Using Pinterest Ads correctly: The way to more sales
Jonas Patrikalos
18/1/2023
-
Reading time: 15 min
The most important facts in brief
Pinterest Ads as a growth strategy: Pinterest Ads offer companies an effective way to increase their brand awareness and reach new target groups looking for ideas and products.
Ad formats and targeting: Pinterest Ads include various formats such as standard ads, Shopping ads and Promoted Pins. Through detailed targeting and creative design, companies can make the most of users' purchasing intent.
Performance measurement and optimization: By setting clear objectives and regularly measuring success, Pinterest Ads can be efficiently optimized to achieve sustainable sales figures and strong brand loyalty.
Rock your online store content!
Better rankings & more sales through perfect content for your target group
Pinterest is no longer just a platform for DIY ideas and inspiration - it has established itself as a powerful advertising platform that offers enormous potential, especially for e-commerce companies and brands with visual content. Pinterest users are usually actively searching for new products, projects and ideas on the platform, which makes them a valuable target group with a high purchase intention.
The most important advantages of Pinterest as an advertising platform
Targeting: Pinterest offers detailed targeting options so that companies can target their Pinterest ads to users with specific interests, demographics and behaviors.
Visual format: Pinterest thrives on strong images and text overlays that companies can use to communicate their message clearly and attract the attention of users.
Strong purchase intent: Pinterest is used by many users as a "visual search engine", which means that Pinterest users are often already searching for specific ideas and products and are therefore more likely to convert.
Advantage
Description
Addressing target groups
Precise targeting according to user interests and behavior.
Visual format
Image and video-based content with eye-catching designs and text overlays.
High purchase intention
Users actively search for ideas and products - ideal for sales-oriented campaigns.
Pinterest therefore offers brands a unique opportunity to intervene directly in the decision-making process of users. When companies place ads on Pinterest, they meet users in an active inspiration phase, which leads to a higher engagement and conversion rate.
Pinterest Ads basics: everything you need to know
Pinterest Ads offer you a wide range of options for designing creative and customized campaigns. Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest focuses on visual content that specifically inspires and influences users' purchasing decisions. However, before you start a campaign, you should familiarize yourself with the various ad formats and functions in the Pinterest Ads Manager.
Overview of ad formats on Pinterest
Pinterest offers a range of different ad formats that can be used for different campaign objectives:
Standard ads: This classic form of ad appears directly in users' feeds and looks like a normal pin, but is sponsored.
Shopping ads: Particularly interesting for e-commerce companies. Here, specific products can be advertised that can be added directly to the shopping cart with one click.
Promoted Pins: These ads appear as sponsored pins and are a good way to increase brand awareness.
Promoted video: A moving format that generates attention particularly well and is suitable for visually strong brands.
Display format
Purpose
Standard displays
For general reach and brand perception.
Shopping ads
Ideal for direct product marketing and conversion.
Promoted Pins
For greater visibility and awareness.
Promoted Video
Moving content for more engagement and greater attention.
The Pinterest Ads Manager
The Pinterest Ads Manager is the central tool for planning, controlling and analyzing the performance of campaigns. The entire advertising process can be controlled here with an intuitive user interface:
Select campaign goals: From expanding brand awareness to increasing conversions, goals can be specifically defined.
Define budget and schedule: The budget distribution and time span of your campaign can be flexibly adjusted.
Select target groups: With detailed targeting based on interests, demographic data and user behavior, you can reach your desired customers in a targeted manner.
Creative design: Upload your pins, images or videos and create a design that impresses the user.
With these tools, Pinterest offers companies an excellent opportunity to address their target groups visually and interactively and achieve the desired results.
Step-by-step guide to creating Pinterest Ads
To advertise successfully on Pinterest, you need a strategic approach. The following step-by-step guide will show you how to create a Pinterest campaign from scratch and make the most of all relevant options.
1. setting up a business account
Start by creating a Pinterest Business account if you don't already have one. A business account offers you additional functions such as detailed analysis tools and access to the Pinterest Ads Manager. You can customize your business profile to match your brand identity and create professional pinboards and pins.
