Are you using hashtags in your pin descriptions? Find out why missing this key Pinterest SEO feature might hurt your search results on Pinterest and reduce the visibility of your Pinterest content.
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Search Results on Pinterest: How hashtags can boost your visibility
You know the saying— the squeaky wheel gets the grease? I try not to be repetitive in my content (I’ve talked about hashtags here and here), but the new use of hashtags on Pinterest has quickly gone from a useful strategy to one that is vitally important. Pinterest has changed so much in the last year, and it might change again, but right now (as of fall 2017), hashtags are front and center for search results on Pinterest. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, let me show you:
This was the look of Pinterest in September 2017 — pretty bare bones, only showing titles and pin analytics.
And this is October 2017:
Do you see a difference? Those bright blue hyperlinked hashtags just scream ‘click me’, don’t they? You almost can’t resist! And when you do click on them, the most recent content using that particular hashtag appears. You see, hashtags are no longer a fun novel idea for search results on Pinterest, they currently seem (at least for now), to dominate the way that Pinterest users will discover more content. If you aren’t using hashtags, you could easily be left out.
How to find the best hashtags for your niche
I’ve seen various ways to find the best hashtags. Common keywords in your niche is a great place to start. If you have seasonal content, include seasonal words like #fall or #holiday. Be a bit broader, rather than specific and use popular keywords, much like the keywords you use in the pin description. Check out others in your niche and see how they are using hashtags. It’s a bit of trial and error and there is no right way to discover hashtags, but make sure you are using them. I’ve written a separate post on hashtags you can find here.
Where to use hashtags for searches on Pinterest
By far, the best place to use them is in pin descriptions. Don’t replace the 2-3 keyword-rich description, but add them afterwards. When you add them to the pin description, they will populate like in the above image. It is interesting that the keyword-rich description does not show up (although it is playing a vital role in providing meta data— get the how-to on keywords here), but the hashtags are appearing! You might consider slipping a few in board descriptions. I don’t think this is necessary, but it can’t hurt. 😉
So, what do you think? Do you love the trend of hashtags on Pinterest? I personally like them— I can see how they will create effective relationships for search results on Pinterest and I think they can benefit new pinners looking for Pinterest visibility with relevant content.
Are you new to Pinterest and want more tips to get started? See my introductory post Getting Started on Pinterest and don’t forget to sign up for my email newsletter here. You’ll receive my FREE Pinterest Start-up Guide for your creative small business where I give easy actionable steps to getting started on Pinterest!
I should start using pinterest. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Maybe this post will be helpful? https://vanessakynes.com/how-to-use-pinterest-for-your-photography-business/
It’s been so interesting to see such conflicting information about hashtag use. But I tested your theory and it seems to be working. Thanks for the tips.
I agree! Pinterest has been going through some growing pains. But, for now, hashtags are front and center, so we shouldn’t ignore the Pinterest ‘gods’. 😉
I’m glad you shared this, I’d been avoiding using hashtags, but now that things have changed I’ll have to start adding them in!
It’s definitely been confusing, Lydia, but I think it’s safe to say that hashtags are an important part of an overall Pinterest strategy now.