Pinterest account, convert it to a Business account — it's free and gives you access to analytics and advertising tools. Go to pinterest.com/business/create and follow the prompts.

When setting up your profile:

• Use your author name as your handle (or your pen name if you write under one)
• Write a keyword-rich bio that mentions your genre, your book's topic, and who you help
• Add your author website or book sales page as your claimed URL — this enables analytics
• Use a professional headshot or book cover as your profile image

Claiming your website is especially important. Pins that link back to your claimed domain get more distribution in Pinterest's algorithm.

Step 2: Create Boards That Attract Your Target Reader

Pinterest is organized around boards — curated collections of pins centered on a theme. Your boards should reflect both your book's content and your ideal reader's interests.

For example, if you've written a memoir about overcoming addiction, you might create boards titled:

• Recovery Resources and Inspiration
• Books About Resilience
• Mental Health and Wellness Reads
• Author Life: Behind the Book
• [Your Book Title] — About the Book

For each board, write a keyword-optimized description. Pinterest functions partly as a search engine — people type in phrases like "best self-help books 2024" or "books about grief" and find content. Make sure your board descriptions use natural language that mirrors those searches.

Step 3: Design Eye-Catching Pins

Pinterest is a visual platform. Text-heavy images or low-quality graphics won't get saved or clicked. Here's what works:

• Vertical images (2:3 ratio) — 1000 x 1500 pixels is the sweet spot
• Bold, readable text overlay — your title or a hook question in a large font
• Your book cover featured prominently in the image
• Branded color palette that matches your author website or cover design
• A clear call to action — "Read the full post" or "Get your copy"

Free tools like Canva have Pinterest templates built in. Spend time on your visuals — this is what determines whether your content gets saved and shared.

Step 4: Write Pin Descriptions That Convert

Each pin has a description field — don't leave it blank. Write 100–300 words that describe what the reader will find when they click through. Use relevant keywords naturally, include a call to action, and connect emotionally to the reader's pain points or desires.

Example for a parenting book pin:

"Struggling to connect with your teenager? This chapter-by-chapter guide helps parents rebuild communication after conflict. Readers say it changed their family dynamic in just two weeks. Click to read an excerpt and learn why this book is being called 'the parenting guide for the modern era.' Perfect for parents of teens ages 13–18."

Step 5: Link Every Pin Strategically

Every pin you create should link somewhere useful. Your options include:

• Your book's Amazon or official sales page
• A landing page where readers can download a free chapter
• A blog post on your author site that's related to your book's topic
• A professional book review that builds your credibility

Speaking of credibility — if you've received a professional book review, create a pin linking to it. Pins that highlight third-party validation (like a review or endorsement) can be powerful trust-builders for undecided readers browsing Pinterest.

Step 6: Consistency Over Volume

Pinterest rewards consistent pinners. You don't need to post 50 pins a day — but you should be posting something regularly. A sustainable rhythm looks like:

• 5–10 new pins per week
• Mix of your own content (linking to your book or blog) and repinned content from others in your niche
• Use a scheduler like Tailwind to queue up pins in advance

Step 7: Use Rich Pins for Books

Pinterest offers a special feature called Rich Pins for products and articles. When enabled, product Rich Pins automatically pull in your book's title, price, and availability from your website or a retail page. This makes your pin look more professional and gives buyers the information they need without clicking away.

To enable Rich Pins, you'll need to add some metadata to your website (or use a plugin if you're on WordPress). Pinterest's official Rich Pins documentation walks through the setup.

Step 8: Track What's Working

Pinterest Business accounts include a robust analytics dashboard. Pay attention to:

• Impressions — how many times your pins were seen
• Saves — how many people saved your pin to their boards (a strong engagement signal)
• Outbound clicks — how many people clicked through to your site
• Top performing pins — double down on what's working

After 60–90 days, you'll start seeing which types of pins drive the most clicks to your book page. Let the data guide your creative decisions.

Pinterest + Book Reviews: The Trust Equation

One of the most effective Pinterest strategies for authors is creating pins that lead readers to social proof — reviews, testimonials, and endorsements. When a potential buyer sees a polished pin about your book and clicks through to a detailed, credible review, their confidence increases dramatically.

If you haven't yet secured a professional review for your book, that's the first step. Browse our blog to learn more about how professional book reviews work and why they matter for discoverability.

Once you have a review in hand, you can create pins that quote from it, link to it, and use it as the anchor for your entire Pinterest trust-building strategy.

Bonus: Pinterest Ads for Authors

If you have a marketing budget — even a small one — Pinterest Ads (called Promoted Pins) can amplify your reach significantly. You can target by:

• Interests (e.g., "books," "personal development," "historical fiction")
• Keywords (what people are searching for)
• Demographics (age, gender, location)

Start with a small daily budget ($5–$10) and promote your best-performing organic pin. Let it run for two weeks and analyze the results before scaling.

The Bottom Line

Pinterest isn't a platform you can ignore if you're serious about book marketing. It's a visual search engine with a loyal, book-loving audience — and most of your competitors haven't optimized for it yet. That's your opportunity.

Set up your business profile, create boards around your reader's interests, design beautiful pins, and post consistently. Over time, Pinterest can become a reliable, low-cost source of readers who discover your book through search — long after you've published.

Ready to build credibility that makes every Pinterest click count? A professional book review gives browsers the social proof they need to buy. Order your book review today and give your marketing a foundation readers can trust.