2. select objective and campaign type
First, define the goal of your campaign. Pinterest offers you three main goals:
Increase awareness: For more visibility and reach.
Generate traffic: Direct visitors to your website.
Conversion: Optimized for sales or leads.
The choice of your campaign objective determines which ad formats and targeting options you can use.
3. selection of the appropriate ad format
Each objective can be combined with a suitable ad format to convey your message effectively. Standard ads are ideal for awareness campaigns, while Shopping ads are perfect for selling products directly.
4. create a creative design
The design of your Pinterest ads is crucial for performance. Use high-quality images, clear text overlays and an appealing layout. Be sure to use keywords that appeal to your target audience and make the ad inviting and clear.
5. define budget and schedule
Set your budget and the duration of your campaign. Pinterest offers you flexible budget options, so you can either set a daily budget or a total budget for the campaign.
With this guide, you can set up a well thought-out Pinterest campaign that will make your brand visible and help you achieve your goals.
Target group targeting and ad optimization
Pinterest Ads offer a wide range of options for targeting specific groups and effectively optimizing ads. Targeting on Pinterest differs from other platforms as it is not only based on demographic data, but above all on the interests and behavior of users. This allows companies to reach people who are actively looking for inspiration and products and target them with relevant ads.
One of the most important targeting options is interest-based targeting. Users are categorized based on their interests, such as DIY ideas, fashion, travel or e-commerce, so that brands can align their ads with topics that are relevant to their target group. In addition, demographic targeting makes it possible to narrow down by age, gender, location and language to make the ad even more specific.
A particular strength of Pinterest lies in its behavior-based targeting and keyword targeting. The platform analyzes what users search for or which pins they save, giving companies the opportunity to target ads to people who have already consumed similar products or content. With the help of custom audiences and retargeting, companies can also target users who have already interacted with the brand or visited the website.
Ad optimization is essential for the success of Pinterest Ads. Visually appealing designs with clear messages, high-quality images and text overlays attract users' attention and encourage interactions.
Regular A/B tests help to compare different elements such as designs or call-to-actions and find out what works best with the target group. By continuously monitoring and adjusting the performance of their ad groups and keywords, companies can improve not only the reach but also the results of their campaigns.
Budgeting and cost management
Pinterest Ads offer you flexible budgeting options that allow you to plan and control your advertising spend efficiently. The platform uses an auction system where you decide how much you are willing to pay for clicks, impressions or conversions. To get the most out of your advertising budget, it is important to understand the various cost factors and develop a clear strategy.
Cost structure of Pinterest Ads
Cost-per-click (CPC): You only pay when a user clicks on your ad and is redirected to your website.
Cost-per-mille (CPM): Here you calculate the cost per 1,000 impressions - ideal if you want to increase brand awareness.
Cost-per-action (CPA): With this model, you pay for specific actions, such as saving a pin or making a purchase.
The choice of the right model depends on your campaign goals. CPC is particularly suitable for traffic campaigns, while CPA models can be used primarily for conversions, for example in e-commerce campaigns.
Tips for effective cost management
Start with a test budget: Start with small budgets to test the performance of your campaign before investing larger amounts.
Monitor your expenditure regularly: Analyze the costs per conversion or click to identify and adjust inefficient campaigns at an early stage.
Use bidding strategies: In Ads Manager, you can manage bids either manually or automatically. Automatic bids save time, while manual control gives you more flexibility.
Focus on high-performance ads: Identify the ads with the best results and direct more budget to these ad groups to get the most out of your campaign.
Comparison with other platforms
Platform
Special features
Costs (average CPC)
Pinterest
Cost-efficient for niche markets, less competition
Low
Facebook
High reach, ideal for broad target groups
Medium
Instagram
Strong visual platform, young target group
High
Pinterest ads in the marketing mix: how they support your sales strategy
Pinterest is not only a creative social media platform, but also a powerfulchannel for companies that want to implement their marketing strategies visually and in a targeted manner. Unlike purely text-based platforms, Pinterest campaigns allow companies to directly combine inspiration and incentives to buy. This mix of creative content and measurable results makes Pinterest a valuable addition to the marketing mix.
