Pinterest Ads: An In-Depth Guide

Looking to take your advertising efforts to the next level? Look no further than Pinterest Ads.
As one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity to reach and engage a highly targeted audience.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll dive into the world of Pinterest Ads, exploring the different types of ads available, best practices for creating effective campaigns, and tips for optimizing your ad performance.
Whether you’re a seasoned advertiser or just getting started, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and insights you need to make the most of Pinterest Advertising.

Table of contents

What are Pinterest Ads?
Why Should Your Business Leverage Pinterest Ads?
Pinterest Ad Types
What Pinterest ad type is right for my business?
Pinterest Ad Sizes
How to Create a Successful Pinterest Advertising Strategy
Setting Up Your First Pinterest Ad Campaign
Best Practices for Pinterest Advertising
How Much Do Pinterest Ads Cost?
Tips to Optimize Pinterest Ads ROI
Pinterest Ads FAQ
Conclusion

What are Pinterest Ads?

Businesses can advertise their products or services on Pinterest using Pinterest Ads, also known as Pinterest Advertising.

Pinterest is a social media platform that focuses on visual content, with users sharing and discovering ideas through images and videos. Pinterest Ads take advantage of this visual format by allowing businesses to create engaging and visually appealing advertisements that appear in users’ feeds and search results.
These ads can include images, videos, and text, and can be targeted to specific audiences based on their interests, demographics, and search behavior.

Pinterest Ads are a powerful tool for businesses to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and boost sales.

Why Should Your Business Leverage Pinterest Ads?

There are several reasons why your business should leverage Pinterest Ads:

Increase Conversions: Pinterest users have higher engagement and purchase intent, making it an effective platform for increasing conversions.

Generate Demand: Pinterest is a platform where users are open to discovering new brands, making it a great channel for generating demand.

Drive Traffic: Pinterest Ads can help drive traffic to your website or landing pages, increasing visibility and potential leads.

Engage with Users: Pinterest provides an engaging and visually appealing environment for users, allowing businesses to connect with their target audience.

Promote Evergreen Content: As a search engine, Pinterest has evergreen value, meaning that your content can continue to be discovered and shared over time.

By leveraging Pinterest Ads, your business can tap into the platform’s large user base, engage with your target audience, and drive conversions and traffic to your website.

Pinterest Ad Types

Standard Pins: These ad types allow businesses to showcase their products or content in image or video formats. They are effective in capturing users’ attention and driving conversions.

Carousel Ads: Carousel ads enable users to swipe through multiple images or videos within a single Pin. This format is ideal for showcasing a range of products or telling a story through sequential visuals.

Video Pins: Video Pins ads grab users’ attention with engaging video content. They are a powerful tool for storytelling and can effectively communicate brand messages.

Idea Pins: Idea Pins, previously known as Story Pins, are short videos or graphics that provide inspiration or educational content. They are great for engaging users and building brand awareness.

Try on Product Pins: This ad type provides users with a virtual fitting room experience, allowing them to try on products virtually. It is particularly useful for fashion and beauty brands.

By utilizing these different ad types, businesses can create diverse and engaging campaigns that cater to their target audience’s preferences and interests.

What Pinterest ad type is right for my business?

When choosing a Pinterest ad type, there are several key factors to consider:

Campaign objectives: Determine your advertising goals, whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, boosting conversions, or promoting a specific product or service. Different ad types align with different objectives, so choose the one that best suits your campaign goals.

Target audience: Understand your target audience’s preferences and behaviors on Pinterest. Consider factors like demographics, interests, and search patterns to select an ad type that will effectively engage and resonate with your audience.

Visual content: Pinterest is a highly visual platform, so creating compelling and eye-catching visuals is crucial. Choose an ad type that allows you to showcase your products or services in an appealing and attention-grabbing way, whether it’s through static images, videos, or interactive formats.

