I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Pinterest is a search engine, not a social platform. You can engage with other people a little bit on the platform in pin comments, but it’s primarily a place people go to discover new things. And as a search engine, you need to treat your content as you would on your website and optimize it by learning how to add keywords to Pinterest.

Keyword optimization is crucial on Pinterest to increase your visibility and drive more traffic to your website. Pinterest keywords help the search algorithm and users find your content. There’s no point in pinning if people aren’t going to see your content!

This guide will explain where and how to add keywords to Pinterest to help new potential clients discover your business.

Understanding Pinterest SEO

Pinterest SEO is similar to Google’s SEO – keywords help the search engine understand the content and when to show it in search results. Strategically placing keywords throughout your content indicates the main topic of the content. Pinterest works the same way! According to Neil Patel, you can use basically the same SEO strategy for your website on Pinterest and other search platforms. But doing some Pinterest-specific keyword research is highly recommended (check out my blog on Pinterest SEO tools to learn how to do this!)

Pinterest is slightly different from Google, though, because it’s a very visual platform. Pin graphics catch users’ eye first, then they click on the content. On Google, all it takes is a relevant, catchy headline. Pinterest requires a visual aspect and headline that entices them to click.

Where to Add Keywords on Pinterest

Now that you understand the importance of keywords on Pinterest, let’s talk about where to add them. There are a lot of places on Pinterest where keywords are necessary to increase your visibility on the platform, so hang in there!

Pinterest Profile

You first need to optimize your business profile, which includes your profile name and bio. You are allowed 30 characters for your profile name and 500 characters for your bio. Your profile name should include your business name and a brief description of what you do. Then your bio can go into more detail about your business and who you serve.

Here is my profile as an example!

Pin Titles

Think of pin titles as an SEO title. This is the main topic of the pin, and it’s one of the first things people see when they click on the pin graphic. You get 100 characters for pin titles so it should be easy to naturally add a keyword or two! Search engines will also use this to understand the main topics of the content to accurately rank it in search results.

Pin Descriptions

Now you get 500 characters to describe the pin. Compelling pin descriptions with primary and secondary keywords are what get people to click through to your website. This is your chance to give them more information about what to expect when they click the pin link. Think of this as your meta description. You already drew someone in enough to click the pin graphic, and now you need to explain the value they will receive after clicking the pin link.

This blog goes into more detail about writing pin descriptions!

Pinterest Boards

Pinterest boards organize your content into categories to easily find topics someone is interested in. Boards have titles and descriptions that need Pinterest keywords because yes, boards can appear in search results, too!

The strategy for board titles and board descriptions is similar to pin titles and pin descriptions. The title is a short, enticing headline and a board description goes into more detail about the pins someone should expect in this board.

You can even create board subcategories to target specific niches or interests. Or if your main board is just getting out of control 😉

Pin Graphics and File Names

The text on the graphic should describe the topic and content. It’s probably easy to add keywords here! But have you thought about what your file names are? These also have an impact on SEO. Before uploading a graphic to Pinterest, rename it with the title of the content.

Tools to Help with Pinterest Keyword Research

So how do you find the best keywords for Pinterest? One easy and free place to start is the Pinterest search bar. Start by typing in a word or phrase, and Pinterest will start to guess your search.

Here’s an example:

Everything Pinterest suggests here is a keyword. Pinterest knows these are things people are searching for. You can use these keyword suggestions to optimize your content or even inspire new content.

You can find other tools I recommend in this blog!

Best Practices for Using Pinterest Keywords

These best practices will ensure your content is fully optimized and ready for the Pinterest search engine to discover and rank!

Balance Keyword Optimization and User Engagement

While keywords are VERY important on Pinterest, so is user engagement. You are marketing to users after all! Keywords will get your content in front of the right people, then your copy and content will make users want to click through to your website.

User Intent

Sometimes Pinterest keywords can mean two different things and you want to make sure your content aligns with what someone is searching for. Nothing is more frustrating than when you search for something, land on a website, and think, “That’s not what I meant!” Focus on creating visually appealing pins that match keyword and user intent.

Use a Variety of Keywords

Using a variety of long-tail, short-tail, and brand-related keywords will cover a broader audience. Remember, the point of Pinterest (and search engines in general) is to reach new people and help them discover your business. Implementing a variety of keywords gives you more opportunities to reach new potential clients.

Avoid Keyword Stuffing

This applies to every place you add a keyword on Pinterest. Keyword stuffing happens when you intentionally add as many keywords as possible to try to trick search engines into thinking your content is well-optimized. All search engines, including Pinterest, want keywords to be naturally included in the content, not forced. So, although your pins need to have keywords, don’t make it obvious!

Here are two examples of a pin title.

Good Pin Title: How to Add Keywords to Pinterest for Small Business Owners

Bad Pin Title: How to Add Keywords to Pinterest | Adding Keywords to Pinterest | Places to Add Keywords to Pinterest | Pinterest Keywords

See the difference? The first one naturally has the keyword “how to add keywords to Pinterest” while the second one overdoes it. Add one or two keywords to the title if it makes sense. In the description, you shouldn’t list keywords out like this or use hashtags. That would be considered keyword stuffing.

Tracking and Improving Pinterest SEO Performance

Once you have all your Pinterest keywords added to your profile, pins, boards, and alt text, give it time to perform. Wait 3-6 months, then check the performance of your pins using Pinterest Analytics. This will give you a good idea of how your strategy is working. There are many reasons why your pins might not be resonating with your audience. Try revisiting your keyword research and see if you can optimize in different ways. It’s actually beneficial to update your keywords every once in a while to align with trends.

Start Adding Keywords to Pinterest

Keywords are the foundation of a solid Pinterest strategy. They help the search algorithm analyze your content to understand when to show it in search results. Pinterest keywords also help users understand your content and whether or not it meets their search intent. As you learn how to add keywords to Pinterest, experiment with different keywords to find what works best for you!

And if you’re ready to hand your Pinterest management off to an expert, reach out to me! My monthly Pinterest management services include full account set-up and SEO optimization, pin creation, analytics reports, strategy calls, and account optimization. It gives you everything you need to be successful on Pinterest! Let’s schedule a call to discuss your custom Pinterest strategy!