As an author, your goal isn’t just to write a great book—it’s to get it into the hands of as many readers as possible. But in today’s digital world, discoverability is everything. That’s where Pinterest marketing comes in. If you think Pinterest is just for DIY projects and recipes, think again. This visual search engine is a powerful tool for authors looking to grow their audience, drive book sales, and build their brand.
With over 400 million active users, Pinterest offers a unique way to promote your book by leveraging highly searchable, evergreen content. Unlike other platforms where posts disappear in days, Pinterest pins can generate traffic for months or even years. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, self-help, or poetry, marketing your book on Pinterest can be a game-changer for reaching the right audience.
In this guide, we’ll cover exactly how to use Pinterest as part of your marketing—from setting up your profile to creating visually compelling pins that drive traffic to your website or book sales page.
Why Pinterest Marketing Works for Authors
Unlike traditional social media platforms, where posts are often engagement-based, Pinterest functions as a discovery and intent-driven platform. Readers actively search for inspiration, information, and products—including books! This makes it an ideal space for building brand awareness as an author. This can help in driving traffic to your book sales page. Make sure to showcase your expertise through writing tips, blog posts, and behind-the-scenes content. Utilizing all of these strategies can help to create long-lasting promotional content that continues working for you.
Pinterest isn’t just about beautiful images; it’s a powerful book marketing tool that helps you reach readers who are already searching for content like yours.
How to Set Up Your Pinterest Account for Maximum Visibility
Creating your Pinterest account is the way to personalize your marketing journey. You can include as much or as little information as you’d like, and use different mediums to advertise multiple aspects of your book! Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Create a Pinterest Business Account
To take full advantage of Pinterest marketing, switch to a business account (or create one from scratch). This unlocks analytics, ad capabilities, and SEO optimization—crucial for marketing on Pinterest.
Tip: Optimize your profile by using keywords like book marketing, author branding, and book promotion in your bio and board descriptions. Also, include a high-quality author photo or book cover and link to your website or Amazon page.
Step 2: Create High-Impact Boards for Your Books & Brand
Your Pinterest boards are the foundation of your marketing strategy. Here are essential board ideas for authors:
- Book Covers & Promotions – Showcase your book covers, quotes, and upcoming releases.
- Behind-the-Scenes Content – Give readers a sneak peek into your writing process.
- Writing Tips & Inspiration – Position yourself as an expert by sharing valuable insights.
- Genre-Specific Boards – If you write thrillers, create a “Best Thriller Books” board. If you’re a romance author, a “Must-Read Romance Novels” board works well.
- Book Marketing & Publishing Resources – Share articles and strategies about self-publishing, promotions, and marketing tips.
By curating niche-specific boards, you attract a highly targeted audience interested in your content.
Step 3: Creating Eye-Catching Pins for Maximum Engagement
Your pins should be scroll-stopping—clear, engaging, and keyword-rich. Try a vertical format, Pinterest favors 2:3 aspect ratio (1000 x 1500 pixels). Make sure to use high-contrast colors, readable fonts, and professional graphics. Write Keyword-Rich Descriptions. Use “marketing your book on Pinterest”, “Pinterest marketing for authors”, and “how to use Pinterest for marketing” in your pin descriptions. Always add “Click to learn more”, “Download the free sample”, or “Pre-order now” to drive action.
Tip: Tools like Canva make it easy to design beautiful, optimized pins for book marketing.
Step 4: Mastering Pinterest SEO to Drive More Traffic
Pinterest is a search engine, so you need to optimize for discoverability. It is wise to use keywords in your Profile, Pins, and Boards – Think of phrases your ideal reader would search for, like “best self-help books”, “mystery book recommendations”, or “how to publish a book”. Believe it or not, hashtags & categories matter. Add relevant hashtags like #BookMarketing, #AuthorTips, and #SelfPublishing. Keep monitoring your Pinterest Analytics. This will help identify your top-performing pins and double down on what works.
Step 5: Using Pinterest Ads to Promote Your Book
Want to accelerate your results? Pinterest Ads (aka Promoted Pins) allow you for faster success. Target specific audiences based on genre, book interests, and reading habits. Be sure to utilize these features to drive traffic to your Amazon, website, or book landing page. Pinterest Ads also help to promote limited-time offers and discounts to boost sales.
