Categories: Pinterest

What to Pin in November

With Fall well under way, Thanksgiving imminent and Christmas just around the corner, we help guide your Pinning for the month ahead by showing you what Pins performed best last November

We analyzed all of the Pins from Tailwind members from November of last year and Pinned the ones that received the most Repins to our 11 “trends” boards – one board for each of the 11 most popular Pinterest categories.

We Pinned to these boards in the chronological order that the Pins were published, so Pins at the bottom of the board are from earlier in the month and Pins at the top are from later in the month.  Only the Pins on the board between the Pins that feature the text “What to Pin in November” and “What to Pin in October” relate to Pins that were popular last November.

  • Perfect your seasonal timing so that you’re creating content at the right time of year
  • Uncover popular trends referenced by last year’s Pins and recreate their success by referencing this year’s equivalent trends
  • Observe the color pallets that work in the different categories at different times of year
  • Observe seasonal trends in Pin aesthetics: text overlays, aspect ratios and photography
  • Find seasonal keywords in Pin descriptions that may generate Pinterest search traffic

Big Takeaways from November:

  • Comfy and cozy were themes throughout all of the boards. The colors are warmer, the fabrics are richer, and the food is hardier.
  • Fashion is ever changing, but there are certain styles that endure. Warm coats and jackets, scarves, and jean are classic looks that were popular last year and will be popular going forward. In fact, one of the Pins was Pinned two years ago but still has staying power. For 2016 the trend, seem to be toward jean jackets, ripped jeans, and closer fitting cropped sweater.
  • Thanksgiving themed food Pins were more popular toward the beginning of the month and became more fall and winter inspired as the month progressed. Unless you have Thanksgiving leftover Pins, don’t continue to Pin Thanksgiving themed food after Thanksgiving ends.
  • Holiday & events heavily focus on Christmas in November. Because people are planning for the future and gathering ideas, if you Pin about the Thanksgiving holiday you will be behind. It’s also important to look at things going on in pop culture to gather ideas. For example, Star Wars parties were popular last year because Episode VII came out last December.

Important keywords: DIY, Christmas, holidays, festive, step-by-step, gift, easy to make, printable, organizing, decor, budget

Important keywords: books, reading, activity, Christmas, holiday, printable, winter, learning, classroom, imagination, lesson, Thanksgiving

Important keywords: Easy, quick, pumpkin, cinnamon, creamy, chilly/chili, diets (vegan, gluten free, paleo, etc.), comfort, rich, Christmas

Important keywords: Dramatic, tutorial, DIY, updo, romantic, nail art, hairstyle, beauty tips, eyeliner, contour, eyeshadow

Important keywords: Body parts (butt, abs, tummy, etc), challenge, workout, lose weight, shape, X day, X minute

Important keywords: Party, ideas, theme, Christmas, red, pink, gold, inspire, gift, easy, DIY, printable, planning, favors

Important keywords: Makeover, white, wood, organizing, DIY, rustic, storage, remodel, kitchen, bathroom, marble, decor, projects

Important keywords: Reading, simple, learning, activity, toddler, sensory, DIY, fall, craft, preschool

Important keywords: Travel, adventurous, activities, attractions, lists, vacation

Important keywords: Groom, bride, ideas, inspiration, flowers, rustic, hairstyle, dress, centerpieces, white, outdoor

Important keywords: Street style, winter, cozy, fall, season, demin, warm colors (red, taupe, brown, etc.), boots, sweater

To help with the job of decoding the lessons from last year’s most popular Pins we recorded this Facebook Live.

Other “What to Pin” Posts

Check out other posts like this in our “What to Pin When” category.

Download our printable 2017 Pinterest and Instagram Content Calendars

Want to know what to Pin next month?

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David Christopher

David is Tailwind's Director of Marketing and Growth. He is a former journalist who wrote for The Times and The Financial Times, a marketing agency co-founder, founder of Confluence digital marketing conference, father of two, and early morning writer. He grew up on The Isle of Wight in England and lives in Oklahoma City.

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