Pinterest and email marketing support different parts of the customer journey.
Pinterest helps new people discover your business through search-friendly content. Email marketing gives you a direct way to continue that relationship after someone leaves Pinterest.
When the two channels work together, Pinterest can bring qualified visitors to your website while your email list helps turn those visitors into returning readers, subscribers, customers, or clients.
Quick Answer
Pinterest and email marketing work together by moving people through a simple customer journey:
Pinterest search → helpful content → email signup → welcome sequence → ongoing relationship
Pinterest creates discovery. A relevant lead magnet encourages the visitor to join your list. Email then delivers the promised resource, builds trust, and guides the subscriber toward another useful action.
The goal is not to force every Pinterest visitor to buy immediately. It is to offer a natural next step that allows interested people to stay connected.
Why Pinterest and Email Marketing Work Well Together
Pinterest and email marketing solve two different marketing challenges.
Pinterest helps your business get discovered by people who may have never heard of you. Email gives you a way to communicate with those people again after their first visit.
Unlike a traditional social-media feed, Pinterest is frequently used to search for ideas, products, services, tutorials, resources, and solutions.
Learn more about this behavior in Pinterest as a Search Engine: How It Works for Small Businesses.
A person might discover one of your Pinterest pins while searching for:
- A business checklist
- A product recommendation
- A tutorial
- A printable
- A gift guide
- A service
- A planning template
- An answer to a specific question
After clicking the pin, the visitor may not be ready to purchase immediately. An email signup gives them another way to continue learning from your business.
Step 1: Use Pinterest to Create Discovery
Pinterest can introduce your business to people who are actively searching for topics related to your products, services, or content.
A search-focused Pinterest pin can lead someone to:
- A blog article
- A product page
- A service page
- A collection
- A free resource
- A quiz
- A workshop
- A landing page
Pinterest discovery works best when the pin targets a specific search phrase and the linked page clearly delivers what the pin promises.
For example, a pin titled Pinterest SEO Checklist for Small Businesses should lead to a useful Pinterest SEO resource—not a general homepage.
If you need help choosing the correct search phrases, read How to Do Pinterest Keyword Research.
Step 2: Create a Lead Magnet That Matches the Search
A lead magnet is a free resource offered in exchange for someone’s email address.
It creates a bridge between a Pinterest click and your email list.
The strongest lead magnets solve a small, specific problem related to what the Pinterest visitor was already searching for.
Examples include:
- Checklists
- Templates
- Mini guides
- Planners
- Worksheets
- Quizzes
- Resource lists
- Discount codes
- Free printables
- Early-access offers
The resource should feel like a natural continuation of the pin and landing page.
For example:
Pinterest search: How to optimize a Pinterest profile
Blog article: Pinterest Profile SEO: What to Optimize
Lead magnet: Pinterest Profile Optimization Checklist
The visitor should not feel as though the topic suddenly changed after clicking.
Step 3: Connect the Pin to a Focused Landing Page
Pinterest pins can link to a dedicated signup page or to a useful article containing an email form.
A focused landing page should clearly explain:
- What the visitor will receive
- Who the resource is for
- What problem it helps solve
- How it will be delivered
- What happens after signup
Avoid sending every lead-magnet pin to your general homepage. The visitor should not have to search your website to find the resource that was promised.
The pin, landing page, signup form, and delivery email should all focus on the same topic.
This creates a smoother customer journey and makes the next step easier to understand.
Step 4: Deliver the Promised Resource Immediately
After someone joins your email list, send the promised checklist, guide, coupon, or download as soon as possible.
This first email should:
- Confirm the signup
- Deliver the resource
- Thank the subscriber
- Introduce your business briefly
- Explain what kind of emails they can expect
- Provide one clear next step
The first email is important because it fulfills the promise made on Pinterest.
Do not make subscribers search through a long email to locate the resource. Place the download button or access link where it is easy to find.
Step 5: Use a Welcome Sequence to Build Trust
One delivery email is helpful, but a short welcome sequence gives you more time to establish the relationship.
Your welcome sequence might include:
Email 1: Deliver the Resource
Send the freebie or confirmation immediately and introduce your business.
Email 2: Answer a Related Question
Address a common concern or explain one important concept related to the resource.
Email 3: Share a Helpful Example
Provide a case study, tutorial, product example, client result, or behind-the-scenes explanation.
Email 4: Introduce the Next Step
Invite the subscriber to explore a related product, service, article, or offer.
Each email should continue the same conversation that began with the Pinterest pin.
A person who downloaded a Pinterest checklist should not immediately receive an unrelated product promotion. The emails should build naturally from the subscriber’s original interest.
Step 6: Send Email Subscribers Back to Evergreen Content
Pinterest can send visitors to your email list, but email can also send subscribers back to your website.
Your newsletters can highlight:
- Evergreen blog posts
- New tutorials
- Seasonal collections
- Product launches
- Service pages
- Free resources
- Updated guides
- Customer stories
This creates a useful content cycle.
An article may first attract a visitor through Pinterest. Later, the same article can be shared with email subscribers, updated with new information, and promoted again using new Pinterest designs.
Pinterest content can continue driving traffic beyond the day it is published. Read How Pinterest Drives Long-Term Website Traffic for a deeper explanation.
Step 7: Turn Email Questions Into Pinterest Content
Your subscribers can help you understand what your audience actually wants to learn.
Pay attention to:
- Email replies
- Frequently clicked links
- Questions sent through your contact form
- Common customer concerns
- Popular newsletter topics
- Frequently requested resources
- Product or service objections
These insights can become:
- New blog posts
- Pinterest pins
- Frequently asked questions
- Lead magnets
- Product guides
- Service content
- Email campaigns
For example, if several subscribers ask where Pinterest keywords should be placed, that question can inspire a dedicated article and several new pins.
