Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / Why Brands Are Adding Pinterest to Their Social Mix
Transcript
- Lucas: If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used — a new platform test, a different content format — there's a good chance you're not alone. A surprising number of you are actually acting on the strategy stuff we talk about here. Luna: Yeah, it's been interesting watching the listener mail come in. People are experimenting. Lucas: Quick honest thing — a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, and that's literally what funds making this many of these episodes. No ads, no sponsors, just listeners who find the work useful. Luna: It's a small group, but it keeps the lights on. And it lets us pick topics without anyone else dictating the angle. Lucas: Right. So for everyone who does that — thank you. And for everyone curious, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Now, back to something I've been wanting to dig into for a while. Luna: What's that? Lucas: Pinterest. Specifically, why brands are quietly adding it back to the mix after years of ignoring it. Luna: I've noticed that too. A lot of DTC brands especially are talking about Pinterest again. What changed? Lucas: A couple things. First, Pinterest has been quietly building out its shopping infrastructure. They have something called 'catalog uploads' where brands can sync their entire product feed. And then there's visual search — you take a picture of a chair, Pinterest finds that exact chair or similar ones. Luna: Right, the camera search. That's been around for a bit, but I think the machine learning got a lot better in the last two years. Lucas: Exactly. Pinterest invested heavily in AI, and it shows. They now have over five billion monthly visual searches. That's not a small number. And for brands, that means their products are discoverable in a way that's different from Instagram or TikTok. Luna: How so? Lucas: Instagram and TikTok are feed-based — they're about entertainment and influence. Pinterest is search-based. People come to Pinterest with intent. They're planning a wedding, redecorating a room, planning a trip. They're not passively scrolling; they're looking for ideas they can act on. Luna: That's a big difference. The purchase intent is higher. Lucas: Much higher. In fact, Pinterest reported that 85% of weekly users say they use the platform to plan new projects. And 48% of users say they've made a purchase after seeing a Promoted Pin. That's a conversion rate that would make any social media manager sit up. Luna: So it's not just about awareness. It's about actually driving sales. Lucas: Right. And the cost per acquisition tends to be lower than on Instagram or TikTok, especially for categories like home decor, fashion, food, and travel. Those are Pinterest's sweet spots. Luna: Let's talk about a specific case. I remember you mentioned a furniture brand. Lucas: Yeah, a DTC furniture company called Burrow — they make modular sofas. They started testing Pinterest in early 2025, focusing on Idea Pins, which are Pinterest's answer to short-form video. They created how-to videos on arranging modular furniture in small spaces. Luna: And what happened? Lucas: After three months, their add to cart rate from Pinterest traffic was 34% higher than from Instagram. And their cost per click was about half of what they were paying on Meta. The key was that the content was evergreen — a video about 'how to fit a sofa in a 500-square-foot apartment' is still being searched six months later. Luna: That's the thing with Pinterest. Content doesn't die in 24 hours like on Instagram or TikTok. It keeps getting found. Lucas: Exactly. Pinterest is a search engine for ideas. So a pin you post today might get impressions months later. That's a completely different content lifecycle. Luna: And that changes the ROI calculation. If a piece of content generates value over six months, you can't judge it by first-week metrics. Lucas: Right. Brands that are smart about Pinterest are thinking in terms of 'compounding content.' They create a library of pins that each act like a landing page. Over time, the cumulative traffic grows. Luna: What about the audience? Is it still mostly women in their thirties? Lucas: That's the stereotype, but it's changing. Pinterest has been growing its Gen Z user base. They reported that Gen Z is now the fastest-growing demographic on the platform. And they're using it not just for home decor but for things like skincare routines, budgeting tips, and career advice. Luna: Interesting. So the content categories are expanding. Lucas: Definitely. And Pinterest has been investing in inclusivity — they have skin tone