Pinterest Positions New Idea Pins To Drive Sales For Creators

Called Pinterest Idea Pins, the solution was created for affiliate content creators. Idea Pins are multi-page, instantly-shoppable, story-like videos that are supported by affiliate links and product tagging, empowering any user with a business account to create saleable, inspiring content and better interact with their respective audiences through seamless purchasing experiences in real-time.

More consumers than ever are turning to social media to discover new products, and the people they follow and invite into their online sphere are becoming an increasingly important source for trusted recommendations. The new Idea Pins solution makes it easy for Pinterest creators and influencers to publish high quality and long lasting content directly to Pinterest, and that content is then able to be saved and one-click shopped by users. Creators have access to video recording and editing tools for up to 20 pages of content, as well as voice-over capabilities to add a personal touch, export options to share beyond just the Pinterest ecosystem, topic tagging to ensure that published content connects with the most relevant audience, and a variety of other unique solutions including several new interactive features to enhance the shopping experience, and back-door access to analytics to help creators learn what resonates most and continue to grow their presence. 

Pinterest users will see Idea Pins from creators they follow at the top of their home feed, and Idea Pins will also be promoted across search, the Today Tab, and at the top of creator profiles, as well as living in their own special full-screen stream view. Creators are able to earn a commission on the products they sell through their pins, and the options for paid partnerships are vast. 

Pinterest is not alone in exploring ways to provide its creator and influencer base with ways to monetize their audiences on the platform. This is a trend PSFK researchers have noted in their report, Social Media's Growing Commerce Ambitions, as Big Tech increasingly activates its massive consumer base through social commerce solutions. Instagram is also piloting a new native tool to allow shoppers to directly purchase products from creators, and the Facebook-owned platform recently rolled out a new shopping section called Drops to showcase limited releases and product launches in-app. The proliferation of these new eCommerce tools is transforming marketing occasions and moments of inspiration, as social media users are increasingly able to shop in real-time for products recommended by trusted influencers without ever having to leave their favorite app. On the creator side, these new tools allow content creators of any level to begin earning commissions for the brands and products they support, growing both their businesses and their audiences, as the two become increasingly intertwined. 

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This article originally appeared in PSFK’s research paper, Exploring Social Media’s Growing Commerce Ambitions