Pinterest SEO Basics

Pinterest isn’t just a platform for discovering creative ideas and saving pins. It’s a visual search engine where you can optimize your content to reach a wider audience.
The key to a successful Pinterest SEO strategy involves an understanding of the fundamental aspects: domain quality, pin quality, pinner quality, and topic relevance.
In this article, we’ll dive into each of these elements to help you effectively boost your Pinterest game.
What is Pinterest SEO?
Since Pinterest functions like a search engine, content on the platform can be “optimized for SEO.”
For instance, the title of a pin is a strong determinant as to the likelihood that it will appear in a particular search query. Thus, to get a pin to appear organically, pin titles must include certain keywords and key phrases. They function just like a meta title of a web page.
Unlike a meta description however, the pin descriptions do factor into Pinterest SEO.
There are several elements that go into SEO for Pinterest, including board descriptions, image quality, and consistency.
Here are arguably the 4 most important Pinterest SEO ranking factors:
Website Domain Quality
Domain quality refers to the credibility of the source where the Pin originates. Pinterest favors those websites that are credible and reliable.
To enhance your domain quality:
- Make sure your website is verified: Connect your Pinterest account with your website. This not only lends credibility but also provides access to Pinterest analytics.
- Create high-quality content: Pinterest evaluates the quality of your content based on users’ interaction with your pins that link back to your website.
- Consistently pin from your domain: Consistency plays a significant role. Keep pinning content from your verified website to signal Pinterest that your domain consistently produces valuable content.
Just as with traditional Google SEO, optimizations don’t matter much if the content itself is weak. The blogs, products, or categories you link to have to be high-quality, informative, helpful, and need to address the search intent of the user. If these criteria aren’t met, your pins will get beat out by other websites offering better quality content.

The good news is that for the most part, competition isn’t as stiff on Pinterest as it is on Google, at least for certain search terms. There are also niche opportunities on Pinterest that don’t get much attention on Google. For instance, a key phrase like “cottagecore decor ideas” might be flying on Pinterest and leading to conversions for décor and furniture, while the same query gets lackluster results in Google.
Pin Quality
Pin quality is all about how well your pin performs on Pinterest. A high-quality pin is more likely to be shown to users. To optimize pin quality:
- Design eye-catching pins: Make use of high-resolution images, compelling titles, and engaging descriptions.
- Pin at optimal times: Understand when your audience is most active on Pinterest and aim to post during those times.
- Use Rich Pins: Rich Pins provide more context about an idea because they show extra information directly on a Pin.
Pinner Quality
Your pinner quality is based on your overall activity on Pinterest. A user who consistently posts high-quality pins and interacts with other users will have a higher pinner quality.
To boost your pinner quality:
- Be Active: Consistently engage with other pins, repin, and comment on others’ content to signal that you are an active member of the community.
- Curate Quality Content: Not all your pins have to be original. Curate and share high-quality content from others.
- Follow Other Pinners: Engage with and follow other reputable pinners in your niche. This can help increase your visibility and reputation.
Topic Relevance
Topic relevance refers to how relevant your pins are to a particular search or user’s interest. By optimizing your pin descriptions and boards for relevant keywords, you can increase the likelihood of your pins being seen when users search for those topics.
Here’s how to optimize for topic relevance:
- Use Relevant Keywords: Use Pinterest’s search bar to find keywords related to your content. Incorporate these keywords in your pin titles and descriptions.
- Optimize Your Boards: Use relevant keywords in your board titles and descriptions, too. Group related pins together on specific boards to increase their relevance.
- Understand Your Audience: Use Pinterest analytics to understand what your audience is interested in. Tailor your content to suit their interests.
Using Pinterest Trends For Keyword Research
Pinterest Trends is an invaluable tool for any marketer aiming to optimize their content strategy for this platform. It provides insights into the top search terms over a period, which can help you stay ahead of the curve and create relevant content that resonates with your audience.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can use Pinterest Trends for effective keyword research:
Step 1: Navigate to Pinterest Trends
Head over to the Pinterest Trends section. Remember, the availability of Pinterest Trends may vary by country.
Step 2: Enter a Search Term
In the search bar, enter a keyword relevant to your content.
For example, if you’re in the home décor space, you might start by typing in “home décor.”
You may want to get more granular depending on how saturated your topic is.
Step 3: Analyze the Trend Data
You’ll see a graph illustrating the search volume of your term over the past year. This will show you if interest in your keyword is growing, shrinking, or remaining steady.
Step 4: Look at Related Trends
Underneath the trend graph, you’ll find a list of related terms that people also searched for. This is a gold mine for keyword ideas.
You might discover related keywords you hadn’t thought of before. For example, “minimalist home décor” or “DIY home décor.”
Step 5: Use the Keywords in Your Pins
Use these keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and even in your board names.
Make sure to incorporate them in a way that sounds natural and aligns with the content of your pin.
Step 6: Repeat the Process
Pinterest Trends data updates regularly, so it’s wise to revisit this process often.
That way, you can continually update your keyword strategy and ensure your pins stay relevant to your audience.
Turn Your Pinterest Into a Sales Magnet
Optimizing your Pinterest account with SEO strategies like using relevant keywords in your pins and boards, creating high-quality content, and leveraging Pinterest trends, increases your visibility in the platform’s search results.
Greater visibility leads to more impressions and clicks, which means more potential customers are seeing your products and visiting your website.
Unlike some social media platforms, Pinterest is explicitly designed with shopping in mind. Many users come to Pinterest with the intention to discover and purchase products.
By optimizing your Pinterest account with SEO, you’re effectively placing your products right where motivated buyers are looking. Over time, your Pinterest will act as a secondary marketplace and sales funnel for your main store, and it’s all completely organic.
By consistently pinning high-quality, relevant content, and optimizing it for Pinterest search, you can establish your brand as an authority in your niche. This increases trust with your audience, which is a crucial factor in driving sales.
Pinterest is often overlooked in today’s social media marketing landscape, but don’t neglect it. When optimized correctly, Pinterest can become one of the main sources of traffic and revenue for your eCommerce store.