Find Low-Competition Pinterest SEO Keywords (Boost Traffic!)

Many creatives spend many hours making eye-catching Pinterest pins. However, they usually overlook the importance of keyword research. As a result, their pins end up buried under thousands of other pins with similar content.

Pinterest is much more than a social media platform. It is a visual search engine where millions of people search for the products and ideas they are looking for. Similar to how Google searches for keywords to understand what content to show searchers, Pinterest also uses keywords to understand the content of your pins.

One of the biggest mistakes that beginners make on Pinterest is trying to use popular and trending keywords in their pin titles. While these keywords do get a lot of searches, they are extremely competitive. Your pins will compete with other pins from famous creators and pins that already exist on the platform. By focusing on low-competition Pinterest SEO keywords, your pins will have a much better chance of getting ranked in the search results Pinterest uses to find new audiences for your pins.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to find the best low-competition Pinterest SEO keywords for your area of expertise. We’ll show you various tools, both free and paid, that will aid you in finding these keywords. In addition to learning how to properly choose Pinterest keywords for your pins, you’ll also see how to avoid common mistakes and finally, how to optimize your pins to attract more views and traffic.

What Is a Pinterest SEO Keyword?

A Pinterest SEO keyword is the term that users search on Pinterest search bar to find ideas they are looking for.

Examples of Pinterest SEO keywords include:

Pinterest SEO keyword
Pinterest marketing tips
Home office ideas
Healthy meal prep
Wedding decoration ideas

Pinterest uses these keywords to understand your content and to show your pins to the right audience on search results and feeds.

Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest is a visual search engine. Therefore, Pinterest SEO keywords play a significant role in your brand receiving organic traffic on the platform.

Main Reasons to Target Low-Competition Pinterest Keywords

By targeting keywords with low competition and high levels of specificity for Pinterest SEO, you can avoid directly competing with other pins and accounts with high search engine visibility and popularity.

1. Easier to Rank and Get Discovered

Broad Keywords like “home decor” have high competition. However, using a specific keyword like “boho living room decor for small apartments” offers Pinterest insight into content of your Pin.

2. More Targeted Traffic and Engagement

Using specific keywords like “minimalist bullet journal ideas for beginners” will receive most targeted traffic compared to a keyword as broad as “journaling”.

3. Long-Term Organic Traffic

As with most SEO benefits, the targeting of keywords on Pinterest will continue to work even after your Pin has been published. Using relevant keywords in your Pins and Boards will allow your Pins to continue appearing in searches related to your Pins.

The goal is simple: start with keywords and topics of lower competition, and as your Pinterest presence and popularity begins to grow, gradually expand into broader topics.

How to Find Low-Competition Pinterest SEO Keywords

Pinterest does not offer keyword difficulty scores for SEO on platform. Finding low-competition Pinterest SEO keywords requires a little research on the platform. You can use Pinterest’s features to find keywords people are searching for and see if you can rank on those keywords yourself.

Here are the best methods to find Pinterest SEO keywords for your content:

1. Use Pinterest Search Auto-Suggestions

The Pinterest search bar on the platform can help you find specific searches for the content you are interested in. Begin by typing your seed keyword into the search bar on Pinterest. For example, type the following:

Living room decor

Now, Pinterest will display a variety of auto-suggestions that people have typed in the search bar for the keyword you entered. For example, the suggestions could read:

Living room decor on a budget
Living room decor for small apartments
Cozy living room decor ideas
Modern living room decor

Notice that suggestions use more specific language than your seed keyword. For example, your original keyword was living room decor, but the suggestion of cozy living room decor for small apartments is more specific.

Try adding different letters or modifiers to your original keyword to find other SEO opportunities on Pinterest. Try using terms such as for, with, on a budget, for beginners, and small.

2. Use Google and SEO Tools to Find More Keyword Ideas

Pinterest will be your main source of Pinterest SEO keywords. However, Google and various third-party SEO tools can reveal to you additional keywords and keyword phrases you may have missed on the design and Pinterest platforms.

Begin by searching your chosen main topic on Google and explore the autocomplete suggestions, the “people also ask” questions, and related searches for additional keyword ideas.

Additionally, keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Semrush, Ubersuggest, and AnswerThePublic will show you various keyword ideas related to your chosen topic.

For example, if your chosen keyword is “small balcony ideas,” you might find that additional keyword ideas include:

Small balcony ideas on a budget
Small apartment balcony ideas
Small balcony garden ideas
How to decorate a small balcony

However, do not choose your keywords based solely on Google search volume. What might be a high volume of searches on Google might not translate to that many searches on Pinterest. Use these tools to discover keywords and then use Pinterest to find additional information on whether or not they will be successful with targeting this keyword.

3. Check Pinterest Trends Before Choosing a Keyword

A keyword might look great, but you need to ensure that people are interested in keyword.

