Track impressions to measure reach, pin clicks for interest, saves for intent, and outbound clicks for conversions. Monitor engagement rate, total audience, and demographics monthly to refine your Pinterest strategy and maximize ROI.
Focus on impressions, saves, outbound clicks, and engagement rate—these four metrics reveal whether your pins reach the right people and drive action.
Key Takeaways
- Impressions show reach; saves signal strong interest
- Outbound clicks are your conversion north star
- Engagement rate reveals content quality better than follower count
- Profile visits and follows matter only for Idea Pins
- Check analytics on desktop for full metrics; mobile shows fewer
Table of Contents
- Why Pinterest Metrics Matter More Than You Think
- What Are Pinterest Metrics?
- Pinterest Analytics vs. Tailwind vs. Olapic
- The 11 Pinterest Metrics You Must Track
- How to Measure Pinterest Success
- Your Pinterest Analytics Checklist
- How to Access Pinterest Analytics
- FAQs
- Conclusion
Why Pinterest Metrics Matter More Than You Think
TL;DR: Pinterest content lives for months—track the right metrics and you’ll compound reach without spending more.
Maria posted a holiday gift guide in October. Three months later, it was still her top pin—driving 40% of her site traffic. She only knew because she checked her Top Pins report every month.
Most creators treat Pinterest like Instagram: post, check likes, move on. But Pinterest is a search engine. Your pins accumulate impressions, saves, and clicks for 3–6 months [1]. If you’re not tracking which pins perform and why, you’re flying blind.
The right metrics tell you:
- Which topics your audience craves
- When to double down (or kill a losing pin)
- Whether your CTAs actually convert
You’ll need a Pinterest Business account to see analytics [2]. If you don’t have one, convert your personal account in under two minutes.
What Are Pinterest Metrics?
Pinterest metrics are data points that measure how people interact with your pins, boards, and profile. Think of them as your feedback loop: impressions tell you reach, clicks show interest, saves reveal intent, and outbound clicks prove conversions.
Pinterest Analytics is Pinterest’s free built-in tool available to all business accounts [2]. It tracks performance over custom date ranges, lets you filter by device (mobile vs. desktop), and exports data as CSV for reporting.
You can measure metrics for:
- Your entire account
- Individual pins
- Specific boards
Desktop analytics surfaces more metrics than mobile—so log in at a computer when you want the full picture.
Pinterest Analytics vs. Tailwind vs. Olapic
TL;DR: Start with Pinterest Analytics (free); add Tailwind for scheduling + virality insights.
1. Pinterest Analytics (Free)
Built into every business account. Tracks impressions, engagements, total audience, and engaged audience [2]. Best for:
- Monthly reporting
- Spotting top pins and boards
- Audience demographics
Limitation: No scheduling, no ROI tracking to revenue.
2. Tailwind (Paid)
Social scheduler for Pinterest and Instagram with advanced analytics. Tracks followers, engagement, virality, and ROI down to the pin [3]. Features:
- Interest heatmaps (see which topics resonate)
- Trending reports (find pins that blow up months later)
- Board-level filtering
Best for: Creators who post 10+ pins per week and want automated scheduling.
3. Olapic (Enterprise)
All-in-one user-generated content platform. Tracks ROI, influencer interactions, and engagement [3]. Built for brands managing large content libraries and influencer campaigns.
Bottom line: Use Pinterest Analytics first. Upgrade to Tailwind when you’re pinning daily and need workflow efficiency.
The 11 Pinterest Metrics You Must Track
TL;DR: These 11 KPIs separate guesswork from growth.
1. Impressions
Definition: Number of times your pins appeared in feeds, search results, or category feeds [4].
Impressions = reach. If a pin racks up 10,000 impressions but zero clicks, your image or headline isn’t compelling—or you’re targeting the wrong keywords.
What to do:
Look for patterns. If your “productivity tips” pins consistently get 3× more impressions than “tech reviews,” lean into productivity.
Track it: Account-wide and per pin.
