Pinterest, the place where you pin cake recipes and travel inspo. Beyond all those pics, it’s actually a serious traffic and brand-boosting machine.
But years ago, I was in your shoes, staring at my Pinterest analytics and wondering how on earth people were getting millions of monthly views, while my pins were just there.
So, my first Pinterest attempt? An absolute disaster!
I tried posting random inspirational quotes (you know, the kind everyone shares), thinking they’d go viral instantly, but they didn’t.
Figuring out what actually works took me years before I hit 3M monthly views.
But you don’t have to go through all that yourself.
There are helpful Pinterest courses that can, indeed, save you years of chaos.
Here’s what I wish I had when I started.
In Summary
Pinterest isn’t just full of cute cakes, wedding dresses, and travel pics; it’s basically a visual search engine. And when you learn how to use it the right way, it can change your business in a pretty big and clear way.
Key points:
- Pinterest has over 500M monthly users, and 90 percent of them are ready to buy.
- Pins can send traffic for months, unlike Instagram posts that die in a day or two.
- Free courses on Pinterest Academy 1 and Tailwind’s courses 2 give you solid basics without spending a cent.
- Udemy’s paid 3 course is packed with SEO, ads, and templates, but it can feel heavy for beginners.
- Doing the real work matters more than the course itself.
Even the best course won’t do much if you don’t try things and keep going. Start with a free course, pick one clear goal, and use what you learn as soon as you can.
Why Does Pinterest Actually Matter?
Pinterest isn’t just another social media platform. It’s actually more like a visual search engine. Think of it more like Google, but with pictures and videos instead of just text.
While stuff you post on Instagram only gets seen for a day or two, things you put on Pinterest can bring people to your website for months or even years!
When it comes to the audience, from Gen Z students, millennials, and retirees, Pinterest has over 500 million monthly active users.
And the most interesting part is that 90% of them are actually there looking to make purchases, as they are actively searching for things to buy.
Pinterest also found that 97% of what people search for isn’t branded, meaning users are looking up general things like “DIY projects” or “recipes” instead of specific brand names.
This is perfect for new small businesses and creators who can compete with well-established names by making helpful content that people are searching for.
Picking the Right Course
There are so many Pinterest courses out there. Like, seriously, I think everyone who has ever had a viral pin has created a course about it.
So, before we look at specific courses, let’s talk about what you actually need to think about, because the “best” course really depends on what you want to do and where you are right now.
Questions You Should Ask Yourself
- Do you need an actual certificate? Or do you just want to know how to make pins that don’t look like a third-grader made them? (Anyway, a certificate doesn’t mean anything if you can’t get what you need)
- How much time can you realistically commit? Be honest with yourself here. I signed up for a super comprehensive course, not a Pinterest one, but I then realized I could only dedicate about two hours a week to learning.
- What’s your budget looking like? Because, while there are some great free options, sometimes paying for a course can actually save you time and money in the long run.
Another important thing is to look into the course creator’s background and what other people are saying about it in reviews. Doing this might save you hours and, yes, your hard-earned money.
The Best Pinterest Courses List for Beginners
Let’s break down our top 3 picks of Pinterest courses in detail, so you can easily find the best one that works for you.
1. Pinterest Academy
Pinterest Academy is Pinterest’s own academy, which is kind of like learning to drive from the people who built the car, as they definitely know their stuff. The courses feel more interactive and work well for business owners.
What I mean is, if you’re running a business, like an online store, they cover almost everything to help you stand out as a brand on Pinterest, and the best part is, it’s completely free.
Offered by: Pinterest
Platform: Pinterest Academy (free e-learning)
What you’ll learn:
- Pinterest basics: Why Pinterest matters and how people use it
- Ad formats: Promoted Pins, Shopping ads, video ads
- Targeting tactics: Finding your dream audience and using Trends
- Analytics: How to track, measure, and optimize campaigns
- Advanced modules: Certification prep and live webinars
Time commitment: Roughly 15-20 minutes per lesson, 20-30 lessons per course in total (around 6-8 hours)
Price: Free
2. Tailwind’s Pinterest Marketing Courses
Tailwind is an official Pinterest partner, a platform that lets you design, schedule, and optimize pins to grow your reach strategically. It’s like learning from the Pinterest pros, as they offer courses for not just businesses.
But the thing is, they are not video courses you might be looking for, as they are more like reading material, but it doesn’t mean that they are not helpful. They will show you real examples, explain things with visual diagrams and infographics, so you can build a great foundation.
Offered by: Tailwind
Platform: Tailwind website (free modules)
What you’ll learn:
- Pinterest fundamentals: Account optimization, set up Tailwind, and Marketing
- Pin design: Creating viral Pinterest pins
- Scheduling & automation: How to use Tailwind or free tools to automate pinning
- Growing Organic Traffic: Techniques to increase your organic reach and monthly viewers
- Advanced tips: Insights from over a decade of experience and analysis of more than a million pins
Time commitment: 6–12 hours total, modular lessons
Price: Free
3. Pinterest Marketing & Advertising Beginner To Advanced (Udemy)
This Udemy course, taught by eCommerce entrepreneurs Ali and Sumner Hobart, helps both new and experienced users get lots of traffic and sales on Pinterest, and as they mention, you don’t need any marketing background, design skills, or even a website to get started.
The course is super comprehensive, which is great, but it might overwhelm you if you’re just learning about Pinterest for the first time. It’s like getting a fire hose when you just wanted a drink of water.
What I really like about this course is that it teaches you Pinterest SEO in a simple way that anyone can understand, and, on top of that, it’s more like an A-to-Z Pinterest course for you.
Offered by: Sumner Hobart, Ali Hobart
Platform: Udemy
What you’ll learn:
- Pinterest SEO: Finding keywords and niches that drive traffic
- Pin creation: 14 done-for-you Pin templates + design tips
- Ads creation: Pinterest Tag setup, step-by-step ads creation, and campaign management
- Analytics guidance: Identifying winners and ditching losers
- Latest updates: Pinterest’s new tools and strategies
Time commitment: 8–10 hours of video content
Price: $29 (common Udemy sale price)
Getting the Most Out of Your Course
These are not the only courses on Pinterest, but rather ones that I’ve chosen because I believe the content inside them holds true value.
However, whatever you choose, there are some things that no one can do for you.
Here is what I wish someone had told me before I started using Pinterest:
- Set specific goals before you start. Like, super specific. Not just “I want more traffic,” but “I want to increase my blog traffic by 25% in 3 months.”
- Actually do the exercises. I know it’s tempting to just watch the videos and think “yeah, I got this,” but most of the time, you may not really get it.
- Join the communities or Facebook groups that come with the courses. Some of my best Pinterest tips came from other students, not the actual course material.
Also, don’t be afraid to take notes and create your own little reference guide, and experiment with things yourself. Pinterest is a very seasonal platform, so what works can change over time.
Wrapping This Up
Pinterest can be an absolute life-changing place for your business or website, and I’ve seen it firsthand.
However, you need to learn how to use it properly, which means finding the right course for YOU.
Try the free ones first, then invest in a more comprehensive course once you know this is something you want to focus on seriously.
But even the best course in the world won’t help if you don’t actually implement what you learn.
And one last thing, don’t feel bad if your first pins don’t look great. Mine were really bad, so bad that even MS Paint would do better.
I know it’s tough, but keep going, keep trying new things, and keep using what you learn.
That’s the real secret sauce!
