Pinterest

Top 5 Fears About Pinterest—and How Book Creators Can Overcome Them

As book creators and sellers, it’s natural to hesitate when it comes to using Pinterest. It’s not known for instant results or quick interactions, so it might not seem like the obvious choice for marketing. But what if I told you that Pinterest’s unique style of growth could actually help you build a lasting legacy for your work?

Let’s break down some common fears that authors, illustrators, and book sellers often have about Pinterest. From concerns over the time it takes to gain traction to worries about creating visuals, these hesitations are valid—but they’re also opportunities. Pinterest is built for longevity and discovery, not quick likes, and fleeting trends. Once you see how it works, you’ll realize it’s a powerful tool for reaching readers over the long haul.

  • Fear of Content Not Making an Immediate Impact:

    Pinterest isn’t about overnight success, and that’s a good thing! It’s like planting a seed; each pin takes time to grow, slowly gaining traction instead of fading away in a day or two. For book creators, this means your content keeps reaching new readers long after it’s posted.

  • Uncertainty Around Visual Content Creation:

    Creating eye-catching visuals can feel intimidating, especially if you’re more comfortable with words. But Pinterest is all about creativity, and you don’t need to be a design pro to make engaging pins. Tools like Canva make it simple, and visuals can actually enhance the way you connect with readers.

  • Worry About the Time Investment:

    Pinterest can seem like a big-time commitment, but it doesn’t require constant posting to see results. Consistency is the key—just a few well-made pins each week can build a strong presence. With scheduling tools, you can batch your content, making it much easier to manage.

  • Not Knowing How to Use Pinterest Strategically:

    It’s easy to think of Pinterest as just another social platform, but it’s actually a powerful discovery engine—perfect for showcasing your books to the right audience. Well-crafted pins do more than just attract clicks; they build awareness, spark curiosity, and encourage readers to dig deeper. You’re not just posting for likes—you’re inviting people to explore your world and discover what makes your work unique.

  • Fear of Slow Results:

    It’s true that Pinterest is a slower burn than other platforms, but that’s its strength. Content doesn’t expire—it keeps building momentum over time. Some pins take months to hit their stride, but when they do, they have staying power, continuing to bring new eyes to your work.

By reframing these fears, book creators can start to see Pinterest as more than just another platform. It’s a space for thoughtful creators who want their work to reach audiences for years to come. Instead of seeing Pinterest as a challenge, think of it as a partner in sharing your stories and inspiring readers long into the future.


Pin Lit Marketing is the premier Pinterest strategist for books, blending literary insight with unmatched expertise in captivating young readers. Your new audience awaits! Sign up for a Fit Call today!

Pinning Your Legacy: A Long-Lasting Strategy for Book Creators on Pinterest

I’m often asked how Pinterest differs from other social media and why book creators and sellers should consider using it. Unlike platforms where content fades within hours or days, Pinterest is built for the long haul. Think of it more as a discovery engine than a social feed—one designed for ongoing inspiration and continuity. Rather than quick interactions or fleeting likes, Pinterest offers a place where your books, guides, or illustrations can be pinned today and rediscovered months or even years down the line. For book creators, that’s a game-changer! Each piece of content becomes evergreen, continually finding new audiences whenever they’re ready.

Pinterest’s focus on visual storytelling makes it ideal for highlighting your work. Every pin offers a snapshot of the world you’ve created, whether it’s a glimpse into your book’s themes, a character’s journey, or an educational takeaway. So, why Pinterest? If you’re passionate about leaving a lasting impact, Pinterest is a natural fit—not just another social platform, but a space for your life’s work, where audiences can engage on their terms, at their pace.

Much like crafting a book, success on Pinterest requires time, refinement, and consistency. Patience is key here; think of each pin as a seed that takes time to grow. Unlike fast-paced social platforms, Pinterest’s slow-burn growth is an advantage. When you invest in creating quality pins, they don’t just disappear; they continue to work for you, reaching new audiences again and again. For book creators, this means your work has lasting power, allowing your content to find its audience naturally, on their schedule, not the platform’s.

