# Pinterest pin design: pins people save and click

[Canonical HTML page](https://gradiently.design/guide/pinterest-pin-design)

Pinterest is a search engine people browse with their eyes. A pin has a fraction of a second in a crowded grid to say what it is and why it's worth saving.

## The short version

- Strong Pinterest pin design starts with a vertical 1000×1500 frame, the 2:3 ratio Pinterest recommends.
- A short text overlay that says what the pin is about helps people understand it at a glance in a busy grid.
- Pins are seen small, so the headline needs to be large, high in the frame and limited to a few words.
- A consistent background, typeface and layout across your pins makes them recognisable before anyone reads your name.
- Making several pins for one page, each with a different headline or image, gives the same content more chances to be found.

Good **Pinterest pin design** comes down to four things: a vertical 1000×1500 frame, a short text overlay that says exactly what the pin is, a clear order of reading from headline to image to brand, and a look that stays the same across all your pins. Pinterest is browsed as a grid of small images, so a pin wins by being understood in a glance. Clever comes second to clear.

## What a Pinterest pin is competing with

On a phone, the Pinterest feed shows two columns of pins, each a few centimetres wide. Your pin sits beside photographs, recipes and other people's graphics, all asking for the same tap. People arrive with an intent, often after a search, and scan for the pin that matches it. That is why the words on a pin matter more than on most social posts: they tell the scanner they have found the right thing.

- Standard pin 2:3: 1000 × 1500
- Square pin 1:1: 1000 × 1000
- Long pin 1000×2100: 1000 × 2100

Vertical pins take more of the column than square ones. 1000×1500 is the reliable default; sizes are covered in full in the pin size guide.

Use 1000×1500 for nearly everything. Square pins take less of the column, and long pins at 1000×2100 can be cut off in the feed, which [long pins on Pinterest](https://gradiently.design/guide/pinterest-long-pin-size) explains. The full list is in [Pinterest pin size](https://gradiently.design/guide/pinterest-pin-size).

## How to write a Pinterest text overlay

The text overlay is the headline set on the pin itself. Write it the way people search: plain words, the topic first, a benefit or number if there is one. "Easy weeknight pasta" beats "Tonight's the night". "Small balcony garden ideas" beats "Grow your own oasis". The title and description you type into Pinterest help search too, so the overlay and the title should agree.

| Vague overlay | Clear overlay |
| --- | --- |
| Morning magic | 10 minute morning skincare routine |
| Our new favourite | Linen bedding in five calm colours |
| Big news | Free printable 2027 wall planner |
| Tips inside | How to repot a monstera without damage |

A clear overlay names the thing and the benefit. It reads as an answer to a search.

- Keep the headline to around three to eight words.
- Set it large: on a 1000 pixel wide pin, a headline in the region of 80 to 120 pixels reads at feed size.
- Place it in the top half, where eyes land first.
- Add a smaller supporting line only if it adds a fact: a time, a number, a format such as "printable".
- Use one or two typefaces at most. [Best fonts for social media](https://gradiently.design/guide/fonts-for-social-media) has pairings that hold up small.

## Pinterest pin layouts that work

Most effective pins use one of a handful of layouts. Pick the one that suits the content and repeat it, so your pins read as a set.

A vertical Pinterest pin reading Small balcony garden ideas, 12 layouts, set large in the top half

Headline first: the whole pin is the promise, with the background doing the brand work.

A vertical pin split into a headline band reading Free printable wall planner and an image area

Split layout: words in one band, room for a product photo or preview in the other.

| Layout | How it works | Use it for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Headline on background | Large words over a colour or material, no photo | Guides, lists, quotes, freebies |
| Photo with band | A photo above or below a solid or gradient band of text | Recipes, interiors, products |
| Full photo, overlay top | Photo filling the pin, headline in a calm area at the top | Travel, fashion, finished projects |
| List pin | Title plus numbered points down the pin | Checklists, routines, steps |

Four layouts that cover most pins. The photo with band layout is the most dependable when photos are busy.

Words straight on a busy photo are where pins fail. If the image has detail everywhere, give the text its own band of colour, or choose a photo with a calm area. [Make text readable on photos](https://gradiently.design/guide/readable-text-on-photos) covers the options. On a gradient background in Gradiently, the Mark makes room for your words by itself: its calmest region moves behind the headline and auto ink picks light or dark type per line.

## Make your pins a recognisable series

People save from accounts they trust, and trust starts with recognition. When every pin shares a background family, a typeface and a layout, a returning visitor spots yours in a column of strangers. Change the words and the image; keep the frame.

- Apricot paper: `linear-gradient(170deg, #fdf4ec 0%, #f6dcc8 55%, #e8b896 100%)`
- Sage linen: `linear-gradient(170deg, #f1f5f0 0%, #d6e3d3 55%, #a9c3a4 100%)`
- Lilac haze: `linear-gradient(170deg, #f3f0fa 0%, #ddd3f2 55%, #b9a7e3 100%)`
- Ink blue evening: `linear-gradient(170deg, #1e2230 0%, #2d3448 55%, #4a5470 100%)`

A pin family: one direction and structure, four moods. Assign one to each content pillar so the board looks planned.

A simple system is one background per content pillar: apricot for recipes, sage for garden posts, lilac for printables. Your boards then look organised, and each pin still belongs to the brand. The thinking behind pillars is in [content pillars](https://gradiently.design/guide/content-pillars), and keeping a look across platforms is in [consistent branding across social media](https://gradiently.design/guide/brand-consistency-across-platforms).

## How to design Pinterest pins, step by step

1. **Start from the page you want clicks to** Every pin should lead somewhere. Write down what the reader gets on that page in one sentence.
2. **Write three headlines** Different angles on the same page: a number, a problem, a format. Each can become its own pin.
3. **Open a 1000×1500 template** Choose a layout from the table above and keep the headline in the top half.
4. **Add one image or none** A clear photo of the result, or let a confident background carry the pin on its own.
5. **Put your name small at the bottom** A logo or website line, quiet but legible. It is attribution, not the message.
6. **Check it at feed size** Shrink the preview to the width of a phone column. If you cannot read the headline, make it bigger or shorter.

Several pins per page is normal practice, and it is where a template and a spreadsheet save hours. Gradiently's bulk create on Pro takes one pin design and a CSV of headlines, shows you every version to review, then creates them as pages. The Designer can also write headline options in your brand kit's voice and lay them out in your Mark.

## FAQ

### What makes a good Pinterest pin design?

A vertical 1000×1500 frame, a short and specific text overlay set large in the top half, one clear image or a calm background, and a consistent look across your pins.

### Should Pinterest pins have text on them?

Usually yes. A short overlay that says what the pin is about helps people understand it at a glance and matches what they searched for.

### What font size should I use on a Pinterest pin?

On a 1000 pixel wide pin, a headline around 80 to 120 pixels reads well at feed size. Supporting text should rarely go below about 36 pixels.

### How many pins should I make for one blog post?

There is no fixed number. Making a few pins with different headlines or images gives the same page more chances to match different searches.