On Google, someone types a phrase and reads a page. On Pinterest the same thing happens, except the result is an image. Pinterest's engine works out what a pin is about from the text around the image: the title, the description, the board name and the page the pin links to. So a beautiful pin with no text is almost impossible to find.
This article offers a simple method for finding search phrases and writing pin text. If you don't know the basics yet, start with the complete Pinterest guide and pins and boards.
What is a keyword on Pinterest?#
It's the phrase a user types in the search bar. Phrases are usually two to four words long and written with a specific intent: "small room decor ideas", "minimalist logo design", "simple birthday cake". The key point is that on Pinterest people often haven't decided yet. They're looking for ideas. So your pin should answer an idea, not be a direct ad.
How do we find search phrases?#
- Open the search bar and type your main business word. The suggested phrases are what people really type.
- Look at the results. Above the results you'll usually see categories or more specific phrases. Those are your next ideas.
- Browse similar boards, not to copy, but to understand how the topic is divided.
- Use Pinterest's trends tool, if you have access, to see seasonal phrases.
- List the phrases in a simple file and next to each, write which page on your site or which board it fits.
Think about phrases separately from Instagram. A phrase that works as a hashtag doesn't always work in Pinterest search.
Where do we use the phrase?#
| Place | What to write |
|---|---|
| Board name | The main topic phrase, clear and short |
| Board description | One or two natural sentences with related phrases |
| Pin title | The main phrase first, along with the pin's promise |
| Pin description | Full sentences about the content, plus secondary phrases |
| Image alt text | A real description of the image |
| Profile | Your business's main phrase in the name or description |
| Destination page on your site | The same topic, with a matching title and image |
Writing the pin title#
The title should say up front what the pin is about. Example:
- Weak: "Our new work"
- Better: "Handmade soap packaging idea with a simple design"
Keep the title short, since part of it is cut off in most views. Put the most important phrase first.
Writing the pin description#
The description is where you can give more information. Write one to three fluent sentences that say what the pin shows and what the viewer gets by clicking.
Write the description for humans. A string of back-to-back keywords isn't readable and doesn't build trust.
A simple pattern: the first sentence has the main phrase and the pin's subject; the second sentence gives the benefit of clicking; the third includes a secondary phrase that fits naturally. If you want to rely on your site, the destination page should explain the topic in more depth; we've written more about linking a pin to the right page in bringing website traffic from Pinterest.
Common mistakes#
- Filling the description with repeated keywords: this lowers quality rather than improving ranking.
- Vague titles: "Beautiful ideas" doesn't match any intent.
- A mismatch between the pin and the destination page: if the pin promises one thing and the page is something else, the user bounces.
- Ignoring the board name: a pin doesn't rank well on an unrelated board.
- Constantly changing phrases without testing: change one thing at a time so you know which change had the effect.
What to check after writing#
After a few weeks, look at your pin analytics: which got more impressions and which got clicks. If impressions are high but clicks are low, the problem is probably the image or the title's promise. If impressions are low, rethink the phrase or the board. How to read these numbers is covered in Pinterest analytics.
A complete example#
Say you're a packaging designer and you've written an article about choosing the color of a gift box. Take "gift packaging ideas" as your search phrase. Name the board "Gift packaging ideas". The pin title could be "Gift packaging ideas with warm colors". Write the description like this: "A few gift packaging examples with warm color combinations, plus tips for choosing paper and ribbon. Open the article for the full steps." This text has the main phrase, states the benefit of clicking and reads naturally.
In the same example, write the image alt text simply and truthfully: "Kraft gift box with a red ribbon". There's no need to force the keyword into it. An accurate description helps accessibility and is one more signal of what the image shows.
A few additional tips#
Don't use too many phrases. One main phrase and one or two secondary phrases per pin are enough. If you make several pins for one article, write each pin from a slightly different angle, such as one on "ideas" and another on "tutorial", so the pins don't compete with each other. Also don't separate Pinterest SEO from your site's SEO: the page a pin links to should also have a matching title, image and content. Otherwise even a good pin won't satisfy the user, and their behavior sends a bad signal to the system.
Summary#
- Pinterest is a visual search engine, and the text around a pin determines where it's seen.
- Find phrases from the search bar, results and trends, not by guessing.
- Use the main phrase naturally in the board name, pin title and description.
- Write the text for people; stuffing it with repeated words doesn't help.
- Measure with analytics and change one thing at a time.
