I spent two years pinning into the void before I figured out that the image is 80% of the game. These are the seven Pinterest image hacks I use on every single pin now, with the exact numbers and settings behind them.
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- Pins at 1000 x 1500 px get roughly 34% more saves than square versions of the same design.
- Headlines in the top third of the image survive Pinterest's bottom overlay and get seen.
- Two fonts and two colors is the entire design system you need for a recognizable brand.
- Pins with a hand or face in the frame can triple saves compared to flat graphics.
- A 10-word, outcome-specific text overlay beats vague topic labels every time.
- Testing two versions per pin and keeping the winner doubled my average CTR in six months.
Why Your Pinterest Image Is Doing Most of the Work
Pinterest is a visual search engine, not a social network. When someone scrolls their home feed, they decide in roughly 1.5 seconds whether to stop — and that decision is almost entirely visual. Your caption, your link, and your board all matter, but none of them get read if the image doesn't earn the pause.
I learned this the hard way. My first 40 pins were pretty photos with tiny text and no clear promise. They averaged about 12 outbound clicks each over three months. When I switched to a tall, text-forward format with one clear benefit, the same blog posts started pulling 200+ clicks per pin. Same content, different image.
The good news: this is a skill, not a talent. Every hack below is something you can apply to your next pin in under ten minutes.
Hack 1: Use the 2:3 Ratio (1000 x 1500 px) Every Single Time
Pinterest's feed is built around a vertical 2:3 aspect ratio. Pins at 1000 x 1500 pixels fill that space completely, which means more visual real estate and more room for readable text. Square images get cropped or letterboxed, and horizontal images get shrunk down to a sliver.
I tested this directly: the same pin design at 1000 x 1500 versus 1000 x 1000. The tall version got 34% more saves over 30 days. That's not a huge study, but it matches what Pinterest itself recommends, and it's free to fix.
Keep your file under 20 MB and export as PNG for text-heavy designs or high-quality JPG for photos. Anything above 1500 px tall starts getting truncated in some feeds, so don't overdo it.
Hack 2: Put Your Headline in the Top Third
When Pinterest shows a pin in a grid, the bottom portion is often covered by the title overlay and profile info. If your key text sits at the bottom, it gets hidden. Put your main promise — the reason someone should click — in the top third of the image.
I design in Canva with a simple rule: headline at 15–20% from the top, supporting text in the middle, and a small logo or URL at the very bottom where it can safely be covered. My click-through rate on pins with top-anchored headlines runs about 2.5x higher than pins with centered text.
Use a font size of at least 60 px at 1000 px wide. If you have to squint on your phone, so will everyone else.
Hack 3: Pick Two Fonts and Never Break the Rule
Font chaos is the fastest way to look amateur. Pick one bold sans-serif for headlines (Montserrat Bold, Poppins, or Playfair Display if you want a touch of elegance) and one clean sans-serif for supporting text (Open Sans, Lato, or Source Sans Pro). That's it.
Contrast is what makes text readable on busy photos. If your background is light, use dark text with a subtle drop shadow. If it's dark, use white text with a semi-transparent overlay bar behind it. I keep a 60% black rectangle behind white text on photo backgrounds — it looks intentional and never fails readability.
The common mistake here is using a script font for the headline because it looks pretty. Script fonts are nearly unreadable at thumbnail size. Save them for your logo.
Hack 4: Use One Dominant Color and One Accent
Pinterest's algorithm rewards pins that stand out in a crowded feed, and color contrast is how you do that. Choose one dominant background color and one accent color for buttons, underlines, or highlighted words. Two colors, maximum, plus white or black for text.
My brand palette is warm cream (#FDF6EC) with a deep terracotta accent (#C75B39). Every pin I make uses those two plus charcoal text. The result is that my pins are instantly recognizable in a feed, which builds trust over time and gets more saves from returning viewers.
If you're not sure where to start, pull two colors from a photo you love using Coolors.co. Don't overthink it — consistency beats perfection.
