Are Pinterest Ads Worth It?

As a business owner, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is how to allocate your marketing budget. With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which channel will yield the best return on investment (ROI). 

In this article, we’ll be discussing the effectiveness of Pinterest ads and whether they’re worth the investment.

Pinterest ads can drive traffic and are cost-effective, but their effectiveness depends on your specific goals and target audience. Consider the limited ad formats and smaller user base before deciding if they are worth it for your business.

What are Pinterest Ads?

Pinterest ads are a form of paid advertising that allows businesses to promote their content to Pinterest users. 

They appear in the form of Promoted Pins, which blend seamlessly into the platform’s organic content. 

Promoted Pins can be targeted to specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, and are an excellent way to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your website.

If you’re just starting with Pinterest ads and looking for guidance, be sure to read our article, “How to Use Pinterest Ads: A Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide.”

Benefits of Pinterest Ads

Pinterest ads can offer several benefits to businesses, such as the ability to reach a highly engaged audience and drive traffic to their website. 

With targeted advertising options and cost-effective pricing, businesses can reach their desired audience with ease.

Additionally, businesses can promote their products and services through visually appealing content, making it an effective platform for branding and product awareness. 

Overall, ads can be a valuable addition to a business’s marketing strategy.

Advantages of Using Pinterest Ads

1. High Engagement Rates: Pinterest is known for its highly engaged user base. According to a study by Hootsuite, 89% of Pinterest users are on the platform for inspiration and ideas, making it an excellent platform for businesses to showcase their products or services.
2. Cost-Effective: Compared to other social media platforms, Pinterest ads are relatively inexpensive. You can run ads for as little as $1 per day, making it an affordable option for businesses of all sizes.
3. Targeted Advertising: Pinterest’s targeting options allow you to reach the right audience with your ads. You can target users based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics, ensuring that your content is seen by the right people.
4. Increased Brand Awareness: Pinterest ads are a great way to increase brand awareness. Promoted Pins are placed alongside organic content, ensuring that your brand is seen by users who may not have discovered it otherwise.
5. Drive Traffic to Your Website: Pinterest ads are an excellent way to drive traffic to your website. By including a call-to-action (CTA) in your Promoted Pin, you can encourage users to visit your site and learn more about your products or services.

Disadvantages of Using Pinterest Ads

1. Limited Reach: Although Pinterest has a highly engaged user base, it has a smaller user base compared to other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This means that your ad may not reach as many people as you’d like.
2. Visual Content: Pinterest is a visual platform, which means that businesses with visually appealing products or services may have an advantage. If your business doesn’t have strong visual content, your ads may not perform as well.
3. Limited Ad Formats: Pinterest currently only offers a limited number of ad formats, which may not be suitable for all businesses. If your business requires more advanced ad formats, Pinterest may not be the best platform for you.

That’s why understanding the do’s and don’ts of Pinterest ads is so important. If you’re clear on what works and what doesn’t, you can avoid costly mistakes and maximize your ad performance. Take a look at the table below for a quick guide to mastering your campaigns.

How to Nail Pinterest Ad Campaigns: The Do’s and Don’ts

When it comes to running successful Pinterest ads, it’s all about balancing creativity with strategy. Whether you’re new to the platform or looking to improve your current campaigns, having a clear list of what to do (and what to avoid) can make all the difference.

Below is a quick reference table that highlights the essential do’s and don’ts of Pinterest advertising. Bookmark it for easy access while planning your campaigns!

Do’s 👍	Don’ts 👎
Use high-quality, vertical images (2:3 ratio)	Use blurry, low-quality, or horizontal images
Write clear, actionable, and keyword-rich descriptions	Overload descriptions with irrelevant keywords
Experiment with various ad formats (video, carousel, shopping pins)	Stick to just one format without testing
Target specific audiences based on interests and behaviors	Use overly broad or untargeted ads
Use A/B testing to refine ad performance	Assume your first ad will be perfect
Include a strong call-to-action (CTA)	Leave users unsure of what to do next
Monitor campaign metrics and adjust strategies	Set ads and forget to track performance
Leverage seasonal trends and holidays	Ignore trends or post irrelevant content
Use Pinterest’s analytics tools to understand audience engagement	Rely solely on external analytics platforms
Optimize landing pages for mobile users	Direct users to slow, unoptimized websites
Refresh ad creatives periodically to avoid ad fatigue	Reuse the same creatives for too long
Pin consistently, even outside of ads	Only post when running a paid campaign
Showcase how-to’s, lifestyle integration, or product benefits	Focus solely on sales pitches
Align pins with your brand aesthetics	Use mismatched or inconsistent branding
Schedule ads during peak Pinterest activity (e.g., evenings, weekends)	Ignore user activity patterns in scheduling

Are CTAs in Pinterest Ad Images Allowed?

