Pinterest for SEO? Really? Yes, and you’d better get pinning.

Marketers spend a lot of time trying to “crack the code” when it comes to SEO. The objective is to rank as high as possible on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), but only a select few can make the coveted first page.

It takes some time and strategy, but with a little know-how you might make the cut and Pinterest can definitely help you get there.

Really? Pinterest?

Pinterest isn’t a bunch of pretty pictures and a way to waste time. Aside from the fact that Pinterest is a powerful sales tool, generating an average of 78 cents in sales for one pin, it helps businesses increase web traffic, boost sales and it can affect a website’s SEO.

How Does Pinterest have a positive impact on your SEO?

Creates New Back-links from all Pins

Each pin generates a back-link to your website. A search engine takes into account how many external links direct users to your site when ranking your website for relevant information.

Additionally, every time a pin is re-pinned another back-link is generated. Ultimately, back-links increase your company’s discoverability, so it’s to your company’s benefit to pin content.

While search engines (let’s face it, we mean Google) are becoming more savvy about all the game people have played using backlinks, good authentic backlinks still matter.

Consider Adding a “Pin It” Button to your Blog

Provide users with the ability to easily share your content (posts, video, and photos) on Pinterest. Shared content has a great role in SEO. Let others market for you . . . and create more links back to your website.

Building Keyword-Rich Pinterest Boards

It’s imperative to add keywords to your boards. You just have to.

Google categorizes Pinterest boards and profiles, so adding keyword-rich descriptions to your boards will increase your odds of appearing in a search.

Make sure your keyword strategy is reflected across all your board titles and descriptions as well as the pin descriptions. You’ll also want to make sure those keywords are searchable so your Pinterest profile must be set to be discoverable—“Hide your Pinterest profile from search engines” needs to be turned off.

Understanding Pinterest as a Search Engine

Google might be the most obvious choice, but the reality is that Pinterest is a search engine as well.

With guided search capability you can quickly sift through and discover content based on keywords.

Also, as Pinterest’s “domain authority” (a measure of the power of a domain name and is one of many search engine ranking factors) continues to grow, your pins will have greater visibility in search engines like Google.

Thoughts on How Pinterest Can Improve your SEO?

Pinterest can be a fun way to market your brand, but more than that, it’s an easy way to help your business rank higher in search engine results.

What do you think? Have you had success improving your SEO using Pinterest?

 

Shawna Doyle | Communications Ottawa | Calgary