How to Create Viral Pins That Explode Your Traffic

It’s what every blogger wants: to go viral. While the internet can be unpredictable, viral pins usually share specific characteristics. Let’s dissect what it takes to generate massive reach and pageviews in a short window of time.

Generally speaking, "viral" means a post receives a large number of shares and pageviews in a relatively short period. In one of my own cases, a single viral pin generated 20,000 pageviews in just 24 hours. Here is why that happened.

First: The Topic

Some topics are naturally more shareable because they apply to a wider audience. Frugal living, for instance, is an evergreen topic with high viral tendencies. If your topic solves a universal problem, it’s already halfway to the "Save" button.

Second: The Headline

Headlines are your one chance for a first impression. A great viral headline usually utilizes lists and powerful emotional triggers. For example, "For when money is tight"tells the reader exactly how the article will help them during a specific time of need.

Third: The Image

Your image must be bright and easy to read—especially on a small mobile screen. The length should be optimized for the Pinterest feed so it isn't cropped, and your fonts should use high-contrast colors.

In my viral case study, the article had an "okay" pin originally. But once I uploaded a high-contrast, mobile-optimized design, the traffic skyrocketed. It had all the elements every pin must have to succeed.

Fourth: A Good Strategy

A beautiful pin is useless if no one sees it. You need a pinning strategy that gets your content onto relevant boards and into established sharing communities. Don't just upload it and hope—get it seen.

Once it is out there, make sure you track your pin's progress to see which designs are actually converting into clicks.