How to Design Pinterest Pins in Canva That Get Clicked
Seven simple steps to pins that stop the scroll and bring readers home to your blog.
When I first started creating pins, I'll be honest: I didn't know what I was doing. I put almost no effort into my designs. I'd throw a photo and some text together, give it a title that wasn't engaging at all, and hit publish. Then one day I looked at my pins and thought to myself, it's time to elevate my pin looks.
If that sounds familiar, you're not alone, and it's not a talent problem. It's a design-for-the-click problem.
Designing Pinterest pins in Canva is one of the most valuable skills a new blogger can learn, because your pin is often the very first thing a reader sees of your work. Before she reads one word of your post, she's deciding in about a second whether your pin is worth a tap.
The good news is you don't need to be a graphic designer. You need a simple, repeatable approach. Here are seven steps to follow, from the size of your canvas to the final check before you publish.
Seven Steps to Pinterest Pins in Canva That Get Clicked
Start With the Right Size
Pinterest favors vertical pins, and the standard ratio is 2:3. In Canva, that's 1000 x 1500 pixels. Search "Pinterest Pin" when you create a new design and Canva will open the right size for you.
Why it matters: a pin that's too wide looks small in the feed, and a pin that's extremely long can get cut off. A 2:3 pin takes up just the right amount of space on a phone screen, which is where most of your readers are scrolling. Quick tip: save one blank design at this size as your "pin starter" so you never have to think about dimensions again.
Choose One Clear Image With Room to Breathe
The best pin images do one job: they set the mood without competing with your words. Look for a photo with a simple background and open space, like a clean desk, a soft table setting, or a cup of coffee by a window.
Avoid busy photos with lots of small details, because your text will have nowhere to sit. If you love a photo but it's too busy, place a soft, semi-transparent color block behind your title so the words stay easy to read. Canva's photo library is a fine place to start. Over time, mixing in your own photos will help your pins feel like you.
Write a Title That Promises One Result
Your pin title is not your blog post title. It's a short, clear promise that tells your reader what she'll get when she clicks. Aim for five to eight words and lead with the result:
- Instead of "My Thoughts on Morning Routines," try "A Calm 10-Minute Morning Routine"
- Instead of "Email List Tips," try "Get Your First 100 Email Subscribers"
- Instead of "Meal Planning," try "One Grocery List, Five Easy Dinners"
Include the words your reader would actually type into the Pinterest search bar. Specific, helpful titles get clicked. Vague ones get scrolled past. Once your title is set, pair it with a description that does the same work. See my guide to pin descriptions that get clicks.
Pick Two Fonts and Make Them Easy to Read
Fonts are where many beautiful pins quietly lose their clicks. A delicate script might look lovely up close, but on a small phone screen it can turn into a blur. Keep it simple:
- One bold, readable font for your title (a classic serif or a clean sans serif)
- One accent font for a word or two (a script, used sparingly)
Then test it. Zoom out until your pin is about the size of a thumbnail. If you can't read the title in one glance, make it bigger, bolder, or higher in contrast. Dark text on a light background, or light text on a dark background, will always read better than mid-tones on mid-tones.
Use Your Brand Colors Every Time
When your pins share the same colors, readers start to recognize your work in the feed before they even see your name. That recognition builds trust, and trust earns clicks.
Choose two or three main colors and one accent color. Write down their hex codes (the six-character color codes, like #7A8B6F for a soft sage green) and use them on every pin. If you have Canva Pro, save them to your Brand Kit. If you're on the free plan, keep the codes in a note on your phone and paste them in each time. Consistency doesn't mean every pin looks identical. It means every pin looks like it belongs to the same family.
Add Your Website and a Gentle Visual Cue
Every pin should include your website address in small, clean text, usually at the bottom. It protects your work if a pin gets shared without credit, and it reminds readers where the good stuff lives. Then add one small cue that tells readers there's more to discover:
- A label like "Free Checklist" or "Step-by-Step Guide"
- A small line such as "Read the full post"
- A number, like "7 Steps," that promises a clear, easy-to-follow read
One cue is enough. Too many badges and arrows make a pin feel cluttered and less trustworthy.
Design Three Versions of Every Pin
Here's the step most new bloggers skip: don't stop at one pin. For every blog post, design three different pins that all link to the same post. Change something meaningful in each one:
- A different image (a lifestyle photo, a flat lay, a simple graphic)
- A different title angle (a benefit, a question, a number)
- A different layout (title at the top, in the middle, or on a color block)
Pinterest values fresh pins, and different readers respond to different designs. Three versions give your post three chances to be found. Once you see which one gets the most clicks, you'll learn what your audience loves and can design the next post with that in mind.
Let's Design One Together
Let's put all seven steps to work on a sample blog post called "My Simple Sunday Reset Routine."
- Create the canvas. Open a new 1000 x 1500 Pinterest Pin design.
- Choose the image. Pick a photo of a tidy, sunlit kitchen counter with open space in the top third.
- Write the title. "A Simple Sunday Reset in 30 Minutes" promises one clear result, and "Sunday reset" is exactly what a reader would search.
- Set the fonts. Put the title in a bold serif, large enough to read at thumbnail size. Let one word, "Sunday," sit in a script accent font.
- Add color. If the photo feels busy behind the words, add a soft cream block behind the title in one of your brand colors.
- Add the cue and website. Place a small "Free Checklist" label at the top and your website at the bottom.
- Make three versions. Duplicate the design twice. Make one a flat lay of a checklist and a coffee mug titled "Your Sunday Reset Checklist." Make the other a simple graphic on a solid brand color titled "Reset Your Week in 30 Minutes."
Three pins, one post, and three chances to be found. That's the whole process.
✦ Before You Hit Publish: A 30-Second Pin Check
- Is it 1000 x 1500 pixels?
- Can you read the title at thumbnail size?
- Does the title promise one clear result?
- Are you using your brand colors and no more than two fonts?
- Is your website on the pin?
- Does the pin link to the right blog post?
✦ Watch the Video
Prefer to watch? I walk through all seven steps in the companion video, then we design a pin together from start to finish.
Common Mistakes That Quietly Cost You Clicks
Even a beautiful pin can be overlooked. Watch for these:
- Too much text. Your pin is a headline, not a paragraph. Save the details for your post.
- Low contrast. Pale text on a pale photo disappears in the feed.
- A title that doesn't match the post. If your pin promises one thing and the post delivers another, readers leave quickly.
- Only one pin per post. One design gives your post one chance. Three give it three.
"A pin isn't just decoration. It's an invitation, and the clearest invitations get accepted."
— Keithra J
A Final Word
Designing Pinterest pins in Canva gets easier every time you do it. Your first pin might take an hour. By your tenth, you'll have a rhythm, a starter template, and a style readers recognize. I'm proof that you can start out throwing things together and still grow into pins you're proud of.
Don't wait for your pins to be perfect. Start with the right size, a clear image, a title that makes one promise, and your brand colors. Then design three versions, publish them, and let your readers show you what works.
Every pin is one more open door to your blog. Keep opening them.
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