2. Pin Clicks
Definition: Total clicks on your pin that open it in closeup view [4].
A click means someone’s interested enough to see more. Thousands of impressions with few clicks? Your pin design or topic isn’t resonating.
Optimization tips [4]:
- Create visually appealing pins (vertical, high contrast)
- Write compelling descriptions with keywords
- A/B test headlines and images
Track it: Per pin to identify winners.
3. Saves (Formerly Repins)
Definition: Number of times people saved your pin to their boards [4].
Saves are gold. They signal this content is valuable enough to keep. Saved pins re-enter circulation every time someone opens that board—extending your reach for free.
What high saves mean:
Your audience loves this content and will refer back to it. Double down on that topic.
Track it: Per pin. Sort Top Pins by saves to find evergreen winners.
4. Outbound Clicks
Definition: Clicks to the destination URL linked in your pin [5].
This is your conversion metric. Pin clicks show interest; outbound clicks prove intent. If you’re driving traffic or sales, this number matters most.
How it differs from pin clicks:
Pin click = opens image closeup.
Outbound click = clicks through to your website.
Track it: Per pin and account-wide.
5. Engagement Rate
Definition: (Total engagements ÷ impressions) × 100 [6].
Engagements include clicks + saves. Engagement rate tells you content quality—a pin with 1,000 impressions and 100 engagements (10% rate) beats a pin with 10,000 impressions and 200 engagements (2% rate).
Benchmark:
- 1–3% = average
- 4–6% = strong
- 7%+ = viral potential
Track it: Monthly, to see if your content strategy improves.
6. Pin Click Rate
Definition: (Pin clicks ÷ impressions) × 100 [7].
Measures how often people who see your pin actually click it. Low pin click rate? Your image, headline, or keyword targeting needs work.
Formula:
(Pin Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100
Track it: Per pin. Compare image styles and headlines to learn what drives clicks.
7. Outbound Click Rate
Definition: (Outbound clicks ÷ impressions) × 100 [7].
The ultimate litmus test: are people clicking through to your site? If your outbound click rate is <0.5%, revisit your CTA or landing page relevance.
Optimization tactics [7]:
- Don’t give away everything on the pin—create curiosity
- Test CTA variations (“Read now” vs. “Get the checklist”)
- A/B test pin designs
Track it: Monthly, by board or campaign.
8. Save Rate
Definition: (Saves ÷ impressions) × 100 [8].
Even more valuable than outbound click rate for content creators. High save rate = people trust your content enough to bookmark it.
What counts as high:
- 2–4% = solid
- 5%+ = exceptional
Track it: Per pin. Identify your most “saveable” topics and create more.
9. Total Audience
Definition: Unique people who saw or engaged with your pins [6].
Distinct from impressions. If one person sees your pin three times, that’s three impressions but one audience member.
Why it matters:
Shows true reach. Compare total audience month-over-month to gauge growth.
Track it: Account-wide, monthly.
10. Engaged Audience
Definition: Unique people who engaged (clicked, saved, commented) with your pins [6].
Your core fans. If total audience grows but engaged audience stays flat, you’re gaining the wrong followers.
What to aim for:
Engaged audience should be 10–20% of total audience.
Track it: Monthly. Slice by demographics to see who engages most.
11. Audience Demographics
Definition: Age, gender, location, and device of your audience [8].
Use the Compare feature to view total audience vs. engaged audience side-by-side. You might discover your engaged audience skews younger or lives in different regions—insights that reshape your content calendar.
Action:
Filter by demographics quarterly. If 60% of engaged users are on mobile, optimize pin size for phones (1000×1500 px).
Track it: Quarterly, under Audience Insights.
