What to Expect: Your First 90-Day Pinterest Strategy
It takes much longer to gather data and see results on Pinterest than on social media. The quietness of the first 90 days can feel unsettling and easily make you question if you’re doing the right thing.
But that’s just how things work on Pinterest. And that’s because it’s a search engine platform, not a social feed. Pinterest indexes and shows content in the feed very differently than social media, and that's actually a good thing.
Here's a 90-day roadmap for starting out on Pinterest — including exactly what to do and what to expect. That way, you won’t panic when you’re 90 days in and still not seeing the numbers you hoped for.
Your Pinterest 90-Day Roadmap at a Glance:
🛣️Days 1-30: It’s all about setup and routine building. This is your time to do keyword research, get your profile set up, and create and schedule pins to your blog posts. Set up your workflows and routines.
🛣️Days 31-60: This is your time to experiment. Create many different versions of graphics; try different keywords and content topics. Just post as much variety in your industry/focus topics as you can.
🛣️Days 61-90: Dig deeper into keyword research and seasonal trends, then map out the topics you'll plan your content around. And keep on pinning.
🛣️Day 90: When you can finally look at your analytics to inform your content (yes, really, it takes at least this much time)
What Should You Do in Your First 30 Days on Pinterest?
The first 30 days are when you build the foundation. You should set up your account and do keyword research. From there, determine your content pillars and create some pin graphic templates. Taking the time to get this organized up front will save you time and help you create keyword-rich, quality content.
It’s also a good time to audit the content you have on your website and make a list of any gaps you notice.
Your keyword research will show you which topics perform best on Pinterest. Make note of these, since they're strong candidates for future blog posts.
Create pins that cover a variety of topics related to your industry. Map out how you'll create pins for the different topic types your blog posts already have.
You’ll also want to determine how many pins you plan to post each week. Stick to a consistent strategy throughout the 90 days and set a realistic pinning schedule you can manage.
First 30 Days Checklist
☑️ Set up your business account
☑️ Create pin graphic templates
☑️ Set your pinning schedule
☑️ Then start creating and scheduling your pins
What Should You Expect to See in Days 31-60 on Pinterest?
Honestly, you don’t see a lot of changes in this phase. But that doesn’t mean you should freak out or think that Pinterest “doesn’t work” for you. This is NORMAL!
Your content is brand new, so Pinterest bots are just starting to index your fresh content. It can feel discouraging because you’ve already been creating a lot of content by this point. Slow growth in this phase is normal, so don't worry when you see it.
This is the “why does it feel like nothing is happening” phase, but it’s very important that you keep going. Keep pinning, keep building momentum, keep creating new blog content.
The work you are doing to consistently pin in these months is going to pay off down the road. It can be hard to trust that, but it’s all part of the process. I actually advise clients not to even check analytics during this time.
Instead of stressing about analytics during this time, use it to experiment with your content without stressing. Try different graphic styles, keywords, and content topics. As you test different pin copy structures, note the style you're using on each one so you can track performance in analytics later.
Days 31-60 Checklist
☑️ Keep pinning consistently to a wide variety of topics
☑️ Don’t check your analytics
What Should You Do During Days 61-90 on Pinterest?
Keep on pinning. It’s still important to maintain a consistent pinning schedule during this phase. You should keep doing everything from days 31-60 and start planning next quarter’s content.
This is a great time to think about your content for months 3-6 of pinning. Do some research to find out if there are any seasonal trending keywords. Figure out what content makes the most sense to pin. It’s helpful to plan well in advance with Pinterest.
I still recommend not looking at analytics too often or focusing on it too much. You may start seeing impression growth at this point. Hold off on using that data for content planning until you hit the three- to six-month mark.
Days 61-90 Checklist
☑️ Keep pinning consistently
☑️ Keyword research and seasonal trend research for next quarter
☑️ Don’t dive into analytics too deeply
What Happens By Day 90 on Pinterest?
After your first 90 days, you can start to pay attention to your Pinterest analytics. All that hard work of creating pins should be working its magic to get you impressions, saves, and clicks. You should start to see trends popping up with what’s gaining traction, and you can use that to inform what you create next.
It’s important to note that day 90 is just a checkpoint in the Pinterest journey, not a finish line. As the months go on, your pins will gain more traction. Even pins from your first 90 days can keep growing well into year one.
While Pinterest does take longer to see growth, the growth continues to compound for months and years down the road.
Why Does Pinterest Take Longer Than Instagram To Get Results?
Pinterest is a search-based, evergreen discovery platform. That means Pinterest is showing content to the user that they’re actually searching for.
Pinterest is designed to drive evergreen (and seasonal) traffic to your website all year round. Because the platform works this way, it takes longer to index your content and build traction. But once it does, it keeps driving traffic to your website long after you posted.