How to integrate Pinterest Ads into your marketing strategy
Pinterest offers the opportunity to seamlessly combine organic pins and paid advertising. Companies can share content on their pinboards that inspires their target group and highlight it through standard ads or Promoted Pins. This combination of organic and paid content not only strengthens brand awareness, but also increases interaction rates.
The platform is ideal for reaching the target group at an early stage of the customer journey. Users looking for ideas on Pinterest are often still open to new products and brands. Through targeted ads on Pinterest, companies can place their message at a crucial point and thus increase their sales.
Advantages of a Pinterest business account
A Pinterest Business Account offers additional added value for companies. With access to tools such as the Ads Manager, analysis functions and advanced Pin options, companies can manage and optimize their Pinterest campaigns even better. These functions are essential for making data-based decisions and maximizing ROI in the long term.
Pinterest should be integrated as a central component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. By connecting with other social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook and using data-driven retargeting, companies can cover the entire marketing funnel.
Performance measurement and optimization of Pinterest Ads
The success of Pinterest campaigns depends largely on continuous analysis and optimization . With the right tools and a clear strategy, companies can ensure that their ads on Pinterest are not only seen, but also clicked on and converted into conversions. A key benefit of a Pinterest Business account is access to detailed reports that provide valuable insights into campaign performance.
Important KPIs for measuring success
To evaluate the effectiveness of your Pinterest campaigns, you should focus on the following metrics:
Impressions: Show how often your ad was displayed to users on the platform.
Click-through rate (CTR): Indicates how many users clicked on your standard ads or Promoted Pins.
Saves: Users who save your organic pins or sponsored content are signaling an interest in your brand or product.
Conversions: The most important key figure for sales or other defined actions on your website.
Optimization strategies for Pinterest Ads
Target group analysis and orientation
Targeting the right audience is crucial. Regularly analyze the demographics and interests of your target audience to ensure your ads remain relevant. The success of your campaigns depends on how well you understand the needs of users on Pinterest.
Attractive and fresh design
Design your ads creatively and revise them regularly. Vary the design with new image and color concepts, and rely on clear text overlays and compelling call-to-actions to attract users' attention.
Use insights from organic pins
Useorganic pins that achieve a high engagement rate as a template for sponsored content. They show you which topics and designs are particularly popular with your target group and help you to improve the performance of sponsored ads.
Use retargeting
Target users who have already interacted with your brand through retargeting. This includes users who have saved your pins or clicked on an ad. Retargeting campaigns often have a higher conversion probability as these users have already shown interest in your brand.
Tools for measuring success
Pinterest offers you a variety of tools in your business account to analyze the success of your ads. These include the Ads Manager and the platform's analytics functions . You can use these tools to monitor important key figures such as ROI, conversion rate and average CPC . Based on this data, you can optimize your campaigns in a targeted manner and ensure that they deliver the desired results.
Frequently asked questions
What do ads on Pinterest cost?
The costs for Pinterest Ads depend on your budget and the selected billing model. Typical models are cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-mille (CPM) or cost-per-action (CPA). CPC is often between €0.10 and €1.50, which makes Pinterest very cost-efficient compared to other platforms. The actual costs vary depending on the target group, competition and ad format.
How do Pinterest Ads work?
Pinterest Ads work via an auction system. You bid on ad spaces depending on the goal you are pursuing (e.g. clicks, impressions or conversions). The ads appear in users' feeds, on search results pages or as sponsored content between organic pins. With the Pinterest Ads Manager, you can plan campaigns, define target groups and monitor the performance of your ads.
How do I advertise on Pinterest?
To advertise on Pinterest, you need a Pinterest Business account. In the Ads Manager, you create a campaign, define a goal (e.g. awareness, traffic or conversions) and set your budget. You can then upload creative content such as images or videos and optimize them with text overlays and keywords before launching your ad.
How do I get more clicks on Pinterest?
Use appealing and high-quality images with clear text overlays that attract users' attention.
Choose relevant keywords to make your ads more visible on Pinterest.
