Dive Brief:
- Pinterest has curated hundreds of holiday gift guides spanning 17 categories for its “Holiday Edit,” using input from celebrities, experts and its internal data. Categories include fashion, home, technology and beauty, among others.
- Pinterest analyzed its unique search data, save data, shopping and click data to create its suggestions, according to a Nov. 3 company press release.
- The company also enlisted Pamela Anderson, Dwyane Wade, Katseye, the Jonas Brothers and other stars to curate shoppable holiday Pinterest boards, per the announcement.
Dive Insight:
With its data-driven gift guides, Pinterest is leaning further into its personalization strategy.
For example, the company saw an increase in searches for queries like “budget-friendly gifts for boyfriend” (up 2,600%), “traveler’s journals” (up 610%) and “gift hamper for teacher” (up 830%). Pinterest then used the search terms to curate gift guides like “the indecisive boyfriend,” “the frequent flyer,” and “teacher gifts that aren’t mugs,” according to the announcement.
In addition to harnessing its internal search data, Pinterest is also rolling out exclusive promotions and a mobile app gifting quiz to help users find the right gifts.
In another personalization push, Pinterest rolled out AI personalization features to help users shop and find new products on its platform in October. The social media app is piloting “styled for you” and “boards made for you” features for U.S. and Canadian users. The app also introduced its “make it yours,” “more ideas,” and “all saves” tabs, where users can find product recommendations and view their previously saved pins.
Beyond curating tools for shoppers, Pinterest is also deploying AI to help advertisers connect with potential customers. Its Ad Labs division began testing AI-powered auto collages that help brands create shoppable content from their product catalogs.
Pinterest has been introducing other features to court advertisers on its platform in recent months. In September, the company unveiled its “where-to-buy” links, which allow shoppers to connect with multiple retailers with products in stock. That same month, the platform introduced two new ad formats and a new tool for its ads manager hub.
The platform has become a go-to place for Gen Z shoppers. This year, the company found that Gen Zers accounted for about half of its user base. Its internal research also found that nearly four in ten Gen Z consumers prefer to begin their shopping searches on the platform.