Pinterest continues to evolve as a search-first discovery engine where the right content can keep driving traffic for years. In 2025, optimizing for Pinterest SEO means staying aligned with algorithm changes that prioritize fresh content, board context, and keyword intent. If you’ve been wondering whether your Pinterest strategy needs an update, the answer is yes — and here’s exactly what you need to know.
With more than 90 million clicks coming from Pins published via Tailwind in one month alone, we know a few things about getting attention on Pinterest.Â
Pinterest SEO in 2025 rewards creators who consistently publish fresh, keyword-optimized content to relevant boards while using strong visual design and strategic text optimization. The fundamentals still work but with some important new twists.
Consistency pays off in other ways, too. Consider Julia from Dough Face Dog Treats. When she did her marketing more consistently her sales increased by 55%.Â
How Pinterest Search Works in 2025
Think of Pinterest less like social media and more like Google for ideas. Pinterest uses a sophisticated mix of visual search cues, text metadata, board relevance, save frequency, and creator consistency to determine which content gets seen.
What makes Pinterest unique is its evergreen nature. Over 60% of Saves were from Pins over a year old, proving that your content can continue driving traffic long after publication. This isn’t like Instagram or TikTok where content disappears after a few days — it’s more like creating a library of search results that can work for you indefinitely.
The search algorithm considers several key ranking factors:
- Visual search signals from your Pin design and imagery
- Text metadata including your Pin title, description, and alt text
- Board context where you first save your fresh Pin
- Engagement velocity — particularly early saves and clicks
- Creator authority built through consistent, high-quality publishing
What’s New in Pinterest SEO This Year
Pinterest’s algorithm updates in 2025 have shifted the game significantly. Here are the biggest changes you need to know about:
Board context now matters more than ever. The board where you first save your fresh Pin shapes Pinterest’s understanding of your content. This means your board strategy isn’t just about organization anymore; it’s a direct ranking factor.
Fresh content definition has tightened. Pinterest considers a Pin fresh at different levels of freshness depending on the combination of new elements. The maximum distribution comes from New Idea-level freshness: new URL + new image + new board, etc.
Alt text has become a ranking powerhouse. While it’s always been important for accessibility, the study data suggests that Pins with alt text are performing meaningfully better than those without. Pins with alt text are earning 25% more Impressions, 123% more outbound clicks, and 56% more profile visits on average.
Visual search sophistication has increased. Pinterest’s ability to understand image content has improved dramatically, making visual optimization more important than ever.
Best Practices That Still Work in 2025
While Pinterest evolves, some fundamentals remain rock-solid. Here’s what continues to drive results:
Use Strategic Keywords
Your keyword strategy should span across every text field Pinterest gives you. Include your target keywords in your Pin title, Pin description, board title, board description, and alt text. Pinterest’s keyword-matching model still favors relevance combined with strategic repetition.
The key is being intentional about which keywords matter most to your audience. Pin descriptions of the most viral Pins averaged 220-232 characters — shorter than many marketers expect. This suggests focused keyword use beats keyword stuffing every time.
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Use qualifying keywords to add dimensions without confusing Pinterest’s understanding. Words like “easy,” “budget-friendly,” or “beginner” help Pinterest serve your content to the right audience.
Create Fresh Pins Often
Fresh content is the lifeblood of Pinterest success. The top 1% most viral Pins accounted for over 50% of the total Impressions and Clicks across all Fresh Pins published in the last 90 days. Success truly is a numbers game; most of your Pins won’t go viral, but publishing consistently increases your chances of creating winners.
Pinterest recommends publishing 5-25 fresh Pins per day, though quality should never be sacrificed for quantity. Each fresh Pin needs that combination of new image and new URL or title to qualify for maximum distribution.
Optimize Board Strategy
Your board strategy needs a complete rethink for 2025. The board where you first save your fresh Pin isn’t just about organization — it’s telling Pinterest what your content is about and who should see it.
Create boards with clear, keyword-rich titles and descriptions. When you publish a fresh Pin, save it to your most relevant board first. Pinterest uses this initial placement as a primary signal for understanding and categorizing your content.
Avoid saving fresh Pins to multiple unrelated boards immediately after publishing. This dilutes Pinterest’s understanding of your content and can hurt distribution. Instead, let your Pin establish itself in its primary board before expanding to others.
Rich Pins and Metadata
Rich Pins continue to provide valuable context that helps Pinterest understand and trust your content. They’ve been a best practice since 2018 and remain highly relevant in 2025.
Set up rich Pins for your website to automatically pull accurate metadata including article titles, descriptions, and authorship information. This additional context helps establish Pin authority and improves your content’s chances of ranking for relevant searches.
