6 Powerful Pinterest Pin SEO Tips

Pinterest is not just a platform for pretty images and DIY inspiration, it is a powerful search engine that can send a lot of traffic to your website.  However, to get this traffic, you have to be able to understand how to leverage the Pinterest search engine optimization (SEO) game.

In this post, we will look at and discuss the world of Pinterest Pin SEO.  We will reveal the secrets to optimizing your pins for search engines and how to attract eager visitors to your website.  Read on to find out how to boost the traffic to your website.

Pinterest Keyword Research

Pinterest, a digital version of a collage or scrapbook (Pearce and Learmonth 2013) uses keywords help to guide your content to the right audience.  They are words that people type into search bars when looking for inspiration, products, or information from your pins.  When you understand the relevant keywords to use, you can make sure that your pins are the ones that appear in the search results, driving traffic, and engagement to your website.

Why Keyword Research is Essential

Let’s suppose you make jewelry and you have an e-commerce shop.  As part of your marketing efforts, you create attractive Pinterest pins that showcase your creations, but because there are a lot of other pins showing jewelry, the pins are getting lost with every other pin.  The reason?  Well, it could be you are not speaking the same language as your potential customers.

Keyword research helps to understand the language and identify the exact terms your target audience is using to search for products like yours.  For instance, are they looking for “handmade earrings,” “statement necklaces,” or “minimalist jewelry”?  When you have these keywords in your pins and boards, you will attract the right people, who are sincerely interested in what you have to offer.

Tools and Techniques for Pinterest Keyword Research

There are a number of tools on Pinterest that you can use to uncover relevant keywords.  Below is a selection of the tools.

Pinterest Search Bar

The strongest internal tool to Pinterest is the search bar.  Here you start by entering a broad term related to your pin content.  Pinterest will then suggest popular search queries that can be used for that term.  The resulting list can give you valuable tips and insight into what people are actually looking and searching for.

When you master and are proficient with the search bar, you can gain immense knowledge of your audience and create pins that are perfectly tuned to their search content.  Here is the process explained:

• Start with a Seed Keyword: Begin with a broad, not necessarily the actual term you are looking for, that is related to your niche or content.  For example, if you are a food blogger, you could start with “healthy recipes.”
• Examine the Autocomplete Suggestions: As you type, Pinterest will automatically suggest popular search queries related to your seed keyword.  These suggestions give a large amount of valuable information by revealing the actual words and phrases people are using to find content like yours.  You want to especially look at:
  • Long-tail Keywords: These are long, more specific phrases that generally indicate a higher level of user content (and possible conversions).  Using the above example, instead of “healthy recipes,” you may see suggestions such as “healthy recipes for weight loss,” “healthy recipes for dinner,” or “healthy recipes for picky eaters.”
  • Trending Topics: Suggestions in the search bar can also show current trends and seasonal interests.  For instance, during the fall season, you might see suggestions like “healthy pumpkin recipes” or “healthy Thanksgiving recipes.”
• Refine Your Search with Guided Search: Once you have entered your seed keyword, Pinterest will display a row of related keywords below the search bar; a process called “guided search.”  The keywords posited can help you refine and discover even more specific terms.  Let’s say one of the words offered is “dinner” in the guided search and you click on it.  You might see additional suggestions like “healthy chicken dinner recipes” or “healthy vegetarian dinner recipes.”  These keywords are much more specific and generally have less competition.
• Analyze the Results: Look at and examine the top pins that come up with each search.  Ask yourself, what keywords are they using in their titles and descriptions?  What kind of images are they using?  All of these factors can give you valuable clues about what the grooving thing is with your audience.
• Repeat the Process: Do not just use one seed keyword and call it a day.  Experiment with different terms and phrases related to your niche.  The more you explore the more you will understand which keywords work and which one do not.  A word to the wise, while you experiment, do not just look at the popular keywords, but also look at the less competitive keywords that have decent search volume and can give you a competitive edge.

