Coinciding with the pandemic-driven spike in interest, Pinterest has branched out into short-form video. Pinterest recently launched Idea Pins, which resemble the ‘Stories’ feature that users are familiar with from other platforms, as a fresh way for creators to share video content. Unlike competitors such as Instagram, where Stories expire in 24 hours, Idea Pins remain on a user’s profile indefinitely.
Now, the “visual discovery engine” platform offers new ways for creators to engage with everything from cooking to fashion, DIY, home décor, and more. Pinterest’s shift to video boosts its appeal and enables creators to reach new audiences and engage users with a catalogue of interesting multimedia content.
What is Pinterest’s strategy?
Idea Pins are published directly to Pinterest and they appear at the top of a creator’s profile. Making video the first thing a viewer sees when they visit a creator’s page is no accident – it marks a shift in Pinterest’s strategy.
Following the introduction of Idea Pins, Pinterest added a “Watch” tab beside the main “Browse” tab. This was to provide Pinners with a dedicated space to discover and engage with new Idea Pins, much like TikTok’s For You Page.
Pinterest has also drawn inspiration from TikTok’s thriving community engagement and collaboration features, “Stitch” and “Duet”. Later in 2021, Pinterest launched “Takes,” a new way for Pinners to respond to pins.
All of these steps suggest a consistent strategy: Pinterest is adopting the features that people love about video-based platforms like TikTok and, to some extent Instagram, and integrating them into their hobby-focused network. This shift, combined with the significant rise in Pinterest users, represents a major opportunity for creators.
Developing a great Pinterest strategy
Every platform is different, and influencers need to choose the ones that match their audience and will allow them to tap into their strengths. Pinterest is great for creative influencers, and its unique positioning as a search engine for hobby projects makes it an ideal way to drive audience growth. For influencers looking to get on board as Pinterest sets out on a video-focused strategy, here are four tips that will help you succeed on the platform.
Stay active
The number one piece of advice for succeeding on Pinterest, as it is across all platforms, is to be active. Being successful depends on actually using the platform, Pinning material, posting new content and interacting with other users. Have no shame in uploading 50+ new Pins a day, as this is how you’re going to boost your reach and impressions.
Think discoverability
When it comes to posting Pins, creators need to remember that most users still find them through the search function. Giving every Pin and Board an accurate, detailed title and description is the key to reaching new users. Influencers need to put themselves in the Pinner’s shoes and try to imagine what someone searching for their content might type in.
Lean into video
Pinterest’s video features may be newer than competitors, but they’re clearly the platform’s future. Video generates great engagement from the community, so influencers looking to expand onto Pinterest can experiment with repurposing their existing video content as Idea Pins. Once they have an idea of the types of videos that succeed on the platform, they can start creating videos that are tailor-made to get Pinned.
Make use of analytics tools
Creators need to make use of Pinterest’s analytics tools to determine what types of content receive the highest engagement, and then use this information to shape their approach. Pinterest designed video features, like Idea Pins, with analytics in mind. So it’s easy for influencers to develop a powerful presence using some trial and error.
Pinterest is changing – and that’s a good thing for creators
The changes in Pinterest’s format mean that a fresh new video platform has entered the competition for people’s attention – it just so happens to be one that most people have already heard of. While Instagram and TikTok are social platforms with content of all kinds, Pinterest is attempting to claim the creative and hobby-content space. This means that influencers have a new platform to experiment with, find followers, and produce content for – and that’s always good news.
