There are many important components to setting up a Pinterest Account for Business. Not knowing how to approach the platform can lead to businesses failing to reach their goals on Pinterest. I’ve outlined the right way to set up a business account step by step in this post, A Straight Forward Guide to Setting Up a Pinterest Business Account.

Most of the things businesses should do are pretty cut and dried; you set them up once and never look back. But one, the most important step in building a Pinterest business account, is one you’ll continue to apply over and over as you continue to build your account.

The thing I’m talking about is keywords! In a nutshell, keywords are paramount for business success on Pinterest.

Here’s what will happen when you add them continuously to your account:

  • You’ll grow your Pinterest Business account strategically.
  • You’ll build authority on the platform for what your business does.
  • You’ll improve your ranking in search results on Pinterest for topics related to what your business provides.

Why Keywords on Pinterest?

Today, Pinterest functions very differently than other social platforms.

When Pinterest started, way back in March 2010, it’s search function was a chronological feed that updated in real time.

In 2014, they introduced the “Smart Feed” which allowed Pinners to build custom feeds. Making this change greatly improved the user experience on the platform in that it helped Pinners find the best information when typing a query in the search box, not the just the “newest” (as it was with the chronological feed).

Pinterest needed to implement a keyword strategy in order to deliver the best information for people’s searches.

The Smart Feed was a game changer for Pinterest marketing for businesses. It leveled the playing field for reaching out to prospective customers. Now, every business has the opportunity to build their accounts strategically using specific keywords that relate to what services or products they sell. And, research shows people on Pinterest love that!

People use Pinterest differently than other platforms, like Facebook, in that most people on Facebook are just “killing time” scrolling through their feed. People on Pinterest are there with intent, intent to find something to do or buy!

Pinterest introduced the Smart Feed as means to improve people’s experience on the platform but also as a gateway for Promoted Pins, ads on Pinterest. Being relatively new to ads in comparison to Facebook, Pinterest wants businesses to be successful using them.

They give businesses many effective targeting options, (including the use of keywords) to reach the right audience for ads.

Stats in Pinterest’s Possibilities Planner show 1 out of 2 people who see a Promoted Pin, Buy!

How do You Find the Right Keywords for Your Business on Pinterest?

I’ll start by saying, there is no tool for finding the best keywords on Pinterest. Searching for and finding potential keywords to use on Pinterest is a simple, straightforward 3 step process.

First Step,

Choose a term or phrase that relates directly to your business. It could be a keyword you’ve used for your website. I would use “social media marketing tips” because it relates directly to one of the things my business provides.

Second Step,

Type your term or phrase in the search box and the top of your Pinterest account and press enter.

Third Step,

Take a look at the small colorful rectangles (called guided search boxes) that appear below the toolbar, like this:

If 10 or more Guided Search Boxes come up for the term you entered in the main search box you’ll know it’s a topic that that Pinners search for a lot.

Pinterest has the Guided Search Boxes to help Pinners narrow down broader topics. The terms in the Guided Search boxes are other words people usually use in conjunction with broader search topics. When I entered “Pinterest marketing tips” in the search box more than 30 Guided Search Boxes appear.

I refer to the first term I enter, in this case “social media marketing”, as my main keyword and the terms in the Guided Search Boxes used in conjunction with “social media marketing” as my long tail keywords, or supporting keywords.

I’d combine them like this social media marketing tips, social media marketing strategy, social media marketing ideas, social media marketing business, and so on. This is how you come up with keywords to apply to your account on Pinterest.

Pick two to five main keywords complete with long tail keywords (for 15-20 total) to use to sprinkle throughout your account.

Use this free Pinterest Keyword Planner to remember the best keywords for your brand. Using it will make it easier to keep track of all of the long tail options so you can systematically add them as needed.


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Where Should You Add Keywords on Pinterest?

Now that you’ve found your keywords it’s time to apply them to your account. Here are the best places to put them to have the greatest effect in search.

  • In your business name– This can only be done here if you have a Pinterest Business Account. You only have thirty characters to include your business name so this can be a bit tricky. Hopefully one, the most relevant keyword will fit with your business name. If not, don’t worry, there are still lots of other places you can include them.
  • In your bio
  • In your board titles
  • In your board descriptions
  • In titles for blog posts
  • In text overlay on your Pins
  • In your Pin descriptions

You don’t need to use every keyword you’ve chosen in every place mentioned above because you want the keywords to fit in naturally (inappropriately placed keywords look spammy). You want to ensure the keyword your using is directly related to where you’re putting it.

The bottom line is to use them when you can and skip some if they don’t directly relate to what or where you’re Pinning.

Start Adding Your Keywords on Pinterest!

That’s it! Now you know how to use keywords on Pinterest. Head over to Pinterest and start adding your business related keywords!

Remember, you’ll need to have a business account to be able to add keywords in all the areas listed above.

Also, know that optimizing your Pinterest account for SEO with keywords takes time. Use the free Pinterest Keyword Planner to strategically and continuously add main keywords and long tail keywords over time. Doing so, you’ll build authority for your main keywords and improve your ranking in Pinterest search results.