Pinterest also rewards clarity and focus. Over time, you’ll notice which pins resonate most, giving you invaluable feedback to refine your visuals and messaging. This refinement process often reveals insights about your audience—like which themes, colors, or phrases resonate most deeply. Refining your approach on Pinterest is about aligning your brand, whether it’s a book series or artwork, with the values that best connect with your audience.

Finally, consistency is essential. Success on Pinterest isn’t about a single great pin; it’s about showing up regularly. Consistent posting keeps your content visible and builds familiarity, helping your audience know they can rely on you for inspiring or informative content. This ongoing presence builds trust and keeps you top of mind when someone is ready to explore or recommend a new book or resource. Consistency gives Pinterest its strength as a long-term marketing partner—by showing up steadily, you’re creating a lasting connection with your audience.

In conclusion, time, refinement, and consistency are the foundation for sustainable growth on Pinterest. You’re not just marketing for the moment; you’re building a presence that reflects your life’s work, ready to connect with people for years to come.


Pin Lit Marketing is the premier Pinterest strategist for books, blending literary insight with unmatched expertise in captivating young readers. Your new audience awaits! Sign up for a Fit Call today!

Using Pinterest as Market Research: ANYONE Can Do It!

I have strong feelings about a whole lot of things. For example, I believe that all kids need to learn how to play a musical instrument (Even badly). Also, in my view, no one should earn a college diploma until they have worked in the public sector as wait staff (This would convince diners to become better tippers!). Lastly, I am certain that all authors and illustrators – pre-published to the experts – should be dabbling in Pinterest to enhance literary perspectives as well as to become acquainted with their audiences. This process is free. No pin creation required. You in?

By now we all know that Pinterest is a crazy powerful visual discovery engine. In this newsletter, we usually focus on optimizing our Pins in efforts to wow our intended audience. This time let’s examine the power of the Board as a sleuth-like tool to probe around the platform. The good news is that everyone can do so without having to make a single Pin!

We often describe Boards as little pouches where we tuck away related Pins. See them as handpicked showcases of images, ideas, and inspirations, all grouped under a distinct theme. The catchiest Board Titles stem from straightforward phrases Pinterest users pop into the Search bar. Whether you cast a wide net or zoom in closely in your market research, your title's scope can vary accordingly.

For example, say you are a pre-published author writing a young adult historical fiction fantasy novel set in Detroit. Talk about distinct themes to explore! Some Board Title examples might be…

  • Detroit Historical Fiction

  • Young Adult Fantasy

  • YA Historical Fantasy Novels

  • Detroit-based YA Fantasy

  • Detroit Magic and Myth

  • YA Fantasy Characters

  • Detroit Historical Fantasy Reads

Although these titles may seem repetitive, there is a logic behind the madness. Such repetition helps establish your specific niche on the platform, signaling the algorithms about your identity, content, and the target audience you aim to engage. After setting up a Board on Pinterest, the system will recommend related Pins that its algorithms deem appropriate for your board. Check them out. Some of the pins will align perfectly, while others might miss the mark. That is okay. This procedure provides insights for when your moment to shine arrives.

This type of market research not only demonstrates who is marketing similar content on the platform, but what they are displaying. And, as a bonus, you are establishing your own digital footprint in your niche. All of this without making a single pin!

In short, there is a place for all book creators and sellers on Pinterest. With a little bit of planning and a whole lot of fun, anyone can use the platform for their benefit.

Are you interested in knowing how this process might benefit your marketing platform? Why not reach out and schedule a call today? Together we can see how Pinterest can benefit you!

Catching the Valentine's Day Trend with Pin Lit Marketing & Guides by Deb Client Books

Those of us who market our wares on Pinterest reference the term “Trends” on a regular basis. We use Trends to anticipate when our intended audience will access the platform to search for our content. This type of marketing requires consistency, intentionality, and laser focus on offering quality content, the type that our readers are compelled to connect with. 