Third-Party Search Tools

A number of third-party tools offer features for Pinterest that can provide information related to what your audience is searching for.  These include:

• Ahrefs and SEMrush: These SEO tools that are often thought of for Google search, but they also have features of interest for Pinterest.  They can reveal search volume (how often people search for a keyword), keyword difficulty (how competitive it is to rank for that keyword), and related keywords.  Be aware, though, that to use the full features of these tools you need to have a large budget.
• Competitor Analysis: Not necessarily a tool, but a method.  Here you need to ask about your competitors; 1) What keywords are they using in their pin titles and descriptions?, and 2) What boards are they creating?  Learning about their strategies and then creating your own can give you a leg up on your competitors.  Of course, being on Pinterest may already give you a leg up, since your competitors may not be on Pinterest, so you could have the audience to yourself.

Targeting the Right Keywords

There are different forms of keywords and not all are created equal.  Below are some of the different types.

• Short-tail Keywords: Broad, general terms such as jewelry, recipes, and home decor.  These terms are very competitive and for most website owners, except those at the top (with a high domain authority), should be used only as a start for search, as explained above.
• Long-tail Keywords: These are more specific phrases, such as silver hoop earrings, vegan gluten-free recipes, and minimalist living room decor.  As discussed above, they can be found in the Pinterest search bar suggestions.  They have lower search volume, are less competitive, and have a more targeted audience, resulting in generally more conversions.
• Question-based Keywords: These are your Jeopardy keywords that are phrased as a question.  For instance, “How to clean silver jewelry,” “easy weeknight dinner recipes,” or “best plants for low light.”  They can help your pins appear in relevant search results and attract users actively seeking solutions.
• LSI Keywords: LSI keywords (Latent Semantic Indexing) are terms related to the main keyword.  These words can help Pinterest understand the context of your content and show it to a wider audience.  For example, if you main keyword is “wedding invitations,” LSI keywords might include “save the date,” “wedding planning,” or “wedding ceremony.”

Optimizing Your Pinterest Profile

Your profile is your Pinterest storefront.  It is where you make your first impression and is a big influence on how Pinterest, Google, and your users view your content.  A profile that is well-optimized can act as a powerful magnet, attracting the right audience and establishing your credibility as the place to be for the best pins.  Some ways to make your profile shine follow below.

Claiming Your Website

The first step on Pinterest is to have a website.  Beyond giving your profile a website link, it verifies your ownership and gives you access to Pinterest Analytics.  Think of it as your bridge between Pinterest and your online home.

Create a Business Account

A business account is needed if you really want to invest your time and content on Pinterest and get something from it.  With a business account, you get access to Pinterest Analytics as with the regular account plus:

• Advertising Options: You can run promoted Pins to reach a wider audience and boost your visibility.
• Rich Pins: You can enhance your Pins with extra information, like product pricing, availability, and article excerpts.  More information on this type of Pin is given later in this post under “Rich Pins.”

Getting into the Details of Pin Optimization

• Profile Name and Description: Relevant keywords should be used in both your profile name and description.  Using the example at the start of the post, if you are a food blogger, who specializes in vegan cuisine, consider using a profile name such as “Vegan Recipes by [Your Name]” and a description like “Delicious and east vegan recipes for every occasion.  Find plant-based meal inspiration, healthy desserts, and more!”
• Profile Image: Choose a clear, professional image that represents your brand or niche.  If you have a personal brand, a headshot can work.  If you are a business, consider using your logo.
• Username: Keep it consistent with your other social media handles for brand recognition.

Why Does Profile Optimization Matter?

A profile that is well-optimized sends a strong signal to Pinterest that your content is relevant and trustworthy.  Optimization can lead to:

• Increased Visibility: Your profile is more likely to appear in search results and recommendations.
• Higher Engagement: Users are more likely to follow you and interact with your Pins.
• Improved Website Traffic: A clear and inviting profile encourages users to click through your website.

Producing Pins that are SEO Friendly

If your website is the home of your business, your Pins are your ambassadors that are out promoting it.  A Pinterest pin is a visual representation of your content and serves to entice visitors to click through and explore more.  You may think, well I will just create nice and attractive pins and the visitors will come.  However, they cannot come if they do not know about it.  Think about it, there are a lot of attractive wildflowers in the spring, but a lot do get seen in by humans.  Just because they are there does not mean they get seen.

