Pinterest Strategy for Food Creators in 2026 with Kate Ahl

Jan 27, 2026

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Actionable advice for finding success on Pinterest, building trust with users, and showing Pinterest (and your audience) that there's a real human behind your content with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media.

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Welcome to episode 555 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media.

Pinterest Strategy for Food Creators in 2026

Pinterest has changed a lot in the last year — and food creators are feeling it. With the rise of AI-generated content (aka "AI slop"), many established bloggers have seen traffic declines, while newer creators are still finding success on the platform.

In this episode, we're joined by Kate Ahl of Simple Pin Media, to break down what's really happening on Pinterest right now. We talk about how AI has impacted the platform, whether Pinterest still offers a strong ROI for food creators, and what strategies actually work in 2026 — especially if you're an established creator wondering whether Pinterest is still worth your time.

Kate also shares practical, actionable advice for using Pinterest more intentionally, building trust with users, and showing Pinterest (and your audience) that there's a real human behind your content.

Three episode takeaways:

Pinterest can still be a valuable traffic and revenue driver — While overall Pinterest traffic is down year over year, the platform continues to deliver high RPMs, meaning the traffic you do get can be more valuable. Instead of chasing volume, creators should focus on quality traffic, clear intent, and how Pinterest fits into a broader marketing strategy.
Human-generated, trust-building content matters more than ever — As AI-generated content floods Pinterest, users (and the platform itself) are craving signals of authenticity. Showing your face, branding your images, and creating recognizable visual styles help Pinterest understand that there's a real person behind your content — and help users decide who they trust enough to click.
Pinterest success requires patience, experimentation, and intentional strategy — Pinterest is no longer a "set it and forget it" platform. Keyword research, thoughtful image design, testing different formats, and committing to a strategy for 6–9 months are key. Creators who treat Pinterest as a long-term marketing channel (rather than a quick win) are best positioned to succeed.

Resources:

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