Ad format suitability: Evaluate the various ad formats available on Pinterest and assess which one is most suitable for your content and campaign goals. Consider factors like the amount of information you want to convey, the level of interactivity you desire, and the story you want to tell through your ads.

Remember, each ad type has its strengths and limitations, so it’s important to align your objectives, target audience, visual content, and ad format to create a successful Pinterest advertising strategy.

Pinterest Ad Sizes

Each type of Pinterest ad has specific optimal sizes, defined as a ratio between width and height. Adhering to these size guidelines ensures that your ads look their best and avoid any cropping or distortion.

Here are the recommended aspect ratios for different ad types:

Standard ads: 2:3 aspect ratio (1000 pixels x 1500 pixels)

Standard video ads: 1:1 (square) or 2:3, 4:5, or 9:16 (vertical)

Max width video ads: 1:1 (square) or 16.9 (widescreen)

Idea pin ads: 9:16 aspect ratio

Carousel pin ads: 1:1 or 2:3 aspect ratio

Shopping pin ads: 2:3 aspect ratio

Collection pin ads: 1:1 (square) or 2:3 (vertical) for the static hero image, square or vertical for video

Ensure that your ad copy is easily readable by considering the image layout and using contrasting dark text if your image has a light background.

How to Create a Successful Pinterest Advertising Strategy

Creating a successful Pinterest advertising strategy involves several steps. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Set Clear Goals: Whether it’s increasing conversions, driving traffic, or promoting brand awareness, clearly define your goals before proceeding.

Understand Your Target Audience: Conduct thorough research to identify your target audience on Pinterest. Understand their interests, behaviors, and preferences to create highly targeted ad campaigns.

Create Compelling Visual Content: Pinterest is a visual platform, so focus on creating eye-catching and engaging content. Use high-quality images, videos, and graphics that resonate with your target audience.

Utilize Pinterest Ad Formats: Pinterest offers various ad formats, including Promoted Pins, Shopping Ads, and Video Ads. Choose the format that aligns with your goals and content strategy.

Optimize Your Ads: Use relevant keywords, compelling descriptions, and appropriate hashtags to optimize your ads. This will help improve their visibility and reach on the platform.

Monitor and Optimize Performance: Regularly monitor the performance of your Pinterest ads using analytics tools. Analyze key metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and engagement to identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions.

Setting Up Your First Pinterest Ad Campaign

Now, it’s time to set up your first campaign. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Step 1: Set Your Campaign Objectives

Define your campaign objectives by selecting one of the three options: Awareness, Consideration, or Conversions. Each objective serves a specific purpose, so choose the one that aligns with your business goals.

Step 2: Choose Your Visual Ad Type

Select the visual ad type that best suits your campaign objectives and resonates with your target audience. Consider the specifications and requirements of each ad format to ensure optimal performance.

Step 3: Leverage Pinterest Ads’s Targeting Tools

Using Pinterest’s targeting tools, you can narrow down your audience based on demographics, interests, keywords, customer lists, or actalikes. This will ensure that your ads reach the most likely customers.

Step 4: Create Your Promoted Pin

Choose a previously published creative from your library that aligns with your campaign objectives. Name your ad, fill in the destination URL, and ensure that your Promoted Pin effectively communicates your message and encourages action.

Step 5: Monitor and Optimize Your Campaign

Once your campaign is live, closely monitor its performance and make necessary adjustments to optimize results. Test different visuals, targeting options, and ad formats to find the winning combination for your specific business objectives.

Step 6: Analyze Results and Refine Strategy

Regularly analyze the performance of your Pinterest Ads campaign to gain insights and refine your advertising strategy. Identify what works best for your target audience and make data-driven decisions to drive continuous improvement.

Best Practices for Pinterest Advertising

To maximize the effectiveness of your Pinterest ads, you must follow best practices aligned with the platform’s unique features.·

1. Target the Right Audience

Targeting the right audience is key to a successful Pinterest ad campaign. Pinterest provides various options to define your audience, including gender, location, language, and interests.

