Should You Pin Directly from Your Website or Use Idea Pins on Pinterest? (2025 Update)

💡 Should You Pin Directly from Your Website or Use Idea Pins on Pinterest? (2025 Update)

If you’re building your brand, blog, or shop on Pinterest, you’ve probably asked yourself this question:

“Is it better to pin directly from my website or to use Idea Pins?”

The answer used to be simple — but Pinterest has changed a lot over the past year. Now, with new link features for Idea Pins rolling out, the best approach depends on your goals.

Let’s break it down.

🎯 1. If Your Main Goal Is Website Traffic or Sales

Pin directly from your website.

These are your traditional “Standard Pins” (single image or video + a clickable link).

Why they’re still powerful:

✅ You can add a destination URL that drives visitors straight to your website, blog post, or product page.
✅ Standard Pins are SEO-friendly — they can appear in both Pinterest search and Google search.
✅ You control the title, description, and image for consistent branding.
✅ Perfect for evergreen content like devotionals, recipes, or printable downloads.

Pro tip:
Enable Rich Pins on your website so your brand name, title, and description automatically appear when someone saves your content.

🎬 2. If Your Main Goal Is Reach, Engagement, or Follower Growth

Use Idea Pins (also called Story Pins).

Pinterest’s algorithm loves this format — it pushes Idea Pins to more people, helping you get discovered faster.

Why they’re great:

🚀 Higher reach and impressions (Pinterest prioritizes them).
🎥 Excellent for tutorials, demos, or storytelling — like “How to Use My Hanukkah Blessing Cards” or “3 Ways to Display Printable Scripture Art.”
💬 Encourage comments, saves, and follows directly within the app.

However, in the past, the major drawback was that Idea Pins didn’t allow clickable links — meaning they were great for awareness, not for driving traffic.

That’s now changing.

🔗 3. The 2025 Update: Idea Pins Can Now Include Links

Pinterest is gradually rolling out the ability to add destination links directly within Idea Pins.

That means creators can finally enjoy the best of both worlds — the visibility of Idea Pins and the traffic potential of traditional pins.

Here’s what you should know:

The “Add Link” feature is rolling out gradually to different accounts and regions.
You’ll see it as an option when creating a new Idea Pin — look for “Add a Link” or “Use a Link.”
Some business accounts already have access; others will soon.

So, if you have access, use it!
If you don’t yet, include a clear CTA like:

“Find this printable on my website — link in bio!”

🧩 4. The Best Strategy: Combine Both Types of Pins

The smartest Pinterest strategy right now is to use both formats together.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Create a detailed blog post, product listing, or printable page on your website.
Step 2:

Make a Standard Pin linking directly to that page.
Create an Idea Pin that shows the printable in action, shares inspiration, or gives a quick tutorial.

Example:

🖼️ Standard Pin: “Free Printable Hanukkah Blessing Cards – Download Now!” → link to your site.
🎬 Idea Pin: “3 Creative Ways to Use These Hanukkah Blessing Cards with Your Family” → add a link if available.

This hybrid method gives you consistent traffic (Standard Pins) and algorithmic reach (Idea Pins) — a win-win.

📊 5. How Often Should You Post?

For most creators, a balanced schedule might look like this:

3 Standard Pins per week (from your website)
2 Idea Pins per week (with tutorial or lifestyle content)

Mix them up, experiment, and track which format performs best in your analytics.

✨ Final Thoughts

Pinterest is evolving into more of a visual search + creator platform — and the ability to add links to Idea Pins makes it even more powerful.

If you’re promoting digital products, printables, or inspirational content, don’t choose between Standard and Idea Pins — use them together strategically.

Use Standard Pins to drive traffic.
Use Idea Pins to grow your audience and showcase your content in action.
And if your Idea Pins can include links — take full advantage!

Bonus Tip:
Always design your pins with strong branding — clear text overlays, your logo or URL, and Pinterest-optimized images (1000 × 1500 px). Consistent visuals build trust and make your content instantly recognizable in the feed.