Type your niche topic into Pinterest’s search bar. The bubble suggestions that appear below are real keywords people are actively searching right now. No tools, no subscriptions required. Pinterest itself is the most underused free keyword research tool available to beginners.
Everyone tells you to do keyword research. Nobody tells you how to do it when you have no budget and no idea where to start. You don’t need a $99 SEO tool subscription. You don’t even need a free trial you’ll forget to cancel.
Pinterest gives you the data. Right there, in plain sight.
Here are five ways to find the exact keywords your ideal reader is typing into Pinterest, and exactly where to place them so they actually work.
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Why Keywords Are the Engine Behind Pinterest Traffic
Pinterest is not social media. It’s a visual search engine. When someone opens the app, they type something in and look for answers. If your pin doesn’t contain the words they’re searching, it won’t appear.
Pinterest traffic compounds. A pin you publish today can drive clicks six months from now. But only if the right keywords are baked into it from the start. If you’re new to how search works on the platform, Pinterest SEO: 10 Basics for Beginners covers the full foundation.
The good news is you don’t need a marketing background to get this right. Pinterest actually hands you the data. You just need to know where to look and what to do with it once you find it.
Method 1: Use the Pinterest Search Bar
You already have access to this right now. Open Pinterest and type a broad topic into the search bar. Before you press enter, look below the bar.
Those colored bubble tags are real keywords. Pinterest is showing you exactly what users search when they type that topic. Click any bubble and you get another layer of related terms.
Try searching “blog traffic.” You’ll see tags like “increase blog traffic,” “blog traffic tips for beginners,” “blog traffic from Pinterest.” Those are your keywords. Write them all down.
Pro tip: do this research before you write your blog post, not after. When you know which keyword phrases real people are searching, you can build your post title, subheadings, and pin descriptions around that exact language from the start. That’s the difference between content that gets found and content that just exists.
Method 2: Mine the Related Searches Section
Run a search on Pinterest and scroll past the first few rows of pins. There’s a “Related searches” strip that shows up mid-feed.
Most beginners scroll right past this. Don’t. These are long-tail phrases people are actively typing in. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and far more specific. Someone searching “Pinterest keyword research for beginners” has a clear intent. Your post can answer that exactly.
Screenshot this section every time you research a new topic. These phrases go straight into your pin titles and descriptions.
Method 3: Use Pinterest Trends
Go to trends.pinterest.com. It’s free. It shows real search volume data over time, so you can see which keywords are rising, which are seasonal, and which are fading.
Planning content for November? Search “holiday gift ideas” in Pinterest Trends, filter by your country, and you’ll see whether that keyword peaks in September or October. Schedule your pins to land right at the top of the curve.
This works especially well when you’re repurposing one blog post into multiple Pinterest pins. Each pin can target a slightly different keyword variation pulled from the same Trends data.
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Method 4: Study Top-Ranking Pins in Your Niche
Search your topic on Pinterest. Read the descriptions on the pins that rank at the top.
Not to copy them. To understand the language they use. What specific phrases keep appearing? What angle did that creator take? Pinterest already told you those words work by surfacing those pins first. Your job is to use that same vocabulary in your own original content.
This research also tells you which Pinterest boards to create and what to name them so your pins land in front of the right searches.
Method 5: Start Your Research on Google
Open Google. Type your topic followed by “pinterest” and look at the autocomplete suggestions. Then scroll to the bottom of the results page and check “People also ask” and the related search terms.
These phrases come from real search behavior. Because Google and Pinterest pull from different users with different habits, you’ll find keyword angles you’d never spot inside Pinterest alone. Many of these phrases make perfect pin titles.
This is especially useful if you’re using Pinterest for affiliate marketing. Google surfaces product-specific searches with buyer intent that Pinterest’s own search bar doesn’t show as clearly.
Where to Put Your Pinterest Keywords
Finding keywords is half the work. Placing them in the right spots is what turns research into traffic.
Your profile bio needs your main niche keyword written into a natural sentence. Your board names need to be searchable, not cute. “Recipes I Love” does nothing for your reach. “Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes” gets indexed.
Pin titles are the most important placement. Lead with the exact keyword phrase your reader would type. Pin descriptions should run 200 words or more, with your main keyword and a few variations worked in naturally. Your blog post URL and title matter too, especially when Pinterest crawls your linked content.
For a full breakdown of every profile field and how to fill it in, start with How to Optimize Your Pinterest Profile. It’s the fastest account-level change you can make.
A lot of beginners focus all their energy on pin design and forget that keywords are what make the design discoverable. A beautiful pin with no keywords is like a great storefront on a street nobody walks down. The keywords are what bring people to the door.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I update my Pinterest keywords?
Every 3 to 6 months is a solid baseline. Pinterest Trends will show you if a keyword is losing momentum. Seasonal niches need more frequent reviews. Anytime a holiday is 6 to 8 weeks away, check your keyword strategy and refresh your pins.
Can I use the same keywords on multiple pins?
Yes, and you should. Pinterest treats each pin as unique content. Creating multiple pins for the same blog post with slight keyword variations is a smart strategy. The more keyword angles you cover, the more searches you can show up in.
How many keywords should I use in a pin description?
Use your main keyword phrase once near the start, then work in two or three related phrases throughout. Keep it readable. Write it like a sentence a real person would actually want to read, not a keyword dump.
Does board SEO matter as much as pin SEO?
Yes. Pinterest indexes board names and descriptions. A keyword-rich board name gives every pin you save there an SEO boost from the start. It’s one of the highest-value changes most beginners skip.
Are paid keyword tools worth it for beginners?
Not at the start. The five free methods above will give you more keyword data than you’ll know what to do with. Once your account is consistently growing, tools like Tailwind can help you go deeper. Start free.
Key Takeaways
- Pinterest’s search bar bubble tags are free keyword data in plain sight
- Pinterest Trends at trends.pinterest.com shows real search volume at no cost
- The Related Searches section surfaces long-tail phrases that are less competitive and more targeted
- Studying top-ranking pins shows you which language Pinterest already rewards in your niche
- Keywords must go in your profile bio, board names, pin titles, pin descriptions, and post URLs
Start With One Keyword This Week
You don’t need a budget to do smart keyword research on Pinterest. You need 20 minutes and the five methods above.
The hardest part is sitting down to actually do it. Once you start, the data is everywhere.
Pick one topic from your niche this week. Run it through the Pinterest search bar, pull phrases from the Related Searches section, and check Pinterest Trends. Write down 10 to 15 keywords. Then use them in your next pin title, your board descriptions, and your profile bio.
That’s the whole system. Grab the free Pinterest Keyword Research Cheat Sheet to keep all your keywords organized as you build momentum.