How to Use Hashtags on Pinterest (Don’t!)

Please Note: Pinterest has updated the way hashtags work on Pinterest. Please see the latest recommendations for hashtags on Pinterest here.

Hashtags seem to be all the rage. On Twitter you can use hashtags to talk about trends with people around the globe. On Instagram you can use up to 30 to get discovered by fellow Instagrammers with similar tastes. Now even Facebook has jumped into the hashtag game. With so many other social platforms utilizing them, this raises the big question, “Should you use hashtags on Pinterest?”

The short answer: NO. Well. That was true. Until this now. Read the absolute latest on using hashtags on Pinterest here.

While it’s tempting to cross utilize our favorite Instagram feature on Pinterest, we have to caution you. Do not use hashtags on Pinterest.  Not only will they induce a headache figuring them out, they could hurt your promotion efforts.

Pinterest Discourages Hashtags

Don’t just take our word for it. After some misinformation was spread about hashtags, Pinterest set the record straight:

“Hashtags don’t work on Pinterest like they do on other platforms—they don’t help you track what’s trending and they can confuse Pinners. If you do include a hashtag, try using your business name or tagline.”

While brands like Nike could use a million hashtags to describe their brand, they instead only use one branded tagline hashtag on their Pins. In fact, Pinterest is so adamant you refrain from a hashtag binge, they won’t let you run an ad with more than one hashtag in the description.

Pinterest is a Search Engine

On most social networks, the goal of hashtags is to connect you to users talking about a related topic. Think about it. When there’s something newsworthy going on, you go to Facebook or Twitter to see what people are saying. You do NOT go to Pinterest. As we’ve said before, treating Pinterest like any other social network is a big mistake. Pinterest has a powerful search engine built into the user experience. From discovering that ideal dinner recipe to scouring the Internet for the perfect wedding dress to mapping out a tiny house, Pinners search out new content every day.

Focus on capturing more search traffic by creating beautiful Pins with vibrant keyword rich descriptions. Doubling down on strong Pinning strategies will go much farther in marketing your business, and our guide to creating great Pins will help you do exactly that.

Watch Out for the Misleading Information

As you know, you can’t trust everything you find online.  Pinterest searches on Google are filled with misleading or just plain outdated information out there. Due to how Google’s algorithm curates content, your results often include popular content from several years ago.

One of the top articles Google highlighted in our “How to use hashtags on Pinterest” search was this. Check out the date on this article:

Pinterest trends have changed a lot since 2014. In the life of social media, that’s eons! Vet your sources and seek out the most up to date information.

As an official Pinterest Marketing Developer Partner, we take extra measures to ensure we are giving you the most accurate – and Pinterest approved – strategies possible. It’s a point of pride to cut through the Pinterest myths and provide only the best, most up to date information.

How to Get More Engagement on Your Pins

We know you are here to increase your Pin performance. You’re probably wondering, “If not hashtags, then what works?”

Did you know that Tailwind for Pinterest members grow their Pinterest 2.5X faster than those who signup for Tailwind and never become paying members.  Our Smart Schedule makes sure your Pins go out at the best possible times for engagement, and our time-saving tools like the Tailwind Browser Extension allow Tailwind members to Pin 28 times per day on average whilst actually saving time!

Start your free trial by signing up with Pinterest!

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