How to Use Keywords on Pinterest as a Wedding Photographer
Before we dive into how to use keywords on Pinterest, it is important to grasp the WHY behind this practice. Why are keywords important on Pinterest? Well, think of Pinterest as a search engine. The platform actually refers to itself as a “visual discovery engine.” While the smart feed functions more like a social media platform, presenting a flow of fresh content from accounts you follow, most Pinterest users prefer to utilize the search bar to find new content and discover new accounts.
How Pinterest Differs from Google
Pinterest uses keywords in a slightly different way than Google, so it is important to understand the difference between the two platforms. The reason for this is that the user intent differs from platform to platform. Google searches are typically highly specific, so your keywords are direct and targeted. Pinterest, however, serves more as a source of inspiration. People typically search within a niche but are flexible to tandem search results.
For example, a browsing bride might be looking for wedding flower inspiration, but if her attention turns to a specific wedding photographer then that is no bad thing. She’s likely looking to book that too!
For this reason, keywords on Pinterest tend to be a little broader and shorter. According to Pinterest, 75% of search queries are just 1-3 words, whereas Google searches tend to be written in full sentences or longer phrases. This is primarily a difference in user habits since most Pinterest users access the platform from their mobile devices.
How You Can Benefit From Using Keywords on Pinterest
Keywords serve as a context to clue Pinterest in on exactly what your content is. They are specific and strategic words or short phrases that precisely describe your content so that your Pins can be paired with the right search queries.
Without using keywords, your Pins are less likely to rank favorably in the Pinterest search algorithm.
Keywords allow you to corner your niche strategically and directly target users within that bracket. Think about it, if you are using Pinterest to share business tips, you don’t need to rank well on searches for ‘Health Foods’ but you’ll want to make sure that you are easily visible to anyone searching for ‘Small Business Hacks’. It is all about knowing and appealing to your target audience.
What Keywords Should You be Using as a Wedding Photographer?
Before you start mapping out your keywords, take some time to define who your target audience is. The goal is to target your dream client! If you are still in the process of honing in on this goal, then check out our FREE guide to get you started: 10 Questions to Identify Your Dream Wedding Client.
Once you’ve pinpointed your dream client, start by creating a list of keywords that would directly appeal to them and their wedding style.
For example:
Consider their wedding theme:
Modern / Classic / Rustic / Bohemiam / Minimalistic …
Consider their wedding location:
European / Southern / Urban / Coastal...
If you are looking to find clients local to you, then your State and nearest City are essential keywords.
Following this, take a look back at your current archives and decide what kind of content you already have available to Pin from.
For example:
Informative blogs, such as Tips for Brides
Educational blogs, such as Hacks for Wedding Photographers
Location and vendor-specific blog posts, such as Top Ten Florists in Northern California.
Once you’ve got a hold on keywords that appeal to you and your business needs, consider keywords that are more general to the wedding industry. ‘Wedding Dress’ and ‘Wedding Cakes’ are two of the top wedding-related searches out there. As a wedding photographer, you are bound to have heaps of content for both of these items!
We have the perfect freebie to get you started. Why not download our checklist of The Keywords Every Wedding Photographer Should Be Using On Pinterest now!
How to Research Wedding Keywords on Pinterest
The only tool you need to discover keywords on Pinterest is Pinterest itself!
Start by typing your words or phrases into the Pinterest search bar as if you were doing an organic search. You’ll see that Pinterest auto-fills the bar with paired results. These high-ranking keywords that the platform recognizes are a fantastic place to start.
Once you find a keyword that would resonate with your target audience, click “search” and take note of the type of content that shows up in the search results as well as the keywords that are being used in the Pin Titles.
Once you’ve entered your search query, you’ll note that Pinterest will present the similar keywords in colored rounded-rectangles across the top of your results page. These rank in popularity from left to right across your screen and are a great resource for finding related keywords within your niche.
As you learn how to use Keywords on Pinterest, you’ll find more advanced ways to search for the perfect Keyword. One tool that you can utilize is the Pinterest Ads feature. If you have a business account, you can pretend to start the process of creating an ad. There is a keyword window that allows you to find keywords along with their ranking quality. Targeting words with a higher search quality is a great strategy.