ranges for beauty searches, body type ranges for fashion. That makes the platform more useful for a diverse audience. Luna: So for a brand thinking about where to allocate social media budget in mid-2026, is Pinterest a must-have or a nice to have? Lucas: I'd say it depends on the vertical. If your product is visual and has a long consideration cycle — home, fashion, beauty, travel, DIY — then Pinterest should be a core channel. If you're selling software or B2B services, maybe not. Luna: But even B2B brands are starting to get creative. I've seen some use Pinterest for recruiting and employer branding. Lucas: That's a good point. There's a whole angle about Pinterest for talent attraction, but we already covered social recruiting in a previous episode. But you're right — the platform is more versatile than people give it credit for. Luna: What about ads? How do Pinterest ads compare to Meta or TikTok? Lucas: Pinterest ads are still less saturated, so CPMs are generally lower. But the targeting is different. You can target based on specific interests and keyword searches, which is closer to Google Ads than to social media targeting. Luna: That makes sense. It's intent-based. Lucas: Exactly. And they have a feature called 'Shop the Look' that allows users to click on items within a pin and buy them. For retailers, that's a pretty direct path to purchase. Luna: One concern I've heard is that Pinterest doesn't have the same viral potential as TikTok. Is that a fair criticism? Lucas: It's fair, but it's also missing the point. Pinterest isn't built for virality. It's built for utility. A pin that gets saved thousands of times over months is more valuable than a video that gets a million views in a day and then disappears. Brands need to decide which metric matters more. Luna: So it's a slow burn, but the fire keeps burning. Lucas: That's a good way to put it. And for brands that are tired of the algorithm churn on other platforms, Pinterest offers a kind of stability. Your content has a shelf life. Luna: What about the user experience? Pinterest has been criticized for being cluttered with ads. Lucas: That's a legitimate concern. Pinterest has increased its ad load over the past couple years. But they've also improved ad targeting, so the ads are more relevant. And they introduced 'Premiere Spotlight' — a full-screen ad format that's more immersive. Luna: So it's a trade-off. More ads, but better-targeted ads. Lucas: Right. And for brands, the key is to make ads that don't feel like ads. Pinterest users are looking for ideas, so if your ad provides a genuine idea — a new way to use your product — it'll perform well. Luna: Let's talk about measurement. How do brands track success on Pinterest? Lucas: Pinterest has its own analytics, of course, but you can also use UTM parameters and track conversions in Google Analytics. The important metrics are saves, outbound clicks, and conversion rate. Impressions matter less than on feed-based platforms. Luna: So it's more about engagement depth than breadth. Lucas: Exactly. A save is a strong signal — it means someone intends to come back to that pin. That's closer to a bookmark than a like. Luna: I've also heard that Pinterest is testing a new feature called 'Pinterest TV' — live shopping events. Is that still a thing? Lucas: It is. They launched it in 2022 but it didn't take off like TikTok Shop. They've since rebranded it as 'Pinterest Live' and are focusing on curated creator-hosted shopping events. It's still small, but it's another option for brands that want to do live commerce. Luna: So the platform is evolving. It's not just static pins anymore. Lucas: Not at all. They have Idea Pins with video, they have catalogs, they have shoppable pins, they have live shopping. Pinterest is trying to be a full-funnel platform — from discovery to purchase. And for brands that invest in it, it can be a strong part of the mix. Luna: Any final advice for a brand that's considering Pinterest for the first time? Lucas: Start with a clear content strategy. Think about what searches your customers are making, and create pins that answer those searches. Use high-quality vertical images or videos. And be patient — it takes a few months to build momentum. But once you do, it can become a steady source of traffic and sales. Luna: Sounds like a good time to revisit Pinterest if you've written it off. Lucas: I think so. Especially now, when other platforms are getting more expensive and more competitive. Pinterest is a bit of a hidden gem. Luna: Alright, that's a solid takeaway. Thanks Lucas. Lucas: Thanks Luna. And for everyone listening, if you try something from this episode, let us know. We're always curious what sticks.