I used to think “fresh” on Pinterest was a light switch—on or off. Then we crunched the numbers and learned it’s more like a dimmer dial. Freshness isn’t binary; it’s a spectrum. Once you see the levels, your planning gets faster, your expectations get saner, and your results improve. Our definitions come from Tailwind’s benchmark study—an analysis of 1M+ Pins.
This post lays out each level of freshness, why distribution decays with reuse, and how to build a workflow that keeps the “fresh” dial turned up—without burning all your time.
What Does “Freshness as a Spectrum” Mean on Pinterest?
Freshness spans five levels: New Ideas, Fresh, Fresh Take, Pretty Fresh, Not So Fresh, and Not Fresh. Each level depends on how many elements of a Pin are new (the page it links to, the image, keywords, text, and board). More novelty earns more distribution, but lower levels still have jobs to do.
The Five Levels of Pin Freshness
- New Ideas — Maximum distribution. Every element is new: new page, new image, new keywords, new text, new board. Use this when launching content or products you want to push hard.
- Fresh — Strong distribution on repeat URLs with new creative. Expect roughly 64–77% of New Ideas’ distribution when you keep the URL but ship a new image, keywords, and text.
- Fresh Take — Helpful reach when you want to tap additional audiences. You may reuse the URL and image, but refresh keywords, text, and board to reframe the idea for a new angle.
- Pretty Fresh — Noticeable drop from the top tiers—about 35–11% of New Ideas’ distribution—when you only make minor tweaks such as new text while repeating the URL and image.
- Not So Fresh — Very limited distribution. Think board-only or light text changes. These can still help Pinterest map content to interests.
- Not Fresh — Barely distributed outside seasonal moments. All repeats: page, image, keywords, text, board.
How Reuse Causes Decay in Distribution
Distribution doesn’t drop to zero after one Pin. It decays as the same URL—or the same URL + image combo—gets pinned again. New visuals for a repeat URL decay slower than repeating the same visual again. Text-only changes help far less than image changes. The spectrum exists because Pinterest can tell when you’ve brought something genuinely new to the feed.
When and Why to Use Each Level
- New Ideas: Launches, cornerstone content, seasonal anchors.
- Fresh: Priority URLs you want to sustain week after week with new visuals and copy.
- Fresh Takes: Reframe the same idea for different audiences or boards.
- Pretty Fresh / Not So Fresh: Limited use for mapping topics, filling small gaps, or supporting seasonal reminders.
- Not Fresh: Rare—save for narrow, time-sensitive cases.
Why Higher Freshness Levels Earn More Reach
Pinterest rewards novelty because it protects the feed from fatigue. New Ideas and Fresh Pins give the algorithm more evidence that users might find value, so they’re shown more widely early on. Reused elements provide weaker novelty signals, so they’re shown less.
Algorithmic Preference for Novel Signals
When page + image + text are new, Pinterest has the richest set of signals to test. If early engagement looks promising, distribution ramps. Repeating a URL with new visuals still gives Pinterest something new to test. Repeating only text? Much weaker signal.
Building “Distribution Momentum” Over Time
Fresh Pins don’t always take off on day one. The benchmark shows that ~20% of Pins show no impressions after one week while Pinterest analyzes new content. The takeaway: ship consistently and measure over 2–3 weeks before calling it.
Why Lower Levels Still Matter
Even Pretty Fresh or Not So Fresh Pins help Pinterest map your topic to Ideas/Interests and keep seasonal content present. They’re not your reach drivers, but they do play support roles in a healthy content system.
Balancing Effort vs. Reach
New Ideas take more time. Fresh and Fresh Takes are the ROI sweet spot for many teams—steady distribution with far less lift than creating new pages. The best mix blends all five levels with most of your energy in the top three.
How to Create Pins Across the Freshness Spectrum
Aim for a mix. Keep a steady drumbeat of New Ideas and Fresh Pins, add Fresh Takes to widen audiences, and use Pretty Fresh or Not So Fresh sparingly for mapping and timing.
Generating “New Ideas” Pins
Start where freshness peaks: new page, new image, new keywords, new text, new board. Design multiple visuals up front so you can pace them out. Tailwind Create helps here: import a URL or images once, apply your brand presets, and spin up several designs in minutes—then send them straight to scheduling. Pair those visuals with unique copy so every Pin brings something new.
Producing “Fresh” Pins
Keep the same URL, but change the image, keywords, and text. This is the workhorse tier. Use SmartPin to generate a new image + copy weekly from a URL you choose—great for steady promotion without the weekly design scramble.
Crafting “Fresh Takes”
Reuse the URL and maybe the image, but refresh keywords, text, and boards to reach adjacent audiences. Ghostwriter is handy for fast title/description variants that target new search terms or intents.
Using “Pretty Fresh” Reuse
Short on assets? Update text while repeating the URL + image to support short campaign phases. Don’t rely on this tier for reach; use it to keep a timeline tidy between stronger Pins.
