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Pinterest SEO: 4 Simple Strategies for Searchable Pins

Pinterest SEO: 4 Simple Strategies for Searchable Pins

Pinterest can be a fantastic tool for marketing your business and driving organic traffic to your website, but only if you know how to use it correctly.

The power of Pinterest SEO is massive—nearly 433 million users conduct searches each month. Even more exciting: 97% of searches are unbranded, which means users are eager to discover new brands and ideas.

If you want to harness the power of Pinterest SEO in your marketing campaign, you’ll need to know how to rank in Pinterest search results.

In this article, we will cover 4 strategies for writing high-ranking pin copy every time. If you want to learn how to rank on Pinterest, keep reading! 

Why use Pinterest for Your Business?

85% of people on Pinterest cite the platform as their top choice for project inspiration and guidance. This is because, unlike other social media platforms, your customers use Pinterest when they are problem-aware or want to try something new. This makes getting organic traffic to your website much easier than on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

Pinterest is also unique because it isn’t just a social media platform—it’s a search engine. This means every pin you post needs to be search engine optimized.

What is Pinterest SEO?

People use Pinterest to find inspiration or solutions to specific problems. For that reason, your copy should contain keywords to tell the search engine that your pin answers the question your customer is asking.

So, if your customer wants a recipe for a vegan cheesecake, they might search: “Best vegan cheesecake recipe”

If your business made delicious vegan cream cheese, your SEO pin copy might look a little like this:

 

 

Because your pin copy contains the same keywords as your customer’s inquiry, the Pinterest search engine will recognize its relevance to them and place it near the top of the search results.

4 Strategies for Mastering Pinterest SEO

Here is a breakdown of exactly how you can write SEO pin copy to rank well in Pinterest search results.

1. Research Your Keywords

Your first step with any SEO writing should be keyword research. Imagine your ideal customer is on Pinterest. What would they type into the search bar?

If you don’t know what keywords to use, try a keyword research tool like SEMrush or AnswerThePublic to understand what people are searching for.

Make a list of 2-3 keywords or key phrases. When you eventually draft your pin title and descriptions, use these keywords to appeal to both the Pinterest search engine and your customers!

2. Research Your Competitors

Using your keywords, conduct a search on Pinterest. Take note of what words and formatting your competitors are using. The most popular pins should give you a template for your own pin copy.

Of course, you should never plagiarize pin descriptions, but there’s nothing wrong with seeking inspiration. Do your competitors use hashtags? Approximately how many words long are their descriptions? How do they use keywords?

Once you study what makes a pin in your niche successful, you’ll be able to replicate that in your brand’s voice and style.

3. SEO Pin Title Strategy

A good pin title should include essential information about what value you’re delivering with your pin.

 While it might be tempting to get creative, this isn’t the best place for flowery language. Just focus on summarizing what your pin offers to the customer, so they know what they’ll get if they follow the link to your website. 

Example:

Good: Stewart’s Italian Leather Boots for Men

Bad: Strut in Style with Stewart’s Boots

In the above example, “Leather Boots for Men” is the key phrase. It’s your way of speaking to the search engine.

Even though you’re using keywords, the example title still speaks to your customer. It summarizes what they’ll get if they follow the link to your website. This way, you attract the right people to your website.

4. SEO Pin Description Strategy

Your pin description should appeal to your audience while including keywords and synonyms organically. This is your chance to be creative—write in your brand’s voice, and be sure to include a call to action!

This is the ideal place to execute an engagement strategy. A successful engagement strategy will show the search engine that customers value your content.

Try to include information that your customer will save for later or share with their friends. If you sell food, include a recipe in the copy for your pin. If you’re an e-commerce store, include a discount code.

Other tips for how to rank in Pinterest search results

1. Optimize your boards

Your boards are searchable and should adhere to the same SEO rules as your pins. Be sure to integrate your brand’s most relevant keywords in your board titles and descriptions.

2. Prioritize value

Never sacrifice the quality of your copy in favor of SEO. Use keywords organically, so they don’t distract from your message.

3. Don’t neglect visuals

Compelling images and graphics are essential to success on Pinterest. Read this article on how to create winning visual content for social media.

Finally, remember that ranking in Pinterest search results takes plenty of time and consistency. Once you begin to see the increase in organic traffic to your website, you’ll be glad you made the investment.

For more social media tips, subscribe to the Hire a Writer blog. We post regular articles on all things content marketing, including how to maximize the results from your social media campaigns.

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