Pinterest as a platform for inspiration and brand growth
Discover how Pinterest's 522M+ monthly users and unique analytics make it a powerful marketing platform for long-term brand growth and engagement.
With over 522 million monthly active users and 80% of users saying they've made a purchase based on brands they found on the platform (Pinterest, 2024), Pinterest has evolved from a simple inspiration board to a powerful marketing engine. As marketers, we’re always looking for new ways to create content that connects with our target audience while keeping ROI in mind.
The popularity of Pinterest frequently ebbs and flows with the changing seasons, as many look to the social media platform for inspiration to reinvent themselves. When people seek home, fashion, or lifestyle inspiration, Pinterest is typically their first port of call.
Pinterest users explore recommended user content based on the algorithm and their typical interactions, 'pinning' their favourites to relevant Pinterest boards to stay organised and further inform the algorithm. The platform cleverly plays on the nostalgia of creating artboards and collages as children, tapping into that innate desire to collect and curate inspiration. Beyond simple browsing, users can create their own pins or repin as another form of consumer-generated content, fostering a community of shared creativity and inspiration.
Pinterest Analytics
Now, unlike traditional social media platforms where metrics focus heavily on engagement rates (likes, comments and shares), Pinterest analytics tell a distinctly different story. While Instagram or Facebook might measure success in 24-hour cycles of viral moments, Pinterest's unique "slow-burn" analytics reflect its nature as a planning and discovery platform.
Pins can gain traction months after posting, with a single Pin's lifespan lasting weeks or even years - compared to just hours on other platforms. The platform's analytics prioritise metrics like "closeup views" and "save rates" over traditional social engagement, offering insights into how users are collecting and planning rather than just passively consuming.
This shift in measurement requires marketers to rethink their definition of success, focusing on long-term discovery potential rather than immediate viral impact. Understanding these nuanced differences is crucial for brands looking to accurately measure and optimise their Pinterest marketing strategy.
The evolution of Pinterest advertising
The launch of Pinterest ads nearly a decade ago marked a significant shift, transforming what were seemingly organic inspirational suggestions into strategic brand-influenced and user-generated content. This development opened new doors for businesses to reach highly engaged social media users actively seeking products and ideas.
With the rise of apps such as "Like to Know it" (LTK) as a form of social media marketing, Pinterest has had to remain ahead of the curve with innovative developments to maintain its competitive edge. The challenge lies in evolving whilst maintaining their unique identity, being careful not to become merely an 'outdated' version of newer platforms.
The power of user-generated content and influencer marketing
The surge in user-generated content and influencer marketing has significantly contributed to Pinterest's recent success. Modern consumers increasingly trust individuals over traditional brand messaging, leading to a shift towards advertising on more personable, community-driven platforms rather than conventional channels like television adverts and billboards.
Influencers frequently utilise Pinterest to showcase their everyday items and clothing through affiliate links, earning commission on subsequent purchases. This successful model has inspired other platforms, including Instagram, to implement similar features, such as shoppable tags that direct users straight to product pages.
[Read our blog on user-generated content vs influencer marketing to learn more about the uprise.]
Another key contributor to Pinterest's success has been the significant rise in DIY and shabby chic aesthetics. The perfect storm of the pandemic, growing sustainability awareness, and the cost of living crisis have led to an influx of DIY-focused users seeking to upcycle existing items, particularly furniture. This trend has particularly benefited brands like our client, Annie Sloan, whose user-friendly chalk paints have found success through both organic and paid Pinterest advertising.
The future of Pinterest marketing
Looking ahead, Pinterest continues to evolve its offering for both users and marketers. The platform's introduction of features such as Idea Pins (their answer to short-form video content) and enhanced shopping capabilities demonstrates their commitment to keep up with the demand. For marketers, this presents exciting opportunities to create more dynamic, engaging content that seamlessly blends inspiration with commercial intent, and enables more user-generated content to be produced.
Additionally with the advancement of AI search engine features especially Google's reverse image search function, Pinterest needs to continue to remain at the front of innovation. Their recent introduction of "Pinterest Lens" and visual search capabilities allow users to photograph real-world items and find similar products on the platform. This technology, combined with their AI-powered recommendation system, is reshaping how users discover products and content. For brands, this means the potential to be discovered not just through traditional keywords and tags, but through visual similarities to real-world items that catch users' eyes.
As visual search technology continues to evolve, we anticipate Pinterest will continue to enhance these capabilities, potentially introducing augmented reality features for home décor and fashion, and more sophisticated AI-driven personalisation algorithms that better understand and predict user preferences.
Strategic tips for Pinterest success
Several proven strategies can enhance your performance to maximise your brand's presence on Pinterest. Firstly, optimising for visual search has become crucial with Pinterest's advanced capabilities. Ensure your pins are visually striking and showcase your products, utilising high-quality, vertical images in a 2:3 ratio that stand out in users' feeds.
Understanding seasonal content planning is equally vital, as Pinterest users typically search for seasonal content 30-90 days in advance of any occasion or season. This means summer content should be live by early spring, whilst holiday content ought to begin in early autumn. Wedding-related content sees its highest engagement in January, and home renovation ideas naturally surge as spring approaches. This forward-thinking approach allows brands to capture users during their initial planning phases.
Perhaps most crucially, mastering Pinterest SEO sets this platform apart from other social media channels, as it functions more like a search engine. Success lies in optimising your content with keyword-rich pin descriptions, creating boards with searchable titles, and writing detailed, keyword-optimised board descriptions. Whilst hashtags play a role, they should be used sparingly and strategically, with three to five relevant tags per pin being optimal.
[Read our blog on SEO for beginners to learn where to start.]
The most successful brands on Pinterest embrace multi-format content rather than limiting themselves to static images. This includes creating engaging Idea Pins for step-by-step tutorials, implementing video pins for product demonstrations, and utilising carousel pins for multi-product showcases. Rich pins prove particularly valuable for e-commerce brands, automatically updating price and availability information to maintain accuracy and save time.
Closing thoughts
In conclusion, as Pinterest evolves, its core value remains unchanged - connecting people with ideas they love. For brands and marketers, the platform presents a unique opportunity that sits at the crossroads of discovery, intent, and purchase. Unlike more traditional platforms where users scroll past advertisements, users actively seek out and save content that inspires their next purchase or project.
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