By Martin Svensson, Director, Retail Sales at Pinterest Canada
While summer sales sizzle, savvy marketers are already setting their sights on the holidays. That’s because consumers — especially Pinterest users — are already thinking about decking the halls.
Many people see Pinterest as the central hub to all their holiday plans. Pinterest users come to the platform months before special events and moments to find inspiration, save ideas, and start shopping. With enhanced ad products, performance capabilities, and seamless shopping, brands can connect with this audience who are looking to shop and open to new ideas to drive significant holiday sales. Because Pinterest isn’t just a platform for inspiration; it’s where holiday shopping begins.
Performance on Pinterest
Pinterest’s ROI for marketers stems from its user bases’ unique mindset and their shopping behaviours. Pinterest users aren’t just avid planners. They also spend significantly more during the holidays — over 40% more than users on other social platforms1. This presents a golden opportunity to connect with high-intent shoppers with disposable income who are looking for products to purchase.
Since launching new performance ad tools, Pinterest saw a 50% year-over-year increase in clicks on and saves of buyable items2 which indicating more than ever that users aren’t just browsing. They’re actively making purchase decisions, making Pinterest a prime target for effective holiday marketing.
Success stories — from inspiration to checkout
From in-store to ecommerce, last holiday season many brands witnessed Pinterest’s effectiveness in turning inspiration into action. Since Pinterest users are planners, advertisers are finding the most success with extended campaigns that start early and run through the holiday season. For example, Toys“R”Us Canada kicked off their Pinterest holiday campaign early in 2023, to get a head start on reaching holiday shoppers on Pinterest. The result? An increase in online sales and a 2x increase in in-store visits—suggesting Pinterest’s ability to turn digital ads into foot traffic3.
Another holiday success story is Urban Outfitters, which took the opportunity in 2023 to curate a holiday shopping experience on Pinterest. Showcasing their “stocking stuffers” led to a curated part of the brand’s online gift shop. And targeted fashion ads transformed the platform into a virtual department store window, enticing users to explore a holiday fashion collection that Urban Outfitters had put together. The results were strong: They saw a 2.4x increase in outbound clicks and a 57% decrease in cost per click4.
What works best on Pinterest
Pinterest’s magic lies in its ability to connect inspiration and action, creating a seamless path to purchase. By “nudging” users down the funnel with relevant ads that feel like helpful suggestions, Pinterest transforms the start of an idea into a tangible buying decision.
Pinterest has an ability to personalize each user’s experience, ensuring that users are consistently presented with items that align with their interests. This tailored experience guides shoppers from initial discovery (“Ooh, I love that look!”) to adding items to their cart with ease, making it a powerful tool for driving holiday sales.
Pinterest means performance
But it’s not just about inspiration. Pinterest is a powerhouse for performance marketing, and the numbers prove it. A recent study revealed that weekly Pinterest users rank it as the #1 most helpful platform for planning their 2024 winter holidays, with over 93% claiming it’s nearly twice as helpful as other sites and apps for holiday decision-making. This is not by accident. Pinterest has heavily invested in expanding its performance toolkit, empowering businesses to drive conversions and measure results with precision. Key features like the Pinterest Conversions API, direct links, Mobile deep links, and enhanced campaign tracking have yielded impressive results for advertisers, like a 28% increase in conversions and up to a 96% increase in traffic for its advertisers5.
If you’re looking to elevate your holiday marketing strategy, Pinterest could be the answer. The platform’s proven ability to drive sales, reach new customers, and outperform the competition is backed by data. To get started, explore the Pinterest Holiday Hub – your one-stop shop for resources, insights, and best practices to maximize your holiday campaigns.
For more information: Explore the Pinterest Holiday Hub
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Martin Svensson is a director of sales at Pinterest Canada leading the retail vertical. Prior to Pinterest, Martin spent 10 years at Google working on a mix of media sales teams. Before Google, Martin led an ecommerce startup, where he learned first-hand the challenges retail leaders face. Originally from Malmo, Sweden, Martin now calls Toronto home.
(1) Talkshoppe, US, 2024 Winter Holidays, January 2024, study commissioned by Pinterest, Winter holiday household decision makers with holiday purchases, Weekly Pinterest users (compared to weekly users of other social platforms).
(2) Pinterest Internal Data as of June 2023 | Note: Comparing Q2’23 vs. Q2’22.
(3) Foursquare x Pinterest, Toys“R”Us, Q4 Holiday Foot Traffic Lift Study Results (Dec 2023), Canada
(4) Pinterest internal data, US, 2023.
(5) Pinterest internal analysis, Global, Sep 2022, advertisers adopting the API for Conversions compared to using only the Pinterest tag.
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