You could then direct readers to Where to Use Keywords on Pinterest.
This allows your Pinterest and email strategies to improve each other instead of operating separately.
Step 8: Keep the Message Consistent
The complete journey should feel connected.
The following elements should focus on the same subject:
- Pinterest pin
- Pin title
- Pin description
- Landing page
- Signup form
- Lead magnet
- Delivery email
- Welcome sequence
- Product or service offer
A disconnected journey creates confusion.
For example, imagine that a visitor clicks a pin promising a Pinterest Content Calendar Template, but the landing page promotes general business coaching. Even if the offer is useful, it does not match the visitor’s original intent.
Consistency helps the person understand that they reached the correct page and received the resource they expected.
Step 9: Track the Full Pinterest-to-Email Journey
Do not measure success using Pinterest impressions alone.
Impressions tell you that content appeared on Pinterest, but they do not show whether the content moved someone toward a meaningful business action.
Track metrics across the complete journey.
Pinterest Metrics
Review:
- Impressions
- Saves
- Pin clicks
- Outbound clicks
- Top-performing pins
- Top-performing boards
Website Metrics
Review:
- Landing-page visits
- Time on page
- Email signup rate
- Lead-magnet conversions
- Most visited articles
- Traffic sources
Email Metrics
Review:
- Delivery rate
- Open rate
- Click rate
- Replies
- Unsubscribes
- Product or service conversions
Tracking the entire path helps you identify where people lose interest.
For example:
- High Pinterest impressions but few clicks may indicate a weak headline or design.
- Strong outbound clicks but few signups may indicate a weak landing page.
- Strong signup numbers but low email engagement may indicate that the welcome sequence does not match the promised resource.
Pinterest and Email Marketing Example
Here is what a complete Pinterest-to-email path might look like for a Shopify business.
Pinterest Pin
Headline: Shopify Product Page Checklist
Destination Page
A blog article explaining how to improve product titles, descriptions, images, trust elements, and calls to action.
Lead Magnet
A printable Shopify product-page checklist.
Delivery Email
The checklist is delivered immediately with a brief introduction.
Welcome Email
The next email explains three common Shopify product-page mistakes.
Follow-Up Offer
The subscriber is invited to explore a Shopify web-design or store-optimization service.
Every stage supports the same goal and speaks to the same problem.
Common Pinterest and Email Marketing Mistakes
Promoting an Unrelated Lead Magnet
The resource should match the Pinterest topic closely.
Sending Pinterest Traffic to a General Homepage
Use a focused article, service page, product page, or landing page.
Delaying the Delivery Email
Subscribers should receive the promised resource promptly.
Adding Subscribers Without Clear Expectations
Tell people what they are joining and what emails they can expect.
Sending an Immediate Hard Sales Pitch
Deliver value and establish context before making a strong offer.
Ignoring Mobile Design
Pinterest visitors are often using mobile devices. Test the landing page, signup form, and email on a phone.
Failing to Test the Complete Journey
Submit your own form and confirm that every page, link, automation, and download works correctly.
Measuring Only Impressions
Track outbound clicks, signups, email engagement, and meaningful customer actions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pinterest help grow an email list?
Yes. Pinterest can bring search-focused visitors to landing pages, articles, and lead magnets.
The resource should closely match the topic of the pin so the signup feels like a useful next step.
Should Pinterest pins link directly to a signup form?
A pin can link to a focused landing page containing a signup form.
The landing page should explain what the visitor will receive, why it is useful, and what happens after they subscribe.
What email should a Pinterest subscriber receive first?
Send the promised resource or confirmation first.
The email should clearly provide access to the resource and briefly explain what the subscriber can expect next.
Do I need a large website to use this strategy?
No.
You need:
- A clear landing page
- A working signup form
- A useful resource
- An email platform
- A tested delivery automation
- Relevant Pinterest content
A smaller website with a clear customer journey can work better than a large website with confusing navigation.
How many emails should be in a welcome sequence?
A simple welcome sequence may contain three to five emails.
The correct number depends on the resource, audience, offer, and complexity of the customer journey.
How often should I promote a lead magnet on Pinterest?
You can create several fresh pins for the same lead magnet using different headlines, visual layouts, and content angles.
Keep each pin relevant to the same destination and avoid making promises the resource does not fulfill.
Can product-based businesses use Pinterest and email together?
Yes.
Product-based businesses can use Pinterest to promote gift guides, product education, collections, seasonal ideas, checklists, and useful resources.
Email can then support launches, product recommendations, restocks, seasonal promotions, and customer retention.
A Simple Email Platform Option
If you need a platform for creating signup forms, delivering lead magnets, and building welcome automations, you can explore Flodesk.
Choose an email platform that fits your budget, workflow, audience, and automation needs.
Always test the complete subscriber experience before promoting the signup form.
Referral disclosure: The Flodesk link is a referral link. I may receive a benefit if you sign up through it, at no additional cost to you.
Key Takeaways
- Pinterest introduces new people to your content through visual search.
- A relevant lead magnet moves Pinterest visitors onto your email list.
- The first email should immediately deliver what was promised.
- A welcome sequence can build trust and introduce the next step.
- Email newsletters can send subscribers back to useful website content.
- Subscriber questions can inspire future Pinterest content.
- The pin, landing page, email, and offer should all focus on the same topic.
- Track the complete journey instead of measuring Pinterest impressions alone.
Build a More Connected Pinterest Strategy
Pinterest works best when it is connected to a useful website, clear content, and an intentional customer journey.
Read How to Create a Pinterest Content Calendar to organize your publishing strategy.
You can also explore what Pinterest management services include or visit Lavender Pin Co for Pinterest marketing and Shopify web-design support.