This blog post is being written at the end of November. Believe it or not, we’re now beginning to anticipate how we’ll use the Valentine’s Day trend to our benefit. Because this trend begins to rise on December 22 and peaks on February 16, now is the time to begin exploring how we might use the climb to our advantage. We’ll begin dropping this content by December 15. 

We here at Pin Lit Marketing and at Guides by Deb are privileged to work with some of the finest books in the business, many of which celebrate love. Below you’ll find examples of books that we’ll be featuring in efforts to catch that Valentine’s Day trend. Stop by the Pin Lit Marketing Pinterest platform to see just how we showcase these amazing stories. 


Book Information:

Title: When You Look Out the Window: How Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin Built a Community

Author: Gayle Pitman

Illustrator: Christopher Lyles

Publisher: Magination Press

ISBN-13: 978-1433827365

Educator Guide

Synopsis: When You Look Out the Window tells the story of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, one of San Francisco's most well-known and politically active lesbian couples. Describing the view from Phyllis and Del's window, this book shows how one couple's activism transformed their community — and had ripple effects throughout the world.

Includes a Reading Guide that provides helpful historical context, and a Note to Parents, Caregivers, and Educators about the importance of teaching LGBTQ history and culture to children.

This is a unique way to introduce children to untold stories in history while also being a clever tribute to two notable women.


Title: Daddy Speaks Love

Author: Leah Henderson

Illustrator: E.B. Lewis

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

ISBN-13: 978-0593354360

Educator Guide

Synopsis: A moving tribute to the joy and grounding that fathers bring to their children's lives.

What does a daddy do? From day one, this daddy speaks love to his little one. And along with that love, his words and actions speak many other things, too: like truth, joy, comfort, and pride. Like many dads, he answers a million questions and tries to make sure that days are full of fun adventures, giggles, and hugs. Dads are good at scaring away imaginary monsters, and honest about how to confront the real ones too. They set an example for the future, speaking out for equality and justice, while sharing lessons from the past. But most of all, daddies encourage their young ones to fight for a better world, with the comfort of knowing their dads are right beside them. Daddy Speaks Love speaks to that everlasting bond between children and their fathers and is a perfect gift for special occasions including Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, baby showers, and more!


Title: The Best Kind of Gift

Author: Kathi Appelt

Illustrator: Paul Brett Johnson

Publisher: HarperCollins

ISBN-13: 978-0688153939

Kathi on Pinterest

Synopsis:The folks in Dogwood are abuzz with excitement when a new parson comes to lead their congregation. The whole town gets busy preparing a pounding -- where everyone brings "a pound o' this and a pound o' that" to make Brother Harper feel more at home.

Jory Timmons wants so badly to give the perfect gift to Brother Harper. But it seems that he is too small to do anything right! He can't light a stove to bake a pie like Mama, and he isn't strong enough to carry a sack of corn like his older brother, Thomas.

But in this lively tale, loaded with country charm, Jory Timmons learns that the best gifts are given when he is simply being himself.


Title: Until the Blueberries Grow

Author: Jennifer Wolf Kam

Illustrator: Sally Walker

Publisher: PJ LIbrary

ISBN-13: 978-1736557334

Jen on Pinterest

Synopsis: Until the blueberries grow . . . until the grapes are ripe . . . until the snow falls . . . until the flowers bloom . . . Ben tries to convince his great-grandfather to stay in his house just a little longer as the two celebrate a yearly cycle of Jewish holidays together.

"This sweet story of family abounds with food, flowers, and quality time with loved ones." - Kirkus review, 2022

“The book opens with Ben and his great-grandfather, Zayde, enjoying blueberries right off the bushes, and the two continue to share different foods together throughout the seasons of the year... But Zayde is growing older, and Ben must learn to accommodate change…Every picture shows their sensitivity and awareness of one another’s needs, echoing the Jewish traditions of caring for children and the elderly…The love between generations, the observance of holidays that give meaning to the Jewish year, and the sacred proportions of both the natural world and the homes where we live — all are presented as tangibly as the blueberries that a boy and his great-grandfather share." - Emily Schneider for The Jewish Book Council, 2022


Title: Under an Indigo Moon

Author: JL Crosswhite

Publisher: Tandem Services Press

ISBN-13: 9781954986053

Part of the Holcomb Springs Small Town Romantic Suspense Series

Jennifer on Pinterest

Synopsis: Former big-city architect and single mom Carissa Carver is starting over in Holcomb Springs with her two boys. She has dropped all of her savings into vacant Victorian she bought at an online auction, hoping to flipping and build a better life.

