We know that hashtags are popular on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, but did you know that you can also use them on Pinterest? ️Today, we're going to talk about Pinterest hashtags and how and why you should incorporate them into your blog's marketing strategy! #letsdothis ?

We'll cover the following topics:

How do Pinterest hashtags work?

First, let's start off with Pinterest's definition of hashtags:

Hashtags are words or phrases used to identify Pins about a specific topic. You’ll know it's a hashtag when you see the hash (#) preceding the word or phrase.

https://help.pinterest.com/en/article/hashtags-on-pinterest

Pinterest is a goldmine when it comes to content, and hashtags serve as a way to organize that content. By using hashtags, you're giving your Pins the potential to reach those who are interested in seeing your content. Think of them as labels for your Pins!

Screenshot of a Pin window with the image's Pin description

So how the heck does it all come together? ☝️ Using this example, someone conducting a search for #shepherdspie will be able to scroll through a whole feed of Pins that share this hashtag. Needless to say, you want your Pin to be included in that feed. The more people you can reach with your Pin, the better!

And on the other hand, since hashtags are only clickable in Pinterest descriptions, anyone can click on a hashtag in your Pin and be taken to that hashtag's feed. Pretty neat!

It's worth noting that the Pins in any given hashtag's feed will appear in chronological order, with the newest Pins appearing at the top. So when you add hashtags to your Pinterest description, you're basically giving your Pin an immediate boost, which in turn will hopefully generate more traffic for your site!

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Best practices for using Pinterest hashtags

Now that we know what Pinterest hashtags are and how useful they can be, let's talk about how you can optimize your hashtag strategy.

1. Use a combination of broad and specific hashtags

Exposure is the name of the game here, so be strategic about the hashtags you choose for your Pins. Try to include a couple of hashtags that cast a wider net (while still remaining relevant to your content) as well as hashtags that are more specific to your content and niche.

As we mentioned in our blog post about Pinterest descriptions, you want to think about things from the perspective of your Pinner and decide which hashtags will lead them to your Pin. Keep in mind that hashtags are more of an “explore” than a “search” feature!

Let's take a look at this description for Pinch of Yum‘s recipe for Lentil Greek Salad with Dill Sauce:

Pinterest description within a Pin

Chances are that Pinners aren't going to search for #lentilgreeksaladwithdillsauce on Pinterest. That's way too specific. Conversely, using a generic hashtag like #recipe wouldn't serve you very well since your Pin would likely get drowned out by the rest of the Pins with that hashtag.

However, the hashtags #mealprep and #sugarfree hit that sweet spot because they're not so competitive that your Pin will get buried by other Pins, but they'll give the Pin the opportunity to show up for anyone looking for a meal prep recipe.

2. How many hashtags to use

You can use up to 20 hashtags, but don't feel like you need to stuff your Pinterest description with hashtags. Just a few (3-4) relevant hashtags should do the trick! You don't want to run the risk of your description looking spammy. ?

Note: Pinterest truncates your description after the first few hashtags, so Pinners will only see those hashtags to start, and can hit More to view the rest of your description.


For this same reason, it's best to place your hashtags at the end of your description to ensure Pinners have as much context about your Pin as possible!

3. What to do with older Pins

As we touched on before, Pins in a hashtag feed will appear in chronological order, with the newest Pins appearing at the top.

That means that you don't necessarily need to go back and update all of your older Pins to include hashtags unless you have posts where people consistently Pin your images. That said, it's a practice you should definitely include in your blog's marketing strategy going forward.

4. Using branded hashtags

Branded hashtags are pretty cool because they allow Pinners to view all of the Pins you've posted in one place.

For example, the folks over at Simple Pin Media use the #SimplePinPodcast for their Pins. That way, if someone checks out one of their Pins and finds it helpful, they can click on the hashtag to see other pieces of content they've curated. In other words, it's a really good way to build loyalty to your brand!

So there you have it! As of 2021, these are some simple tips and tricks to keep in mind for Pinterest hashtags. We'll remain on the lookout for any updates to the hashtag scene and will provide updates accordingly. ?

Have you included hashtags in your Pinterest marketing strategy? If so, what have you found to work for your blog? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section!