Hey there, Pinterest enthusiast! Noticed your traffic taking a nosedive lately? Don’t worry—you’re definitely not alone. So many creators and businesses are scratching their heads wondering what happened to all those lovely clicks and views. Let’s chat about why your Pinterest traffic might have dropped and, more importantly, how to get those numbers climbing again.
Why Has Your Pinterest Traffic Dropped?
The Algorithm Changed (Again!)
Pinterest, like every social platform out there, is constantly tweaking how content gets distributed. Back in the day, Pinterest would show users more of what they already interacted with—pretty straightforward, right? But in 2020, they shook things up by diversifying what appears in your feed.
They started pushing idea pins (remember when they were called story pins?) and video content like crazy. Why? They wanted to keep you scrolling on the platform longer. While idea pins have since been phased out, video content is still a big deal on Pinterest.
For some niches—especially Fashion and Home Decor—Pinterest now prioritizes product pins over user-generated content. So if you’re a blogger in these areas, you might be feeling the squeeze as your content gets pushed down in favor of shoppable pins.
With all these changes happening, it’s totally normal to see your traffic numbers take a hit, especially if your content strategy hasn’t evolved alongside the platform.
Those Re-pins Aren’t Helping Anymore
Remember when everyone said re-pinning other people’s popular content was the secret to boosting your monthly views? Well, in 2024, that strategy is actually hurting more than helping.
Re-pins are simply pins saved from third parties. While this used to be a common tactic to inflate your numbers, it’s now working against you. Why? Because re-pins drive traffic to content that isn’t yours! If you’re running a Pinterest Business account, your main goal is probably driving traffic to YOUR content or products, not someone else’s.
To see those outbound clicks increase (you know, the metric that actually matters), you need to focus on pinning more of your own original content instead.
Someone Might Be Stealing Your Pins
This one’s frustrating—pin theft is a real problem on Pinterest. Despite the platform’s efforts to crack down on this practice, it still happens all too frequently.
Here’s how it works: someone targets your high-performing pins that rank well for specific keywords. They copy them, post them on their boards with the exact same keywords and descriptions you used, and then outrank you. Suddenly, pins that were bringing you thousands of clicks start underperforming dramatically.
It’s like someone copying your homework and getting a better grade—totally unfair, right?
Your Seasonal Content Is Losing Steam
If you’ve created pins for specific seasons or holidays—summer fun, Halloween decorations, Christmas recipes, back-to-school tips—you’ve probably noticed they perform incredibly well during their relevant season. The algorithm works overtime to show these pins to people searching for seasonal content.
But as the seasons change, so does interest in your content. Your Halloween pins won’t get much love in January, and your summer cocktail recipes won’t see much action in December. This natural cycle can cause noticeable traffic drops as the seasons shift.
Pinterest’s Spam Filter Caught You
In their battle against spam, Pinterest has implemented filters that sometimes catch innocent content creators in the crossfire. If your pins get flagged as spam (whether accurately or not), people won’t be able to click on them, or they’ll disappear from search results entirely.
This is particularly painful if you had pins ranking at the top for certain keywords that suddenly vanish from the listings. It’s happened to many creators and is one of the most frustrating Pinterest experiences you can have.
The Platform Is Just Glitching
Sometimes there’s no deep reason—Pinterest just glitches. One day your pin gets thousands of views, saves, and clicks, and the next morning… crickets. The same happens with monthly views sometimes. The platform isn’t perfect, and technical hiccups do occur.
Your Pinterest Strategy Needs a Refresh
How adaptable is your Pinterest approach? If you’re still using the same tactics from when you first created your account, your performance is bound to suffer.
Pinterest has evolved dramatically since its early days. Strategies that worked wonders in 2018 or 2019 might be completely ineffective now. The platform and its users have changed, and your approach needs to change with them.
You’re Not A/B Testing Your Content
Are you testing different versions of your pins to see what performs better? Your A/B tests could include variations in pin titles, descriptions, or calls to action.
Without testing, you’re essentially flying blind. You might think your pins are perfect, but there could be simple tweaks that would dramatically improve their performance—and you’d never know without testing.
Your SEO Game Is Weak
Search engine optimization isn’t just for Google—it’s crucial on Pinterest too. If the SEO on your pins, descriptions, titles, or boards isn’t up to par, you won’t get the conversions you’re hoping for.
Remember, Pinterest is fundamentally a visual search engine. People are searching for specific terms, and if your content isn’t optimized for those searches, it won’t show up in results.
