In addition to being widely used for organic sharing of inspirational content, Pinterest also offers a paid advertising platform for brands: Pinterest Ads.
With this tool, it is possible to reach the public throughout all stages of the consumer journey on the social network, from product discovery to the purchase decision.
By following the content through, we’ll go over how Pinterest Ads works in real life and how to advertise on the platform. Let’s get it started!
What are Pinterest Ads?
Pinterest Ads is paid media on Pinterest that allows you to post sponsored Pins-the social network’s terminology for content-to be promoted as an ad to your target audience.
Like other social media platforms, such as Instagram Ads and TikTok Ads , Pinterest Ads allows you to create targeted campaigns for custom audiences, according to the objectives of your marketing strategy.
Pinterest currently has more than 500 million active users , according to the company itself.
Therefore, since the use of social media is mainly for discovering new products and trends related to lifestyle, fashion, beauty, well-being, decoration, among other areas, it could be an exciting strategic channel for brands.
How do Pinterest Ads work?
Pin ads can be identified through the words “Promoted by,” followed by the responsible brand behind the campaign. There are three positions within the social network, and also several formats available.
Ad placements
The three places where Pinterest Ads can appear are:
- Feed : This is Pinterest’s home page, which displays personalized content to each user, based on their interests and engagement with Pins;
- Search : Ads can also appear in search results for keywords and visual searches ;
- Related Pins : After viewing a Pin that interests you and scrolling down, you’ll find other similar content.
Ad formats
Regarding the available ad formats, the main ones on Pinterest Ads are:
- Standard ad : single static image format;
- Video Ad : Video displayed in standard Pin size;
- Full-width video ad : format available for mobile, which takes up the entire width of the feed;
- Premiere spotlight : Video ad displayed in a prominent placement on Pinterest for mobile for an entire day;
- Idea ad : interactive format with images, videos, lists and full-screen texts;
- Carousel Pin Ad : Set of two to five images that the user can interact with;
- Collections ad : A single ad with multiple products — one main image, video, or slideshow is displayed above three smaller images;
- Shopping Ad : Static image format, with a feature to show product details;
- Quiz ad : interactive quiz with two to three questions, leading to a results page with a Pin image, title, description and website link;
- Showcase ad : interactive content with multiple images and clickable features;
- Lead ad : ad for generating leads, using native forms;
- Travel Catalog : Hotel and accommodation listings, dynamically updated by Pinterest itself.
How to advertise on Pinterest Ads?
After learning about the different formats and positioning possibilities for Pinterest Ads, check out the step-by-step guide to creating your own campaigns using the tool!
1. Create a business account
If you don’t already have a Pinterest business account , you’ll need to create a new business account or convert an existing personal account to one.
2. Create an advertiser account
From your business account, create an advertiser account. Simply log in to your business profile, go to Settings, and under Business , select Business Manager .
Click Ad Accounts > Create Ad Account , enter a name, select a country, and fill in any other requested business information.
3. Define the campaign objective
Go to Pinterest Ads Manager to create a new campaign and set your objective, which could be brand awareness, video views, consideration, conversions, and catalog sales.
Choosing an objective influences other settings, such as bidding, targeting, and available ad formats.
For campaigns with a consideration objective, you can set the campaign-level budget, which can be total or daily.
4. Create an ad group
Each campaign can feature multiple ad groups with common strategies, audiences, and product lines.
At this stage, you must make some definitions, such as targeting, airing dates, bid and budget for the ads.
You can target by targeting demographics, interests, and behaviors similar to your existing audience. Additionally, you can upload a list of customers or target users who have previously visited your website to employ retargeting strategies.
5. Promote Pins
Within the campaign and ad group you created, you can create new Pins or select previously uploaded ones to promote as ads . Enter a name for each Pin, as well as a destination URL.
You can also promote Pins directly from your profile using Quick Promote. In this case, you can’t set manual bids — the amount you pay per click is calculated automatically.
Once you click to publish your ads, they go through a Pinterest review process to ensure they follow the platform’s Advertising Guidelines.
At this stage, it is essential to invest in creativity and originality to engage your audience with your Pins. Testing different creative variations is also recommended to optimize the performance of your campaigns.
Another important point is to ensure that ads and destination URLs promote a consistent experience , presenting a similar visual identity and directing the user to the page corresponding to what was promised.
Now it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice and understand whether Pinterest Ads make sense for your business’s marketing strategy!