Why Bother With Pinterest If It Doesn't Give You SEO Backlinks?

I get it. You're a time-poor small business owner, and every marketing minute counts. It’s a question I hear constantly from my clients: "Roxane, I'm already overwhelmed with Instagram. Why should I add Pinterest to my to-do list if it doesn't even give me 'real' SEO backlinks?"

It's a completely fair question. If you're a small business owner, your time is your most precious resource. You can't afford to waste it on platforms that don't deliver a real return.

The common belief is that SEO is all about "dofollow" backlinks, and since Pinterest links are nofollow, many people dismiss it as being useless for Google rankings. But that's like asking why you'd eat vegetables if they don't taste like chocolate—you're missing the real value.

Understanding Dofollow vs Nofollow Links: The Basics

Before we go deeper, let's quickly cover what these terms mean.

• What Are Dofollow Links? Dofollow links are standard hyperlinks that pass authority from one website to another. When a website with high authority links to your site with a dofollow link, it's essentially giving your website a "vote of confidence" that search engines like Google recognize. These links pass what SEO professionals call "link juice" or "link equity," which can help improve your search engine rankings. In HTML code, dofollow is the default setting for all links:
  HTML - <a href="https://yourwebsite.com">Your Website</a>
• What Are Nofollow Links? Nofollow links include a special HTML attribute that tells search engines not to follow the link or pass any ranking authority to the destination website. The nofollow attribute was introduced by Google in 2005 to combat comment spam and other manipulative link-building tactics. The key difference is the rel="nofollow" attribute: HTML <a href="https://yourwebsite.com" rel="nofollow">Your Website</a>

The Outdated Myth of the "Useless" Nofollow Link

Now that you know the difference, let's tackle the backlink issue head-on. The idea that nofollow links are worthless is based on an old understanding of how Google works.

In 2019, Google announced that it would start treating the nofollow attribute as a "hint" rather than a strict directive. This means Google's algorithm may choose to follow and assign value to some nofollow links, especially those from high-authority, trusted domains like Pinterest. SEO experts have taken note. In a recent industry survey, 89.1% of SEOs said they believe nofollow links influence rankings, and nearly half actively pursue them.

Even without a direct "dofollow" boost, the traffic from Pinterest sends powerful positive signals to Google that your website is a valuable resource. When users click from a Pin and spend time on your site, it improves key engagement metrics like traffic, time-on-page, and bounce rate—all things Google’s algorithm loves to see.

Why Pinterest Uses Nofollow Links

Pinterest implemented nofollow links for several practical reasons:

• Spam Prevention: Nofollow attributes help prevent the platform from being exploited by spammers trying to manipulate search rankings
• User Experience: The focus remains on content discovery rather than SEO manipulation
• Platform Control: It allows Pinterest to maintain control over how external links are treated

The Pinterest Ideas Opportunity

One lesser-known opportunity involves Pinterest's "Ideas" feature. When pins perform exceptionally well and get featured in Pinterest Ideas pages, they may receive dofollow links. While this represents a small percentage of Pinterest links, it offers a potential pathway to dofollow backlinks from Pinterest's high-authority domain.

The Real Value: What Pinterest Delivers (That Instagram Can't)

1. It's a Traffic-Driving Monster What I genuinely love about Pinterest is that it's built to send people off the platform and onto your website. While a viral Reel might get you views, a successful Pin drives qualified clicks to your blog and product pages.

And this isn't just any traffic. Pinterest users are 35% more likely to have an annual income over $100k compared to users on other platforms, making them a highly valuable audience.

Case Study: A fintech marketing company grew its account from 50k to 2 million monthly Pinterest views without any paid ads. The result? Over 2,000 website visits and 25+ qualified leads every single month, directly from Pinterest.

2. The Lifespan of a Pin is an Eternity This is what drives me crazy about relying on social media. You spend hours on an Instagram post, and it's gone from the feed in 48 hours. You are on a constant content treadmill.

A Pin is different. Because Pinterest is a search engine, a well-optimized Pin can be discovered and drive traffic for months, or even years, after you post it. Trends on Pinterest last 21% longer than on other platforms, making your content an evergreen asset that works for you in the background.