Hack 5: Add a Face or a Hand When You Can
Pins with a human element — a face, a hand holding something, a person mid-action — consistently outperform pure graphics. Pinterest users are browsing for ideas and inspiration, and humans are wired to notice other humans.
I tested this on my recipe pins. A flat-lay photo of the finished dish averaged 45 saves. The same recipe with a hand reaching into the frame averaged 130 saves. Same recipe, same text overlay, same link.
You don't need to show your full face if you're not comfortable. A hand pouring coffee, holding a book, or pointing at a product works just as well. Crop tight so the human element is clear even at thumbnail size.
Hack 6: Write a Text Overlay That Promises a Specific Outcome
Vague text like "Healthy Living Tips" gets ignored. Specific text like "5 High-Protein Breakfasts Under 10 Minutes" gets clicked. The overlay is your headline, and it needs to name a clear benefit, a number, or a timeframe.
I use a simple formula: [Number] + [Specific Thing] + [Constraint or Benefit]. Examples from my own pins: "7 Pinterest Image Hacks That Get Clicks," "3-Ingredient Sauces for Busy Weeknights," "How I Grew to 10K Views in 60 Days." Each one tells the viewer exactly what they'll get.
Keep it under 10 words. If you can't say it in 10 words, your promise isn't clear enough yet.
Hack 7: Test Two Versions of Every Pin
Pinterest lets you add multiple images to a single pin, and you can also create fresh pins for the same URL. Use this. Design two versions of the same pin — different headline, different color, different photo — and publish them a week apart.
After 14 days, check Pinterest Analytics for impressions and outbound clicks. Keep the winner, retire the loser. I do this with every blog post I publish, and over six months it's doubled my average click-through rate because I stopped guessing and started letting the data decide.
The mistake here is testing too many variables at once. Change one thing — headline or image or color — so you actually learn something.
The Hacks, Step by Step
- 1Resize to 1000 x 1500 px
Open your design tool and set the canvas to 1000 x 1500. This is the 2:3 ratio Pinterest's feed is built for, and it gives you the most vertical space for text. - 2Move your headline to the top third
Drag your main text so it sits 15–20% from the top edge. This keeps it visible even when Pinterest overlays title and profile info at the bottom. - 3Set your two-font system
Choose one bold sans-serif for headlines and one clean sans-serif for body text. Use them on every pin from now on so your brand looks consistent. - 4Pick two brand colors
Select one dominant background color and one accent color. Use white or charcoal for text. Save the hex codes somewhere you'll find them. - 5Add a human element
If you have a photo with a hand, face, or person in action, use it. Crop tight so the human element is visible at thumbnail size. - 6Write a 10-word promise
Draft your overlay text using the formula [Number] + [Specific Thing] + [Benefit]. Cut it until it's under 10 words. - 7Publish two versions
Create a second version with one variable changed — headline, color, or photo. Publish it a week later and compare analytics after 14 days.
The image is the only part of your pin that gets a chance to earn the click — everything else is a reward for stopping the scroll.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best size for a Pinterest image?
1000 x 1500 pixels, which is the 2:3 vertical ratio Pinterest's feed is designed around. Keep the file under 20 MB and export as PNG for text-heavy designs or high-quality JPG for photos.
How much text should be on a Pinterest image?
Keep your main overlay under 10 words. Pinterest removed its old 20% text rule, but readability at thumbnail size still matters more than anything else you can control.
Do Pinterest pins with faces perform better?
Yes, in most cases. In my own testing, pins with a hand or face in the frame got roughly three times the saves of flat graphics with identical text and links.
How often should I create new pins for the same blog post?
Create a fresh pin every two to four weeks, changing one variable each time — headline, color, or photo. This gives the algorithm new content to surface and teaches you what your audience responds to.
Where should I put my logo on a Pinterest pin?
Place it at the very bottom of the image, small and unobtrusive. Pinterest often overlays title and profile info there, so anything important will get covered.
