How to Advertise on Pinterest: A Comprehensive Guide to Boost Engagement and Conversions

Pinterest is more than just a platform for discovering recipes and DIY projects—it’s a powerful advertising tool that can drive traffic, increase sales, and grow your brand. With over 450 million monthly active users, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity to reach an audience actively searching for inspiration and products. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about advertising on Pinterest to achieve measurable results.

Why Advertise on Pinterest?

Pinterest users are planners. They use the platform to discover ideas, plan purchases, and take action. Here’s why Pinterest is ideal for advertising:

• High Purchase Intent: 85% of Pinners say they use the platform to plan new projects or purchases.

• Visual Discovery: Pinterest’s visual-first approach makes it ideal for showcasing products in an engaging way.

• Diverse Ad Formats: From standard pins to video ads and Idea Pins, Pinterest offers versatile ad formats to suit your goals.

Step-by-Step Guide to Advertising on Pinterest

1. Set Up Your Pinterest Business Account

To run ads, you need a Pinterest Business account. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Pinterest Business and sign up.

2. Optimize your profile with:

   • A professional profile picture (e.g., your logo).

   • A keyword-rich bio that describes your business.

   • Links to your website and social media profiles.

2. Access the Ads Manager

1. Log in to your business account and navigate to the Ads Manager.

2. Click on “Create Campaign” under the Ads dropdown menu.

3. Choose Your Campaign Objective

Pinterest allows you to select objectives based on your goals:

• Awareness: Increase brand visibility.

• Consideration: Drive traffic to your website.

• Conversions: Encourage specific actions like purchases or sign-ups.

4. Create or Select a Pin

You can either promote an existing pin or create a new one tailored for advertising:

• Use high-quality vertical images (2:3 aspect ratio).

• Add text overlays with bold, readable fonts.

• Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) like “Shop Now” or “Learn More.”

5. Define Your Target Audience

Pinterest provides robust targeting options:

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, language.

• Interests: Categories like fashion, travel, or home decor.

• Keywords: Use Pinterest’s search bar for keyword research (e.g., “eco-friendly products”).

• Custom Audiences: Retarget website visitors or upload customer lists.

6. Set Your Budget

Decide between daily or lifetime budgets:

• Daily budgets ensure consistent spending each day.

• Lifetime budgets allocate funds over the duration of the campaign.

7. Choose Your Ad Placement

Select where your ads will appear:

• Home feed

• Search results

• Related pins

8. Launch and Monitor Your Campaign

Use Pinterest Analytics to track performance metrics such as impressions, clicks, saves, and conversions. Adjust targeting and creatives based on results.

Best Practices for Pinterest Ads

1. Use High-Quality Visuals

Pinterest is a visual platform, so ensure your images are:

• Bright and clear.

• Vertical with a 2:3 aspect ratio (e.g., 1000×1500 pixels).

• Consistent with your brand’s colors and style.

2. Incorporate Text Overlays

Add concise text overlays to highlight key benefits or calls-to-action (CTAs). For example:

• “Free Shipping on Orders Over $50”

• “Limited-Time Offer”

3. Leverage Video Ads

Video ads have 3x higher engagement rates than static pins. Keep videos short (6–15 seconds) and ensure they work without sound by adding subtitles or text.

4. Optimize Landing Pages

Send users directly to relevant landing pages that match their intent:

• If your ad promotes a specific product, link directly to that product page—not your homepage.

5. Test Different Ad Formats

Experiment with various ad types:

• Standard Pins

• Video Pins

• Idea Pins (multi-page story-like ads)

• Carousel Ads
  Analyze which format drives the most engagement and conversions.

Successful Pinterest Marketing Campaigns

Here are some real-world examples of brands excelling on Pinterest:

1. Netflix’s Interactive Show Recommendations:

   • Created Idea Pins with interactive frames for personalized recommendations.

   • Resulted in higher engagement at no extra cost.

2. IKEA’s Custom Quizzes:

   • Used quizzes tailored for different audiences to drive traffic and engagement.

3. Krylon’s DIY Campaign:

   • Showcased how spray paint could transform old items into valuable pieces during the world’s longest yard sale.

4. La Mer’s Exclusive Products:

   • Leveraged beautifully shot video pins featuring tutorials and exclusive product launches.

Pinterest SEO Tips

To maximize organic reach alongside paid ads, optimize your pins for Pinterest SEO:

1. Use relevant keywords in pin titles, descriptions, and board names.

2. Add rich metadata for rich pins (e.g., product prices or ingredients).

3. Schedule pins consistently using tools like Tailwind.

4. Organize content into niche-specific boards with clear themes.

5. Analyze performance using Pinterest Analytics.

FAQs About Advertising on Pinterest

1. Is advertising on Pinterest expensive?

Pinterest ads are cost-effective compared to other platforms like Facebook or Google Ads. You can start with as little as $5 per day.

2. What types of businesses should advertise on Pinterest?

Businesses in fashion, home decor, food & beverages, travel, DIY projects, and lifestyle products perform exceptionally well on Pinterest due to its visual nature.

3. How do I measure the success of my campaigns?

Track metrics such as impressions, clicks, saves, click-through rate (CTR), conversions, and return on ad spend (ROAS) using Pinterest Analytics.

4. Can I retarget users who visited my website?

Yes! Use the Pinterest Tag to retarget website visitors or create lookalike audiences based on past customers.

5. What makes a good pin description?

A good description is concise (under 100 characters), includes relevant keywords naturally, and ends with a strong call-to-action like “Shop Now” or “Learn More.”

Ready to take your advertising strategy to the next level? Start leveraging Pinterest’s powerful ad platform today! Whether you’re looking to build awareness or drive conversions, our team of experts can help you create high-performing campaigns tailored to your goals.

👉 Contact us now for a free consultation!