Combine organic pins with sponsored content to increase your reach.
Test different designs and call-to-actions with A/B tests to find out what works best with your target group.
Use Promoted Pins and Shopping ads to spread targeted messages and guide users directly into the purchasing process.
Why use Pinterest as an advertising platform?
Pinterest is no longer just a platform for DIY ideas and inspiration - it has established itself as a powerful advertising platform that offers enormous potential, especially for e-commerce companies and brands with visual content. Pinterest users are usually actively searching for new products, projects and ideas on the platform, which makes them a valuable target group with a high purchase intention.
The most important advantages of Pinterest as an advertising platform
Targeting: Pinterest offers detailed targeting options so that companies can target their Pinterest ads to users with specific interests, demographics and behaviors.
Visual format: Pinterest thrives on strong images and text overlays that companies can use to communicate their message clearly and attract the attention of users.
Strong purchase intent: Pinterest is used by many users as a "visual search engine", which means that Pinterest users are often already searching for specific ideas and products and are therefore more likely to convert.
Advantage
Description
Addressing target groups
Precise targeting according to user interests and behavior.
Visual format
Image and video-based content with eye-catching designs and text overlays.
High purchase intention
Users actively search for ideas and products - ideal for sales-oriented campaigns.
Pinterest therefore offers brands a unique opportunity to intervene directly in the decision-making process of users. When companies place ads on Pinterest, they meet users in an active inspiration phase, which leads to a higher engagement and conversion rate.
Pinterest Ads basics: everything you need to know
Pinterest Ads offer you a wide range of options for designing creative and customized campaigns. Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest focuses on visual content that specifically inspires and influences users' purchasing decisions. However, before you start a campaign, you should familiarize yourself with the various ad formats and functions in the Pinterest Ads Manager.
Overview of ad formats on Pinterest
Pinterest offers a range of different ad formats that can be used for different campaign objectives:
Standard ads: This classic form of ad appears directly in users' feeds and looks like a normal pin, but is sponsored.
Shopping ads: Particularly interesting for e-commerce companies. Here, specific products can be advertised that can be added directly to the shopping cart with one click.
Promoted Pins: These ads appear as sponsored pins and are a good way to increase brand awareness.
Promoted video: A moving format that generates attention particularly well and is suitable for visually strong brands.
Display format
Purpose
Standard displays
For general reach and brand perception.
Shopping ads
Ideal for direct product marketing and conversion.
Promoted Pins
For greater visibility and awareness.
Promoted Video
Moving content for more engagement and greater attention.
The Pinterest Ads Manager
The Pinterest Ads Manager is the central tool for planning, controlling and analyzing the performance of campaigns. The entire advertising process can be controlled here with an intuitive user interface:
Select campaign goals: From expanding brand awareness to increasing conversions, goals can be specifically defined.
Define budget and schedule: The budget distribution and time span of your campaign can be flexibly adjusted.
Select target groups: With detailed targeting based on interests, demographic data and user behavior, you can reach your desired customers in a targeted manner.
Creative design: Upload your pins, images or videos and create a design that impresses the user.
With these tools, Pinterest offers companies an excellent opportunity to address their target groups visually and interactively and achieve the desired results.
Step-by-step guide to creating Pinterest Ads
To advertise successfully on Pinterest, you need a strategic approach. The following step-by-step guide will show you how to create a Pinterest campaign from scratch and make the most of all relevant options.
1. setting up a business account
Start by creating a Pinterest Business account if you don't already have one. A business account offers you additional functions such as detailed analysis tools and access to the Pinterest Ads Manager. You can customize your business profile to match your brand identity and create professional pinboards and pins.
2. select objective and campaign type
First, define the goal of your campaign. Pinterest offers you three main goals:
Increase awareness: For more visibility and reach.
Generate traffic: Direct visitors to your website.
Conversion: Optimized for sales or leads.
The choice of your campaign objective determines which ad formats and targeting options you can use.
3. selection of the appropriate ad format
Each objective can be combined with a suitable ad format to convey your message effectively. Standard ads are ideal for awareness campaigns, while Shopping ads are perfect for selling products directly.