But the house is nothing like what it was represented in the photos, and the neighbors are just plain weird. Figuring she has once again made a bad choice, she’s re-thinking her whole plan. But the chocolate lab that comes with the house, Charlie, has adopted them, particularly Alex, her son with Asperger’s. Not having the heart to tear him away from something that brings him joy, she digs into making this money pit work.

But when things go missing, her house is vandalized, and she finds human bones in the basement, she wonders what she’s really gotten them into. Is this one more bad decision or something truly dangerous?

Deputy Sheriff Jonas McCann relocated to Holcomb Springs four years ago after the death of his wife and daughter in a car accident. He’s visiting the town’s library when he inadvertently stumbles upon a singles’ meetup the librarian has arranged: Find your soul mate by their taste in books. He tries to duck out, gets roped in. Spotting Carissa and assuming she's a tourist, he figures she’s a safe bet and strikes up a conversation with her, pretending to know her from somewhere, to get away from an overly interested woman. She’s a good sport and plays along.

Later when he responds to a burglary call, he’s surprised to discover it’s her house. As more strange things happen around the house, Jonas is drawn further into his desire to protect her and to be a positive influence on the boys he’s come to have a heart for. Can he solve the mystery before she and her boys get hurt? Does it have anything to do with the missing teenager? Or are those just ghost stories and small-town rumors? Especially the ones about the indigo moon.

 

Lasting Reflections Of Self Expression: The Idea Pin

We’re so excited to announce the Second Annual Pinterest Pals Summer Reading Book Club is off and running! The Landing Page is launched. Clients’ video and static organic pins are scheduled on my platform and Tailwind. We’re even making our mark over on Instagram. Now, we have one more aspect of the campaign to create – The Idea Pins. The Idea Pins I made for last year’s campaign have brought in over 7K impressions, thus far (Which means that over 7,000 sets of eyes landed on them! Yay!). I’d like to double that number this year.

With Idea Pins, we discover ways to inspire, educate, and inform our audience with videos, stills, animation, text overlays, and audio. Once known as the Story Pin, the intent of Idea Pins is to tell the story of you. They’re evergreen flickers of color and movement revealing who you are, what your stories are about, and ways your audience can build a relationship with you. Imagine constructing something original, genuine, lasting, and wildly creative that doubles as a marketing tool. Cool, right?

Please be our guest and tour the Pinterest platforms linked to the Second Annual Pinterest Pals Summer Reading Book Club Landing Page. There you will discover how a poet, a historian, a writing coach, a yogi, a literary activist, and others are telling their stories with Idea Pins.

Contact me if you want to know more about building a Pinterest platform founded on you and your authentic messaging. Let’s explore creative ways to enhance your reach with Pinterest.

Also, you conference planners, consider adding Pinterest to your marketing panel discussions. Your attendees will be very glad that you did.

Passengers (And Authors), Prepare For Landing

I have travel plans. 

On Friday, John and I are returning to the Lone Star State and I’m plenty excited about the trip. We’re flying into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Despite recent renovations, I am very familiar with the airport layout. I’ve flown in and out of that place countless times. I know my way around the joint. I feel secure there.

In June, I’m taking a trip to Salt Lake City. This will be the first time I've landed at the Salt Lake City International Airport. You can bet, once the plane has landed and I make my way down the jet bridge, I’ll be thinking, “Where should I go?” I anticipate that there will be plenty of well-placed, easy to-understand signs available to help me find my way.  Well-crafted website landing pages need to serve your audience in a similar fashion.