Audience Targeting: You can reach Pinterest users who have interacted with your brand in the past, either within the app or on your website, by using audience targeting.

Interests: One of the advantages of Pinterest is that it allows you to easily identify the interests of users based on the boards they create or follow, the content they interact with, or the keywords they search for.

Keywords: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the most relevant and popular keywords in your market, and incorporate them into your Pinterest Ads campaigns.

Expanded Audience: This type of targeting uses elements of your ad content to reach Pinterest users who might be interested in what you offer without using keywords or interests.

By selecting the right audience for your Pinterest Ads, you can ensure that your ads are seen by the most relevant users, increasing the chances of engagement and conversions.

2. Harness the Power of Video Ads

Video ads on Pinterest can be highly engaging and capture the attention of users as they scroll through their feeds. With autoplay functionality on mobile devices, video ads have a great opportunity to make an impact.

When creating a video ad for Pinterest, keep the following best practices in mind:

Keep it short: Pinners are on the platform to browse, so keep your ad concise and compelling.

Prioritize high-quality footage: Blurry or low-quality videos can reflect poorly on your brand, so ensure your ad is visually appealing.

Don’t rely solely on sound: You should ensure your ad’s message can be conveyed effectively through subtitles and on-video text since pinners can disable sound.

By following these video ad best practices, you can create captivating content that stands out in users’ feeds.

3. Test Different Strategies

Test a variety of pins, targeting options, and ad formats to determine which combinations drive the most engagement and conversions.

Consider creating multiple ads within the same campaign, allowing you to test specific changes and measure their impact on performance. Regularly testing and refining your advertising strategies will help you optimize your Pinterest campaigns and achieve better results.

4. Optimize your Ad Descriptions

While the visual aspect of your Pinterest ad is essential, don’t overlook the power of a compelling ad description. The description should complement the image and entice users to engage with your ad.

Here are some best practices for creating effective ad descriptions:

Highlight the value: Communicate why your product or service is valuable to the audience. Use words like “high-quality” or “premium” to emphasize the benefits.

Address pain points: Identify a problem your target audience may be experiencing and explain how your product or service can solve it.

Stand out from the competition: Emphasize what sets your brand apart from others in the market.

You can increase user engagement and drive more clicks to your landing pages by crafting persuasive ad descriptions.

5. Choose Relevant Landing Pages

Avoid sending users to generic homepages, as this can lead to a poor user experience and a higher bounce rate. Instead, choose landing pages that provide the information or offer referenced in your ad.

By selecting relevant landing pages, you can provide a seamless user experience and increase the likelihood of conversions.

6. Utilize the Pinterest Tag for Conversion Tracking

The Pinterest Tag is a powerful tool that allows you to track conversions and gain valuable insights into the performance of your ads.

By implementing the Pinterest Tag on your website, you can measure various actions that users take after clicking on your Pinterest ads, such as page visits, sign-ups, and completed transactions.

This data can help you understand the effectiveness of your ads and audience behavior, enabling you to optimize your campaigns and create targeted retargeting campaigns based on user activity.

7. Monitor and Analyze Performance

Pinterest’s Ads Manager provides valuable insights into the performance metrics of your ads, allowing you to make data-driven decisions.

Regularly review the following performance metrics:

Click-through Rate (CTR): This metric measures the percentage of users who click on your pins after seeing them. A high CTR indicates that your calls to action are effective and that users are engaging with your content.

Impressions: You can use this metric to determine the reach and visibility of your campaigns.

Saves: Saves represent the number of times users save your pins to their boards. This metric indicates that users find your content valuable and want to save it for future reference.

Engagements: Engagements include actions such as clicks, saves, and close-ups on your pins. Tracking this metric helps you understand how users are interacting with your content.

Engaged Audience: This metric shows the number of unique users who have engaged with your pins. It provides insights into the size of your active audience and their level of interest in your campaigns.

