How to create a Pinterest business account and claim your website

Pinterest business account vs personal: what changes

Pinterest offers create a new business account, or convert a personal account into a business account. Either way, the business account is free, and it gives you analytics on your Pins and the ability to run ads. Pinterest describes personal and business accounts as similar. The difference is in the tools a business account adds.

The table sets the two account types side by side, using what Pinterest's own help pages say about each feature.

If you sell anything, or plan to, the business account is the one to use. Pinterest Analytics needs a business account, and so does every ad. A personal account fits people who save ideas for themselves and want to keep their boards private.

Pinterest business account sign up: create a new account

Use this route when you want a business account that is separate from any personal account. Pinterest says you can only create a new business account from your desktop device, so start on a computer. The email you use must not already be in use on an existing Pinterest account.

1. Open the sign-up page

   Go to pinterest.com and click Sign up in the top-right corner. If you are already logged in to a personal account, log out first, or the option does not appear.

2. Choose a business account

   Click Create a business account. Enter your Email, Create a password and enter your Age, then click Create account. Creating the account means you accept Pinterest’s Business Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

3. Build your profile

   Fill in the Build your profile fields, then click Next. Use the business name customers already know, so the profile is easy to find in search.

4. Describe your business

   Fill in the Describe your business fields, then click Next.

5. Answer the ads question

   Pinterest asks you to Select if you want to run ads. You can still start ads later in Ads Manager at ads.pinterest.com.

6. Pick where to start

   Choose a starting point, such as creating a Pin, or close the window to go to your new business profile.

How to convert a personal account to a business account

Converting keeps your existing account and audience: Your Pins and followers will remain the same. Before you start, check two things. Business accounts are public on Pinterest, so a private account must be switched to public first. And if your personal account is linked to another Pinterest account, you need to unlink your account before you can convert it to a business account.

1. Open your settings

   Log in to your personal account on desktop. Click the more-options icon at the bottom left of the screen and select Settings.

2. Find the convert option

   Click Account management on the left. Find Convert to a business account, click Convert account, then click Convert account again to confirm.

3. Fill in the profile and business details

   Complete the Build your profile and Describe your business fields, clicking Next after each one. In the mobile app the route is Account management, then Convert to a business account, and you can add your website URL or skip that step.

4. Finish setup

   Choose whether you want to run ads, then pick where to start. Your Pins and followers carry over to the business profile.

How to claim your website on Pinterest

Claiming your website gives you insight into how often your content is shared on Pinterest. Whenever someone saves an image from your claimed site, Your profile picture will appear alongside the Pin, the Pin links to your profile and people see an option to follow you. A business account is not required to claim a site, but Pinterest recommends one to get the most from it.

To claim a website, you must own the domain, subdomain or subpath, and you need to be able to edit the source code. That rules out most social accounts and online stores hosted on marketplaces like Etsy, eBay and Amazon. A website can only be claimed by one Pinterest account, so if a teammate already claimed the site, sort out which account keeps it first. Pinterest offers four methods: you can connect with Google Merchant Center, add an HTML tag, HTML file or TXT record.

1. Log in to your Pinterest business account, open the menu in the top-right corner and select Settings.
2. Click Link to Pinterest in the left-side navigation, then click Claim next to Websites.
3. For the tag, file or TXT methods, copy the tag, download the file or copy the TXT record, then click Continue.
4. In a separate window, add it to your website or domain host.
5. Return to Pinterest, enter your website URL and click Verify.

Pinterest lists host-specific help for platforms including Shopify, SiteGround, Squarespace, Storeenvy, Tumblr, Volusion, Weebly, Wix, WordPress. To check the claim worked, go to Settings and open Claimed accounts. If you unclaim a site later, any Pins associated with the site will no longer be connected to your Pinterest account.

What a Pinterest business account unlocks

Three tools need a business account: analytics, ads and catalogs. Each one builds on the setup above, so the order you do things in matters.

• Analytics. Pinterest Analytics shows your overall performance, top boards and top Pins from the last 30 days. Top Pins start sorted by impressions, and you can switch the view to engagements, Pin clicks, outbound clicks or saves. With a claimed website you also see Pins that others saved from your site.
• Ads. Ads Manager lives at ads.pinterest.com, and you need a business account to create ads. A business account can hold as many as 50 ad accounts per business account.
• Catalogs. To upload products as product Pins, Pinterest asks you to Get a Pinterest business account, Claim your website, Install the Pinterest tag, and to have a site with easy-to-find contact details, shipping policy, and refund policy. Product Pins show a product title and description, as well as pricing and availability info.
• Catalog size and files. Pinterest can process up to 20 million products per retail catalog, from a data source in TSV, CSV, XML and Google Sheets format.

This is why claiming your website comes early. A catalog cannot start without it, and analytics for Pins saved from your site depend on it too.

Pinterest business account set up: details to decide first

A few choices are easier to make before you click Sign up than to change later.

• New account or conversion. Convert if your personal account already has followers and boards about your product. Create a new one if your personal Pins have nothing to do with the business.
• Which email. A new business account needs an email that must not already be in use on an existing Pinterest account. Pinterest also notes it is no longer possible to link a personal account to a business account.
• Agency or employee access. If you are setting up access to a company's or client's ad account, Pinterest recommends your professional email and your own name rather than the name of your business.
• Where you sell. If your shop lives on Etsy, eBay or Amazon, you cannot claim that storefront, because Pinterest excludes most social accounts and online stores hosted on marketplaces like Etsy, eBay and Amazon. A store on your own domain can be claimed.
• A way back. If the business account is not for you, You can switch back to a personal account at any time.

Where Nation fits

Questions about Pinterest business accounts