How I Got to 40K Views on Pinterest as a Handmade Coastal Artist

Growing a handmade business online can feel slow in the beginning. You post, you create, you tweak your listings, you make new content, and sometimes it feels like no one is seeing it yet.

But little by little, Pinterest started to become one of the places where my work could actually be discovered.

Recently, I reached 40,000 monthly views on Pinterest, and while that may not be a huge number compared to some big creators, for a handmade coastal brand like mine, it felt like a really meaningful milestone.

I wanted to share what helped me get there, what I learned along the way, and why Pinterest has become such an important part of growing Bowline Artistry.

I Treated Pinterest Like a Search Engine

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was realizing that Pinterest is not really like Instagram or Facebook.

It is more like a visual search engine.

People go on Pinterest looking for ideas, inspiration, gifts, home décor, wedding details, and things they want to save for later. That made it a really good fit for my handmade ocean-inspired pieces, like epoxy resin beach trays, coastal wine glasses, beach vases, mugs, and wedding glassware.

Instead of only posting pretty pictures, I started thinking about what people might actually be searching for.

Things like:

• Coastal home décor
• Beach wedding gifts
• Ocean-inspired gifts
• Coastal kitchen décor
• Beach house decorating ideas
• Handmade coastal gifts
• Epoxy resin ocean art
• Wine glasses for weddings

Once I started using more searchable words in my titles, descriptions, boards, and pin text, my content had a better chance of being found.

I Posted Consistently

Consistency made a big difference.

I did not grow to 40K views from posting once in a while. I started showing up regularly with fresh pins, new designs, different angles, and a mix of product photos, lifestyle-style pins, blog content, and inspiration-based ideas.

Some days I made several pins. Other days I focused on creating one or two stronger ones. The important part was that I kept going.

Pinterest seems to reward steady activity over time. One pin may not take off right away, but another one might start getting views days or weeks later.

That is one of the things I like about Pinterest: your content can keep working long after you post it.

I Tested Different Pin Styles

I learned that not every pin needs to look the same.

Some of my pins worked better with minimal text. Others performed better with a soft call-to-action. Some needed a cozy lifestyle background. Some looked better as clean product-focused pins.

I tested different styles, including:

• Simple product pins
• Pins with soft CTAs
• Wedding-inspired pins
• Coastal home décor pins
• Gift guide pins
• Blog article pins
• Close-up detail shots
• Luxury-inspired mockups

Instead of assuming one style would work forever, I kept testing. When a pin performed well, I made a similar version with a different headline, CTA, or image layout.

That helped me understand what my audience was responding to.

I Used Soft Calls-to-Action

I also learned that Pinterest users do not always want to feel like they are being sold to immediately.

Instead of always using “Shop Now,” I started testing softer CTAs like:

• Explore the Collection
• Bring Coastal Calm Home
• Find Your Perfect Piece
• Style Your Space with Coastal Charm
• See the Full Collection
• A Touch of the Ocean, Reimagined
• Make Every Toast Feel Special

These felt more natural for my brand and matched the elevated coastal feeling I wanted Bowline Artistry to have.

A good CTA should invite people in, not push them too hard.

I Created Boards That Matched My Brand

Another thing that helped was organizing my Pinterest boards around the types of searches my ideal customers might make.

For a coastal handmade brand, boards like these make sense:

• Coastal Home Décor Ideas
• Beach Wedding Gifts
• Coastal Kitchen Décor
• Ocean-Inspired Gifts
• Coastal Living Room Inspiration
• Handmade Coastal Decor
• Wine Glasses & Wedding Glassware
• Beach House Style

Having clear, keyword-rich boards helped give Pinterest more context about my content.

It also made my profile feel more intentional and easier for people to browse.

I Focused on My Best Content Themes

As I kept posting, I started noticing which themes seemed to fit my brand best.

For Bowline Artistry, the strongest content themes have been:

• Ocean-inspired home décor
• Beach wedding gifts
• Coastal glassware
• Handmade gifts
• Epoxy resin beach art
• Coastal pieces that feel elevated and unique

Once I saw those themes getting attention, I leaned into them more.

That does not mean every pin has to be identical. But it does mean your content should feel connected. Pinterest needs to understand what your account is about.

I Made Pins for Both Products and Inspiration

One mistake I think many handmade sellers make is only posting product pins.

Product pins matter, but Pinterest users are also looking for ideas.

So instead of only saying, “Here is a vase,” I started thinking in terms of inspiration:

• How to style a coastal vase
• Beach wedding gift ideas
• Coastal décor that looks expensive
• Ocean-inspired gifts for beach lovers
• Wine glasses that make every toast feel special

This made my content feel more helpful and more searchable.

It also gave me more ways to talk about the same products without repeating myself too much.

I Used Blog Content to Create More Pin Ideas

Another thing that helped was connecting my Pinterest strategy to blog content.

A blog post can become several different pins. For example, one blog article about coastal gift ideas can turn into pins like:

• 10 Ocean-Inspired Gifts for Beach Lovers
• Coastal Gifts That Feel Personal and Unique
• Handmade Beach Gifts from Etsy
• Gift Ideas for Ocean Lovers
• Coastal Décor Gifts Under $100

This gives Pinterest more content to work with, and it gives people a reason to click beyond just one product listing.

I Paid Attention to What Was Working

Getting to 40K views was not about guessing the whole time.

I paid attention to:

• Which pins got saves
• Which pins got clicks
• Which images stood out
• Which titles felt searchable
• Which CTAs felt natural
• Which topics seemed to grow faster

When something worked, I did not just move on. I used it as a clue.

That is one of the best ways to grow on Pinterest: look at what people are already responding to, then create more content in that direction.

What I Learned From Reaching 40K Views

Reaching 40K monthly views taught me that Pinterest growth is possible, even for a small handmade business.

It also taught me that growth does not always happen in a straight line. Some days views go up. Some days they dip. Some pins take off quickly, while others grow slowly over time.

The key is not to panic every time numbers change.

The key is to keep creating, keep testing, and keep improving.

My Best Advice for Handmade Sellers Using Pinterest

If you are trying to grow your handmade business on Pinterest, my biggest advice is this:

Do not just post your products. Create inspiration around your products.

Think about how your item fits into someone’s home, wedding, gift list, coffee bar, dinner party, beach house, or special moment.

Pinterest is about possibilities.

When people see your pin, they should be able to imagine your handmade piece in their own life.

Final Thoughts

Getting to 40K Pinterest views did not happen overnight, but it did happen because I kept showing up.

I tested different pin designs, used better keywords, created boards that matched my brand, leaned into my best content themes, and started thinking more like a Pinterest user.

For Bowline Artistry, Pinterest has become more than just a place to post pretty photos. It has become a way to share ocean-inspired handmade art with people who love coastal living, meaningful gifts, and one-of-a-kind pieces.

And 40K views is just the beginning.