Perspectives

How inspiration drives results

May 5, 2022 — Visha Kudhail

A white woman wearing shades sit in a wheelchair. The surface of the moon in a pale blue hue. A black and blue butterfly flutters by some white orchids. A green plant stands tall in the corner of the room beside a curved swimming pool.

The Point: Inspiration is more urgent than ever before—for consumers and for brands. Here’s the proof.

Gone are the days when people ignore the environment in which your ad appears. They want a more inspired internet, and they’re seeking out positivity in online spaces. That’s good news for advertisers. Because inspirational environments don't just spark ideas. They move people towards decisions—including purchase decisions.

Inspiration is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot. But here's why we know it delivers results: It's connected to trust.

Without a trusted online environment where positive behaviors can thrive, you can’t reach people as effectively. It's part of the decision making process: How people make choices that lead them to the try, the buy and the next idea.

8 in 10

people say Pinterest is a place where they feel positive²

Inspiration is more than a nice-to-have
In a recent study with Nielsen, we surveyed 9,000 consumers across seven markets and nearly half of the people we spoke to said that an online space devoted to inspiration is more important now than ever before.¹ Given what the last two years have looked like for society at large, that tracks. People are seeking positivity and joy. They’re seeking new ideas. They’re seeking a place where they can find inspiration to live life to its fullest.

And for many people, that place is Pinterest. Nielsen discovered that Pinterest ranks number one in inspiration—and not just on the internet.¹ We rank ahead of magazines, TV shows and all other online media giants.

Surprised? We’re not. At Pinterest we work to deliberately create a safe and inspirational environment, for both people and for brands. Pinterest has always been the inspiration platform, and we've worked hard to maintain that spirit through the critical choices we’ve made around proactive policies. In fact, 8 out of 10 people say Pinterest is a place where they feel positive.² 9 in 10 call it an online oasis.² Only 3 in 10 say that about social media competitors.²

That kind of environment is good for your audience, and it’s good for your brand too. Nielsen’s research revealed that inspiration isn’t just an “aha” moment or a spark—when people feel inspired, they’re also more likely to act. So when your brand shows up in an inspiring environment, you’re more likely to see positive results.

Pin of two fish tacos topped with cabbage and lime over a blue plate. Description reads lightly battered fish tacos.

From inspiration to realization
Here’s the thing: People might not know exactly what they’re looking for when they come to Pinterest, but they know it when they see it. That’s why 97% of the top searches on Pinterest are unbranded.³ Because people come to plan and do but they haven’t yet made up their mind about what to buy—they want to be inspired by the ideas they find.

And as it turns out, Pinterest drives 10x higher branded searches off-platform, compared to others.⁴ That means people come without a brand in mind but they leave with a decision. There’s a trigger moment that happens on Pinterest. It takes people from inspiration to realization, and actually helps them to make up their mind.

Pinterest drives 10x higher branded searches off-platform, compared to other channels⁴

Your audience isn’t coming to Pinterest to hunt for likes, or see what everyone else is doing. They’re looking for inspiration and ready to take action. But don’t just take our word for it. A Nielsen analysis of CPG campaigns in the US and UK (specifically food, and health and beauty) discovered that Pinterest delivers 32% higher ROAS than other digital platforms.⁴
Moreover, brands in these categories have an opportunity to generate incremental sales on Pinterest. Whereas ads on other paid social channels are nearing ad saturation point, which could mean diminishing returns for advertisers, the average saturation level on Pinterest is just 25%, so there’s more chance of ads gaining traction and impressions.⁴

Inspiration can deliver a high return on investment

Our research proves that when ads show up in inspirational environments like Pinterest, they can drive meaningful results. So whether you’re building brand awareness, consumer trust or driving conversions, the decisions you make about your media mix can help drive better engagement, and stronger results. Let’s work together to build a different kind of internet.

Act on the insight

01
Lead by example.
People are craving inspirational content—so make sure your ads feel inspiring, too. Check your ad copy and imagery to make sure they feel positive and like they’re encouraging people to act.

02
Capture the full process.
Remember that inspiration is a process, and not a single moment in time. Consider every part of your audience’s journey from that first moment of finding a new idea, to the spark that pushes them to action. You can even sequence your ads for different parts of the journey, helping them go from open minded inspiration to realization.

03
Help guide your audience.  
Content like guides or tutorials can work well to help people try something new.

Watch Pinterest Presents

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Written by VISHA KUDHAIL
Currently saving ideas to FASHION

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