How to do keyword research on Pinterest

Keyword research on Pinterest is fundamentally different from traditional Google SEO.

Read more about how to do keyword research:
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How to do keyword research for SEO
How to do keyword research for Google Ads
How to do keyword research for free

Pinterest is a visual search engine, not a text-based one.

Users are primarily looking for inspiration, ideas, products, and solutions through images and videos (Pins). Therefore, keyword research for Pinterest focuses on descriptive terms that help users discover your visual content, matching their aesthetic and aspirational searches.

It’s about understanding the language of inspiration, trends, and visual categories.

Understanding Pinterest Search Behavior and Intent

Paragraphs: People use Pinterest for discovery and planning. Their intent is often aspirational, inspirational, or commercial, focusing on “ideas for,” “how to do/make,” “what to buy,” or “outfit ideas.” They are visual learners and planners. Unlike Google where a user might type “best vacuum cleaner reviews,” on Pinterest, they might search “minimalist living room ideas,” “DIY wedding decor,” “healthy dinner meal prep,” or “boho bedroom aesthetics.” The keywords are often more descriptive of visual attributes, styles, or activities rather than direct problem-solving or informational queries in text form. Recognizing this visual and planning-centric intent is key.

• A search for “healthy snacks” on Google might bring up recipes. On Pinterest, it brings up visual representations of snacks, meal prep ideas, and ingredient combinations.
• “Summer outfits” on Google might show retail sites. On Pinterest, it’s about style inspiration, outfit combinations, and aesthetic boards.
• Inspiration: “ideas for,” “looks,” “aesthetics,” “mood board.”
• Planning: “DIY,” “how to,” “tutorial,” “guide,” “meal prep.”
• Product Discovery (Visual): “shop the look,” “product name style,” “best [item] design.”
• Style/Aesthetic: “boho,” “minimalist,” “farmhouse,” “vintage,” “modern.”
• Event Planning: “wedding ideas,” “party themes,” “baby shower decor.”
  Bold Text: Pinterest search is highly visual and inspiration-driven, focusing on discovery for future actions.

Leveraging Pinterest Autocomplete and Guided Search

Paragraphs: Pinterest’s built-in search bar is your primary free keyword research tool. As you type a broad keyword, Pinterest’s autocomplete will suggest popular and relevant phrases. These are based on what other users are actively searching for. Even more powerful is Pinterest’s “guided search” feature. After you type a query and hit enter, colored tiles (guides) appear below the search bar, offering related sub-topics and popular refinements. These guides are actual, high-volume search terms, often revealing long-tail keywords and niche opportunities that are highly relevant to your initial query.

• Type “home decor” into Pinterest search. Autocomplete might suggest “home decor ideas,” “home decor aesthetic,” “home decor living room.”
• Search for “wedding invitations.” The guided search tiles might show “DIY,” “rustic,” “modern,” “templates,” “unique,” “budget,” “fall,” “floral.” These are all valuable keywords to include.
• Pinterest Autocomplete: Start typing broad terms related to your content/products and note down the suggestions.
• Guided Search Tiles: After a search, pay close attention to the colored tiles above the results. Click on them to drill down further into niches.
• Related Pins/Boards: As you browse Pins, observe the keywords used in their descriptions and the titles of boards they are saved to.
• Trends Tool: Pinterest recently launched its own “Trends” tool (accessible within Pinterest Business accounts) which shows trending topics and related keywords over time, similar to Google Trends but specific to Pinterest.
  Data/Stats: Pinterest’s internal data shows that users often perform multiple searches, refining their query using the guided search terms, indicating their progression from broad inspiration to specific ideas.

Analyzing Top-Performing Pins and Boards

Paragraphs: Just like analyzing competitors in Google SEO, observing popular Pins and boards on Pinterest can provide significant keyword insights. When you search for a broad topic, analyze the Pins that appear at the top. What keywords are in their titles and descriptions? What visual elements are common? Similarly, look at popular boards that gather many Pins on a topic. What are their board titles? What kind of content do they curate? This helps you understand what resonates with the Pinterest audience in your niche and how they categorize their visual content. It’s about reverse-engineering success within the Pinterest ecosystem.

