Getting the best results from Pinterest: 3 top brands share how
November 15, 2023
Today, engaging your audience isn’t just about showing up, it’s about meeting them where they’re at. When people are on Pinterest, they have a unique mindset. They’re coming to plan for the future and to shop. Read on for how brands are getting the best results from Pinterest by tapping into their audience’s mindset through each stage of their customer’s journey.
Every month, over 482 million people come to Pinterest to plan for what’s next.1 The next trip, the next remodel, the next party. They’re discovering ideas, making decisions and taking action—and at each part of this journey, they have different goals. Brands are seeing success by engaging with their audiences on Pinterest at each stage. The secret? Tapping into the different mindsets of their customers as they discover, decide and do on Pinterest.
McDonald’s speaks Gen Z’s language
McDonald’s wanted to reintroduce the Big Mac to Gen Z on Pinterest in a truly distinctive way. The solution? An innovative campaign that re-imagined the Big Mac through a Gen Z lens. They decided against just repurposing ad creative used on platforms. Instead, they built something unique that would cater to this audience and how they specifically use Pinterest. Knowing Gen Z comes to Pinterest to find inspiration for beauty, fashion and home, McDonald’s developed assets that highlighted how the iconic Big Mac inspires across categories from nail art to fashion looks.
engagement rate compared to benchmark2
CPM on Video ads, compared to benchmark2
Using different ad formats, McDonald’s invited people to discover their specifically crafted Big Mac board. Organized by color and mirroring the layers of the Big Mac, the board offered a visually compelling exploration. It transformed the beloved burger into a piece of art. This was more than just an ad campaign—it was a vivid incorporation of the burger into the fabric of Gen Z's trending interests.
Hyatt nudges travelers from discovery to destination
Every month, tens of millions of people use Pinterest to save travel ideas.3 Hyatt wanted to introduce their Thompson Hotels brand to a new audience on Pinterest. They took a multi-objective approach, running both awareness and consideration campaigns at the same time. This strategy can help brands reach more people and encourage early brand engagement.
To raise awareness, Thompson Hotels used eye-catching videos featuring different upmarket Thompson properties. They followed with a consideration campaign to nudge hotel shoppers to choose Thompson as they were weighing their options. At this stage, audiences are looking to see how a brand’s products fit into their plans and are looking for more information to compare similar styles, options and price points.
For Thompson Hotels, reaching their audience during both the awareness and consideration phases led to an increase in clicks and ad clickthrough rate.4
more clicks4
increase in ad clickthrough rate4
CeraVe drives purchases with educational ads
Skincare brand CeraVe dove into Pinterest search data to better understand the mindset of their customers. They used their audience’s common search queries to craft engaging, informative ads, addressing common skincare questions. Including topics that ranged from blackheads to skincare routines.
To increase awareness among new audiences, CeraVe started by targeting unbranded keywords, or ones that didn’t contain CeraVe. As their audience started to make decisions and move further down the funnel, they started searching for CeraVe products.
The result? People started purchasing CeraVe products. And the strategy didn’t just drive conversions in the moment. After the campaign, more than 50% of incremental sales came from new customers.5
By the end of the campaign, organic searches for “CeraVe hydrating cleanser” increased 2x.5 CeraVe’s focus on education not only reinforced their brand expertise—but it also influenced consumers to buy their products. Using these insights, they were able to move their audience from awareness to conversion.
You’re ready to drive performance at every stage of the journey
Now that you understand how tapping into the mindset of your customers on Pinterest can improve performance, here are a few strategies for driving even stronger campaign results:
On Pinterest, full-funnel media strategies are one of the most effective ways to drive conversions. When a customer sees ads across the funnel—awareness, consideration and conversion—conversion rates are 3x higher than when ads are seen for just one objective.6 Learn more about running full funnel campaigns on Pinterest.
Consider a combination of ad formats to make an impact at every stage of the purchase journey:
Reach your audience at scale with high impact video. Leverage Premiere Spotlight to reach your audience at scale with our exclusive, edge-to-edge video ad placement.
Nudge your audience with carousels and collections. As your audience makes decisions, try ad formats like carousels and collections that showcase a range of your offerings and highlight their unique features and benefits.
Help drive conversions with shopping ad formats. Simplify the path to purchase for people who know exactly what they want. Use shopping ads that lead directly to your products. Run carousel and collection ads to present multiple options or variations of your products at a glance.
To better understand the mindset of your customers, take the Pinterest Academy course: How Your Audience Uses Pinterest to learn how Pinterest inspires people to act on the ideas they discover.
