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Successfully marketing your business or blog on Pinterest can be overwhelming. But when Pinterest gives us tips to improve our results, we should step up and listen. Pinterest believes that pin titles are so important that they are moving toward requiring them for every image that you save.
Let’s take a look at what pin titles are, how they can improve your Pinterest SEO, and how to create a pin title strategy to generate more clicks on your content.
Table of Contents
How do you add a pin to a title on Pinterest?
When you’re scrolling your Pinterest feed, pin titles are the bits of text that appear under your pin.
They can be up to 100 characters long, but you should note that only the first 30 or so characters will display under your image. When a user clicks on your pin looking for more details, the full text of your pin title will appear.
How do I use SEO on Pinterest?
Pin titles give people more information about your pin than the image does. It can provide context, and users can determine whether or not they want to continue clicking through.
Pinterest uses your pin title to determine whether or not it is relevant to the user’s search query.
Until recently, any time you saved a pin without a pin title, Pinterest would either pull rich pin data out of your image or display the first part of your description.
Now, Pinterest requires all pins you post to have a specific, discrete title before you can post it. While this may sound like a lot of work, it’s really not.
How do I optimize my pins on Pinterest?
A pin title creates a context for your image. Instead of repeating what’s in your pin description, use this space to add information that will make users want to click through.
While you have 100 characters, remember that Pinterest only displays the first 30 or so in a feed: so use those first 30 characters wisely!
Think about what words your prospective customers would use in their search, but be cautious of creating titles that are stuffed with keywords or that are click-bait in nature.
Not only will Pinterest be able to detect this and will penalize your entire account, but your customers can see right through this, and they won’t click. Instead, naturally, work keywords into your pin titles for better Pinterest SEO.
Instead of repeating the same keywords in your title that you have in your description, use the pin title as an opportunity to add a different set of keywords to the same pin.
For example, if you use “Keto Christmas Recipes” in your description, use “No-Carb Christmas Recipes” in your pin title. Not only does your title attract people interested in Keto, but it will also display for users searching no-carb options.
Don’t forget to use title case when creating your pin title – users are more apt to click because it makes your title more authoritative.
Choosing Keywords for SEO-Focused Pin Titles
The first thing you should do when deciding on your keywords is to make sure you’re incorporating the keywords that you’ve used in your linked content. Pinterest favors consistency between your pin and your content.
Pinterest also makes it super easy to see what keywords are being used in a search. If you type your keyword into the search bar, the dropdown will give a variety of other options that are generated from actual user searches.
To find more, perform a real search of your keyword, and Pinterest will list out all related searches across the header of your results.
Clearly, your best course of action is to use the Pinterest-suggested keywords. Use these in your pin title, pin description, as well as Board title and description.
Make sure that your keywords are also present on your linked content page, as well. Watch for keyword stuffing, and instead work them naturally into each place.
Adding Your SEO-Focused Pin Title on Pinterest
When you click to create a pin on Pinterest, the Pin Title field will be the most prominent field above your user name. It even helpfully reminds you that only the first 30 characters will show up in feeds.
Should I Add Pin Titles to Old Pins?
If you’ve been saving pins on Pinterest for years, you’re probably overwhelmed just thinking about going back and updating them all.
Don’t worry – this isn’t necessary. With most platform changes, focus on changing your strategy today and tomorrow. Taking care of your backfile isn’t required.
Pinterest Target Audience
Pinterest’s move to require pin titles on all pins is an opportunity to ensure that you’re creating and posting content in a way that is optimized to reach your customers.
Let Pinterest do the hard work of distributing your content for you directly to your target audience. By using SEO best practices and keywords, you stand a higher chance of reaching your target audience and making huge gains on your click-through rates.