How To Sell Products On Pinterest Using Shopify

Are you looking for effective ways to expand your e-commerce reach? Learning how to sell products on Pinterest using Shopify could be the game-changer your business needs. With over 400 million monthly active users and a platform built around visual discovery, Pinterest offers incredible opportunities for online sellers. Unlike other social platforms, Pinterest functions more like a visual search engine, with users actively looking for products and ideas they can purchase.

When combined with Shopify’s powerful e-commerce features, you have a winning sales channel that can drive significant traffic and revenue to your online store. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the process.

How to Sell Products on Pinterest Using Shopify: Step-by-Step Process

Before diving into the technical setup, it’s crucial to understand who you’ll be marketing to on Pinterest:

Demographics: While Pinterest’s user base is predominantly female (around 60%), the male audience has been steadily growing. The platform is particularly popular among millennials and Gen X.
Shopping mindset: Pinterest users come to the platform in a discovery and planning mode. They’re actively seeking inspiration and are often in a pre-purchase mindset.
High-value audience: Pinterest users typically have higher incomes and spending power compared to users of other social platforms.
Top categories: Home décor, fashion, beauty, food, travel, and DIY/crafts perform exceptionally well on Pinterest.

Unlike Instagram or Facebook, where users primarily interact with content from accounts they follow, Pinterest functions more like a search engine. This means your products can reach users who have never heard of your brand before, simply because they’re searching for related items.

Prerequisites Before You Begin

To set yourself up for success, prepare these elements before connecting Pinterest and Shopify:

For your Shopify store:

High-quality product photography: Pinterest is a visual platform, so professional-looking product images are non-negotiable.
Clear, SEO-optimized product descriptions: Include relevant keywords that shoppers might use when searching.
Organized collections: Well-structured product categories will translate better to Pinterest boards.
Mobile optimization: Ensure your Shopify store provides a seamless mobile experience, as most Pinterest traffic comes from mobile devices.

For your Pinterest account:

Business account: Convert your personal Pinterest account to a business account, or create a new business account.
Complete profile: Upload your logo, write a keyword-rich bio, and include a link to your Shopify store.
Website verification: Verify your website with Pinterest to build trust and unlock additional features.
Create basic boards: Set up at least 5-10 boards related to your products and niche before you start promoting.

Step 1: Connecting Your Shopify Store to Pinterest

The foundation of selling on Pinterest through Shopify is establishing the connection between these two platforms:

Install the Pinterest for Shopify app:
- Log in to your Shopify admin panel
- Go to the Shopify App Store (or search directly for “Pinterest”)
- Click on the Pinterest app
- Click “Add app”
- Follow the installation prompts
Connect your Pinterest business account:
- Within the Pinterest app, click “Connect account”
- Log in to your Pinterest business account
- Authorize the connection between Shopify and Pinterest
- Review and accept the terms
Claim your domain:
- The app will prompt you to claim your Shopify domain on Pinterest
- This verification step is crucial as it tells Pinterest that you are the legitimate owner of the website
- Once verified, your domain name will appear in your Pinterest business profile
Enable data sharing settings:
- Review the data sharing settings
- Enable catalog syncing to automatically share your products
- Configure any additional settings based on your preferences

If you encounter connection issues, ensure:

You’re using a Pinterest business account (not personal)
Your Shopify store is on a paid plan
Your domain is properly set up in Shopify
You’ve accepted all the necessary permissions

Step 2: Setting Up Your Pinterest Catalog

Once connected, it’s time to sync your products to Pinterest:

Configure your product feed:
- In the Pinterest for Shopify app, navigate to “Catalog” or “Product Feed”
- Select which products or collections you want to sync (you can sync your entire catalog or select specific collections)
- Set up feed refresh frequency (daily updates are recommended)
Optimize product data for Pinterest:
- Ensure product titles are descriptive and keyword-rich
- Check that all products have high-quality images (ideally with a 2:3 aspect ratio, like 1000×1500 pixels)
- Verify pricing and availability information is accurate
Create product groups (optional):
- Organize your catalog into logical product groups
- This helps with both organization and targeted advertising later
Review and publish your catalog:
- Before finalizing, review sample products to ensure they appear correctly
- Once satisfied, publish your catalog to make products available for shopping pins

The initial sync may take 24-48 hours depending on the size of your catalog. Pinterest will notify you once the process is complete.

