Pinterest is massively pushing Idea Pins (formerly known as Story Pins). Among Pinners and Creators, reactions to the new format are mixed. Some love the ability to combine videos, images, and text into a story or idea. Others hate the fact that Idea Pins don’t include links.
What are Idea Pins?
Multi-page pins that can contain video, images, and text. Pinterest recently added features like video editing, people tagging, music, and stickers.
Here is how Pinterest defines Idea Pins:
Idea Pins are an evolution of Story Pins, with a fresh name to better match the uniqueness of a product that empowers creators to share long-lasting ideas and not ephemeral stories. Starting today, creators will have a suite of new publishing tools including, video-first features, fresh editing tools and updates to make creating Idea Pins easier and more creative. Source: Pinterest Newsroom
Idea Pins keep users on Pinterest. The goal of an Idea Pin is (according to Pinterest) to give the viewer all relevant information directly on the platform. Good for Pinterest (longer usage times offer the possibility to play out more advertising) but bad for some creators who relied on Pinterest bringing massive traffic to the blog, store, or website.
If you ask Pinterest, you get the answer that Idea Pins are the easiest way to reach new users and build an audience. This, too, is a new development in the ever-changing Pinterest universe. Previously, Pinterest experts agreed that the number of followers on Pinterest was not particularly important. Well, that seems to be changing right now. And now some of us have to be brave. I have a strong impression that Pinterest wants to become more social.
Will Pinterest become a Social Network?
No, Pinterest hasn’t been a social network (but a visual search engine and an extensive catalog of millions of ideas).
So what should creators do with the growing audience? Exactly, build a community and connect with it, using comments, reactions, and all the mechanisms that were previously only known from Instagram or Facebook.
Pinterest will soon have to answer the all-important question of how this will benefit the individual creator. As much fun as the new format is (at least it is for me), no one will create Idea Pins permanently just for the fun of it.
Influencers? On Pinterest?
There are also already the first indications of where the journey could go. Influencers are an essential component of other platforms. Hello Instagram, how are you doing?
Pinterest launched a Creator Fund earlier this year focused on the growth and success of underrepresented creators: people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Fund launched with the goal of fostering Creators through financial and educational support. All US-based creators can now apply for the next wave of the Creator Fund beginning August 2021.
Cash for Creators
Pinterest seems to be serious. Besides education, there is also some cash and ad credits for the creators who are selected for the Fund.
Influencers will need an opportunity to cooperate with brands. Yes, we are, of course, talking about paid collaborations here. I could already discover some examples.
The repeated call to creators to show their faces also fits in with this. Stand in front of the video camera, speak directly to your audience. Hey, TikTok, nice to meet you!
Whew. That’s a lot to take in at once. Pinterest used to be the platform for introverts, after all.
Will you get less Pinterest Traffic due to Idea Pins?
So is the sky about to fall on our heads? No more traffic from Pinterest?
No, I don’t think so. I believe Pinterest will continue to be a significant traffic source for many creators.
But many of us will have to rethink. Develop new strategies.
What are the benefits of Idea Pins?
More Reach. Pinterest is currently doing everything it can to motivate Creators to create more Idea Pins. The new pin format can achieve a staggeringly high number of impressions, saves, and reactions. But, as mentioned earlier, no clicks to your website.
Sustainable. Idea Pins don’t disappear after 24 hours (like Instagram Stories) but remain permanently available on the platform. One of my Idea Pins, which I published in March this year, still brings me between 2000 and 8000 impressions daily in June. It still generates an average of 15 repins per day after three months of running.
Fun. I enjoy creating Idea Pins and testing different things. I can fully express my creativity, and that’s a good thing.
Interaction. Yes, indeed. This is new and unusual for the Pinterest platform. Users comment, upload pictures of the results (especially with DIY content), and thank me for replies. One of my Acrylic Pouring Idea Pins inspired some pinners to try this fascinating painting technique for themselves. They asked questions, took photos of their paintings, and uploaded them as comments on the Idea Pin. Other Pinners then commented and praised the results.
More Followers. Creating Idea Pins will increase the number of followers. Pinterest shows the number of new follows in the Metrics Details of an Idea Pin. I got up to 200 new followers with recent ones.
More Visibility. Idea Pins now show up in search results – with high prioritization. Also, Creators who create Story Pins are massively featured in the Pinterest app. Creators who have recently made an Idea Pin are highlighted at the top of the screen. This feature, of course, also enhances the reach. Idea Pins are fantastic to create and enhance Brand Awareness.
What are the downsides of Idea Pins?
No Links. The most significant disadvantage of this new format. Idea Pins do not bring traffic.
Time-consuming. With a bit of practice, it is possible to create a multi-page Idea Pin in a matter of minutes, but more elaborate pins require significantly more time. Producing, cutting, and editing video content can be very time-consuming. And video works best these days – within an Idea Pin or as a Video Pin.
In the medium term, the decreasing reach will probably also become a cause for frustration. If almost every creator regularly produces Idea Pins, the reach for individual pins will decrease.
Idea Pins: The verdict
Should you create them?
Definitely yes! Give the new format a chance, try different things. If you’re not shy about being in front of the camera, go ahead and address your audience directly. Show your personality.
In my most successful Idea Pin (so far), you only see my hands (busy creating Acrylic Pour Paintings with canvases, cups, and paint), and that’s where it will stay for now, but who knows….
Have you already created Idea Pins yourself? What are your experiences? If not, will you give it a try? Let me know in the comments!