You’re Not Pinning Enough Original Content
Consistency matters on Pinterest. Pinning just 2-5 times a day—especially if those pins aren’t consistent—won’t drive the traffic you’re hoping for. And if most of those pins are re-pins rather than your original content, your traffic numbers will suffer even more.
How to Fix Your Pinterest Traffic Drops
Now for the good stuff—let’s talk solutions!
1. Adapt to Algorithm Changes
If you haven’t embraced video content yet, now might be the time to start. Videos automatically play as users scroll, grabbing attention and encouraging engagement. In my experience managing multiple Pinterest accounts, video content consistently outperforms static pins, giving traffic boosts across different niches.
For niches where Pinterest is prioritizing product pins over user-generated content, you might just need to wait it out. Remember when Pinterest introduced the “show similar products” feature under pins? Bloggers were upset, but Pinterest eventually added an option to turn it off. The same might happen with the product pin emphasis.
Keep in mind that Pinterest has been working to become more of a shopping destination in recent years. While this shift isn’t great for bloggers, it’s an excellent opportunity for businesses selling products.
2. Focus on Your Own Content
The solution here is simple: pin more of your own content and limit re-pins. The more original pins you post, the higher your traffic will be. Your Pinterest Business account should be primarily showcasing YOUR content, not someone else’s.
3. Monitor for Stolen Pins
Make it a habit to search for your content or keywords you rank for to check if someone has stolen your pins. If you discover stolen content, report the pins or contact Pinterest support directly. Being proactive can help protect your traffic from these unethical practices.
4. Diversify Your Content Strategy
Don’t put all your eggs in the seasonal content basket. If your entire Pinterest strategy revolves around seasonal topics, your traffic will naturally fluctuate throughout the year—which can be problematic if you monetize your site with ads.
Balance your seasonal pins with evergreen content—topics that perform well year-round regardless of season. This provides a stable traffic foundation that won’t disappear when the seasons change.
This approach also relates to avoiding overly niched-down Pinterest accounts, but that’s a topic for another day!
5. Avoid Getting Flagged as Spam
Your content might be marked as spam for two reasons: either you’ve violated Pinterest’s best practices, or you’ve been accidentally flagged. In either case, you can appeal through Pinterest’s support desk.
Review Pinterest’s guidelines regularly to ensure your content stays within their parameters, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you believe your content has been incorrectly flagged.
6. Stay Calm During Glitches
When Pinterest experiences technical issues, there’s not much you can do except wait it out. Keep posting your content as usual and let Pinterest sort out their technical problems. Don’t panic or make drastic strategy changes based on temporary glitches.
7. Develop a Better Pinterest Strategy
As someone who’s managed numerous Pinterest accounts across different niches, I can tell you that no two accounts work exactly the same way. Sometimes even accounts in the same niche require different approaches.
I like to think of a successful Pinterest strategy as a three-step process:
1.Start with free Pinterest growth and marketing tips from YouTube and blogs to understand the basics.
2.Invest in a comprehensive Pinterest marketing course to deepen your knowledge.
3.Use what you’ve learned, combined with your own analytics, to create a customized strategy for your specific account.
That’s how you win the Pinterest marketing game. Each account is unique and requires a tailored approach based on your niche, audience, and content type.
8. Embrace A/B Testing
Start testing different versions of your pins to see what resonates with your audience. Try variations in:
- Pin titles
- Descriptions
- Images or graphics
- Calls to action
- Posting times
The insights you gain from these tests will help you refine your strategy and create content that performs better over time.
9. Improve Your Pinterest SEO
Take time to research and use the right keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and board names. Think about what your target audience is searching for and incorporate those terms naturally.
Remember that Pinterest SEO and A/B testing go hand in hand—you’ll discover your top-performing keywords through testing different approaches.
10. Pin More Consistently
Increase your pinning frequency and consistency. Rather than sporadically pinning a few times a day, develop a regular pinning schedule that your audience can count on. And make sure the majority of what you’re pinning is your own original content, not re-pins.
The Bottom Line
Pinterest traffic fluctuations are normal, but understanding why they happen gives you the power to address them effectively. By staying flexible, focusing on quality original content, and continuously refining your strategy, you can recover from traffic drops and build a stronger Pinterest presence than ever before.
Remember that Pinterest marketing is always evolving, so what works today might not work tomorrow. The key is to stay informed, be willing to adapt, and keep testing new approaches to find what works best for your unique situation.
Have you experienced Pinterest traffic drops? Which of these solutions are you going to try first? Whatever approach you take, consistency and patience will be your best friends on this journey. Happy pinning!
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