From descriptions to image size, there are so many different elements to Pinterest success. Today, however, we're going to talk about one that isn't, ahem, covered all too often: board cover images!

The importance of Pinterest boards

Before we go into the actual images, let's take a second to talk about why Pinterest boards are a must-have. First and foremost, they keep your profile organized so you and your followers don't just see a mishmash of individual Pins on your page. Clean up on aisle five, please!

Pinterest boards also help your followers get a sense of your brand. So if you're a dessert blogger, you might set up separate boards for cupcakes, pastries, cookies, etc. That way, anyone visiting your profile will take a look at your boards and immediately know that you're all about those desserts.

For example, you can see here how Pinch of Yum has organized their boards into categories like “Sugar Free Recipes” and “Soups + Chili”!

Set up a business account

You can only upload board cover images if you have a Pinterest business account, so make sure to get that set up first! Luckily, doing so is pretty easy and it's free.

Apart from uploading cover images, having a business account opens up the door to a couple of things:

  1. Pinterest Analytics: If you’re posting content on Pinterest, chances are you’ll want to see how they’re performing. Pinterest Analytics is a really powerful tool that will give you all the metrics you need right at your fingertips!
  2. The ability to claim your site: Once you claim your site, Pinterest will see to it that your name and profile photo are associated with the content you’ve created, even if someone else pinned the image.

Board cover images

Now that you've got your Pinterest boards set up, you can move on to the next step: adding a good cover image!

It's worth noting that a designated cover image for each board isn't required. By default, your board's cover image will be the first image you pinned to that board, which may or may not be the one you want representing the rest of your board.

Generally speaking, you want to choose an image that's eye-catching and will make a good first impression. Think of your cover image as your board's hero image – the one you want the world to see first! ✨

Alternatively, you can also create a graphic and set it as your board's cover image (think highlight covers for Instagram Stories). This can go a long way in creating a unified look on your profile and strong brand identity.

If you do choose to upload a cover image (or video!), take note of the following specs from Pinterest:

Images:
– Must be at least 800 pixels wide x 450 pixels tall
– Using a horizontal image with a 16:9 aspect ratio is recommended

Videos:
– Must be a horizontal video with a 16:9 aspect ratio
– Must be at least 4 seconds long and can be up to 5 minutes maximum
– 2 GB file size maximum
– Use H.264 encoding

Edit your profile cover – Pinterest

And that's the scoop on Pinterest board cover images! ?

Do you add cover images to your boards? We'd love to hear more about how you use them in the comments below!