How to make a mood board on Pinterest for your brand vision

When you work with a brand and website designer, they’ll likely ask you to make a mood board on Pinterest to help visually explain the vision you have for your brand. This is an exciting, important step and FUN step in the branding process, so let’s walk through exactly how to make a mood board that will effectively guide your project.

Why Creating a Mood Board on Pinterest Matters

Whether you’re rebranding or starting fresh, a mood board is your first step toward bringing your vision to life. This isn’t just about collecting pretty pictures, even though that part *is* really fun – it’s actually a very important first step in bringing your brand to life.

Here’s why:

• It’s the first step in transforming your vision from abstract ideas into visual elements
• It helps both you and your designer get crystal clear on the direction your brand should take
• It gives you a way to communicate your vision without needing to know all the technical design terms
• It creates a shared visual language between you and your designer

How to Make a Mood Board on Pinterest

Now that you understand why mood boards matter, let’s get into the practical stuff. Creating your mood board doesn’t have to be complicated – I’ll walk you through it step by step.

1. Set Up Your Account If you’re new to Pinterest, start by creating an account – it’s quick and free!
2. Create Your Board
   • Click the plus icon in the top right corner
   • Select “Create Board”
   • Name it something like “[Your Business Name] Brand Vision” (or whatever feels right to you!)
3. Get to pinning!
   • Start collecting images that feel like your brand vision

The Art of Searching for Pins

Now that you’re ready to make your mood board on Pinterest, let’s talk about how to find the right inspiration. Don’t worry if your first searches don’t come up with exactly what you’re looking for. I’ve got a tried-and-true formula that makes finding the right inspiration much easier.

My favorite “formula” for finding the right pins

[Desired Feel] + [Aesthetic] + [Element]

For example

• “Minimal elegant brand aesthetic”
• “Organic natural texture vibe”
• “Modern luxury website layout”
• “Playful feminine color palette”

Play around with different word combinations and see what comes up.

What to Include in Your Pinterest Mood Board

Your mood board is like a visual story of your brand’s personality. While you might be tempted to only pin logos or color palettes, there’s actually a wide range of elements that can help shape your brand’s direction.

Here are the key elements to look for

• Imagery that captures your brand’s mood
• Interesting textures and patterns
• Logo styles that catch your eye
• Color combinations that speak to you
• Website layouts that feel right
• Typography examples
• Composition and layout ideas
• Brand collateral examples
• Anything that you think conveys your brand vibe and goal

My Best Tips for Creating an Effective Mood Board

After years of working with clients on their brand mood boards, I’ve noticed some common challenges and discovered helpful solutions.

Here are my top tips for making your mood board truly effective

1. Think Beyond Your Industry Don’t limit yourself to pins from your specific field. A coffee shop might find inspiration in fashion photography, or a law firm might be inspired by luxury hotel branding.
2. Trust Your Gut If an image gives you the feeling you want your audience to have when they interact with your brand – save it! Those intuitive choices often lead to the most authentic brand direction.
3. Take Notes As you pin, make quick notes about what specifically drew you to each image. This helps your designer understand exactly what elements resonate with your vision.
4. Keep Your Audience in Mind While it’s okay to include things you personally love (we want your brand to feel like you after all), remember to prioritize what will connect with your target audience and support your brand goals.

How This Fits Into the Design Process

You might be wondering what happens next with all this inspiration you’ve gathered. Well, your mood board actually plays an important role in my design process. It’s not just a collection of pretty images – it’s actually a strategic tool that helps guide your entire branding journey.

Your Pinterest mood board, along with your brand questionnaire, creates the foundation for your entire project.

Together, these help me create a comprehensive creative direction that include:

• Your brand strategy
• A refined mood board
• Detailed explanations of why each element was chosen
• How these choices will help achieve your brand goals

All of this prep work helps set expectations for the visual direction and gets us started off on the same page about everything before I even begin designing your brand. Since I use the One Concept Branding Method when it comes time for your brand concept presentation, there are no crazy surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Mood Boards

As you work on your Pinterest mood board, you might run into some questions or concerns – and that’s totally normal! I’ve collected some of the most common questions I get from clients about creating their mood boards, along with my answers to help guide you through the process.

What if I don’t really have a brand vision yet?

Don’t worry! Making a mood board on Pinterest is actually a great way to discover your brand vision. Start by saving pins that catch your eye or give you a feeling you like.

As you collect more pins, you’ll start to notice patterns in what you’re drawn to – certain colors, styles, or moods might keep showing up. This process itself can help clarify the vision you didn’t even know you had.

And remember, that’s exactly why you’re working with a designer – I’m here to help guide you through this process and turn those visual inspirations into a cohesive brand direction.

Where should I start if I’m feeling stuck?

Start by pinning things you’re naturally drawn to, even if they don’t seem “brand related.” Pin that coffee shop interior you love, the book cover that caught your eye, or that outfit that makes you feel amazing.

Sometimes the best brand inspiration comes from everyday things that evoke the feeling you want your brand to have. You can always refine your board later, but getting started is the most important part.

How do I know if I’m on the right track?

Look for patterns in what you’re pinning. Are you consistently drawn to light and airy images? Bold and modern designs? Organic and natural elements? These patterns in visuals will help uncover your brand direction.

Just remember to keep your brand goals and target audience in mind while you’re pinning – while you might personally love moody, dark aesthetics, that might not be the right fit if you’re targeting new moms for your baby product line.

But when you look at your board and think “YES, this is exactly the vibe I want AND it’ll resonate with my ideal clients!” then you’re definitely on the right track.

Oh and One Last Thing

Before you dive into creating your mood board, I want to leave you with something important to remember.

The most important part is to have fun with this process!

There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to make a mood board on Pinterest for your brand vision. Use mood boards for messy exploration and gathering inspiration of all kinds. As your designer, it’s my job to take all this inspiration, information and transform it into a cohesive brand that brings your vision to life.