Step 3: Creating Effective Product Pins

With your catalog synced, you can now create shopping pins that drive users to your Shopify store:

Understand the types of pins:
- Standard Pins: Basic pins that link to your website
- Rich Pins: Pins that pull metadata from your site (most product pins will automatically become rich pins)
- Shopping Pins: Pins directly connected to your product catalog with pricing and availability
- Video Pins: Short videos featuring your products in action
Create shopping pins from your catalog:
- In the Pinterest app, navigate to “Create Pin”
- Select “Create shopping Pin”
- Choose products from your synced catalog
- Add a compelling description with relevant keywords
Pin optimization best practices:
- Images: Use vertical images with a 2:3 aspect ratio
- Titles: Keep product titles under 100 characters
- Descriptions: Write 150-500 character descriptions with keywords
- Link: Ensure the pin links directly to the correct product page
- Call to action: Include a subtle CTA in your description
Pin to relevant boards:
- Create specific product-focused boards
- Pin each product to multiple relevant boards
- Consider creating lifestyle boards that showcase your products in use

Remember that pins have a long lifespan on Pinterest—sometimes continuing to generate traffic months or even years after publishing—so quality is more important than quantity.

Step 4: Optimizing Your Pinterest Profile for Sales

Your Pinterest business profile is your storefront on the platform. Here’s how to optimize it:

Profile optimization essentials:
- Username: Use your brand name (keep it consistent with other platforms)
- Profile picture: Upload your logo (165×165 pixels recommended)
- Bio: Write a keyword-rich description (up to 500 characters)
- Featured boards: Select your top product boards to showcase first
Board strategy for e-commerce:
- Product boards: Create boards for each product category
- Lifestyle boards: Show your products in real-life contexts
- Inspiration boards: Curate content related to your niche (not just your products)
- Seasonal boards: Create and promote boards tied to upcoming holidays or seasons
Board optimization checklist:
- Descriptive, keyword-rich board names
- Detailed board descriptions with relevant search terms
- Attractive cover images for each board
- Consistent pin style within each board
- Regular addition of fresh content to each board
Profile verification and badges:
- Ensure your website is verified (check for the globe icon)
- Connect your Instagram if relevant
- Link your Etsy shop if applicable as a secondary sales channel

A well-optimized profile not only helps users find your products but also builds trust and showcases your brand personality.

Step 5: Pinterest SEO Strategies for Shopify Products

Since Pinterest functions largely as a search engine, SEO is critical:

Pinterest keyword research methods:
- Use the Pinterest search bar to see autocomplete suggestions
- Check “Related searches” at the top of search results
- Note the suggested terms in the guided search bubbles
- Use tools like Pinterest Trends to identify popular search terms
Key places to use keywords:
- Business name (if appropriate)
- Profile description
- Board titles and descriptions
- Pin titles and descriptions
- Alt text for your pin images
- Product descriptions in your catalog
Hashtag strategy:
- Use 2-5 relevant hashtags per pin
- Focus on specific, niche hashtags rather than broad ones
- Create a branded hashtag for your business
- Research trending hashtags in your industry
Algorithm considerations:
- Pinterest rewards fresh content with higher visibility
- Engagement (saves, clicks) signals quality to the algorithm
- Consistent pinning is more effective than sporadic bursts
- Pinterest prioritizes content that drives people to trusted sites

By approaching Pinterest with an SEO mindset, you’ll ensure your products appear when users are actively searching for items like yours.

