Pinterest marketing can work wonders for digital advertisers, offering access to a huge audience, unique ad formats, and intelligent targeting tactics.
One of the best ways to rapidly improve your Pinterest ad performance is to follow proven strategies and creative best practices.
But researching all of that sounds a little time-consuming, right?
If only someone would collect all of these Pinterest marketing insights and package them up in a helpful, engaging, and super informative blog post.
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(Spoiler alert – that’s exactly what we’ve done.)
We’ve pulled together 10 strategic Pinterest advertising tips that are guaranteed to improve your campaign performance and skyrocket your returns. Let’s get going!
As a specialist Pinterest ads agency we can help you with your campaigns just get in touch for a free consultation.
Why advertise on Pinterest?
Pinterest is a very popular marketing platform, utilised by brands from around the globe.
So what makes Pinterest advertising so special? And why should you invest your hard-earned cash into Pinterest ads?
Let’s run through some of the major benefits that Pinterest offers advertisers.
You can reach a huge audience of Pinterest users
Pinterest provides you with access to a sizable digital audience, meaning you can easily scale up your marketing activity and generate high volumes of conversions.
The Pinterest platform boasts 431m monthly active users, and around 1bn videos are consumed on the site every day.
This presents marketers with a massive opportunity to reach red-hot prospects, attract new customers, and build their brand presence through social media advertising.
Pinterest users are receptive to ads
But wait – it gets even better.
Pinterest doesn’t just offer you access to an enormous audience – it also offers you access to an audience that’s highly receptive to brand marketing and willing to buy new products.
97% of the top Pinterest searches are unbranded, meaning users aren’t tied to a specific brand or business. They’re actively searching for new products and services, setting you up with a golden opportunity to introduce your brand.
Plus, 46% of weekly Pinners have discovered a new brand or product on Pinterest. Users aren’t just searching aimlessly on the platform – they’re open to finding new product pins and exploring new businesses.
(And that’s your cue to deliver super engaging, eye-catching brand advertising.)
Brands can utilise SEO on Pinterest
Pinterest is often referred to as a social media network, but the platform is also known as a ‘visual discovery engine.’
That’s because the Pinterest website works in a very similar way to a search engine like Google – and that means you can harness the awesome power of SEO.
By incorporating relevant keywords into your content, maintaining an active business account, and driving consistent engagement (through both paid and organic activity) you can ensure that your brand becomes more visible in Pinterest search results.
This allows you to drive more web traffic and more conversions.
You can launch a range of different formats
Pinterest also provides marketers with a wide range of creative ad formats to use.
Each ad format can help you to achieve specific campaign goals, so it’s important to think carefully about your Pinterest marketing strategy.
Here are a few of the Pinterest ad types:
- Pinterest Standard Image ads
- Pinterest Video ads
- Pinterest Carousel ads
- Pinterest Shopping ads
- Pinterest App Install ads
- Pinterest Collection ads
However, all of these Pinterest ad types have one thing in common – visuals are key.
The Pinterest feed is absolutely packed with eye-catching images, aesthetically-pleasing photos, and engaging video pins. To capture the attention of your audience on Pinterest, you need to make sure that your ads can stand out from regular pins.
Are Pinterest ads worth the investment?
Pinterest advertising can be extremely effective for digital advertisers.
Pinterest reports that the platform delivers a 2.3x more efficient Cost Per Conversion than other social media sites, as well as a 2x higher ROAS for retail brands.
If you’re equipped with impactful creative assets and data-fuelled targeting tactics, then Pinterest can achieve mind-blowing performance.
However, brands selling products that naturally attract more interest on the platform have the potential to drive truly exceptional returns. This includes online shopping categories such as:
- Home interiors
- Cooking
- Fashion
- Arts and crafts
- Beauty
But with the right Pinterest advertising strategy, businesses from a huge range of different industries can see success with Pinterest ads.
Brands that find themselves short on time can still reap the rewards of the platform by investing in Pinterest advertising services from a professional agency. Not only will they save time – they’ll also shortcut their path to success by tapping into a knowledgeable team.
10 top strategies for creating highly effective Pinterest ads
Looking to create ads that engage your target audience and drive large-scale conversions?
Below are 10 proven strategies for creating highly effective promoted pins – including real-life Pinterest ad examples from the marketing world.
Follow these best practices when you’re producing Pinterest assets, and your campaign results will speak for themselves.
