5 Ways Pinterest Can Improve Your SEO

Pinterest isn’t just for home styling tips and recipe ideas, it’s a powerful tool for tourism businesses looking to increase website traffic and improve Google rankings.

At Tomahawk, we often hear operators ask, “Do I really need another social platform?” But what makes Pinterest different is that it’s not just a social network. It’s also a search engine, and more importantly, it helps improve your visibility on Google. The user base of Pinterest continues to grow and in 2025, it has reached 570 million users!

Here’s how Pinterest supports your SEO strategy, and how you can use it to drive more organic traffic to your tourism website.

Pinterest = Search + Visual Discovery

Pinterest is where people go to dream, plan and bookmark future experiences, from travel itineraries to bucket list adventures. This means tourism content fits perfectly on the platform.

What makes Pinterest particularly valuable is that every image, blog post, or tour link you post becomes a searchable pin that lives on for months or even years. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, where content quickly disappears down the feed, pins continue to show up in search results over time - on Pinterest and on Google.

5 Ways Pinterest Can Improve Your SEO

1. Drives Referral Traffic to Your Website

Every pin you share can link directly to a blog post, product page, or landing page on your site. And when users click on your pin, they’re taken straight to your content, which boosts your website’s traffic.

This kind of referral traffic is exactly what Google loves. More visitors = more signals that your content is relevant and valuable.

Tip: Share new blog posts or seasonal landing pages on Pinterest with eye-catching graphics and strong headlines.

2. Extends the Life of Your Content

Pinterest content doesn’t disappear after 24 hours. A pin can gain traction months after it’s posted, continuing to send traffic to your site over time.

This means your efforts in writing a great blog or creating a campaign page don’t go to waste after one email or social post. Pinterest becomes an evergreen content hub that supports long-term SEO.

3. Improves Your Backlink Profile

Every pin is a backlink to your website. And while Pinterest links are technically “nofollow,” they still contribute to a strong link profile, which is a key part of SEO.

When users repin your content or bloggers discover you on Pinterest, they may create real backlinks to your site too. That’s SEO gold.

4. Helps You Rank for Long-Tail Keywords

Google often includes Pinterest boards and pins in image and web search results. That means when someone searches for terms like “best hikes in Wanaka” or “New Zealand campervan tips,” your pins can show up in Google search.

This gives you an extra shot at visibility even if your own blog hasn’t yet cracked the first page.

5. Encourages Content Planning Around Search Trends

Pinterest has its own keyword tools and seasonal trend insights. By paying attention to what travellers are searching for on Pinterest, you can shape your blog and website content accordingly and align your SEO strategy with actual user intent.

Think of it as double-dipping: You get content ideas that work for Pinterest and for Google.

How to Get Started on Pinterest

You don’t need to post daily or become a design expert to benefit from Pinterest. Here’s a simple starter strategy for tourism operators:

1. Download our free eBook 'How to Pin Down Pinterest for Tourism'
2. Set up a Pinterest business account and link your website
3. Create boards around key topics relevant to your business and destination: e.g. "Winter in Queenstown," "NZ Road Trips," "Eco-Adventures"
4. Pin your own content: blogs, tour pages, seasonal offers
5. Use Canva to design simple vertical pins with strong titles and your logo
6. Add keywords to pin titles and descriptions (e.g. “family-friendly things to do in Rotorua”)
7. Be consistent, even if it’s just a few pins each month

Real Example: Niue Tourism Keyword Rankings

Our partner Niue Tourism added Pinterest as a tool to help drive top-of-funnel traffic to some of their blog posts. Pinterest pins show up in Google SERPs (search engine results pages) and Google Images, so it’s a great way to re-purpose existing content and improve visibility.

After posting just 4 pins, 90% of the keywords which improved in ranking of their website on Google search were related to these blog posts. Collectively, these keywords climbed an average of 14 positions in their rankings in just one month! Their Pins are also achieving ongoing engagement with saves and clicks through to their website. Overtime this will continue to build and strengthen in performance, and adding more content pins will serve to boost this strategy even further.

Try It Yourself!

Let’s say you write a blog post titled “Top 5 Stargazing Spots in the South Island.” You turn it into a Pinterest pin with a beautiful starry landscape image and link it back to your blog. That pin starts gaining traction among users planning their New Zealand trips for next year. It gets re-pinned by a travel planner. A blogger links to it in their own roundup. A few clicks later and you’ve got higher rankings in SERPs, new site visitors, and potentially, new bookings.

All from one piece of content.

Pinterest Is SEO’s Best-Kept Secret

Pinterest may not be the flashiest platform in 2025, but it’s one of the smartest for long-term website growth. For tourism operators, it’s a low-cost tool to get more eyes on your content and more traffic from Google.

And the best part? You’re probably already sitting on content that would do well on Pinterest. Blogs, travel guides, scenic imagery, itineraries - it all works.

Need help getting started with Pinterest for your tourism business?
The Tomahawk team can help you set up your strategy, design pin templates, and optimise your blogs for maximum visibility on Pinterest and Google alike.

Let’s get you discovered.