Strategic Roles for “Not So Fresh” & “Not Fresh”
- Board-only changes (Not So Fresh) can help Pinterest connect your content to an additional interest.
- All-repeat Pins (Not Fresh) are mostly useful for narrow, seasonal reminders. Keep these rare.
Workflow: Scheduling Across the Spectrum
Consistency beats bursts. Batch your drafts in Pin Scheduler and let SmartSchedule place them at recommended times. Turn on Pin Spacing to keep a safe interval between Pins from the same URL so you don’t cluster repeats. SmartPin drafts flow right into Pin Scheduler, so your top URLs can ship Fresh Pins on autopilot while you focus on New Ideas.
Common Misconceptions About Fresh Pins
People still think freshness is a light switch. It isn’t. Here are the myths I hear most—and the fixes.
Myth: “New Board = Fresh Pin”
Not quite. Board-only changes fall into Not So Fresh. That can help Pinterest map topics, but don’t expect a big reach lift. If you want performance, add a new image and updated keywords too.
Myth: “Changing Description Creates a Fresh Pin”
Text-only changes land in Pretty Fresh at best. You’ll see far less distribution than a new image. If you’re short on assets, consider Fresh Takes: reuse the URL and image, but retarget with new keywords and a new board.
Myth: “Reuse Always Kills Reach”
Reuse causes decay, it doesn’t trigger a cliff. Fresh visuals for the same URL can still perform well. Use them to maintain presence while you’re building New Ideas.
Best Practices for Correct Classification
Quick rules of thumb:
- New page + new image + new text = New Ideas.
- Same URL + new image + new text = Fresh.
- Same URL + (maybe) same image + new text/keywords/board = Fresh Take.
- Same URL + same image + new text = Pretty Fresh.
- Board-only or tiny tweaks = Not So Fresh.
- Everything repeated = Not Fresh.
Applying Levels to Real Pipelines
For each important page, sketch a mini-pipeline: 1–2 New Ideas designs → a series of Fresh variants → a few Fresh Takes for adjacent audiences. Sprinkle Pretty Fresh/Not So Fresh Pins when you need extra coverage or timing finesse. Simple, predictable, and kind to your calendar. 
How Tailwind Tools Support Freshness Strategies
Our tools exist to keep you shipping across the spectrum—without living in design files or spreadsheets.
Create — New visuals for New Ideas
Use Tailwind Create to build several on-brand visuals for the same idea in one sitting. Enter your inputs once, preview across templates, and send your picks right to scheduling. You stay fast and consistent.
SmartPin — Weekly Fresh & Fresh Takes
Flip on SmartPin for a key URL. Each week it generates a new Pin with a text overlay and unique copy. You can tweak the design or even choose an overlay-free option when the original image tells the story better.
Ghostwriter — Text variation for Fresh Takes
Inside Pin Scheduler, click Generate with Ghostwriter next to titles and descriptions. You’ll get fresh variants that target different search angles—great for extending a page’s reach without changing the image.
Pin Scheduler + SmartSchedule + Pin Spacing — Controlled rollout
Batch your drafts in Pin Scheduler, let SmartSchedule handle timing, and keep your account pattern healthy with Pin Spacing so repeats don’t bunch up. You can lock specific Pins to exact times when you need precision.
Feedback Loops — Using analytics to rebalance
Watch which URLs respond best to Fresh vs Fresh Takes. Shift time toward the tiers that move the needle and reduce the low-tier repeats. The mix should evolve with the season and your library.
FAQ
What are the five levels of Pin freshness?
New Ideas, Fresh, Fresh Take, Pretty Fresh, Not So Fresh, and Not Fresh.
If I change only the description, is it fresh?
That’s Pretty Fresh. Helpful for organization; weaker for reach.
Do lower-tier Pins have value?
Yes. They help Pinterest map your content and can maintain seasonal presence.
How many New Ideas do I need?
Start with your priority URLs. Give each one a couple of New Ideas designs, then sustain with Fresh and Fresh Takes.
How long should I wait to measure performance?
Give new Pins 2–3 weeks. Distribution builds as Pinterest tests them.
Conclusion
Freshness isn’t a switch; it’s a spectrum. The higher you go—New Ideas and Fresh—the more reach you’ll earn. Fresh Takes help you meet new audiences. Lower tiers still have jobs, just smaller ones.
Takeaways
- Freshness has five levels, not two.
- New images drive the biggest lift on repeat URLs.
- Plan a simple pipeline: New Ideas → Fresh → Fresh Takes → light reuse.
- Use Tailwind Create, SmartPin, Ghostwriter, Pin Scheduler, SmartSchedule, and Pin Spacing to keep the dial turned up—without adding stress.
The post What Counts as a Fresh Pin on Pinterest in 2025? appeared first on Tailwind Blog.
