Simple Pin Podcast: Simple Ways to Boost Your Business Using Pinterest
Episode: Do Followers Matter on Pinterest? (Plus, Some Updates!)
Host: Kate Ahl
Release Date: August 6, 2025
Introduction and Recent Updates
In this episode, host Kate Ahl begins by sharing her bustling summer schedule, highlighting her attendance at the TBEX conference in Quebec City and subsequent travels to the Grand Cayman and Ireland with her family. Her experiences at TBEX, a conference tailored for travel content creators, underscore the importance of community and collaboration in the industry.
“I walk away every time. So inspired by their community connection, by their connection with sponsors, by just this overall sense of a rising tide lifts all boats.” (00:00)
Kate emphasizes the value of recommending worthwhile communities and resources to her listeners, reflecting her commitment to fostering genuine connections without sponsorship influences.
Recent Pinterest Developments
Despite her travels, Kate remains vigilant about Pinterest's evolving landscape. She addresses two significant updates:
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Google Analytics (GA4) Reporting Issue:
Pinterest traffic has been inaccurately categorized as direct traffic in GA4, leading to misconceptions about traffic sources.“If you are a person who runs ads on your website, what you know is that you get paid differently based on where the traffic is coming from...” (03:00)
Solution: Pinterest is aware but has limited control over Google’s reporting. Potential fixes include implementing UTM codes or awaiting a resolution.
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Copyright Complaints Handling:
Pinterest has reclassified numerous accounts from spam to copyright-related issues. Kate advises creators on managing these complaints, emphasizing the importance of verifying the source of problematic pins.“If it's not, you can sometimes just ignore it. If it's your pin, then there's a way to file a complaint against that, a reversal.” (05:30)
Additionally, she mentions ongoing interest in the "Visit Site" button and directs listeners to her blog for more details.
Main Topic: Do Followers Matter on Pinterest?
Kate delves into a persistent question among marketers: "Do follower counts on Pinterest actually matter?" She challenges the common obsession with follower numbers prevalent on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, positing that Pinterest operates differently.
“Pinterest does not [focus on follower counts]. And the way that I'm going to show you this is I'm going to take four different examples...” (07:15)
Understanding Pinterest’s Unique Algorithm
Unlike other social platforms where more followers typically equate to higher engagement, Pinterest prioritizes content relevance, quality, and user engagement over follower numbers. Kate underscores that Pinterest is a visual discovery engine, not merely a follower-based platform.
“Pinterest is always been focused on content first, following second.” (09:20)
Case Studies: Follower Counts vs. Traffic
Kate presents four real-world examples to illustrate the disparity between follower counts and actual website traffic generated from Pinterest:
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Example 1: Moderate Followers, High Traffic Growth
- October: 108,000 followers | 35,000 sessions
- November: +600 followers | +5,000 sessions (15% increase)
- December: +800 followers | 64,000 sessions (82% increase)
Insight: Minimal follower growth led to a substantial spike in traffic, highlighting that content quality drives engagement.
“The Pinterest algorithm is distributing content based on relevance, quality, and user engagement, and not just to followers.” (13:45)
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Example 2: High Followers, Low Traffic Growth
- October: 218,000 followers | 9,000 sessions
- November: +50 followers | 10,000 sessions (12% increase)
- December: - (followers decreased) | 8,400 sessions (15% decrease)
Insight: Despite having double the followers of Example 1, the traffic was a mere fraction, reinforcing that followers don't directly translate to traffic.
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Example 3: Consistently High Traffic with Fewer Followers
- October: 98,000 followers | 348,000 sessions
- November: +350 followers | 303,000 sessions (13% decrease)
- December: +500 followers | 261,000 sessions (25% decrease)
Insight: Even with fewer followers, this account generated significantly higher traffic, demonstrating that consistent, high-quality content outperforms sheer follower numbers.
“An account with the fewest followers of our first three examples drove the highest traffic by far.” (18:50)
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Example 4: New Account with Minimal Followers, Growing Traffic
- October: 4,000 followers | 17,000 sessions
- November: +50 followers | 17,400 sessions
- December: +26 followers | 21,000 sessions (25% increase)
Insight: A nascent account with less than 5,000 followers outperformed larger accounts, illustrating that a strategic content approach can yield substantial traffic without relying on follower accumulation.
“If you're just starting out on Pinterest and you are only looking at that follower count, you are only looking at even at that monthly viewer number.” (24:00)
Key Takeaways
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Content Over Followers: High-quality, relevant, and searchable pins are paramount. Pinterest’s algorithm favors content that resonates with users, independent of follower counts.
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Algorithm-Driven Distribution: Pinterest curates the home feed based on individual user interests, searches, and interactions, diminishing the influence of who you follow.
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Followers as Vanity Metrics: The correlation between followers and meaningful business results is weak on Pinterest. Instead, focus on creating impactful content that attracts and engages your target audience.
Future Outlook and Final Thoughts
Kate advises brands and marketers to shift their focus from follower counts to content strategy. She emphasizes that Pinterest requires patience, with significant results typically emerging after six to nine months of consistent effort. Despite slow initial growth, Pinterest remains a powerful tool for driving traffic and acquiring new customers.
“Set your sights on six to nine months and just put that follower count aside and don't pay attention to it.” (26:30)
She concludes by encouraging listeners to engage with her through email or YouTube comments to share their experiences, reinforcing her message that impacting the end user through quality content is what truly matters on Pinterest.
Conclusion
In this insightful episode, Kate Ahl effectively demystifies the role of followers on Pinterest, presenting compelling evidence that content quality and strategic pinning are more critical to driving traffic and achieving business goals than accumulating follower counts. Her real-world examples serve as a valuable guide for marketers and business owners seeking to optimize their Pinterest strategies for tangible results.
For more Pinterest marketing tips and stories of success, visit simplepinmedia.com.