Pinterest Keywords vs Hashtags: What's the Difference?
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Pinterest keywords and hashtags are different — keywords go in your pin title and description as natural language, while hashtags are # prefix terms that index your pin in a separate hashtag feed. Keywords drive the majority of Pinterest search traffic; hashtags are a supplemental signal.
Here's how each one works and how to use both in the same pin correctly.
What Pinterest Keywords Are (and Where They Go)
Pinterest keywords are the words and phrases users type into Pinterest's search bar. When someone searches "minimalist living room ideas," Pinterest matches that query against pin titles, descriptions, and board names that contain those words.
Where keywords go:
- Pin title — highest-weighted keyword field. Write your main keyword phrase here as natural language: "Minimalist Living Room Ideas for Small Apartments"
- Pin description — secondary keyword field. Include your main keyword and 3-5 related terms in 100-200 characters of natural descriptive text
- Board name — tertiary keyword signal. A pin saved to "Minimalist Home Decor Ideas" gets topical relevance boost from the board name
- Board description — Pinterest indexes board descriptions, giving additional keyword context to all pins in that board
Keywords don't need a # prefix — they're just the words in your text. The more your natural description language matches how users actually search, the better your search visibility.
What Pinterest Hashtags Are (and Where They Go)
Pinterest hashtags are # prefix terms that index your pin in a hashtag-specific feed. When a user searches or clicks #MealPrepIdeas, they see a feed of pins that used that hashtag.
Where hashtags go:
- Pin description only — at the end, after your keyword-rich descriptive text
- Hashtags do NOT work in pin titles, board names, board descriptions, or profile bios
How hashtags index your pin:
- Hashtag feed inclusion — your pin appears when users browse that hashtag's dedicated feed
- Keyword reinforcement — Pinterest treats the hashtag word as an additional keyword signal, similar to a word in your description
Hashtags don't replace keywords. They supplement them. A pin with strong keyword optimization and 3-5 relevant hashtags performs better than the same pin with keywords only — but a pin with weak keywords and many hashtags will underperform a well-keyword-optimized pin with no hashtags at all.
Sell Custom Apparel — We Handle Printing & Free ShippingKeywords vs Hashtags: Which Drives More Pinterest Traffic
| Factor | Keywords | Hashtags |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic source | Pinterest search results | Hashtag feeds |
| User behavior | Active search intent | Feed browsing |
| Traffic volume | Higher (most users search) | Lower (fewer browse hashtag feeds) |
| Long-tail traffic | Strong — matches specific queries | Weak — feeds favor broad terms |
| Trending content | Slower to capture | Better for real-time trending |
| Where to place | Title + description + board | End of description only |
| Optimal amount | 1 primary + 3-5 secondary | 2-5 per pin |
Keywords win consistently. The majority of Pinterest traffic comes from search, not hashtag browsing. Optimize keywords first, add hashtags second.
How to Use Keywords and Hashtags Together in One Pin
The correct structure for a Pinterest pin description that uses both:
Example (food blogger):
"[Keyword text] Quick 30-minute weeknight pasta recipe using pantry staples — one pan, minimal cleanup, serves 4. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners when you want comfort food fast. [Hashtags] #WeekdayDinner #EasyPastaRecipe #QuickFamilyMeals"
Breaking this down:
- The first sentence is keyword text — "30-minute weeknight pasta recipe" is how a user would actually search
- The middle describes value and sets expectations — this is both human-readable and contains secondary keywords ("one pan," "comfort food")
- The hashtags at the end reinforce the keywords and add hashtag feed inclusion — they echo the content rather than adding new terms
Notice the hashtags echo the keywords: #WeekdayDinner mirrors "weeknight dinners," #EasyPastaRecipe mirrors "pasta recipe." This alignment is intentional — the most effective hashtags are variations of keywords already in your description.
For hashtag generation, the Pinterest Hashtag Generator surfaces hashtag variations based on your topic. For keyword research, free Pinterest keyword research methods are covered separately.
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Open Pinterest Hashtag GeneratorFrequently Asked Questions
Are Pinterest keywords and hashtags the same thing?
No. Keywords are natural language words in your pin title and description that Pinterest matches to search queries. Hashtags are # prefix terms that index your pin in a separate hashtag feed. Both contribute to visibility but differently.
Do I need both keywords and hashtags on Pinterest?
Keywords are required for search visibility — without them, Pinterest can't match your pins to search queries. Hashtags are supplemental and worth adding, but won't compensate for poor keyword optimization.
What's more important for Pinterest SEO — keywords or hashtags?
Keywords. The majority of Pinterest traffic comes from search, and keyword optimization in pin titles, descriptions, and board names drives that traffic. Hashtags are a secondary signal.
Can hashtags replace keywords on Pinterest?
No. Hashtags only work in the description field and add pins to hashtag feeds. They don't appear in pin titles or board names and can't substitute for keyword optimization in those fields.