When you’ve mastered how to use Keywords on Pinterest, take your SEO game to the next level by exploring the Pinterest Trends tool. This keeps you updated on trending topics on the platform and keywords that are relevant to the current cultural conversation.
How to use Keywords on Pinterest When Building Your Account
Once you’ve dialed in some keywords that suit your industry, it’s time to start incorporating these into every facet of your account.
Let’s start with first principles.
Your Pinterest Profile
There are multiple places within your personal or business account page where you should be utilizing keywords to improve your search ranking.
Your Display Name
While it makes sense to use your name or your business name as your profile name, you might want to add some keywords to flesh this out.
Example: Why settle for ‘Jill Smith’ when your account could be named ‘Jill Smith | Nebraska Wedding Photography’. This extension of your name immediately clues your audience into exactly what service you are offering them.
Your Profile Bio
Your Pinterest Bio is a great place to drop keywords about your services and your location. You can check out our Pinterest bio to get an idea of how we use keywords to improve our search ranking. While you’re taking a look at our profile don’t forget to click the red ‘follow’ button so you can stay up to date with what we’re doing on the platform!
Your Retail Location
Even as a destination wedding photographer, it is wise to utilize this feature so that potential clients know where you are based.
Your Pinterest Content
Once your profile is search engine optimized, it is time to start adding SEO best practices to your content. These are the nitty-gritty, vital details of how to utilize keywords on Pinterest.
All of Your Pinterest Boards
Your Board Name
Your board names can appear in Google searches, which means you can include longtail-keywords that appeal to the Google algorithm to maximize your chances of ranking well.
Your Board Descriptions
Aim to make your board names approximately 1-2 sentences, and drop in some keywords!
Your Board Category
Your board category hones you deeper into your niche. In the case of the wedding industry, this is a great way to get creative and rank all across all facets of the industry from wedding dresses to catering.
If you are struggling to come up with creative Pinterest Board titles, then check out our blog, ‘Pinterest Board Ideas for your Wedding Photography Business’ for more inspiration.
All of Your Pinterest Pins
The Pin Title
Only 30-35 characters will show, so make sure you keep it short and compelling.
Mix up the language from your Pin Description, to capitalize on using more Keywords in a limited space.
If you are in need of further inspiration, have a look at Tailwind’s Best Practices for Pin Titles.
The Pin Description
Your Pin Description is one of the most important places to utilize keywords. Pinterest places just as much weight on Pin Descriptions as Google does on web page copy!
You should be using full sentence structure in your Pin Descriptions.
Pinterest recommends that you try to utilize a CTA in all of your Pin Descriptions.
Try not to over-stuff keywords - the more specific you are, the better!
Don’t forget your hashtags! While you can use up to 20, experts advise quality over quantity when it comes to selecting hashtags that are specific to your content.
If your Pin is driving traffic to a blog post on your website, then try to use the same keywords from your blog to heighten your performance in Pinterest’s search bar. Pinterest has some useful resources to help you choose the right landing URL and optimize your Pins to their full potential. If this is your first time Pinning from your blogs, then read our article ‘What to Pin on Pinterest as a Wedding Photographer’ to know how to get started.
If you are blogging within a Wordpress site, there is a special SEO feature that allows you to add ‘Pinterest Text’ alongside your Alt Text. When you Pin images from this blog, Pinterest will pull this text directly and use it as the Pin Description!
Know Your End Goal
Since Pinterest is a search engine, your end goal is to be discovered by users and to drive them back to your Website. For this reason, it is important to assess what URL links you are using for your Pins.
Now that you know everything you need to know about how to use Keywords on Pinterest, you are ready to get started. Take it one step at a time. Start by making the needed adjustments to your profile, then move on to implementing keyword best practices into any upcoming Pins. Once you’ve got a knack for it, you might consider revamping your old content by adjusting the Pin descriptions in your Pin archive to breathe new life into your content!
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