Pinterest for Authors: How to Use Pinterest to Sell More Books (Expert Q&A)
Quick answer: Yes, authors should use Pinterest if their readers search there, which is common for fiction aimed at midlife and menopausal women. Pinterest works as a search engine, not a social feed, so authors can batch content once a month instead of posting daily. The fundamentals are simple: create niche-specific boards built around your genre and reader search terms (not boards named after yourself), write keyword-rich pin titles up to 100 characters and descriptions up to 800 characters, and link every pin to a page you own. Treat Pinterest as a slow-burn, evergreen strategy: give it a 90-day trial, let the data guide you, and expect pins to keep driving discovery for years.
That's the short version. Below is the full Q&A with Pinterest marketing expert Heather Farris, who answered the questions our author community sent in during a recent WIP Summit social media intensive.
Who is Heather Farris?
Heather Farris is a Pinterest marketing expert with nearly ten years of experience. She manages Pinterest accounts for clients, teaches hundreds of students inside a low-cost membership, publishes Pinterest strategy on YouTube, and has spoken at author conferences about Pinterest specifically. Her work focuses on Pinterest data and analytics rather than graphics, which means her advice is grounded in what actually drives traffic and saves.
This Q&A was hosted by Raewyn Sangari, WIP Creative Director and social media expert inside the WIP Society community, as part of the Women in Publishing Summit's ongoing author education. Collaboration over competition is the heart of how we do things here, so when our research showed that many of our authors' readers were on Pinterest, bringing in the right expert was the obvious move.
Why did we find that authors' readers are on Pinterest?
During a recent social media intensive for authors, we researched which platform each author should focus on based on their target reader. The finding that surprised people most: for many authors, especially those writing for midlife and menopausal women, the audience is actively searching on Pinterest, not scrolling Instagram or TikTok.
That single insight is why this conversation matters. If your readers are searching Pinterest and you're not there, you're invisible at the exact moment they're looking for their next book.
Are Pinterest boards and group boards still relevant in 2026?
Yes. Pinterest boards are still essential for reach and for getting your pins indexed properly. According to Heather, the fundamentals of Pinterest have not changed: keyword strategy, boards, and pins remain the foundation.
The mistake authors make is naming boards after themselves or their book titles. Start with niche-specific boards instead, built around your genre, setting, and book category:
- Writing romantasy? Create a set of boards around romantasy keywords your readers search for.
- Writing for midlife women in perimenopause? "Midlife women in perimenopause" becomes an actual board title.
Then backfill each board with pins linking to your book, your Substack articles, or your website blog posts.
Group boards still exist and still work, but be selective. Only join group boards relevant to your niche. An author writing midlife women's fiction has no reason to join a board about biking.
Do authors have to pin other people's content?
No. Authors can start by pinning only their own content and staying on topic. You can curate boards on adjacent themes that support your book, like home libraries or reading life. But if you write romance, you don't need to pin perimenopause health articles just because your characters are in that life stage. Focus on your own work first and expand later once you're confident.
What kind of content works for authors on Pinterest?
The content that works on Pinterest is the same world-building content that works everywhere else: it invites readers in rather than shouting "buy my book." Social media is about being social, and Pinterest is no exception.
High-performing author content on Pinterest includes:
- Behind-the-scenes looks at your writing process
- Character development and character introduction content
- Book cover reveals and screen-share moments
- B-roll of your books: lighting a candle beside your novel, signing copies, setting up at an event
Heather notes that much of the behind-the-scenes content authors already make for BookTok is a natural fit for Pinterest. For introverted authors who don't want to be on camera, or anyone writing under a pen name, B-roll is the easiest entry point. She has also seen authors drive traffic with free chapters that lead into a book funnel, and creative campaigns like handwritten letters that give readers a new way in.
What is the difference between traffic pins and save pins?
Traffic pins are designed for an immediate click, and save pins are designed to be bookmarked for later. Authors need both.
- Traffic pins show your book with "read this book" energy and link straight to a purchase or book page. They drive action now.
- Save pins feature character arcs, upcoming books in a series, TBR (to-be-read) collages, shop-the-collection pins, and gift-guide pins like "gifts for romance readers." Readers save these to revisit, and each save signals Pinterest to show your content to more people.
Because so many readers keep a TBR list, save pins meet them exactly where they're already collecting their next reads.
How should authors optimize their pins?
Authors optimize pins through keyword-rich titles, descriptions, and matching landing pages. Here are Heather's specifics:
- Pin titles: Use up to 100 characters. Include at least one keyword phrase that's three to five words long, and write a natural title around it. A two-part title with a colon works well.
- Pin descriptions: Use up to 800 characters. Aim for one keyword per sentence. Eight sentences equals eight keywords; if you're long-winded and fit four, that's fine.