Pinterest Trends can help you compare keywords and see how the interest in a particular keyword changes over time. This is especially helpful for keywords related to seasonal topics such as:

Christmas decor
Halloween costumes
Summer outfits
Valentine's Day gifts
Back-to-school ideas

Choose topics on Pinterest that have high and steady interest from users. For seasonal keywords, plan your content well in advance. People on Pinterest search for information they require for seasonal events well in advance of these events occurring.

4. Analyze Top Ranking Pins

Once you find trending keywords, search for it on Pinterest and study top Pins for that keyword.

Study each of the following aspects of the top Pins:

Titles of Pins
Text used on Pin image
Topics covered in Pins for that keyword
The closeness of Pins to the keyword
Whether Pins contain fresh and useful content

Do not copy these top Pins. Instead, study them to find opportunities in the gaps.

For instance, if you search for “budget small balcony ideas” you may find that the top Pins show extravagant ideas for small balconies. Find a way to provide balcony ideas that fit within a budget and meet the needs of the searchers.

5. Explore Related and Guided Search Suggestions

After performing your search for your main topic, note any related terms or suggested searches for that topic on Pinterest.

For instance, searching for term “bedroom ideas” returns following suggested search terms:

Small
Cozy
Apartment
Minimalist
Budget
Boho

Using these suggestions alongside your original keyword, you can form new search terms such as:

Cozy bedroom ideas for small rooms
Minimalist apartment bedroom ideas
Boho bedroom decor on a budget

Note that mixing words together just to create a long keyword is not necessary. The keywords should be specific to the content you are creating and use the same terms as the content itself.

6. Use Pinterest's Keyword Research Tools for More Ideas

If you have access to a Pinterest business account and Pinterest ads, you can explore keyword tools available. These keyword tools do not require you to create an ad campaign; you can simply use the keyword suggestions for research.

To access keyword tool, enter your keyword and click into suggested keywords related to your seed keyword.

Instead of using most popular keyword, consider these alternatives:

Are keywords relevant to your content?
Are keywords specific to your content?
Does keyword relate to audience need?
Are keywords specific and detailed enough to attract your target audience?

For example, instead of using the keyword “wedding ideas,” the tool might suggest keyword “small backyard wedding ideas on a budget.”

Using these specific keywords will expose you to the audience that is searching for these specific items on Pinterest.

7. Validate Competition Manually

Before finalizing a keyword, search it on Pinterest and review results.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Does keyword closely match search results on Pinterest?
Are top search results dominated by major brands?
Are smaller creators visible in search results?
Is much of existing content outdated or repetitive?
Can you create something valuable and visually appealing for Pinterest?

For instance:

Highly competitive keyword: Home decor
Less competitive keywords: Small apartment home decor
Even more specific opportunity: Rental-friendly small apartment decor on a budget

The best keyword for Pinterest with low competition requires consideration of search intent, relevance to your content, interest in keyword, and opportunity for your content to stand out among search results.

Quick rule of thumb to remember: If search results for a keyword do not satisfy searchers’ needs, you may have found an opportunity for a valuable keyword for your Pinterest page.

Where to Place Keywords on Pinterest for Better Visibility?

Finding right keywords is only half the work. You also need to place them in the right areas of your Pinterest pages.

Here are the most important places to use keywords:

Pin title
Pin description
Image text overlay
Board title
Board description
Profile bio (when relevant)
Website blog post linked to pin
Image file name before uploading to Pinterest

You do not need to use same keyword in all of these places. Use one main keyword and a few related keywords.

The goal is to make it easy for Pinterest to understand your content and for users to understand what they will get when they click on your pins.

Common Pinterest Keyword Research Mistakes You Should Avoid

Choosing wrong keywords for your Pinterest content will make it hard for even great content to be found. As a visual search engine, Pinterest uses keywords to determine which content will be shown to which users. Therefore, the title, description of Pin, and name of the board should all contain the proper keywords to describe the content of the Pins.

Some common keyword Pinterest posting mistakes to avoid include:

Using too broad keywords
Ignoring long-tail keywords
Stuffing keywords into the Pin unnecessarily
Copying your competitors word-for-word
Publishing Pinterest content without conducting keyword research
Ignoring old Pins on your page
Ignoring seasonal search trends on Pinterest
Using irrelevant keywords just for clicks on Pinterest

Final Thoughts

Finding right keywords for your Pinterest content does not require costly tools or skills in the art of SEO. Pinterest gives you all the tools necessary to find opportunities for your content on the platform without having to deal with as much competition as others on the social media platform.

Focus on creating valuable content for Pinterest. By creating engaging Pins for your content and focusing on the keywords for that content, you will see great results from your Pinterest page. If you need offline inspiration, use our Pinterest video downloader tool to seamlessly save trending videos directly from your browser. The more content you can publish on Pinterest, the better your page will become over time.