4. create a creative design
The design of your Pinterest ads is crucial for performance. Use high-quality images, clear text overlays and an appealing layout. Be sure to use keywords that appeal to your target audience and make the ad inviting and clear.
5. define budget and schedule
Set your budget and the duration of your campaign. Pinterest offers you flexible budget options, so you can either set a daily budget or a total budget for the campaign.
With this guide, you can set up a well thought-out Pinterest campaign that will make your brand visible and help you achieve your goals.
Target group targeting and ad optimization
Pinterest Ads offer a wide range of options for targeting specific groups and effectively optimizing ads. Targeting on Pinterest differs from other platforms as it is not only based on demographic data, but above all on the interests and behavior of users. This allows companies to reach people who are actively looking for inspiration and products and target them with relevant ads.
One of the most important targeting options is interest-based targeting. Users are categorized based on their interests, such as DIY ideas, fashion, travel or e-commerce, so that brands can align their ads with topics that are relevant to their target group. In addition, demographic targeting makes it possible to narrow down by age, gender, location and language to make the ad even more specific.
A particular strength of Pinterest lies in its behavior-based targeting and keyword targeting. The platform analyzes what users search for or which pins they save, giving companies the opportunity to target ads to people who have already consumed similar products or content. With the help of custom audiences and retargeting, companies can also target users who have already interacted with the brand or visited the website.
Ad optimization is essential for the success of Pinterest Ads. Visually appealing designs with clear messages, high-quality images and text overlays attract users' attention and encourage interactions.
Regular A/B tests help to compare different elements such as designs or call-to-actions and find out what works best with the target group. By continuously monitoring and adjusting the performance of their ad groups and keywords, companies can improve not only the reach but also the results of their campaigns.
Budgeting and cost management
Pinterest Ads offer you flexible budgeting options that allow you to plan and control your advertising spend efficiently. The platform uses an auction system where you decide how much you are willing to pay for clicks, impressions or conversions. To get the most out of your advertising budget, it is important to understand the various cost factors and develop a clear strategy.
Cost structure of Pinterest Ads
Cost-per-click (CPC): You only pay when a user clicks on your ad and is redirected to your website.
Cost-per-mille (CPM): Here you calculate the cost per 1,000 impressions - ideal if you want to increase brand awareness.
Cost-per-action (CPA): With this model, you pay for specific actions, such as saving a pin or making a purchase.
The choice of the right model depends on your campaign goals. CPC is particularly suitable for traffic campaigns, while CPA models can be used primarily for conversions, for example in e-commerce campaigns.
Tips for effective cost management
Start with a test budget: Start with small budgets to test the performance of your campaign before investing larger amounts.
Monitor your expenditure regularly: Analyze the costs per conversion or click to identify and adjust inefficient campaigns at an early stage.
Use bidding strategies: In Ads Manager, you can manage bids either manually or automatically. Automatic bids save time, while manual control gives you more flexibility.
Focus on high-performance ads: Identify the ads with the best results and direct more budget to these ad groups to get the most out of your campaign.
Comparison with other platforms
Platform
Special features
Costs (average CPC)
Pinterest
Cost-efficient for niche markets, less competition
Low
Facebook
High reach, ideal for broad target groups
Medium
Instagram
Strong visual platform, young target group
High
Pinterest ads in the marketing mix: how they support your sales strategy
Pinterest is not only a creative social media platform, but also a powerfulchannel for companies that want to implement their marketing strategies visually and in a targeted manner. Unlike purely text-based platforms, Pinterest campaigns allow companies to directly combine inspiration and incentives to buy. This mix of creative content and measurable results makes Pinterest a valuable addition to the marketing mix.
How to integrate Pinterest Ads into your marketing strategy
Pinterest offers the opportunity to seamlessly combine organic pins and paid advertising. Companies can share content on their pinboards that inspires their target group and highlight it through standard ads or Promoted Pins. This combination of organic and paid content not only strengthens brand awareness, but also increases interaction rates.