• Search for “vegan meal prep.” Analyze the top Pins. Do they highlight “easy,” “healthy,” “budget-friendly,” or “high protein”? What kind of food imagery is used?
• Look for popular boards titled “Sustainable Fashion Tips” or “Zero Waste Living.” What kind of keywords are used in their board descriptions or within the Pin descriptions they save?
• Perform searches for your main topics.
• Observe the titles and descriptions of the top 10-20 Pins that appear. Note common keywords and phrases.
• Click through to profile pages of popular Pinners and analyze their board titles and descriptions.
• Pay attention to the categories and themes popular Pinners use.
• Look for recurring visual styles or types of images that perform well.
• Bold Text: Focus on the descriptive language used in top-performing Pins and boards, as this directly reflects user discovery methods.

Utilizing Pinterest Analytics

Paragraphs: If you have a Pinterest Business Account (which is free), your Pinterest Analytics provides invaluable first-party data, similar to Google Search Console for websites. The “Audience Insights” and “Top Pins” sections can show you what your audience is searching for to find your content. You can see which of your Pins are performing best, and more importantly, what keywords users searched for to discover those Pins. This direct feedback helps you refine your keyword strategy, identify successful content themes, and double down on what’s already working for your specific audience.

• In your Pinterest Analytics, under “Audience Insights” > “Interests,” you might see that your audience is also interested in “home organization” or “DIY crafts,” giving you new content ideas.
• Under “Your top Pins,” you might see a Pin for “fall decor ideas” is driving a lot of saves and clicks, and discover through search terms that people are finding it via “cozy autumn aesthetic” or “budget fall decorations.”
• Access your Pinterest Business Account Analytics.
• Audience Insights: Explore what your audience is interested in, including categories and brands they follow.
• Top Pins: See which of your Pins are performing best based on impressions, saves, and clicks.
• Traffic Sources: While less direct keyword data, it shows where your audience is coming from (e.g., Pinterest search, home feed, related Pins).
• Search Terms (if available): Newer iterations of Pinterest Analytics may provide more direct search term data for your Pins.
  Data/Stats: Pinterest Analytics shows metrics like impressions, saves, outbound clicks, and engagement rate for your Pins, allowing you to see which keywords are driving these desired actions.

Integrating Keywords into Pin Titles, Descriptions, and Boards

Paragraphs: Once you’ve identified your target keywords, the final step is to strategically integrate them into your Pinterest content. This means more than just stuffing keywords. it’s about crafting rich, descriptive Pin titles and descriptions that accurately convey what your visual content offers, while also using the language your audience uses. Your board titles and descriptions are also crucial, as they help Pinterest understand the broader topics your Pins belong to. Think of your Pinterest content as a story told visually, with keywords acting as the guiding text that helps users find it. The goal is to provide enough context for both the Pinterest algorithm and the user to understand and discover your Pin. How to do keyword research for free

• Instead of just “Cake,” a Pin title might be “Easy Chocolate Fudge Cake Recipe for Beginners” or “Decadent Birthday Cake Ideas.”
• A board titled “Sustainable Living Tips” with a description like: “Your guide to eco-friendly habits and zero-waste lifestyle ideas. Find inspiration for sustainable home decor, recycled crafts, and conscious consumerism.”
• Pin Title: Include your primary keyword, making it descriptive and enticing (up to 100 characters).
• Pin Description: Use 2-3 sentences (up to 500 characters) with relevant keywords and long-tail variations naturally woven in. Describe what the Pin is about and its benefits.
• Board Titles: Use clear, keyword-rich titles for your boards.
• Board Descriptions: Write detailed descriptions for your boards, incorporating relevant keywords that categorize the type of Pins within.
• Image File Names: Rename your image files with relevant keywords before uploading (e.g., easy-vegan-meal-prep.jpg).
• Profile Bio: Briefly describe your niche with keywords in your profile.
• Hashtags: Use a mix of broad and niche-specific hashtags in your Pin descriptions (3-5 relevant ones are often recommended).
  Data/Stats: Pins with rich, keyword-optimized descriptions are more likely to be discovered in search and categorized correctly by Pinterest, leading to higher impressions and engagement. Studies show that Pins with detailed descriptions get more saves and clicks.