Maybe your calendar is full of client work, you’ve spent YEARS building a portfolio you’re genuinely freaking proud of, and your business is doing the damn thing… But then you realize you haven’t posted on Instagram in four days, and suddenly you’re thinking, “Shitttt, I should probably post something so people don’t forget I exist.” 😂 And let’s be real, you didn’t start your creative business just to be creating posts for Instagram all the time!! 

So, let’s talk about Pinterest vs. Instagram for marketing, and how to get clients for your creative business in a way that’s sustainable for you + your business. 

Pinterest vs. Instagram: What You Need to Know About How Both Work for Your Creative Business

How Instagram Works for Your Creative Business

Okay, Instagram is freaking AMAZING for so many things. Showing your personality, building relationships, sharing BTS content, nurturing clients, connecting… The list goes on!! 

Hear me out, though. And I’m not saying “delete Instagram right now and disappear into the woods,” by any means. 😂 My big issue with Instagram is that so many creatives have made it their WHOLE marketing department, and I don’t think it should be responsible for your entire business’s visibility. 

I’m Nicole, and for the past 5+ years I’ve helped creative business owners use Pinterest, blogging + SEO to get more of the right people onto their websites without constantly relying on Instagram. After working behind the scenes with photographers and other creatives, there’s one thing I know: your marketing shouldn’t require you to become a full-time content creator!! Stalk my about page to get to know more about me!

How Pinterest Works for Your Creative Business

The approach to Pinterest is tooootally different. 

Since Pinterest works more like a visual search and discovery platform than a traditional social feed, you’re creating searchable content rather than nurturing content. That means a Pin you publish today has the potential to keep getting discovered months or even years later, especially when it’s connected to content people continue searching for.

And that’s what I freaking love about Pinterest + blogging + SEO!! A photographer could be photographing a wedding while another engaged couple finds one of her venue blogs; an interior designer could be knee-deep in a client install while someone finds her colorful kitchen project; and a food blogger could be making a new recipe while an old one keeps getting discovered.

Basically… Pinterest helps people discover your content, your blogs give them a reason to stick around, and your website helps them decide whether you’re the person they want to work with.

THAT is the kind of marketing I want for creatives. Not because they’ll never have to market again (lol, imagine), but because their visibility isn’t completely dependent on “Oh shit, did I post today???” 

And if you’re sitting there wondering whether Pinterest can actually lead to inquiries and bookings (because website traffic is cute, but we want MONEY), I break that down in my guide on whether Pinterest actually brings clients.

So… For Pinterest vs. Instagram. Which One is Better For Getting Clients? 

Again, seriously, I don’t hate Instagram. I just want you to be strategic with your marketing and invest in stuff that really works for you without having to:

Make the Reel

Write the caption

Post the Stories

Engage

Show your face

Think of something interesting to say… And do it alllll again tomorrow. 

Here’s what makes Pinterest different:  

A Huge Piece of the Puzzle: Intent

Someone scrolling Instagram might absolutely become a client. But they weren’t necessarily opening Instagram thinking, “Yep, today I’m gonna find my wedding photographer.”

Pinterest searches can put you in front of someone while they’re actively researching something connected to what you offer. Picture a bride searching “Napa wedding venues” on Pinterest. She might not even be searching for a photographer yet… But one of my client’s venue blogs pops up anyway. 👀 Said bride clicks, reads the blog, sees the photographer’s work, clicks on another blog or portfolio page, then falls COMPLETELY in love with the photos. And now the photographer has entered her world before she even Googled “Napa wedding photographer.”

THAT’S HUGE!!! 

Same goes for interior designers who can pop up for terms like “colorful kitchen ideas,” or food bloggers who can pop up for “easy fall dinner recipes.”  Your dream clients are already searching for ideas, answers, and inspiration related to what you offer. And I want YOUR work to have a chance to show up when they do.

So, is Pinterest or Instagram better for getting clients? It depends on how you want people to find your business. Instagram is great for relationships, community, and showing people who you are. Pinterest is great for helping people discover your content through searches, click through to your website, and find you long after you publish something. And for established creatives? I don’t think you should have to choose just one. I think you need marketing that doesn’t depend entirely on you showing up every freaking day.

How to Use Pinterest and Instagram TOGETHER

If I’m totally honest… I think that both platforms are stronger when they’re working together instead of competing. Someone could discover you on Pinterest, go stalk your Instagram, get completely obsessed with you… And inquire right then and there. 

Or, vice versa, someone could find you on Instagram, later search something on Pinterest, see a name that they recognize (which builds even MORE trust), and then reach out. 

It’s an ecosystem, not just putting all your eggs in one platform and thinking that it’ll get you an immediate booking. 

And if you’re thinking, “Okay Nicole, I get it… but I barely have time to keep up with Instagram, and now you want me to figure out Pinterest too??” NOPE. That’s literally why my team and I exist. We take the Pinterest strategy, blogging, keywords, optimization, and all the behind-the-scenes marketing stuff off your plate so your work can keep getting discovered while you’re busy doing the things people actually PAY you to do. Here’s how our done-for-you Pinterest, blogging + SEO services work.

How My Pinterest Management Client Went From 1 Click to Over 1k per Month From Pinterest!

When we started working together, Hannah was getting just ONE click to her website from Pinterest. ONE. 😅😂

And now?! 1,360 outbound clicks to her website, with one single Pinterest pin about 2027 wedding dress trends bringing in 737 clicks ALL BY ITSELF!! THAT’S what gets me so freaking excited about Pinterest.

Because think about it… that’s over 1,000 opportunities for potential clients to discover her business, explore her website, fall in love with her work, and potentially inquire!! And the best part? Those clicks aren’t coming from her having to post another Instagram Reel or constantly show up on Stories.

They’re coming from strategic content that’s getting her work in front of people actively searching for wedding inspiration.

And THAT is why I love Pinterest. We’re taking the work Hannah has already created and giving it more opportunities to be discovered, while she’s busy serving her clients, running her business, and actually enjoying her life!

Nicole Sturgeon | Pinterest Manager for Creative Businesses

The answer to the Pinterest vs. Instagram debate isn’t necessarily Pinterest, the end!! It’s that they serve different purposes. Instagram shows you the now, and it’s a great way to nurture clients and show them who’s behind the brand. Pinterest is for search discovery, evergreen visibility, and reaching people based on what they’re actively searching for. 

And if you’re someone who’s putting all your focus on Instagram… I want you to know that Instagram marketing can be optional for you. It can be about posting something just because you want to share it, or posting something because you want to connect with people. Not just to cross your fingers and hope that someone who sees it wants to book you!! 

You built a successful creative business. You have YEARS of freaking good work, clients to serve, and a life you actually want to enjoy. So… You shouldn’t have to keep reminding the internet you exist just to feel confident that new people can find you.

Imagine your old galleries, projects, recipes, and content continuing to bring people to your website while you’re busy with paying clients, taking that Friday afternoon off, or literally doing ANYTHING other than marketing. That’s what my team and I help established creatives build through done-for-you Pinterest, blogging + SEO.