What's Actually Working on Pinterest & Why It Will Keep Working

A few months ago, I was in New Mexico visiting my grandparents during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.  If you've never been, I hope you get the chance to experience it someday because it really is something special.

We'd wake up before the sun came up, throw on sweatshirts because it was surprisingly chilly, grab a cup of coffee, and head out to watch the balloons. It wasn't rushed. Nobody was checking their watch or wondering why every balloon wasn't already in the air. Everyone was just enjoying the morning together and watching everything slowly come to life.

It's one of those memories that has really stuck with me. Not because it has anything to do with Pinterest...but because I think we're all craving a little more of that slower pace.

As business owners, we're constantly hearing that we have to move faster. Post more. Create more. Show up more. Film another Reel. Jump on another trend before it disappears.

Sometimes I wonder if we're all just exhausted from trying to keep up, and honestly I think that's one of the reasons I've loved Pinterest for so long. Not because it's easy. Not because it's some magical marketing platform where you pin once and never have to think about it again. But because it's one of the few places online that still rewards content that's genuinely helpful.

The other day I was on a networking call, and someone asked me, "Camille, what's actually working on Pinterest right now?"

I smiled because I think people expect my answer to be something really exciting. Maybe a brand-new Pinterest feature. Maybe a secret strategy. Maybe the "one thing" that's helping accounts explode overnight.

But th truth is...my answer wasn't any of those things. After managing Pinterest for more than 100 businesses over the years, I've noticed something. The businesses seeing the best results usually aren't doing wildly different things than everyone else. They're just doing the basics really, really well. I know that probably isn't the exciting answer people hope for. But I also think it's encouraging.

Because it means you don't have to chase every new trend or completely reinvent your marketing every few months. Instead, you can focus on building something that's actually sustainable. That's the kind of business I've always wanted to build for myself, and it's the kind of business I want for my clients too.

One of the first things I almost always notice when I start working with a new client is that they're sitting on far more content than they realize.

Seriously.....I'll hear things like, "I don't think I have enough content for Pinterest yet."

So we'll start talking.

I'll ask if they have a website. "Well...yeah."

A services page? "Yep."

Any blogs? "A few."

Do you send emails? "Every week."

Have you ever answered questions from clients? "Of course."

Maybe a podcast? "A handful of episodes."

Before long, they're laughing because they've realized something. They weren't missing content. They were looking at all of that content through the lens of social media.

Social media teaches us that once we post something, it's old news. Pinterest doesn't think that way.

Pinterest asks a different question. "Is this still helpful?"

If the answer is yes, then there's a really good chance someone else is still searching for it. That's one of my favorite things about Pinterest.

Your content gets another chance. Maybe someone wasn't looking for your recipe six months ago. Maybe they weren't searching for help with Pinterest marketing last year. Maybe they weren't ready to invest in their business yet.

That doesn't mean your content wasn't valuable. It just means the timing wasn't right. Pinterest gives people the opportunity to find you when the timing is right.

One thing I've also noticed over the years is that the businesses seeing the biggest success on Pinterest aren't necessarily creating more content than everyone else.  They're just getting more life out of the content they're already creating.

I always tell my clients that Pinterest isn't asking you to become a completely different business owner. It's simply asking you to think a little differently about the work you're already doing.

That blog post you published last month? It doesn't have to disappear after you shared it on Instagram.

That podcast episode you were so excited to record? It deserves more than one week of attention.

That free guide you spent hours creating? There are still people searching for exactly what it teaches.

Even your service pages can work harder for you when they're connected to the questions your ideal clients are already asking.

When you start looking at your business through that lens, something shifts.

Instead of constantly asking yourself, "What do I need to create next?" you start asking, "How can I help more people discover what I've already created?" I think that's a much healthier way to market your business.

Another thing that's been working really well and something I don't see changing anytime soon is making it really easy for someone to take the next step.

Remember, most people finding you on Pinterest have never heard of you before. They're not ready to buy your highest-ticket offer five minutes after clicking on a pin. They're getting to know you. That's why I love having a free resource or a low-ticket offer that's connected to the content someone is already reading. It gives them a chance to learn from you, build trust, and decide if they want to keep going.

Pinterest is often the introduction, but it doesn't have to be the entire journey. That's why I always encourage my clients to think about what happens after someone clicks. If someone lands on your website, is it obvious where to go next? Can they keep learning from you? Can they join your email list? Can they binge a few more blog posts or listen to your podcast?

The easier you make that experience, the more likely someone is to stick around.

One last thing I've noticed over the years is that the businesses seeing long-term success on Pinterest stay curious. They aren't chasing every new feature or wondering if they need to redesign their entire account every few months. Instead, they're paying attention. They're listening to the questions their audience keeps asking. They're updating older content instead of always starting from scratch. They're trying new ideas, seeing what resonates, and making small improvements over time. To me, that's what sustainable marketing looks like.

Not doing everything perfectly. Not posting everywhere all the time. Just continuing to create genuinely helpful content and making it easy for the right people to find it.

If you've been wondering what's actually working on Pinterest, I hope this article gives you permission to keep things simple.

This week, I'd encourage you to do three things:

• Take inventory of the content you've already created. I have a feeling there's more Pinterest-worthy content there than you realize.
• Pick one piece of evergreen content a blog, podcast episode, recipe, service page, or free resource and ask yourself how you could give it another opportunity to be discovered.
• Think about what happens after someone clicks. Is the next step clear? Are you inviting them to continue the conversation?

Those small changes might not feel groundbreaking today, but they have a way of adding up over time. Just like those hot air balloons in New Mexico, not everything lifts off the second you arrive. Some things simply take a little patience and, when they do, they're absolutely worth the wait.

If reading this has you thinking, "I know Pinterest could work for my business I just don't know where to start," I'd love to help.

The first place I'd recommend is my free Money Making Machine guide. It's designed to help you understand how Pinterest fits into an evergreen marketing strategy and how to start making the content you already have work even harder for your business.

If you're looking for something more personalized, my Pinterest Strategy Intensive is where we take everything we've talked about in this article and apply it specifically to your business. Together, we'll look at your content, your goals, your audience, and create a clear roadmap so you're not left wondering what to pin or where to focus next.

Because here's what I want you to remember: Pinterest isn't about chasing the latest trend.

It's about creating a marketing strategy that still works long after you've closed your laptop for the day, and if you ask me, that's the kind of business worth building.