Analyze the performance metrics to identify trends, strengths, and areas for improvement. Use the insights gained to refine your targeting, optimize your visuals and copy, and experiment with different strategies.

How Much Do Pinterest Ads Cost?

Pinterest ads cost can vary depending on the objective and type of ad. On average, the cost of Pinterest ads ranges from $2 to $5 per 1,000 impressions and $0.10 to $1.50 per engagement ad.

The specific cost depends on factors such as the campaign’s goals (awareness, traffic, conversions, or offline sales) and the budget allocated to the ads. Small businesses typically spend $200 to $1500 on ad spend and an additional $600 to $1500 on ad management.

It is recommended to start with a daily budget of $10 to $20 and consider hiring a Pinterest Ad Manager to optimize the ads.

Tips to Optimize Pinterest Ads ROI

Choose the right bidding method: Depending on your campaign objectives, you can choose to pay per impressions (CPM) for brand awareness or per click (PPC) for consideration.

Define your target audience: Understand the interests and age range of your target audience to make your campaigns more efficient. Use audience targeting, interests, keywords, or expanded targeting to reach the right people.

Install the Pinterest tag: Properly installing the Pinterest tag allows you to track conversions and optimize your campaign budget.

Utilize relevant keywords: Similar to other platforms, incorporating relevant keywords into your Pinterest Ads campaigns will help target users who are interested in your product or service.

Monitor and optimize your campaigns: Regularly review your campaign performance and make adjustments based on the data to improve your Pinterest strategy.

Consider hiring a Pinterest marketing agency: Working with a Pinterest marketing agency can maximize your results and ROI. They have the skills and experience to strategize, execute, and optimize your Pinterest campaigns.

By following these tips, businesses can increase their advertising ROI on Pinterest and effectively reach their target audience.

Pinterest Ads FAQ

Are Pinterest Ads Worth It?

Pinterest ads can be worth it for businesses looking to reach specific audiences, showcase products, and drive engagement.
With high user engagement and a focus on shopping, Pinterest offers competitive pricing and the potential for product discovery. However, the effectiveness and ROI of Pinterest ads may vary depending on the campaign goals and targeting strategies.

Can I promote my business on Pinterest for free?

Yes, you can promote your business on Pinterest for free. By creating a business account and utilizing organic posts, you can showcase your products or services to Pinterest’s large user base. Experiment with different pins to see which ones generate clicks and optimize your strategy accordingly.

Are Pinterest ads effective?

Pinterest ads can be effective for businesses looking to reach specific audiences, showcase products, and drive engagement.
With features like retargeting and audience targeting, businesses have the opportunity to connect with their target audience, drive traffic, and boost sales. However, the effectiveness and return on investment may vary depending on the specific campaign and its execution.

What is a good conversion rate Pinterest ad?

A good conversion rate for Pinterest ads can vary but generally falls between 1.5% to 8.5% based on the analysis of multiple accounts. However, it’s important to note that Pinterest has been found to have a lower conversion rate compared to other platforms like Google, Bing, email, and Etsy affiliates, with a conversion rate of only 0.31%.
This may be due to differences in search intent and the nature of Pinterest as a platform focused on ideas and examples rather than direct sales.

Conclusion

Pinterest ads offer a range of options to suit your brand’s advertising needs. From promoted pins to idea pins, try-on-product pins to shopping ads, Pinterest provides diverse opportunities to engage with your target audience and drive sales.

By following best practices and avoiding common pitfalls, you can maximize the effectiveness of your Pinterest ad campaigns.
Remember to continually adjust your campaigns, utilize calls-to-action in descriptions, use relevant keywords, leverage targeted audiences, and bid aggressively for optimal results.

With its emphasis on discovery, open-minded user base, cost-effectiveness, and extensive reach, Pinterest is a platform worth exploring for your digital marketing strategy. So, get creative, start pinning, and unlock the potential of Pinterest ads to take your brand to new heights.

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