Think about your audience’s travel experience prior to discovering your website. Who knows where their flight may have originated from – a conference, a social media post, a Zoom webinar? Whatever it may be, something interesting compelled them to scour the internet to find your website. If you and your website are familiar, they might be tolerant of some confusion while searching for the information they need. If they don’t know you and cannot easily find the information they desire, they’ll bounce. Bummer, man.

This week we’re crafting the pins for the Second Annual Pinterest Pals Summer Reading Book Club. I cannot wait for you to see these gorgeous treasures. Collage pins. Video pins. Idea pins. Genre-specific collections. Book-jacket standalones. We have also prepared a campaign web page to assure a smooth-landing after they have clicked-through to our website. For them, much like for me in Salt Lake City, orientation will be required. They need to easily understand where to go to get what they need.

The purpose for the Summer Reading Book Club is to showcase (and sell) selected books written by our 2022 clients, and to highlight their Pinterest platforms. This messaging will be creatively communicated through graphics and pin descriptions. By clearly doing so, our click-through audience (All thousands of them!) will know the purpose of their landing and what to do next. As you can see, we’ve made it very easy for them to either view the authors’ Pinterest platforms and/or purchase their books.

ETA for the Summer Reading Book Club takeoff is Monday, April 18. Buckle up and join us as we fly the friendly skies of Pinterest.

Visibility Hang Time From A Goalie’s Perspective

Believe it not, I was once a fierce and widely feared (Feared? That be stretching it, a little bit.) goalie for a women’s league team called The Sugar Cubes. Most of our games were played in the East Dallas area. Our greatest rival was a team called The Charlie’s Angels and, oh…did they ever play dirty. I still recall defeating their best player in a shootout. How can I ever forget? My messed-up left knee reminds me of that triumphal moment every day.

My favorite part of the game was punting. I had a knack for keeping that ball in the air.  I knew I had done well when Sissy, our most ferocious fullback, would cut me a side glance and say, “Nice hang time.” Oh, yeah.

You’re wondering what this trip down Memory Lane has to do with Pinterest, right? Everything.

I learned something the other day that shocked me. I came across a video featuring my friend and mentor Amber Peterson discussing the benefits of adding Pinterest to one’s marketing strategies. During her presentation, which was filmed in 2020, she compared the visibility longevity of Pinterest pins with social media platforms. Using stats from 2019, she reported:

  • Facebook posts have a visibility hangtime of 5 hours.

  • Twitter tweets are seen for 24 minutes.

  • Instagram posts have a 48-hour viewing window.

  • Pins are evergreen. They remain searchable as long as the content is viable and one’s platform is live.

Isn’t that amazing? And those numbers are old! Those viewing windows are probably even shorter today. Amber also stated that, next to Google and YouTube, Pinterest is the third largest search engine in the world. And, that Pinterest boards show up in Google searches! Facts such as these fuel my passion for pinning. We need to get our books, programs, and on this powerful platform – Now! (Three exclamation points in seven lines. You get my drift?)

Thanks for reading about my hang-time glory days on the soccer field. Score!!!!

Pinterest Marketing for the Kid Lit Crowd - Pin-Crafting Basics

Make a Pinterest pin by following the easy-peasy steps described in this video:

In this video, using my best Montessori teacher voice, I demonstrate just how easy it is to make a Pinterest pin using Canva, a free on-line software program. While the pin crafted in this video is a super-simple one, it gets the job done just fine. I bet, once you become familiar with Canva, you’ll want to make lots of projects like Facebook graphics, groovy bookmarks, and nifty postcards to promote your great work. I’d love to see what you come up with!

Most of you already know that I happen to be on fire for Pinterest. I’ve had a vibrant account for a little over a year now and am racking up over a 1.3 million impressions on my platform to date. I’m now offering my services to help other authors & Illustrators maximize the potential of this powerful platform in the same way that I have.

Let me know if you’d like to know more about the power of Pinterest.

I’m here if you need me.



Deb Bio & Pics.png