Pinterest Algorithm: How It Works and Tips for 2025

With 537 million active users, Pinterest presents a rich opportunity for generating leads and making sales. Not just a social media platform—Pinterest is a visual search engine, directly connecting you with motivated potential customers. Pinterest’s algorithm is designed to curate content that is interesting to its users, and it can help you capture leads in critical moments of inspiration and intent to purchase. 

Here’s what you need to know to master the Pinterest algorithm for your marketing strategies.

What is the Pinterest algorithm? 

Like other social media platforms, Pinterest has its own algorithm—a unique set of rules that determines what content gets prioritized across the platform, both in users’ feeds and in search results. The Pinterest algorithm ultimately helps Pinterest users explore their interests and find inspiration, whether that means sparking a new creative DIY idea, introducing a delicious recipe, or discovering a relevant product. 

How does the Pinterest algorithm work? 

The Pinterest algorithm works like a sophisticated ranking system, prioritizing pins (the platform’s name for posts) that align closely with user interests and search intent. 

There are many ranking criteria for pins. Popular pins rich in relevant keywords, with high-resolution images, and descriptive content tend to gain algorithmic favor, which increases their visibility in search results and feeds.

The Pinterest algorithm analyzes multiple factors to predict user interest and determine pin visibility. Ranking factors include high click rates, the number of saves and comments, strong keywords, good image quality, and consistent user activity.

5 factors that influence the Pinterest algorithm

1. Domain quality
2. Pin quality
3. Pinner activity
4. Top relevance
5. Rich pins

Addressing these factors can enhance your visibility in the Pinterest search algorithm and improve your overall pin performance:

1. Domain quality

If you haven’t already done so, claim and connect your company’s website to your Pinterest account. The credibility of the website linked to a pin factors into the algorithm’s rankings. Pinterest will assign a domain quality score to your website based, in part, on how often other users pin its content. This domain quality ranking will improve the more users click through to your website, pin content from your website, and engage with your content. 

If your website doesn’t have one already, you might want to consider starting a blog. Relevant blog posts are a great way to communicate your brand equity and create pinnable content. 

2. Pin quality

Posting high-quality pins can help you gain visibility. What does this look like? You’ll want to pin high-resolution vertical images with a 2:3 aspect ratio, striking colors, and balanced compositions. Your pins should be aligned with your audience’s interests and, ideally, something they’d want to revisit later—whether that’s style inspo or home décor hacks.

Pinterest assesses pin quality by measuring engagement—comments, saves, likes, and shares. The higher the engagement on a pin, the higher it’ll rank in the algorithm. 

3. Pinner activity

Your activity level on Pinterest affects your algorithm performance. 

Pinterest activity includes:

• Regularly and consistently pinning content
• The engagement your pins receive
• How you interact with your audience

If you only post pins without commenting, replying, saving, or searching, your content is likely to rank lower. 

4. Topic relevance 

This is where your images, keywords, titles, and descriptions shine. Pins that closely match a user’s search, boards, or recent activity are more likely to appear in their search results or home feed. 

When writing descriptions and titles, think of how a customer searches. For example: “Quick one-pan dinner” rather than “30-minute roasted sheet pan dinner.” You’re more likely to pique a prospective customer’s interest with crisp, well-designed images, clear and simple keywords, and specific descriptions.

Finally, create Pinterest boards with your own pins—content that aligns with your business’s key themes and topics, emphasizing your brand’s relevance to users with specific interests. And make sure to keep an eye on relevant trends and try to capitalize on them with fresh pins. 

5. Rich pins

Rich pins are an enhanced type of pin that syncs information from your business’s website (think pricing and shipping details), providing additional context around an image. When you update your site content, the rich pin automatically refreshes, ensuring the most current information appears on Pinterest. This prevents pins from becoming outdated.

To access rich pins, you need a business account. Making this switch also grants you access to detailed Pinterest analytics—helpful for your Pinterest marketing strategy. Analytics offers data like audience insights, account insights, and overall presence or engagement.

Tips to beat the Pinterest algorithm

Here’s a summary of actionable steps to improve your Pinterest strategy and master the algorithm: 

• Add the right keywords. Incorporate relevant keywords to pin titles, descriptions, and board names. Be thorough yet concise.
• Improve pin quality. Create engaging, crisp, and clean visuals using Pinterest’s preferred 2:3 aspect ratio. The same tips apply to video pins. 
• Switch to a business account and enable rich pins. Add product details and relevant links to make your pins more clickable. Remember, rich pins periodically sync as you update your website content.
• Be consistent. Pin regularly and share fresh pin content often. Try scheduling pins in advance to make sure you’re consistently posting, even when you’re too busy to think of new pins.
• Watch trends and join in. Create content that’s seasonal or related to current Pinterest trends.
• Interact with others. Encourage likes and comments by staying active even when you’re not sharing fresh pins. Try liking and commenting on other users’ pins to show your engagement.
• Keep an eye on analytics. Use your business account’s data on impressions, engagements, clicks, and audience insights. Monitor top-performing pins and boards and conversion rates for purchases or sign-ups.