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3 Little Ideas for Big Pinterest Hashtag Success

Switching Gears: Keywords Are the New Hashtags on Pinterest

Wondering how to level up your Pinterest game? Forget hashtags; it's all about keywords now! Here are three game-changing tips that could make a huge difference for your Pinterest account.

2021 UPDATE: Use keywords, not hashtags, for Pinterest success.

In my previous guide, “The Quick and Dirty Guide to Hashtags on Pinterest,” I talked about how hashtags were the go-to for pin descriptions. But times have changed, my friends. Now, it's all about using keywords effectively in your pin descriptions. Just type in a relevant keyword or phrase, and you're good to go. If you want to make changes later, simply edit the pin description.

Types of Keywords to Consider:

  • Location-based Keywords: Think along the lines of “Los Angeles Day,” “Big Apple,” or “NYC.”

  • Industry Keywords: Use terms like “Fashionista” or “Fashion Blogger.”

  • Holiday Keywords: Go for “Fourth of July” or “Christmas Eve.”

  • Calls to Action: Use phrases like “Pin it for later,” “Click to read,” or “Pin to win.”

  • Branded Keywords: I use “Thanks a Latte” for my Facebook Live sessions, and it works across all my social media posts on that topic. “My Book Club” was the first keyword phrase I used for my Twitter chat, and it has its own Pinterest board.

Remember when McDonald’s switched to all-day breakfast? They used the keyword “All Day Breakfast,” and it worked wonders for them.

Three Ways to Boost Your Pinterest Keyword Strategy:

  1. Craft a Compelling Call to Action (CTA) for Each Pin

    A CTA is a phrase that inspires action, like “download,” “grow,” “join,” or “learn.” Adding CTAs to your pins can increase engagement and guide people toward the action you want them to take. Some examples include:

    • Save it for later
    • Make tonight
    • Pin this to make later
    • Click to learn
    • Learn more
    • Click through for download

  2. Build a Community Around Your Keywords

    If you have a Facebook Group or customer community you adore, why not create a keyword phrase for Pinterest? When multiple people use the same keyword, it gains traction just like trending hashtags used to. You can easily track activity and repin from your community, fostering a sense of, well, community!

  3. Be Niche-Specific with Your Keywords

    Ever heard the saying, “The riches are in the niches?” It's totally true for Pinterest keywords. The more specific and relevant your keywords, the better. Instead of using a broad term like “travel,” opt for more specific ones like “travel tips” or “travel goals.”

So, if you haven't started using keywords yet, don't sweat it. You can always go back and edit old pins. But moving forward, make sure to incorporate keywords into all your new pins.

Hope this revamp gives you some fresh ideas for your Pinterest strategy. Happy Pinning!