1. Get straight to the point
The world of social media platforms moves at an astounding pace – and Pinterest is no different.
Your target audience will be exploring their home feed at lightning speed, scrolling rapidly through pins and searching for new content.
If you’re going to capture attention in an ultra-competitive Pinterest feed, you need to get straight to the point with your marketing messages.
That means bold product imagery, no-nonsense ad copy, and a clear CTA that nudges customers in the right direction. There’s no room here for cluttered visuals or long-winded copy. Everything needs to be short, sharp, and immediately understandable.
Here’s a great example from Warby Parker:
The effectiveness of this Pinterest ad comes from its simplicity.
Warby Parker places a product in the very centre of a visually-appealing ad, and it’s instantly obvious what the brand is selling. There’s a basic logo included at the bottom of the asset, and the ad copy gets straight to the point.
In just two sentences, the copy communicates all of the key messages:
- Warby Parker has just released new eyeglasses
- The brand is offering a free try-on scheme
- Users can click to order a pair of glasses
Clarity is key on Pinterest.
As long as you create Pinterest ads that are punchy and clear, you’re guaranteed to stay on the right track.
2. Make the most of video assets
The popularity of video is exploding on the Pinterest platform, and that presents advertisers with a valuable opportunity.
A video ad can help your brand instantly stand out in the Pinterest home feed.
The right video assets can inject motion, colour, and excitement into a sea of static images. Video is also a brilliant way to showcase your product benefits and communicate your key messages in an engaging style.
Fashion and homeware brand MANGO utilised Pinterest video ads to launch its ‘Comfy’ product collection and boost brand awareness.
MANGO’s video ad used motion to capture user attention, and simple text overlays to promote the Comfy collection. The video was also short and sweet, which is very important when you’re trying to maintain audience interest in a busy feed.
(Source: pinterest.com)
The MANGO creative approach wasn’t groundbreaking, but it ticked all of the right boxes.
The brand name was featured prominently, the products were clearly displayed throughout, and the video asset was fast-moving and engaging.
This campaign outperformed the brand’s VTR benchmarks by 32% and achieved a 5.4% increase in ad recall within 2 weeks. With the right creative assets, advertisers can deliver outstanding results through Pinterest video advertising.
3. Include an action-oriented CTA
The call-to-action is only a small visual aspect of your Pinterest ads, but it’s also one of the most important elements of any campaign.
Make sure that your Pinterest ads include a strong CTA that’s clear, compelling, and action-oriented.
Utilise action phrases like ‘buy’, ‘explore’ and ‘shop’ to encourage your audience to click.
If possible, it’s also a good idea to incorporate a CTA into both your ad visuals and ad copy.
The clearer your audience is on what you’re asking them to do, the more likely they are to take action. Highlight exactly what it is that you’re offering, and ensure that there’s an obvious value exchange for Pinterest users.
Here’s a good visual example from FabFitFun:
The ad leads with an intriguing headline that’s likely to make audiences curious – what’s in the box, and how can it help to deliver the perfect workout?
The brand then stamps a bright, bold CTA right in the centre of the ad, encouraging users to get their box with a click.
The CTA is simple and direct and immediately clarifies what audiences can expect after tapping on the ad. A striking and eye-catching CTA can totally transform a Pinterest ad campaign, so think carefully about how you’re going to drive action.
4. Clarify your core product benefits
It’s important to make the most of creative space when you advertise on Pinterest.
You’ll probably only have a matter of seconds to convince your audience to pay attention to your ad, so it’s a smart idea to highlight your key benefits as quickly as possible.
(However, it’s also important to avoid excessive blocks of text that will immediately deter potential customers!)
Try to distil down your product features into compelling benefits, and then simplify these messages. If your audience can glance at your Pinterest ads and instantly understand what you’re offering, then you’ve done something right.
Below is a solid example from Burt’s Bees:
With a single glance, audiences can understand the three main benefits of the BB Cream product – it’s a foundation, a moisturiser, and offers sun protection.
Burt’s Bees then uses the copy to explore these benefits in more detail, but the ad has already delivered the brand’s fundamental messages in a visual way.
Whenever you’re thinking about how to outline your product benefits on Pinterest, always consider your audience’s perspective. If you can communicate your benefits clearly and concisely, you’ll stand a much better chance of grabbing attention.