When it comes to adding call-to-actions (CTAs) to your Pinterest ads, it’s important to know Pinterest’s rules. The short answer is that direct and aggressive CTAs in your images are not allowed. Pinterest prefers to keep the platform feeling organic and discovery-driven, so overly promotional text in your images can hurt the user experience.

What’s Not Allowed?

Pinterest disallows things like:

• Commands like “Click here now!” or “Buy this!”
• Buttons or graphics that mimic Pinterest features (like “Save” or “Buy” buttons).
• Overwhelming text overlays that dominate the image.

These types of elements can make your pin feel overly salesy, and they likely won’t get approved as ads.

What Is Allowed?

Instead of direct CTAs, you can:

• Use subtle, friendly language like “Get inspired” or “Style your space.”
• Add clear CTAs in your pin’s title or description, like “Shop the collection” or “Learn more here.”
• Use text overlays that are helpful and non-pushy, like “Perfect for your next event.”

Pinterest encourages a clean, visually appealing experience. If you keep your text light and in line with the platform’s aesthetic, you’ll be in good shape.

Why Does Pinterest Care?

Pinterest is all about discovery and inspiration. Aggressive sales tactics don’t fit the vibe. By focusing on helpful, creative messaging, your ads will perform better and resonate with Pinterest users.

So, while direct CTAs in your ad images aren’t allowed, there are plenty of ways to encourage action without breaking the rules. Keep it simple, clean, and engaging, and you’ll see better results.

Are Hashtags Worth It on Pinterest?

Not really. While hashtags are allowed, Pinterest isn’t a fan of them in ads because they can look spammy. With the platform’s strong keyword search, you don’t need hashtags to improve your reach.

That said, if you want to include your brand’s hashtag or promote a campaign-specific one, it’s okay to add one or two. Just keep it minimal and make sure it’s relevant. Focus on keywords instead – they’re far more effective for boosting visibility.

Case Studies of Successful Pinterest Ads

1. The Home Depot: The Home Depot used Pinterest ads to target users searching for DIY and home improvement ideas. They used visually appealing pins with clear calls to action that linked to helpful tutorials and guides on their website. This strategy resulted in a 44% increase in their Pinterest followers and a 75% increase in repins.

2. Uniqlo: Uniqlo, a global fashion retailer, used promoted pins to target users searching for “casual wear” and “loungewear” on Pinterest. They used high-quality images with clear descriptions to showcase their products and drive traffic to their website. This resulted in a 50% increase in click-through rates and a 30% decrease in cost-per-click.

3. HelloFresh: HelloFresh, a meal delivery service, used promoted video pins to target users searching for recipe ideas on Pinterest. They created short, visually appealing videos that showcased their meals and encouraged users to sign up for their service. This strategy resulted in a 20% increase in brand awareness and a 10% increase in overall orders.

These are just a few examples of successful Pinterest ad campaigns. 

By targeting the right audience, using visually appealing graphics and clear calls to action, and continually testing and optimizing their ads, businesses can achieve success with Pinterest ads.

More Tips for Creating Effective Pinterest Ads

Building on the Do’s and Don’ts of Pinterest ads, here are additional tips to help you create ads that stand out and deliver results:

1. Use visually appealing graphics: Pinterest is a highly visual platform, so it’s important to use high-quality images and graphics to catch the user’s attention.
2. Target the right audience: Pinterest allows for highly targeted advertising, so take advantage of this feature to ensure your ads are reaching the right audience.
3. Choose the right ad format: Pinterest offers several ad formats, including standard pins, video pins, and carousel ads. Choose the format that works best for your specific goals.
4. Add engaging text and descriptions: Make sure your ad includes clear and compelling text and descriptions that encourage users to click through to your website.
5. Test and optimize: Continually test and optimize your ads to improve their effectiveness over time. Use Pinterest’s analytics tools to track your ad’s performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

By following these tips, businesses can create effective Pinterest ads that drive traffic, increase brand awareness, and ultimately lead to more sales.

Looking to get deeper into the different ad options on Pinterest? Check out our guide: Promoted Pins vs. Pinterest Ads: Which One is Right for Your Business? to help you choose the best strategy for your goals.

Final Thoughts

So, are Pinterest ads worth it? The answer is: that it depends. Pinterest ads can be an effective way to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, and generate leads. 

However, they may not be suitable for all businesses, and their effectiveness will depend on your specific goals and target audience. 

Overall, we believe that Pinterest ads are a worthwhile investment for businesses with visually appealing products or services that are looking to increase their brand’s reach and drive traffic to their website.

Ready to achieve your Pinterest marketing goals quickly and efficiently? We can help you save time and maximize your results. Contact us today to learn how we can elevate your brand on Pinterest.

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