Step 6: Creating a Pinterest Content Strategy

To sustain growth on Pinterest, you need a consistent content strategy:

Content mix guidelines:
- 80% product/shopping pins from your catalog
- 20% lifestyle, inspirational, or educational content
- Repurpose blog content from your Shopify store as informational pins
Pinning frequency and timing:
- Post 5-30 pins per day (depending on your capacity)
- Space pins throughout the day rather than posting all at once
- Be consistent—a daily schedule is better than irregular bursts
- Pin seasonal content 30-45 days in advance
Content calendar structure:
- Plan monthly themes aligned with your business calendar
- Schedule product promotions around shopping seasons
- Create content series that can be published over time
- Balance evergreen and seasonal content
Content creation workflow:
- Batch create pin images using templates in Canva or similar tools
- Prepare descriptions in advance with researched keywords
- Schedule pins using Pinterest’s built-in scheduler or third-party tools
- Track which pin styles perform best and create more similar content

A strategic approach to content creation ensures you maintain visibility without overwhelming yourself with daily posting demands.

Step 7: Utilizing Pinterest Advertising

While organic presence is important, Pinterest ads can accelerate your growth:

Pinterest ad formats:
- Shopping ads: Automated ads created from your product catalog
- Collection ads: Feature a primary image with several secondary product images
- Carousel ads: Multiple images users can swipe through
- Video ads: Short videos showcasing your products
Setting up your first campaign:
- In Pinterest Business, navigate to Ads → Create campaign
- Select an objective (awareness, consideration, or conversion)
- Define your budget (start small, like $5-10/day)
- Set targeting parameters (interests, demographics, keywords)
- Choose your ad format and create your pins
- Set up conversion tracking with the Pinterest tag
Targeting strategies:
- Target users based on interests related to your products
- Create audiences similar to your existing customers
- Retarget visitors who have been to your Shopify store
- Target specific searches with keyword campaigns
Budget optimization tips:
- Start with conversion campaigns focusing on purchases
- Set a reasonable cost-per-acquisition target based on your margins
- Test different ad formats to see which drives the best ROI
- Allocate more budget to successful campaigns over time

Pinterest ads typically show a higher conversion rate than other platforms since users are already in a shopping mindset.

Step 8: Analyzing Performance and Making Improvements

Tracking performance is essential for optimizing your Pinterest marketing:

Key metrics to monitor:
- Impressions: How many times your pins were shown
- Engagement rate: Saves and clicks divided by impressions
- Click-through rate: Percentage of impressions that result in clicks
- Conversion rate: Percentage of clicks that result in purchases
- Revenue per pin: Total revenue generated divided by number of pins
Using Pinterest Analytics:
- Access the Analytics tab in your Pinterest business account
- Review audience insights to better understand your followers
- Check your top performing pins regularly
- Analyze which boards drive the most engagement
Shopify analytics integration:
- In Shopify, check your acquisition reports to see Pinterest traffic
- Set up UTM parameters for more granular tracking
- Review the customer journey from Pinterest to purchase
- Calculate your ROI from Pinterest marketing efforts
Testing and optimization process:
- Test different image styles (lifestyle vs. product-only)
- Experiment with various description lengths and formats
- Try different pin schedules and frequencies
- A/B test different product highlight strategies

Use data to refine your approach, doubling down on what works and adjusting or abandoning what doesn’t.

Step 9: Advanced Pinterest Marketing Strategies

Once you’ve mastered the basics, try these advanced techniques:

Influencer collaborations:
- Partner with Pinterest influencers in your niche
- Create guest boards where influencers can pin your products
- Develop co-branded pins with complementary businesses
- Feature user-generated content from customers
Seasonal and trend-based campaigns:
- Create holiday gift guides featuring your products
- Develop seasonal lookbooks or collections
- Capitalize on Pinterest trends identified in Pinterest Trends
- Create “how-to” content that incorporates your products seasonally
Interactive and immersive content:
- Create tutorial pins showing how to use your products
- Develop before-and-after pins for visual impact
- Use multi-image pins to tell a story about your product
- Create video pins demonstrating your product in action
Pinterest-exclusive promotions:
- Offer special discounts for Pinterest followers
- Create limited-time offers promoted only on Pinterest
- Host Pinterest-specific contests or giveaways
- Use Shopify discount codes tracked specifically to Pinterest campaigns

These advanced strategies can help you stand out in a competitive market and build deeper connections with your Pinterest audience.