Instagram is designed to be a social feed sharing relevant information for today. The content you’re seeing has been created in the last 24 hours (sometimes longer now that the algorithm has changed a bit). The content appears in more feeds as engagement increases. That’s the social element in action.
Each platform's design shapes how people use it, too. Pinterest users go to Pinterest to plan and dream about the future. They pin things they'll want to find again months later, like ideas for an upcoming party or a home renovation.
They might save your pin first, then come back months later to click through to your blog post. Depending on their planning process, it could be a while longer before they click with the intent to purchase. While Instagram users are going to connect and see what’s happening currently. That means engagement will happen quicker, and you’ll see results sooner.
What Mistakes Slow Down Your Growth in the First 90 Days on Pinterest?
A few common mistakes can slow your growth in the first 90 days. Here's what to avoid:
Not pinning regularly
Quitting after 30 days
Treating pins like Instagram posts (or only sharing Instagram posts directly to Pinterest)
Skipping keyword research
Expecting pins to go viral immediately
Changing up your strategy too often or too drastically
How Do You Know if Your Pinterest Strategy is Working After 90 Days?
This is when you reference your analytics to determine what’s working. You're still in the early phase of growth, but some numbers should start moving in the right direction. Pay attention to these as you plan.
What Impressions Mean For Your Pinterest Strategy
Growing impressions mean Pinterest is showing your content to more people. That’s a good sign that your Pinterest keywords and SEO are strong and aligned with what Pinterest users are searching for.
What Saves Mean For Your Pinterest Strategy
If people are starting to save your pins, that means your content is valuable to your audience. They want to return to it later for inspiration, planning, or purchase. This is a good sign your content is resonating with your audience and answering a problem they are looking to solve.
What Outbound Clicks Mean For Your Pinterest Strategy
You may not see many outbound clicks in the first 90 days. When you do, it means the Pinterest audience trusts you to deliver what they're looking for. They are ready to implement or buy, and they chose to explore your content.
For most businesses and creators, this is the number you most want to grow. But it depends on strong impressions and saves first.
What Top Performing Pins Can Tell You About Your Strategy
Top-performing pins help you identify which content is performing best. You can analyze the content topic, pin graphic style, and keywords you used to help determine what’s performing well in your content. Once you identify what’s working, you want to keep creating more content aligned with that content.
FAQ: Your First 90 Days on Pinterest
How long does it really take to see results on Pinterest?
Most accounts need the full 90 days before analytics become meaningful. Many strategists recommend waiting closer to 6-9 months before making major content decisions based on that data.
Should I pin every day during the first 90 days?
Consistency matters more than frequency. A realistic, sustainable schedule you can maintain long-term will serve you better. You'll likely abandon an aggressive pace after a few weeks.
Is it normal to see zero growth in the first month?
Yes. Pinterest bots are still indexing your content during this window, so slow (or flat) growth in the first 30-60 days is completely normal.
Can I speed up my Pinterest growth in the first 90 days?
Strong keyword research, consistent pinning, and creating fresh, keyword-rich content are the biggest levers you control. There's no shortcut around the indexing timeline itself, but these habits set you up to grow faster once it kicks in.
When should I start using analytics to guide my content?
Wait until at least day 90, and ideally closer to the three- to six-month mark. Using early data to make decisions can lead you to abandon strategies that just needed more time to work.
Pinterest Tips and Resources for Business Owners and Content Creators
Slow growth in the first 90 days isn't a bad thing; you should expect it. Get the process right, and that slower start pays off for months and months to come.
With the first 90 days under your belt, you'll likely have a solid system and a strong foundation in place. From here, you can keep creating content that builds momentum in your business.
If you’re looking for more Pinterest tips and resources, I’ve got them for you:
Download The Pinterest Keyword Starter Pack – a free guide to help you find the right keywords and keep them all in one (very) organized place.
Pinterest Content Audit – A personalized video audit that shows you exactly how your existing content translates to Pinterest — in 10 minutes or less.
Feeling overwhelmed starting your Pinterest account from scratch? That's exactly what my Pinterest Account Setup is for.
With the Account Setup, you get:
Pinterest profile optimization guidance
Board suggestions + trending topic ideas for your industry
Initial keyword research done for you
One week of pin titles and descriptions
5 starter pin templates
Content planning guidance based on your offers and content hub
All delivered to you in a PDF guide w/ a Loom video walkthrough
You’ll walk away knowing exactly what to post and why.
Already have your account set up, but want to hand off the day-to-day? My Pinterest Management service takes the first 90 days (and beyond) off your plate entirely. I handle your pin creation, keyword research, and strategy. You stay focused on your business while your Pinterest presence builds momentum in the background.