Don’t Treat Pinterest Like Social Media (Do This Instead): Pinterest SEO with Julia Renee
Pinterest isn’t merely another social channel; it’s a search engine that can help you earn high-intent traffic and revenue. In this episode of The SEO Party, Timmy Walczak and Alex Alexakis sit down with Julia Renée (from Julia Renée Consulting) to unpack how small and creative businesses can turn boards and pins into durable, compounding traffic.
What you’ll learn:
Pinterest ≠ Instagram: Why followers, likes, and comments don’t drive distribution - keywords and intent matter more.
Set up to scale: Profile, board, and board description best practices (plus when to use sections vs. separate boards).
Pin formats that perform: The 2:3 ratio, clear typography, readable titles, and why infographics don’t click anymore.
Distribution rhythm: Daily pinning (native scheduler or Tailwind), multiple pins per URL, and A/B testing creatives.
Keyword research for pins: Using Pinterest Trends and seasonality (publish 2–3 months ahead of peaks).
Content flywheel: Repurpose blogs, podcasts, and YouTube into pins; how Pinterest amplifies SEO (evergreen traffic).
Local & niche plays: Interior design, photographers, even surprising niches like luxury yachts & Olympic swim training.
Ads without the burn: Why promoted pins can keep sending traffic even after spending stops.
AI on Pinterest: New setting to hide AI-generated images, and where AI text helps (and hurts).
Who this is for:
Solopreneurs, agencies, and creative brands who want evergreen, intent-driven traffic without living on camera 24/7.
Guest:
Julia Renee: SEO & Pinterest consultant helping small businesses rank and grow through organic search.
Website: juliareneeconsulting.com
Pinterest: / _created
Instagram: / juliareneeconsulting
Host:
Timmy Walczak
Co-host:
Alex Alexakis
Chapters:
0:00 – Welcome to The SEO Party
0:11 – Meet Julia Renee (SEO & Pinterest consultant)
0:24 – “Who are you & what do you do?”
0:52 – What most small businesses miss about SEO foundations
1:03 – Basics that move the needle: keywords, copy, and intent
2:34 – Making SEO feel accessible for non-tech creatives
4:15 – Viking detour: Julia’s nerd origin story
6:07 – Do Vikings wear horned helmets? (Wagner says hi)
7:00 – Shows: The Last Kingdom, Vikings, Norsemen
8:40 – Pinterest ≠ social; treat it like a search engine
10:46 – Daily activity, schedulers, and the “introvert platform”
11:47 – Evergreen ROI: Pins that keep driving traffic (years later)
13:48 – Pinterest for beginners: Start with content & focused boards
14:25 – Products on Pinterest (Shopify feed) + board SEO
15:40 – Sections vs boards: When to split for rankings
16:31 – Group boards: Can you get added to high-rankers?
17:09 – Local playbooks on Pinterest (content over “near me”)
19:24 – Avoid over-categorizing; use sections smartly
20:45 – Optimization tip: Separate boards beat sections (for Google)
21:27 – Pinning others’ content: Does it help growth?
23:58 – Cadence hacks: Multiple boards & multiple pins per URL
26:20 – Creative testing: What imagery/sizes work now
26:38 – Best formats: 2:3 wins; skip the super-long infographics
27:26 – Design for clicks: titles, CTAs, and scannable text
28:52 – The high-performing pin checklist (keywords + clarity)
31:36 – How Pinterest supercharges your blog/SEO flywheel
32:13 – Keyword research on Pinterest (Trends & seasonality)
33:48 – “Right kind of traffic”: high intent, warmer users
35:28 – Biggest mistake: Treating Pinterest like Instagram
36:45 – Scale & users: Pinterest as the #3 search engine
36:58 – Ads on Pinterest: Why promoted pins keep paying
38:49 – How ads appear natively in the feed
39:25 – Write human pin descriptions (not keyword soup)
41:08 – AI on Pinterest: New “hide AI images” setting
42:40 – Where AI helps (and where it doesn’t)
48:52 – Actionables: Content first, then Pinterest system
49:53 – Aha! examples: Surprising niches that win (yachts)
52:05 – Who should (and shouldn’t) be on Pinterest
57:57 – Julia’s plug: Where to find her & services
58:49 – Wrap-up
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