How Often to Check
- Weekly: Top Pins (identify sudden winners)
- Monthly: Engagement rate, audience metrics, saves
- Quarterly: Demographics, device splits, board performance
Export a CSV every month and track trends in a spreadsheet. Look for:
- Which pin formats (carousel, video, static) perform best
- Seasonal spikes (holiday content saves in Oct–Nov)
- Keyword patterns in high-performing pins
Your Pinterest Analytics Checklist
Copy this into your workflow:
- Convert to Pinterest Business account (if you haven’t)
- Bookmark analytics.pinterest.com
- Set a monthly calendar reminder to review metrics
- Track these 5 core KPIs: impressions, saves, outbound clicks, engagement rate, save rate
- Export Top Pins report and note your top 5 by saves
- Check audience demographics quarterly
- A/B test at least 2 pin designs per topic
- Compare desktop vs. mobile traffic (optimize accordingly)
Pro move: Create a Google Sheet with columns for Date | Pin | Impressions | Saves | Outbound Clicks | Engagement Rate. Update monthly.
How to Access Pinterest Analytics (Desktop + Mobile)
TL;DR: Desktop shows more metrics—use it for deep dives.
On Desktop
- Go to pinterest.com and log into your business account
- Hover over Analytics (top left)
- Choose:
• Overview (boards and pins performance)
• Conversion Insights (paid + organic impact)
• Audience Insights (demographics, compare audiences)
• Trends (what’s popular on Pinterest right now) [9]
Tip: Desktop lets you sort Top Pins by impressions, engagements, clicks, or saves—critical for identifying evergreen content.
On Mobile (iOS + Android)
- Open the Pinterest app
- Tap your profile picture (bottom right)
- Tap the analytics icon (top left)
- Select Analytics under Business Tools
- View:
• Impressions
• Engagements
• Total Audience
• Engaged Audience [2]
Limitation: Mobile doesn’t show pin-level outbound clicks or save rate. Check desktop for full metrics.
FAQs
What’s the difference between pin clicks and outbound clicks?
Pin clicks open the image in closeup; outbound clicks send traffic to your website [5]. Outbound clicks = conversions.
Do I need a business account to see analytics?
Yes. Pinterest Analytics is free but requires a business account [2]. Convert your personal account at business.pinterest.com/getting-started.
How long do Pinterest pins stay active?
Pins accumulate metrics for 3–6 months (sometimes longer) [5]. Unlike Instagram posts, your Pinterest content has a long tail.
What’s a good engagement rate on Pinterest?
4–6% is strong; 7%+ signals viral potential [6]. Compare your rate month-over-month to track improvement.
Can I track revenue from Pinterest?
Not in native Pinterest Analytics. Use Tailwind’s ROI tracking or connect Google Analytics with UTM parameters [3].
How often should I check Pinterest Analytics?
Weekly for Top Pins, monthly for engagement rate and audience metrics, quarterly for demographics [6].
Conclusion
Pinterest isn’t a “post and pray” platform—it’s a compounding growth engine if you track the right metrics.
Here’s your action plan:
- This week: Convert to a business account and bookmark your analytics dashboard
- This month: Track your top 5 pins by saves and create 3 variations of your winner
- Next quarter: Compare engaged audience demographics and adjust your content calendar
The metrics that matter most?
Saves (intent), outbound clicks (conversions), and engagement rate (content quality). Master those three and you’ll turn Pinterest into a predictable traffic channel.
Ready to optimize? Export your Top Pins report right now and find your #1 performer. Then reverse-engineer it—same topic, same format, new angle. That’s how you 10× your reach without doubling your workload.
References
[1] HubSpot — 18 Pinterest Metrics to Start Tracking ASAP [+ Tools] (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[2] HubSpot — What is Pinterest Analytics? (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[3] HubSpot — 3 Pinterest Analytics Tools (Tailwind, Olapic) (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[4] HubSpot — Impressions, Pin Clicks, Saves Definitions (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[5] HubSpot — Outbound Clicks and Top Pins (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[6] HubSpot — Engagement Rate, Total Audience, Engaged Audience (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[7] HubSpot — Pin Click Rate, Outbound Click Rate (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[8] HubSpot — Save Rate, Audience Demographics (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
[9] HubSpot — How to Check Pinterest Analytics on Desktop (blog.hubspot.com), 2023 — https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/pinterest-analytics
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