The other step to get seen is making sure that the pin is optimized to reach the right audience to impress.  Here are some ways to drive more traffic to your website.

• Use High-Quality, “Wow” Images: Your images should be eye-catching, high-resolution, and relevant to your content.  With images, it helps to keep the following in mind:
  • Use a Vertical Format: Vertical images, having 2:3 aspect ratio, work best on Pinterest.  Images in the vertical format take up more space in the feed and more likely to get noticed.  They are more mobile friendly as well as visually appealing.
  • Optimize the Images: 
    • File Format: JPEGS are generally recommended for the balance of quality to file size.
    • File Size: Just like you do with your website, at least hopefully you do, keep the image file size small to ensure fast loading times.  Try to find the perfect balance, where you can have good image quality and a small size to have fast loading pins.
    • Alt Text: Just like on websites, alternative text (alt text) helps Pinterest and those who are visually impaired understand what your image is about.  Use relevant keywords as part of the alt text description.
• Use a Catchy Pin Title: Your Pin title is the first text user see, so make it count.  Below are some to write titles that users will want to click.
  • Keywords: Incorporate keywords into the title (Hutchinson 2024).
  • Conciseness: Keep your titles short and to point and aim for < 60 characters.  Your title is not where you want your inner Mark Twain to come alive, save the adjectives for the description.
  • Intrique: Ignite some curiosity and urgency.  Use power words and numbers to make titles more interesting, similar to what you would do for blog post titles but shorter.
• Have a Detailed Pin Description: The Pin description gives context and information about the Pin.  This is your chance to expand on the title and convince users to click through your website.  Here are some ways to write effective descriptions.
  • Keywords: Just like the title, try to use your keywords throughout the description, but in a readable way.
  • Have Comprehensive Metadata: Be sure to fill out all of the fields such as title, description, category, and price if applicable (Hutchinson 2024).
  • Information: Provide valuable about information about Pin’s content.  What will user’s learn or gain by clicking through?
  • A Call to Action: Encourage users to take the next step, like visiting your website, reading your blog post, or shopping your products.
  • Hashtags: Use a few relevant hashtags to increase your pin’s discoverability.

Why Do SEO-Friendly Pins Matter?

Pins that have been optimized for SEO are more likely to:

• Appear in Search Results that Matter: When users search for keywords related to your content, your pins have a better chance of showing up.
• Get Saved and Shared: Pins that are interesting and useful are more likely to be saved to user’s boards and shared to their followers, increasing your reach and visibility.
• Drive Traffic to Your Website: A well done and popular pin can the eye of the average Pinterest user who spends about 14 minutes a day looking at Pins (Risteska 2023) leading to more clicks and website visits.

Pinterest Board Optimization Strategies

A Pinterest board is like a curated gallery where you can showcase your interests and expertise.  It is not just a random selection of pins, but is rather a way to organize your content in sensible categories, attract your target audience, and helps to boost your Pinterest SEO.  How can you optimize your boards like your pins?  Let’s find out.

Create Niche Boards

Most boards created on Pinterest are composed of pins of a specific theme or topic.  Organizing pins this way helps in:

• Organization: Having related pins on boards helps users find the information they are looking for and makes for easy navigation.
• Relevance: It gives each board a clear focus, making it easier for Pinterest to understand what your content is about.
• Audience Targeting: Having clearly themed boards attracts the right audiences to the content.  For example, a food blogger might have boards for “Healthy Recipes.” “Dessert Recipes,” and “Vegan Recipes.”

Use Keyword-Rich Board Titles and Descriptions

Just like you do with your pins, you do with boards, and that is add relevant keywords.  Places to use them include:

• Board Titles: Use concise and descriptive titles that include relevant keywords to achieve higher organic rankings (Yang 2024).  For instance, instead of “My Favorite Recipes,” use “Healthy Dinner Recipes.”
• Board Descriptions: Do not leave a blank description.  This is your opportunity to provide more context about your board and provide even more keywords for search.

Board Covers

Use a board cover that accurately depicts the content and theme of the board.  This enables users to quickly understand what the board is about and gives more credibility to the board and profile.