5. Utilise smart text overlays
Ad text overlays are a brilliant way to nail your key product points when you advertise on Pinterest.
Not every user will take the time to read your ad copy, so overlays allow you to highlight your most important messages.
Pinterest text overlays should ideally be eye-catching, colourful, and bold.
Overloading your assets with text is never a good idea, so be sure to use any overlays strategically. Focus on communicating your highest priority messages, and then use your ad copy to elaborate on any details.
Text overlays are particularly useful for brand offerings that need a little more explanation. For example, services that require different steps to access, or products that work in multiple stages.
Here’s a strong use case for text overlays from Cladwell:
The ad uses distinctive text overlays to explain Cladwell’s capsule wardrobe service. Users can easily follow the steps to understand the process, and the brand showcases its product without the need for a wall of text.
However, it’s also worth noting that not every single ad will require a text overlay.
If you can convey your brand message with pure visuals, then go for it – but if you think that your ads would benefit from a little more detail, then text overlays are a solid option.
6. Highlight your brand logo
This may sound like an obvious point, but many brands make the mistake of forgetting to include their branding or logo in Pinterest ads.
When your ads are running in a super competitive Pinterest feed, you need to assume that your audience is scrolling past at high speed.
Highlighting your brand logo in your ads is a simple move, but one that can make a big impact on your audience. Even if users scroll past your ad without a click or a tap, they’re more likely to acknowledge your branding, which can pay off later down the line.
Incorporating your brand logo into your pin ads also ensures that your offering won’t be mixed up with competitors.
Here’s a simple but effective example from Casper:
The Casper brand name is unmissable and deliberately positioned in the centre of the ad to grab attention.
Displaying your brand logo properly is massively important on Pinterest, particularly if you’re a small business that’s looking to grow brand awareness among a new audience.
7. Use eye-catching ad visuals
The Pinterest platform revolves around high-quality visuals, and paid advertising is no different.
User feeds will be constantly refreshed with images and video pins, so it’s important to produce quality ad visuals that are interesting and distinctive.
Pinterest assets that feel plain or low-effort will struggle to make an impact.
You should also try to ensure that your ads feel authentic and native to the Pinterest platform. Take a look at the type of content that’s appearing in the Pinterest feed – many posts feature artistic shots and aesthetic images that quickly draw the eye.
If you can replicate this style for your paid ads, your target audience will be infinitely more likely to engage with your campaign.
Here’s a good example of engaging ad visuals from Garnier:
Garnier could have easily settled for standard product pins, but the brand has produced a visually-appealing asset that’s guaranteed to jump out in a busy feed.
The products are arranged in an eye-catching way and professionally photographed. The ad even displays the ingredients included in each product, which is a clever use of visuals.
This asset perfectly balances informative text overlays, a clear brand logo, and striking product images.
8. Align your pin ads and landing pages
This is a bit more of a practical tip, but one that can have a huge impact on campaign performance and the user experience.
When advertising on Pinterest, it’s very important to establish a clear connection between your promoted pins and your landing pages.
If a prospect clicks on your ad and is suddenly taken to an irrelevant landing page, they’re probably going to end up feeling confused and frustrated – and these are not emotions that typically lead to a completed purchase.
Instead, ensure that you’re sending your target audience on a logical and convenient user journey. Put yourself in their shoes, and think about what they expect to see when they click on your ad.
Below is an example of a smooth user experience from Wix:
The ad visuals and copy are both very clear here. If a user is keen to create a website with Wix, they can click on the ad to get started.
After clicking on this ad, users are then taken to this landing page:
This user journey is seamless, and the campaign message relates directly to the landing page. Anyone clicking on the Wix ad is clearly interested in creating a website, and they can instantly kick off this process by clicking ‘Start Now’.
A convenient customer journey is more likely to result in a conversion than a disjointed one, so pay close attention to your landing pages and destination URLs.
9. Unlock the power of influencer marketing
Influencer marketing can be insanely effective on Pinterest, and partnering with the right content creators can be a game-changer for advertisers.
Hair care brand Kérastase enlisted the help of several Pinterest creators to promote a new shampoo product, using a combination of paid ad formats to amplify the influencer content.
By working alongside established beauty influencers, Kérastase was able to tap into a brand new audience of ready-made customers who were already interested in haircare products.
This campaign was also mutually beneficial for both Kérastase and the Pinterest creators.
