Pinterest Keyword Research: How to Find Keywords That Get Pins Found
Pinterest keyword research means finding the exact phrases people type into Pinterest search, then building pins around them. You do not need paid software: Pinterest's own search box and Pinterest Trends show you most of what you need. This tutorial walks through a repeatable process, with a worked example, and shows where each keyword goes once you have it. It is one part of our wider Pinterest SEO guide.
What Pinterest Keywords Are
A Pinterest keyword is the phrase someone types into Pinterest search: “small bathroom storage ideas”, “fall capsule wardrobe”, “high protein breakfast”. Pinterest reads the text in your pin title, description, image, and board to decide which searches a pin belongs in. Using the same words people search for makes that match easy.
Pinterest searches tend to be about ideas and plans rather than facts, so good Pinterest keywords often describe an outcome (“ideas”, “for beginners”, “on a budget”, “for small spaces”).
Where to Find Pinterest Keywords
| Source | What it tells you | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Pinterest search autocomplete | Phrases people actually type | Type a broad word slowly and note each suggestion |
| Refinement terms under the search bar | Related angles Pinterest groups with your search | Run a search and scan the terms Pinterest offers to narrow it |
| Pinterest Trends | How interest changes through the year | Compare terms and spot when seasonal topics start rising |
| Top pins for a search | What format wins (recipes, products, guides) | Check whether your content matches what already ranks |
| Your Pinterest Analytics | Which of your pins and topics get impressions | Double down on topics that already work |
The free Pinterest keyword tool is a quick way to brainstorm long-tail variations from a seed word before you check them in autocomplete.
Step-by-Step Pinterest Keyword Research
- Start with a seed keyword. Describe your post or product in two or three words: “meal prep”, “leather wallet”, “nursery decor”.
- Collect autocomplete suggestions. Type the seed into Pinterest search and write down every suggestion. Then add a letter after the seed (“meal prep a”, “meal prep b”) to surface more.
- Collect refinement terms. Run the search and note the related terms Pinterest suggests below the search bar.
- Filter by fit. Cross out any phrase your content does not genuinely answer. A clicked pin that disappoints does more harm than a missed search.
- Check the results. Search each remaining phrase. If the top pins are a different type of content than yours, move on to a phrase that fits better.
- Check the season. Look up the main terms in Pinterest Trends to see whether interest peaks at a particular time of year.
- Pick one main phrase per pin. Assign each phrase to a separate pin, with one or two close variations for the description.
Worked Example: A Meal Prep Blog Post
Say you have a post called “A Week of Vegetarian Meal Prep”. Seed keyword: “vegetarian meal prep”. After running the steps above, the shortlist might look like this:
| Main phrase | Related variations | Pin angle |
|---|---|---|
| vegetarian meal prep for beginners | easy vegetarian meal prep, simple meal prep | Step-by-step week plan |
| high protein vegetarian meal prep | protein packed vegetarian lunches | Macro-focused version |
| vegetarian meal prep on a budget | cheap meal prep ideas | Cost per serving |
| vegetarian lunch ideas for work | packed lunch ideas | Grab-and-go containers |
That is four fresh pins for one post, each with a different image and title, and each able to appear in a different search. The title for the first could be “Vegetarian Meal Prep for Beginners: A Simple 5-Day Plan”.
Long-Tail Pinterest Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases. “Meal prep” is broad and crowded; “high protein vegetarian meal prep” is narrower and tells Pinterest exactly who your pin is for. Specific phrases are also easier to deliver on, which matters because the click has to land on a page that matches.
Useful modifiers to test with your seed keyword:
- Audience: for beginners, for moms, for small businesses, for renters
- Constraint: on a budget, in 30 minutes, without equipment, for small spaces
- Format: ideas, checklist, printable, template, tutorial
- Style: minimalist, boho, modern, rustic
- Season or event: fall, Christmas, back to school, wedding
Seasonal Keywords and Pinterest Trends
Many Pinterest topics are seasonal, and interest often starts climbing weeks before the event itself. Use Pinterest Trends to see when a term starts rising, then publish your pins ahead of that point so they are already in circulation when searches pick up.
Plan backwards from the peak
If Trends shows “halloween costume ideas” climbing from late summer, publish your Halloween pins before then rather than in October. Scheduling makes this practical: you can prepare seasonal pins in one session and let them go out over the following weeks.
Where to Add Keywords on Pinterest
- Pin title (up to 100 characters): lead with the main phrase so it lands in the first 40 or so characters.
- Pin description (up to 800 characters): use the main phrase in the first sentence and one or two variations after it. Descriptions are not shown in feeds but Pinterest uses them for relevance.
- Text on the image: a short headline that matches the title.
- Alt text: describe the image, including the phrase only where it fits naturally.
- Board name and description: use the broader version of the topic.
- Profile name and bio: your one or two core topics.
Write every one of these as a person would read it. Pinterest's spam guidelines specifically mention stuffing irrelevant keywords, and a readable sentence works better for searchers too. The Pinterest title generator can help you turn a keyword into a title that reads naturally.
Build a Simple Keyword Map
A keyword map is a spreadsheet that keeps you from targeting the same phrase twice and shows gaps. Use one row per pin idea with these columns:
- Destination URL
- Main phrase
- Related variations
- Board
- Season or publish window
- Date published
- Result after a few weeks (impressions, outbound clicks)
Over time the map shows which phrases earn traffic, which topics deserve more fresh pins, and which pages still have no pins at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find keywords on Pinterest?
Type a broad word into Pinterest search and note the autocomplete suggestions, run the search and look at the refinement terms below the search bar, and check seasonal interest in Pinterest Trends. Those three sources show the phrases people actually use.
Is there a free Pinterest keyword tool?
Pinterest search and Pinterest Trends are free. Our free Pinterest keyword tool also turns a seed keyword into long-tail ideas you can check in Pinterest search. It suggests phrase patterns rather than showing search volume.
Can I see Pinterest search volume?
Pinterest Trends shows relative interest in a term over time rather than exact monthly searches. Autocomplete tells you a phrase is searched, and Trends tells you when interest rises, which is usually enough to prioritize.
How do I add keywords to Pinterest pins?
Put the main phrase at the start of the pin title, use it in the first sentence of the description with one or two related phrases, repeat the idea in the text on the image, and save the pin to a board whose name matches the topic.
How often should I redo Pinterest keyword research?
Build a keyword list once per topic, then review it every few months and before seasonal peaks. Pinterest Trends makes it easy to see when a seasonal topic starts to rise.
Start With One Topic
Pick your most important blog post or product, spend ten minutes finding five phrases for it, and publish one fresh pin per phrase over the next few weeks. Once you see which phrases earn impressions in Pinterest Analytics, repeat the process for your next topic.
More pins per keyword, less busywork
Pin Generator creates several pin designs from each post or product link, so you can give every keyword angle its own fresh pin without designing each one by hand.
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