Even with a small budget, marketing your book on Pinterest using ads can generate real results.
Step 6: Engaging with Readers & Growing Your Following
Pinterest isn’t just about pinning—it’s about community-building. There are many ways to engage your audience. You can join Group Boards. There you can collaborate with fellow authors and book bloggers. Be sure that you are consistently engaging with comments & messages. Try your best to answer reader questions and build relationships. This includes repinning & sharing valuable content. Don’t just promote yourself—curate valuable content from other sources to keep your audience engaged.
Avoid These Common Pinterest Marketing Mistakes
Some of the biggest mistakes Pinterest Marketers can make are things like pinning low-quality images. Make sure to always use high-resolution, professional visuals. This is amplified by authors who ignore SEO. Without keywords, your content won’t be discoverable. Inconsistent posting can be the death of your book’s engagement. Pinterest rewards consistent, frequent pinning. Don’t get entrenched in self-promotion. Engage with others, share useful content, and build trust with your audience.
Which Book Genres Work Best for Marketing on Pinterest?
While Pinterest marketing can work for all authors, some genres naturally perform better due to Pinterest’s visual and discovery-driven nature. Here are the top book genres that thrive on Pinterest:
1. Self-Help & Personal Development
- Pinterest users actively search for life improvement tips, motivation, and self-growth.
- Pin Ideas: Share inspirational quotes, book excerpts, and practical self-help tips.
- Marketing Tip: Create boards like “Best Self-Help Books”, “Productivity & Mindset”, and “How to Achieve Your Goals”.
2. Romance & Women’s Fiction
- Romance readers are highly engaged on Pinterest, often searching for love stories, relationship advice, and book recommendations.
- Pin Ideas: Beautiful romantic book covers, character mood boards, and top romance novel lists.
- Marketing Tip: Run Pinterest ads targeting romance book lovers to drive sales.
3. Fantasy & Science Fiction
- Pinterest is a visual playground for fantasy lovers, with users searching for world-building inspiration, mythical creatures, and sci-fi concepts.
- Pin Ideas: Character sketches, fantasy landscapes, and maps of fictional worlds.
- Marketing Tip: Create boards titled “Epic Fantasy Books,” “Sci-Fi Must-Reads,” or “Magical Worlds”.
4. Mystery, Thriller & Horror
- Readers love puzzle-solving, crime drama, and eerie aesthetics—perfect for Pinterest’s visual storytelling.
- Pin Ideas: Crime scene inspiration, detective character designs, and top mystery book lists.
- Marketing Tip: Use suspenseful graphics with text overlays like “Can You Solve This Mystery?” to hook potential readers.
5. Nonfiction (Business, Finance, & Health)
- Pinterest is a goldmine for practical, how-to content, making it a great fit for business, marketing, and health books.
- Pin Ideas: Book summaries, financial tips, entrepreneur success stories, and wellness advice.
- Marketing Tip: Share value-packed infographics and lead readers to your book via blog posts or free resources.
6. Cookbooks & Lifestyle Books
- Food, travel, home décor, and DIY books do exceptionally well on Pinterest.
- Pin Ideas: Recipe previews, home organization hacks, and travel guides.
- Marketing Tip: Pin aesthetic images of recipes or lifestyle tips with links to your book.
Pro Tip: Even if your book doesn’t fall into these categories, you can still leverage Pinterest marketing by finding creative ways to tie your content into popular searches.
Final Thoughts: Start Marketing Your Book on Pinterest Today
Pinterest is more than just a social media platform—it’s an evergreen book marketing machine. By using Pinterest marketing strategies, you can increase book sales, build your brand, and reach thousands of potential readers every month.
Ready to start? Set up your Pinterest boards, optimize your pins, and start marketing your book on Pinterest today!
And when you’re ready to turn all that traffic into a published book, let Spines help you streamline the self-publishing process. With professional tools for authors, Spines makes publishing easy, effective, and profitable.
Start Pinning—Start Selling—Start Growing Your Readership!
FAQs – Pintrest for Authors
Q1: How much does Pinterest charge to promote?