- Match your link: The pin topic and the landing page topic must align. Don't link a romantasy pin to a dark thriller page.
- Link to a page you own: At minimum, have a books page on your own website that links out to Amazon or your retailer. You can also link to your Amazon author page or storefront.
- Claim your website: Even a one-page Canva site counts. You claim it through your domain host; Heather has a free walkthrough article on her site.
Why this matters in 2026: Owning your website and driving traffic to it is more important than ever because of generative engine optimization (GEO), the shift toward AI-powered search reducing clicks to websites. Diversifying where readers can discover you, through Pinterest, email, and your own site, is the new job description. Alexa Bigwarfe is a leading expert on the GEO topic for authors. She led a session on it at a recent Marketing Bootcamp that gave attendees tools to make their books visible again on Amazon. Check out this post for a taste of what Alexa is sharing.
How often do authors need to post on Pinterest?
Authors do not need to post on Pinterest every day. Because Pinterest is a search engine rather than a social feed, you can batch your pins once a month, schedule them, and step away. Heather only works on client accounts a couple of times a month, mostly inside a scheduling tool.
When people ask how many pins per day, Heather flips the question: how many quality pins can you realistically create? One quality pin a day is better than none. Consistency beats intensity every time.
How do authors get their pins seen on Pinterest?
Authors get pins seen through keyword research and patience. Heather's recommended free keyword research order:
- Pinterest Trends tool (start here)
- Pinterest ads manager (second)
- Pinterest search bar autofill (third)
- Tailwind's free keyword planner, which connects to Pinterest's API and shows real search volume
Do not pay for third-party Pinterest keyword tools. The free options above cover everything. From there, map what your readers search for around each book and build boards and pins around those terms. Over time you create hundreds of entry points into a single book. One established author Heather worked with had a twelve book series, each sold as a collection and as individual titles, creating a nearly endless set of pin opportunities.
Should authors re-pin the same pin to multiple boards?
No, re-pinning the same pin to many boards is largely outdated. Instead, create a set of fresh pin templates, for example fifty designs. That gives you fifty unique pin opportunities for every URL in your ecosystem. Pair each template with its own title and description, schedule them out, then repeat with your next URL. Fresh pins outperform re-pins.
How long does Pinterest take to work for authors?
Pinterest is a long-game, slow-burn platform, so authors should plan for a 90-day trial minimum before judging results. You may not see real traction until the second 90 days, and that's normal. Let the data tell you what to keep doing rather than quitting after a week.
As Heather put it during the Q&A: "If you set it up right and you start with a really solid Pinterest SEO foundation, over time it's just going to grow."
The payoff is durability. Heather still manages accounts she set up five years ago that remain her best performers. A keyword-rich Pinterest foundation keeps working for years, which is exactly the kind of evergreen strategy that pairs beautifully with a diversified book marketing plan.
Pinterest for Authors: Frequently Asked Questions
Should authors use Pinterest?
Authors should use Pinterest if their readers search there, which is especially common for fiction written for midlife and menopausal women. Pinterest functions as a search engine, so it rewards keyword-rich, evergreen content and doesn't demand daily posting.
Is Pinterest good for selling books?
Yes. Pinterest can drive book sales when authors create traffic pins that link to a purchase page and save pins that build long-term discovery. Because pins are evergreen, a single book can collect hundreds of entry points over time.
How many pins should an author post per day?
There is no fixed number. One quality pin per day is better than none, and consistency matters more than volume. Many authors succeed by batching pins once a month and scheduling them in advance.
What should authors pin on Pinterest?
Authors should pin behind-the-scenes content, character development, book cover reveals, B-roll of their books, TBR collages, and links to their books or freebies. Start with your own content before curating adjacent topics.
Do authors need their own website for Pinterest?
Yes, at minimum a one-page website with a books page that links to retailers. Claiming your website on Pinterest improves your results, and owning your site matters more as AI search reduces traffic to unverified pages.
What is the best free Pinterest keyword tool?
Tailwind's free keyword planner is the recommended free option because it connects directly to Pinterest's API and shows real search volume. The Pinterest Trends tool, ads manager, and search bar autofill are also free and effective.
Your next steps:
Your readers are already searching. Let's make sure your books are what they find.
Raewyn Sangari
Creative Director & Social Media Expert
As Creative Director for the Women in Publishing Summit, Raewyn makes marketing feel approachable, creative, and community-driven. She leads the content strategy behind the brand’s workshops, events, and social presence, helping authors and book professionals grow their visibility with confidence. Raewyn’s mission is simple: to make showing up and connecting with readers feel less overwhelming and a lot more fun.