3. The Visitors Actually Convert Pinterest users are planners and shoppers. Shopping ads on Pinterest have been shown to deliver 3x higher conversion rates compared to other platforms. People are there with a "buying" mindset, actively looking for the solution you provide.

Case Study: An interior design studio implemented a strategic Pinterest plan and saw a 160% increase in traffic, with over 360 direct clicks to their site in just 90 days from people actively looking for design inspiration.

Looking Ahead: Why Your Bet on Pinterest Will Pay Off

If you're still on the fence, consider this: Pinterest isn't just powerful today; it's built for the future of how people search and shop online. The platform is pouring resources into AI and visual search, and that's incredibly exciting for your business.

What does that mean for you? It means a customer can soon take a photo of a lamp they love in a local Umina Beach cafe, and Pinterest's visual search tools can show them similar lamps—including the one from your online store. It's turning real-world inspiration into a direct path to purchase.

On top of that, its e-commerce features are getting smarter every day, making it ridiculously easy for users to go from "I love that!" to "I just bought that." There's a reason their shopping ads deliver, on average, 3x higher conversion rates than on other platforms. Pinterest is closing the gap between seeing something you love and being able to own it.

And this all has a beautiful knock-on effect for your Google visibility. Because Pinterest content performs so well in visual searches, your popular Pins often land on the first page of Google Image Search, creating another free, high-traffic doorway to your business.

"Okay, I'm Convinced. What Are the First Steps?"

Feeling inspired? Great. Here’s a straightforward plan to get you moving without the overwhelm. You don't need to do everything at once, just start with step one.

Step 1: Know Where You Stand (Your 15-Minute Audit) Before you start pinning wildly, take a quick look under the bonnet. Make sure you have a Pinterest Business account set up—if not, switch it over now. It’s free and unlocks all the good stuff (hello, analytics!). Then, take a quick peek at your numbers. Don't get bogged down. Just ask: "What, if anything, is already working?" Note the Pins that are getting clicks or saves. That’s your first clue.

Step 2: Create a Simple Content Plan You don't need a complicated spreadsheet. Just think ahead. If you sell beautiful coastal homewares from your Umina Beach shop, start pinning about "Christmas table styling" in October, not on Christmas Eve. Think about what your customers will be searching for in the coming months and create content that helps them. And remember: always create vertical Pins with clear, catchy text on them.

Step 3: Be Patient (This is a Marathon, Not a Sprint) This is the most important step. Pinterest is your long game. An Instagram post is old news by the afternoon, but a great Pin can send you traffic for years. Seriously. Give yourself a good 3-6 months to really see that momentum build. At first, don't obsess over sales from day one. Celebrate the wins like outbound clicks and saves—that’s the proof that you’re on the right track.

Step 4: Watch What Works and Do More of It Your analytics aren't there to judge you; they're there to guide you. Keep an eye on your Google Analytics and see that "Referral Traffic" from Pinterest start to climb. If you notice your "easy weeknight dinners" board is getting all the love, create more delicious, easy recipes! It really is that simple. Listen to what your audience is telling you through their actions and give them more of it.

It's a Traffic Engine, Not Just a Backlink Tool

Stop thinking of Pinterest as a link-building tool and start seeing it for what it is: a powerful, long-term traffic and brand awareness engine.

The lack of guaranteed "dofollow" backlinks is actually freeing. It allows you to focus on creating beautiful, helpful, and visually appealing content that solves a problem for your ideal customer. And here's the beautiful part: when you build a strong Pinterest presence and drive consistent traffic, those natural dofollow backlinks often follow. A blogger or journalist will discover your great content via a Pin and link to you in their own article. The Pin becomes the catalyst.

The question isn't "Why post on Pinterest without backlinks?" It's "Why wouldn't you tap into its massive user base who are actively searching for exactly what you offer?" Sometimes the best SEO strategy is the one that doesn't look like SEO at all.

Ready to Turn Pins into Profits?

Feeling ready to build a Pinterest strategy that drives real traffic but would rather have an expert partner guide you? I'm here to help you turn those Pins into a consistent engine for your business growth.

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