Step 10: Integrating Pinterest with Your Overall Marketing Strategy

For maximum impact, integrate Pinterest with your broader marketing efforts:

Cross-platform promotion:
- Promote your Pinterest presence on other social channels
- Share popular Pinterest boards in your email newsletter
- Add Pinterest save buttons to your Shopify product pages
- Include “as seen on Pinterest” badges for trending products
Content repurposing workflow:
- Transform Shopify blog posts into multiple Pinterest pins
- Convert customer testimonials into quote pins
- Create Pinterest versions of your Instagram content
- Turn product FAQs into helpful tip pins
Customer journey mapping:
- Develop specific landing pages for Pinterest traffic
- Create Pinterest-specific collections in your Shopify store
- Design email sequences specifically for Pinterest-acquired customers
- Retarget Pinterest visitors with ads on other platforms
Community building strategies:
- Engage with users who save and comment on your pins
- Follow relevant accounts in your niche
- Join group boards related to your products
- Feature customer photos and stories on dedicated boards

A holistic approach ensures your Pinterest marketing complements and enhances your other sales channels rather than operating in isolation.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful setup, you may encounter these common challenges:

Catalog syncing problems:
- Ensure your products meet Pinterest’s requirements
- Check that your product feed is properly configured
- Verify your domain is claimed correctly
- Try manually refreshing your catalog
Pin rejection issues:
- Review Pinterest’s content policies
- Ensure your images meet quality standards
- Check that your descriptions don’t violate any guidelines
- Avoid overly promotional language
Traffic but no conversions:
- Examine your mobile checkout experience
- Ensure product pages load quickly
- Check pricing is consistent between Pinterest and your store
- Review your product page design for conversion optimization
Account verification problems:
- Try alternative verification methods (HTML file, meta tag)
- Ensure your website doesn’t block Pinterest verification
- Contact Pinterest Business support for assistance
- Verify DNS settings are correctly configured

Most issues can be resolved by carefully reviewing settings and ensuring all integration points are properly configured.

Conclusion

Selling on Pinterest through Shopify integration offers tremendous potential for e-commerce businesses. By properly connecting these platforms, optimizing your presence, and developing a consistent content strategy, you can tap into Pinterest’s highly engaged, shopping-oriented audience.

Remember that Pinterest marketing is a long-term strategy. Unlike some platforms where content disappears quickly, Pinterest pins continue to drive traffic and sales for months or even years. This makes your effort in creating quality pins and optimizing your presence particularly valuable.

Start with the fundamental connection between Shopify and Pinterest, then gradually implement the more advanced strategies as you become comfortable with the platform. Track your results, learn from what works, and continually refine your approach.

With patience and persistence, Pinterest can become one of your most valuable sales channels, driving highly qualified traffic to your Shopify store and helping you connect with customers who are actively looking for products like yours.

Additional Resources

To continue learning and optimizing your Pinterest marketing:

Pinterest Business Help Center: Comprehensive guides directly from Pinterest
Shopify Blog: Regular updates on e-commerce best practices
Pinterest Trends Tool: Discover what’s trending in your category
Canva or Adobe Express: Create professional-looking pins with templates
Tailwind App: Pinterest-approved scheduling tool with analytics
Pinterest Marketing Partners Directory: Find approved service providers for additional help

By leveraging these resources alongside the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-positioned to build a successful sales channel on Pinterest using your Shopify store.

Ready to boost your e-commerce sales with Pinterest? Let PEAKONTECH help you set up and optimize your Shopify-Pinterest integration for maximum results. Contact our experts today for a free consultation and start turning Pinterest browsers into loyal customers!

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How to Sell Products on Pinterest Using Shopify