The Cool Tricks Behind Scout and TOBI Pins for Explosive Pinterest Traffic

Pinterest Pin Tips

This is a follow-up to my post on how I went "From 334 to 6.9k Impressions: How I’m Growing Pinterest in a Tiny Niche at 76" I posted on 2/19/26. Remember, I'm a newbie at this, but sometimes it can be helpful to hear how a beginner in a task shows measured improvement, even if it is small compared to long-time Pinterest users.

This is how I’ve set up my Pinterest business account for GoldenSurvivalist using my Gmail account of thegoldensurvivalist. Remember, this is a small niche targeted at "survival prepping for seniors".

Just since 2/19/26, my account has grown to have:

Impressions10.39k, Engagements 341, Outbound clicks 7, Saves 51, Total audience 4.66k, Engaged audience 201.

That is 3.4k MORE impressions in only 3 days! I guess I must be doing something right 😊

Scout and TOBI Pin Details

Use this information to make templates in your image designer.

TOBI Pin

I’ll start with a TOBI pin first.

TOBI means Text Over Background Image. Typically, this type of pin has:

· Title (100 character limit, but 50-70 characters is the sweet spot)

· Description (500 character limit)

· URL

· Board name

· HashTags 5-10 (I use 5)

Pinterest often shows only the first 40–60 characters of the Title in feeds.

If the hook is at the end, users never see it. Put the strongest words first.

Simple rule to follow

Think of the title like a headline, not a description. Goal = make them curious enough to click or save. Not explain everything.

Example:

Bad:
Bug Out Planning Guide for Seniors Before Disaster Strikes

Better:
Seniors Should Never Wait This Long to Evacuate

The hook comes first. My hook is Seniors.

Using ChatGPT/AI to Help

Use ChatGPT or your AI of choice to help you with your Title, Description, and Hashtags. This is an example of my prompt to my AI I call Sage:

HI SAGE! PLEASE READ THIS POST goldensurvivalist.com/sheltering-in-or-striking-out-navigating-the-bug-out-dilemma AND GIVE ME A PINTEREST PIN TITLE, DESCRIPTION AND HASHTAGS

Scout Pin

Now, let’s do a Scout pin.

Scout pins are usually a blank image that is relevant to your post. It doesn’t need to have a title, description, URL (for a new Pinterest Business account). or hashtags). It just needs the Board name. I change this up sometimes to watch what people will do. I have some with the URL, some with a title.

A TOBI pin can also be used as a Scout pin. I also have some Scout pins with a bit of text (TOBI).

Scout pins are designed to spread.

They trigger curiosity. People save them. Their followers see them. Those followers save them again.

This creates an exponential distribution.

One Scout pin can spread like this:

You → 10 saves → 100 saves → 1,000 saves → traffic for months or years

This is how Pinterest becomes a traffic engine.

Saving Your Pins in Pinterest

Pinterest tracks performance at TWO levels:

• Individual pin
• Overall URL

Even if 50 versions of your Scout pin exist, Pinterest still knows the traffic goes to your page. You DO NOT lose traffic when people download your pins. Instead, your article gains authority when people save your pin. This increases ranking.

The only way you lose traffic

This happens ONLY if someone:

• Downloads your image
• Uploads it as a brand new pin
• And replaces your link with theirs

This is rare. Especially with blank Scout pins. Most people just click Save.

Why blank Scout pins are powerful

Blank Scout pins work because they trigger emotion first. A new board needs traffic. Pinterest loves blank pins and rewards that board with traffic. Use blank Scout pins to "seed" your boards.

Curiosity drives saves. Saves drive distribution. Distribution drives clicks.

As your Pinterest account/board matures and you add more pins, the blank image is not the goal. The link becomes the goal.

One good Scout pin can:

• Bring traffic for years
• Spread without you doing anything
• Reach people you could never reach directly

Allowing Pinterest to become your silent traffic partner.

Examples of Scout pins and TOBI pins

Scout Pin - 1.9k impressions, 18 clicks, 85 saves

Scout/TOBI Pin - 631 impressions, 10 clicks, 19 saves

TOBI Pin - 62 impressions, 2 clicks, 1 save,

You can see that the Scout pin has a lot more impressions, clicks, and saves than the TOBI pin does. It looks like most of my traffic is to the Scout pins. But remember, these saves drive traffic to my Pinterest account and website, which I badly need!

The second example pin is set as a Scout pin, but it has text on it (TOBI). It goes to its designated Pinterest board in my profile. The TOBI pin goes to my website.

Why Scout Pins Are Left Blank

The goal of Scout pins is to maximize saves, not immediate clicks.

When a Scout pin has no title, description, or visible link cues, it feels neutral, mysterious, and non-promotional. People resist obvious marketing—but they save curiosity. These saves increase distribution, which is the real purpose of Scout pins.

This works especially well for new boards and new accounts. Pinterest does not fully trust a new account. It needs behavioral data first.

The Pinterest gods/goddesses watch who saves your pins, who engages with them, and what audience responds.

Blank Scout pins help Pinterest learn faster and identify the right audience for your content. Think of Scout pins as training Pinterest’s algorithm.

The Three Phases of Pinterest Growth

Pinterest growth happens in stages:

Phase 1 — Discovery
Goal: get saves
Best tool: blank Scout pins

Phase 2 — Audience Identification
Goal: teach Pinterest your niche
Best tool: Scout pins and light TOBI pins

Phase 3 — Traffic Extraction
Goal: maximize clicks
Best tool: TOBI and Feature pins

Scout pins help you reach people. TOBI pins help convert them into visitors.

Scout = reach
TOBI = conversion

You need both.

A Good Strategy Going Forward

For each article, create at least three pins:

• Scout pin (blank curiosity image) — spreads and builds reach
• Scout/TOBI hybrid pin — builds audience targeting
• TOBI pin (text over image) — drives clicks to your site

Post the Scout pin first. Wait 1–3 days. Then post the TOBI pin. By then, Pinterest has already identified your audience, and the TOBI pin converts better.

This is why Scout pins often outperform TOBI pins early on. Your account is still in the discovery phase. Pinterest is learning who your audience is.

As it learns, your TOBI pins will begin producing more clicks.

Scout pins open the door.
TOBI pins bring the traffic inside.

Final Thoughts

Pinterest traffic doesn’t come from one perfect pin. It comes from planting multiple seed pins and letting them spread.

Scout pins help Pinterest find your audience. TOBI pins bring that audience to your website.

Start simple. Create one Scout pin and one TOBI pin for your next post. Watch what happens over the next few days. The results may surprise you.

If you’ve been experimenting with Scout or TOBI pins, share your experience below. I’d love to hear what’s working for you 😊

*Much gratitude to Jay at magistudios, who is our Pinterest training god, and to Vitaliy, who is another WA god with fantastic Pinterest videos and posts :)

Teri