Kérastase benefited from the social media presence of these influencers and gained instant credibility with a huge audience of potential customers. Influencer marketing also saves on production costs, meaning Kérastase could utilise highly effective assets without needing a big budget.
On the other hand, the influencers were able to boost their own profile through Kérastase’s paid ads, so the campaign was a win-win.
(Source: pinterest.com)
Influencer ads feel uniquely organic and authentic to social media audiences, and this authenticity can be very difficult to replicate through normal promoted pins.
That’s why these assets can drive mind-blowing performance on Pinterest and other social media platforms. Kérastase achieved an 11% lift in brand awareness versus benchmarks, alongside a 36% lift in ad awareness.
If you’re considering an influencer marketing campaign on Pinterest, be sure to cherry-pick creators that align with your brand values and identity.
It’s very easy to spot a disconnect between advertisers and influencers, but if you can choose the perfect brand advocates, the results can be incredible.
10. Craft persuasive ad descriptions
We’ve mentioned the importance of visual assets on Pinterest, and it’s true – if you want to succeed with Pinterest marketing, you need high-quality images and videos.
However, it’s also crucial to focus on your ad descriptions and copywriting.
Many brands make the mistake of overlooking their ad copy, which can be a critical error.
While your ad visuals may be the first thing that grabs the attention of your audience, it’s often your ad copy that will land your key messages, drive clicks, and secure conversions.
Think carefully about your most persuasive selling points, and use your ad copy to communicate these benefits to your customers. Don’t try to cram too much information into your descriptions – just focus on the most compelling details.
You should also maintain a clear tone of voice that’s consistent across digital platforms. This helps social media users to recognise your brand, and also helps to build consumer trust.
Last, but not least, keep your ad copy short and sweet. An intimidating wall of text will drive away even the most curious customers, so don’t be afraid to write punchy and snappy copy.
Here’s a great example from MOO:
The ad copy is clear and concise, explaining some of the key MOO product benefits (premium paper stocks, unique business card options, etc) and letting users know how easy it is to get started with the platform.
How to launch a super effective Pinterest ad campaign
Once you’ve created some killer Pinterest assets, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re making your ad spend work as hard as possible for your brand.
Here are some expert tips for improving your Pinterest ad performance.
Refine your marketing strategy with A/B testing
A/B testing is one of the most reliable ways to boost your promoted pin performance over time.
The first thing to establish is your campaign objective. What are you hoping to achieve with Pinterest marketing, and which KPIs align with your business goals?
You can then use your Pinterest business account to test multiple variables and see which tactics deliver superior performance, including:
- Ad format
- Creative asset
- Target audience
- Headline
- CTAs
Be consistent with ad optimisations
If you want to consistently improve ad group performance over time, you need to be diligent with Pinterest campaign optimisations.
Get comfortable with the Pinterest Ads Manager and pay close attention to the performance of your promoted pins.
Don’t hesitate to pull ad spend from underperforming tactics or audiences, and stay focused on the ad manager metrics that will contribute to your campaign objective.
If a specific carousel ad is outperforming your other pins, then shift your budget accordingly!
Explore different targeting tactics and formats
Pinterest offers a wide range of targeting tactics and ad formats, so be sure to explore different marketing strategies to find out what works.
You can utilise the following targeting options on Pinterest:
- Audience targeting (i.e. demographic)
- Interest targeting
- Keyword targeting
Each of these strategies can deliver positive results, but be careful not to narrow down your targeting too much! Combining too many targeting layers can dramatically reduce your audience size and impact performance.
It’s also a good idea to experiment with various Pinterest ad formats, such as:
- Standard pin ads
- Standard video ads
- Shopping pins
- Idea pins
- Collections ads
- Carousel ads
Trialling different ad groups is a great way to build successful ads, so be sure to keep testing new ideas when advertising on Pinterest.
Handy resources for Pinterest marketing
Still looking for some additional resources to help refine your Pinterest ad campaigns?
We’ve got you covered. Below are some useful guides that will equip you with all the Pinterest marketing knowledge you need.
9 Examples Of High-Performing Pinterest Ads
Producing effective Pinterest ads isn’t rocket science, but it’s still important to follow proven strategies and creative techniques.
If you can stick to these best practices throughout your next Pinterest campaign, you’ll be smashing your marketing goals before you know it. Good luck!