Strategic Planning

When you create a board it is not just a one and done deal.  Continually work on your boards and keep them fresh by:

• Pinning Consistently: Add new pins to the board on a regular basis to ensure a fresh and active board.  This gives signals to Pinterest that the boards are relevant and engaging.
• Have a Variety of Content: Include a mix of your own pins and repins from other users to provide a diverse and interesting experience for your followers.

Why does Board Optimization Matter?

Having a board that is optimized with the above methods contributes to:

• Improved Search Visibility: Your boards, profile, and pins are more likely to appear in search results.
• Increased Follower Engagement: When users like your boards and pins they are more likely to interact with them and follow you.
• Enhances the Authority of Your Profile: Having a collection of well-optimized boards establishes you as a credible source of information in your particular niche.

Driving Engagement with Your Pins

Your pins and boards are optimized for the correct keywords and they are appearing in front of your target audience.  But how do you get them to click and engage?  That how do you make a conversion?  You want your pins to spark interest, encourage interaction, and ultimately build a loyal community around your content.  Ways to get more conversions include:

• Pinning Consistently: As with the boards, fresh content is the best attractant on Pinterest.  When you regularly produce pins, it signals to the Pinterest algorithm that your account is active and relevant.  Aim to have a consistent pinning schedule, such as daily, a few times a week, or even weekly.  No matter your frequency, it is important to be consistent.
• Join Group Boards: These are shared boards where multiple users can collaborate and contribute pins.  By joining a relevant group board you can significantly expand your reach and introduce your content to a new audience.  Try to look for active group boards in your niche to have the best effect.
• Run Pinterest Ads: An ad can give your pins an extra boost beyond that achieved from organic search alone.  With a promoted Pin you can target specific demographics, interests, and keywords, thereby making sure your content appears in the right place.  Even a small budget can make a big difference in increasing your visibility and driving traffic.
• Keep Track of Your Pins Performance: Use Pinterest Analytics to understand what resonates and what does not.  Attempt to look at impressions, clicks, and saves to identify your top-performing pins.  Having this data can aid in refining your strategy, create more effective pins, and discontinue what does not work.
• Last, But not Least, Have Engaging Content: 
  • Create Content that is Diverse: Experiment with different pin formats, such as standard pins, video pins, and Idea pins (multi-page pins with step-by-step instructions or ideas).
  • Run Contests or Giveaways: Drive engagement with contests or by offering giveaways.  This can generate buzz around your content and attract new followers.
  • Ask Questions: Ask a question in your pin description and then encourage users to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas in the comments.
  • Respond to Comments: Show that you are more than a blogger just putting content out.  Respond to comments in a thoughful and sincere way.  This builds community around your pins, encourages further interaction, and is part of the bidirectional aspect of digital marketing (Risteska 2023).

Why Engagement Matters?

When there are a lot of users and clicks to pins and boards, it tells Pinterest that you have something valuable to contribute.  It will also transform your profile from a static collection of pins to a dynamic hub of interaction and inspiration.  Creating a buzz around your content can lead to:

• Increased Visibility: Pinterest is more likely to show your pins to wider audience, beacause it also helps Pinterest as well.
• Improved Ranking: Popular pins tend to rank higher in search results.
• A Stronger Community: Having a loyal and engaged community around your content can lead to long-term success on Pinterest.

Advanced Pinterest SEO: Taking it to the Next Level

You have mastered the perfect pin and board SEO, but now you want a competitive edge and go above and beyond.  The methods below can help you rise above the competition and get seen even more.

Rich Pins

Rich Pins are specialty pins on steroids that provide extra details and context on the pin itself.  Some of the various rich pin types include:

• Product Pins: Rich Pins that show product information such as price, availability, and where to buy.
• Article Pins: Rich Pins that include the headline, author, and a brief description of the article.
• Recipe Pins: Rich Pins displaying ingredients, cooking times, and serving sizes.

The Benefits of Rich Pins

• Enhanced User Experience: These pins provide more information upfront and encourage more clicks.
• They have increased Click-Through Rates: These pins generally have a higher click-through rate than a standard pin.
• The SEO is Improved: Rich pins can help Pinterest understand your content better, boosting your ranking in search results.