The platform is ideal for reaching the target group at an early stage of the customer journey. Users looking for ideas on Pinterest are often still open to new products and brands. Through targeted ads on Pinterest, companies can place their message at a crucial point and thus increase their sales.
Advantages of a Pinterest business account
A Pinterest Business Account offers additional added value for companies. With access to tools such as the Ads Manager, analysis functions and advanced Pin options, companies can manage and optimize their Pinterest campaigns even better. These functions are essential for making data-based decisions and maximizing ROI in the long term.
Pinterest should be integrated as a central component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. By connecting with other social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook and using data-driven retargeting, companies can cover the entire marketing funnel.
Performance measurement and optimization of Pinterest Ads
The success of Pinterest campaigns depends largely on continuous analysis and optimization . With the right tools and a clear strategy, companies can ensure that their ads on Pinterest are not only seen, but also clicked on and converted into conversions. A key benefit of a Pinterest Business account is access to detailed reports that provide valuable insights into campaign performance.
Important KPIs for measuring success
To evaluate the effectiveness of your Pinterest campaigns, you should focus on the following metrics:
Impressions: Show how often your ad was displayed to users on the platform.
Click-through rate (CTR): Indicates how many users clicked on your standard ads or Promoted Pins.
Saves: Users who save your organic pins or sponsored content are signaling an interest in your brand or product.
Conversions: The most important key figure for sales or other defined actions on your website.
Optimization strategies for Pinterest Ads
Target group analysis and orientation
Targeting the right audience is crucial. Regularly analyze the demographics and interests of your target audience to ensure your ads remain relevant. The success of your campaigns depends on how well you understand the needs of users on Pinterest.
Attractive and fresh design
Design your ads creatively and revise them regularly. Vary the design with new image and color concepts, and rely on clear text overlays and compelling call-to-actions to attract users' attention.
Use insights from organic pins
Useorganic pins that achieve a high engagement rate as a template for sponsored content. They show you which topics and designs are particularly popular with your target group and help you to improve the performance of sponsored ads.
Use retargeting
Target users who have already interacted with your brand through retargeting. This includes users who have saved your pins or clicked on an ad. Retargeting campaigns often have a higher conversion probability as these users have already shown interest in your brand.
Tools for measuring success
Pinterest offers you a variety of tools in your business account to analyze the success of your ads. These include the Ads Manager and the platform's analytics functions . You can use these tools to monitor important key figures such as ROI, conversion rate and average CPC . Based on this data, you can optimize your campaigns in a targeted manner and ensure that they deliver the desired results.
Frequently asked questions
What do ads on Pinterest cost?
The costs for Pinterest Ads depend on your budget and the selected billing model. Typical models are cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-mille (CPM) or cost-per-action (CPA). CPC is often between €0.10 and €1.50, which makes Pinterest very cost-efficient compared to other platforms. The actual costs vary depending on the target group, competition and ad format.
How do Pinterest Ads work?
Pinterest Ads work via an auction system. You bid on ad spaces depending on the goal you are pursuing (e.g. clicks, impressions or conversions). The ads appear in users' feeds, on search results pages or as sponsored content between organic pins. With the Pinterest Ads Manager, you can plan campaigns, define target groups and monitor the performance of your ads.
How do I advertise on Pinterest?
To advertise on Pinterest, you need a Pinterest Business account. In the Ads Manager, you create a campaign, define a goal (e.g. awareness, traffic or conversions) and set your budget. You can then upload creative content such as images or videos and optimize them with text overlays and keywords before launching your ad.
How do I get more clicks on Pinterest?
Use appealing and high-quality images with clear text overlays that attract users' attention.
Choose relevant keywords to make your ads more visible on Pinterest.
Combine organic pins with sponsored content to increase your reach.
Test different designs and call-to-actions with A/B tests to find out what works best with your target group.
Use Promoted Pins and Shopping ads to spread targeted messages and guide users directly into the purchasing process.
About the author
Jonas Patrikalos
As a shrewd media buyer, Jonas specializes in making campaigns on Meta effective for clients.
Rock your online store content!
Better rankings & more sales through perfect content for your target group
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