Pinterest offers paid advertising options through Pinterest Ads, where you can promote pins to reach a targeted audience. The cost varies based on bidding strategy, competition, and audience targeting, but marketing on Pinterest is generally affordable compared to other platforms. CPC (Cost-Per-Click) starts around $0.10 to $1.50 per click. CPM (Cost-Per-Thousand-Impressions) typically ranges from $2 to $5. With Pinterest you can set daily or lifetime budgets, making it accessible for all authors.
Tip: Even a small budget of $5 to $10 per day can boost book discoverability and increase sales.
Q2: Can I use Pinterest images in my book?
No, you cannot use Pinterest images directly in your book unless you own the rights or have obtained permission from the original creator. Pinterest marketing is best used for promoting your book, not sourcing images for publication. Make sure to use Royalty-Free Images. Platforms like Unsplash, Pexels, and Shutterstock provide legal images for commercial use. Try to create your own visuals. Design custom graphics using Canva or Adobe Express to make Pinterest-friendly promotional content for your book.
Q3: What is the success rate of Pinterest marketing?
The success rate of marketing on Pinterest depends on factors like pin quality, SEO optimization, and audience engagement. Key Stats on Pinterest Marketing Success show that 80% of weekly Pinterest users discover a new brand or product on the platform. It’s been recorded that Pins last 1600x longer than a Facebook post, driving traffic for months or years. Pinterest users are 2.3x more likely to take action on promoted content than users on other social platforms.
Tip: Authors who consistently pin engaging content see a steady increase in book sales and website traffic.
Q4: Can you advertise on Pinterest for free?
Yes! While Pinterest Ads allow paid promotion, there are many free ways to advertise on Pinterest. Use SEO-friendly pins. Optimize your pins with high-ranking keywords like Pinterest marketing for authors or how to use Pinterest for marketing. Create valuable content. Share book previews, writing tips, and behind-the-scenes content to attract engagement. Try to leverage group boards. Join high-traffic Pinterest boards in your genre to expand your reach without paying for ads. Make sure that you engage consistently. Repin, comment, and use trending topics to stay relevant.
Tip: Pinterest marketing is one of the few platforms where free strategies can yield long-term results.
Q5: What are the disadvantages of using Pinterest?
While marketing your book on Pinterest is powerful, there are some drawbacks to consider:
- Takes Time to See Results – Unlike paid ads on Facebook or Amazon, organic Pinterest marketing requires consistent pinning to gain traction.
- Not Ideal for Every Audience – While great for self-help, romance, and lifestyle books, Pinterest may not be the best platform for niche technical books.
- Image-Heavy Platform – Authors need to invest time in designing visually appealing pins, which can be challenging if you’re not design-savvy.
Solution: Use free tools like Canva to create eye-catching book pins and schedule posts in advance for efficiency.
Q7: How do I attract viewers on Pinterest?
To attract more viewers and increase engagement, follow some proven Pinterest marketing strategies. Optimize your profile. Use SEO keywords in your bio and include a link to your book sales page. Create absolutely stunning pins. High-quality, vertical images (1000x1500px) get more engagement. Use Rich Pins as these automatically pull book details (title, description, price) from your website. Again, make sure that you post consistently. Try to Pin daily or at least 3-5 times per week to stay relevant. Use terms like “marketing your book” on Pinterest and “how to use Pinterest for marketing” in pin descriptions. See about joining Group Boards. They can help find active book marketing and writing boards to expand your reach.
Tip: Engagement is key—reply to comments, repin relevant content, and collaborate with other authors!
Q7: Does Pinterest pay for content?
Pinterest itself does not directly pay authors for pinning content. However, marketing on Pinterest can lead to book sales, website traffic, and passive income opportunities. Some ways Authors can make money through Pinterest is by doing things like driving traffic to their book sales page (Amazon, author website, or Spines). You can monetize with affiliate links (if you recommend writing tools or book-related products). You can also offer digital products like writing guides, book templates, or online courses. Finally, try to get sponsorships or collaborations if you build a large Pinterest following.
Tip: While Pinterest doesn’t pay creators directly, it’s a powerful tool to grow your brand and boost book sales.