Pinterest Lens

Pinterest Lens is a visual search tool on Pinterest that allows you to take a real-world photo and then find related pins.  In order to optimize your pins for visitors using this tool:

• Use High-quality Images: Make sure your images accurately show the object being shown.
• Use a Contextual Background: Use backgrounds that provide context and help Pinterest Lens understand the object in the image.
• Use Descriptive Keywords: Use relevant keywords in your pin titles and descriptions to help Pinterest Lens connect your pins with visual searches.

Video Pins

Like a number of social media channels, video content is booming and offers a dynamic way to interact with your audience.  To optimize video pins:

• Keep the Videos Short and Sweet: Have a concise and attention-grabbing video that is useful and relevant.
• Use Keywords in Titles and Descriptions: Just like any other pin, use keywords wherever possible.
• Use Captions and a Text Overlay: Add captions and a text overlay to your videos to make them accessible to users who watch without sound.  This also makes your videos more compliant to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
• Have Strong Visuals: Have intriquing visuals and thoughful editing to keep the viewer hooked to your content.

Tools and Resources to Help in Accomplishing What You Have Learned

You be asking, how do I accomplish what I have learned in this post?  Well you are in luck, Pinterest has a vast ecosystem of tools that can help you achieve your goals and ultimately your Pinterest success.  Some of these tools are:

• Pinterest Analytics: This tool has been mentioned in other posts and is used to see what works and what does not, by tracking impressions, clicks, and saves.  Analytics is one of the most powerful tools in the digital marketing universe, giving it an advantage over traditional marketing (Risteska)
• Tailwind: This third-party tool can help in scheduling and analytics.  With this tool you can:
  • Schedule Pins: Automate your pinning schedule to ensure consistent content delivery.
  • Optimize the Timing of the Pins: Tailwind’s SmartSchedule feature can be used to identify the best times to publish pins for your audience.
  • Join Communities: Communities on Tailwind can be used to connect with other Pinterest users to share content and expand your search.
  • Analyze the Performance of Pins: You can get insights into what pins are doing the best.
• Canva: A third-party tool that has templates that can be used to create visually attractive pins with stock photos and an easy-to-use interface.  I use Canva myself, to produce my Pinterest Pins.
• Pinterest Business Help Center: Pinterest itself has detailed guides, tutorials, and FAQs on how to use Pinterest.  This is definitely worth a look if you are new to Pinterest.
• Pinterest Trends: With this tool, you can see the trending pins.  You can see if your keywords or related keywords are among the trending and tailor your content to match.  Seasonal topics and emergining interests are also shown, allowing you to have timely content.
• Other Resources You Can Use: Pinterest Blog and Pinterest Academy can be used to learn the latest news, and take courses to learn more about visual social media.  Blogs in your industry or niche can also be valuable sources of information.

Conclusion

To summarize some of the key points made in this post:

• Keywords are King: Relevant keywords should be used throughout your content including your pins, boards, and profile.
• Visual Material Matters: Remember, Pinterest is a visual platform, and vertical format images are best for visibility and interaction.
• Engagement is the Key to Success: Continually engage in posting pins and be actively involved with your audience.
• Analytics are Your Friend: Analytics tools can help you learn what works and what does not.
• Tools and Resources are Available: Tailwind and Canva can be leveraged to have success on Pinterest.
• Final Thoughts: Pinterest is constantly evolving, so do not be afraid to experiment with new strategies and never stop learning.  If you like creativity, inspiration, and connection, Pinterest is your platform.

References

• Hutchinson, Andrew.  2024.  Pinterest Shares Tips to Help Optimize Your In-App Product Listings.  Social Media Today 1/29/2024.
• Pearce, Nick and Sarah Learmonth.  2013.  Learning beyond the classroom: evaluating the use of Pinterest in learning and teaching in an introductory anthropology class.  Journal of Interactive Media in Education Autumn2013 1-10.
• Risteska, Lidija.  2023.  Benefits of Digital Marketing.  Vizione 41: 209-224.
• Yang, Wenyu.  2024.  Beyond Algorithms: The human touch machine-generated titles for enhancing click-through rates on social media.  PLos ONE 19 (7): 1-28.