2025 Pinterest SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Even small mistakes can significantly impact your Pinterest performance. Here are the biggest pitfalls to watch out for:
Keyword stuffing remains a cardinal sin. Pinterest’s algorithm has become sophisticated enough to recognize over-optimization attempts. Focus on natural keyword usage that serves your audience rather than trying to game the system.
Saving fresh Pins to unrelated boards hurts clarity. According to the research, Pins saved to unrelated boards saw lower distribution because Pinterest couldn’t accurately categorize the content. Keep your initial board placement strategic and relevant.
Skipping alt text is leaving opportunities on the table. Research suggests that Pins with alt text are performing meaningfully better than those without, likely due to improved accessibility and content understanding. If you need help writing effective alt text, try Tailwind’s free image alt text generator.
Using outdated visual strategies. 89% of the most viral Pins were image Pins, and vertical images continue to dominate. Square and landscape formats consistently underperform.
Tools to Help You Win Pinterest SEO in 2025
Success on Pinterest in 2025 requires the right tools to maintain consistency and quality at scale.
Tailwind’s SmartSchedule takes the guesswork out of timing while allowing you to bulk schedule content across your visual calendar. Rather than manually posting individual Pins, you can schedule dozens of Pins at once and let SmartSchedule distribute them at optimal times when your specific audience is most active and engaged.
Tailwind’s keyword research tools help identify trending keywords and topics in your niche. Try Tailwind’s free Pinterest keyword tool to discover what terms are actually driving searches and engagement on Pinterest instead of guessing what to target.
Tailwind Create streamlines the Pin design process without sacrificing quality. According to Tailwind’s 2025 Pinterest Marketing Benchmark Report Part 2, 60% of viral Pins with designed images appear to have been created using Tailwind Create or similar tools. The efficiency gains allow you to maintain the high publishing volume Pinterest rewards while keeping design quality high.
For comprehensive Pinterest marketing strategy and scheduling, explore Tailwind’s Pinterest scheduling and publishing features. When you need to save content from your own website to Pinterest, the Tailwind browser extension makes the process seamless.
Final Thoughts: Is Pinterest SEO Still Worth It?
Absolutely. Pinterest remains one of the most valuable long-tail search platforms with high commercial intent. Unlike social media platforms where your content has a shelf life measured in hours, Pinterest content can drive traffic and sales for years.
The algorithm changes in 2025 actually benefit creators who are willing to follow best practices consistently.Â
Fresh content gets rewarded more than ever, board strategy provides clear competitive advantages, and the technical optimization opportunities are more impactful than they’ve been in years.
The key is approaching Pinterest with a search-first mindset rather than a social media mindset. You’re creating content for people actively looking for solutions, ideas, and products — not trying to interrupt their social experience.
With the right SEO strategy, your Pins become evergreen assets that continue generating value long after publication. Pins between one and two years old saw the greatest number of saves per Pin, being saved on average 68 times in the last 90 days. That’s the power of Pinterest SEO done right: your effort today creates compound returns for years to come.
The opportunity in 2025 is significant, especially with Pinterest’s continued growth and the recent elimination of Idea Pins opening up more distribution for traditional content formats. Start implementing these strategies consistently, and your Pinterest SEO efforts will pay dividends for years to come.
FAQ: Common Pinterest SEO Questions for 2025
Q: How long does it take to see results from Pinterest SEO efforts?
A: Pinterest is a long-term strategy. Fresh Pins typically start showing initial performance within the first few months, but research shows that Pins often peak in engagement between year one and two after publication. The key is consistency. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll build your evergreen content library.
Q: Should I delete old Pins that aren’t performing well?
A: Generally no. Even older Pins can gain traction over time as search trends change. Instead of deleting, focus your energy on creating fresh, optimized content while letting your older Pins continue working in the background.
Q: How many keywords should I use in my Pin descriptions?
A: Most viral Pin descriptions used five or fewer keywords. Focus on quality and relevance rather than quantity. Use tightly related keywords that someone searching for one term would likely be interested in hearing about the others.
Q: Can I optimize old Pins for better SEO?
A: You can update the title, description, and alt text on existing Pins, but this won’t make them “fresh” in Pinterest’s eyes. According to Tailwind’s 2025 Benchmark Study, the highest distribution goes to Pins that include a new URL, or a new image, title, and description. For meaningful Pinterest SEO impact and broader reach, it’s best to create a new version of your top-performing content using a fresh image and updated title and description. This approach qualifies as a Fresh Pin and gives you the best chance of renewed visibility. You can do this easily with Tailwind SmartPin.Â
Q: What’s the difference between a Create and a Save on Pinterest?
A: A create is a new Pin that you add to Pinterest, which can range in freshness from fully new (new URL, image, etc.) to partially new. A save is when someone saves an existing Pin from Pinterest to their own board. Saves show engagement but do not generate significant new traffic.
