AN INDUSTRY GUIDE TO Pinterest Advertising
Education and Skills For The Professional Advertiser
MODULE 9
Module 9
Pinterest Advertising Contents
Learning Objectives...... 1 Sharing. Pinterest Ad Formats...... 2-4 Discovery. Promoted Pins The world of Pinterest. One-tap Promoted Pins Promoted App Pins Promoted Video Pins Over 175 million people come to Pinterest every month ready Cinematic Pins to act on the ideas they find. Pinterest is a place where sharing Where People See Pinterest Ads...... 5 a brand’s helpful, actionable ideas can lead to big, measurable results. Pinterest Campaign Management...... 6-7 Targeting with Pinterest users...... 8-11 Pinterest is visual. It is pictures. Science has proven that the Buying Pinterest Advertising...... 12 brain processes images in a completely different way than text. Creating Pinterest Ads...... 13 The information is processed quicker and at a deeper level. It is Metrics & Reporting...... 14-15 much easier to develop an emotional connection to images than Case Study...... 16-18 it is with text. Hence, the value of Pinterest as a medium, and as a marketing communications tool.
The paid messaging facets of Pinterest will be exposed in this learning module. It is important to grasp that all opportunities are housed in Pinterest’s singular “image” focus as an advertis- ing medium.
This learning module provides an overview Pinterest as:
• A strategic advertising medium for business • A “show...don’t say” targeting tool • An impressionable platform that helps people plan TUTORIAL
Learning Objectives
1. Explain all Pinterest advertising forms: Promoted Pins, One-Tap Promoted Pins, Promoted App Pins, Promoted Video Pins and Cinematic Pins(introduced August 2017).
2. Show where Pinterest ads appear: home feed, search and related pins.
3. Demonstrate Pinterest’s abilities to target audiences
4. Explain Pinterest advertising pricing models
5. Detail the steps in Promoted Pin advertising on Pinterest along with mechanical specifications.
6. Present Pinterest campaign performance metrics for campaign optimization.
Pinterest advertising Pinterest advertising is inspiration on the path to purchase. Yes, it's different. It is discovery, play and planning for life's moments of Go to page inspiration. Right now Pinterest advertising products include:
• Promoted Pins https://ads.pinterest.com • One-tap Promoted Pins • Promoted App Pins • Promoted Video Pins • Cinematic Pins
Pinterest Advertising 1 Pinterest Advertising Pinterest Advertising Formats
How people see ads on Pinterest
Advertisements on Pinterest are unique to the social medium's visual platform. Pinterest is a visual array of vertical images. Ads blend tastefully into the fabric of each pin board page.
Promoted Pins
The core ad format of Pinterest are Promoted Pins. They are just like regular Pins, only advertisers pay to have them seen by more people. They are ads that perform just as well, if not better, than organic Pins, helping people discover and save ideas.
Promoted Pins don’t interrupt or distract Pinners. They help peo- ple find the products and services that are right for them.
Any business with access to the Pinterest Ads Manager can take advantage of Promoted Pins. Whether the goal is to branding, drive in-store sales, online actions or boost traffic, it’s simple to start.
Note: A prerequisite for all Pinterest advertising is that a company or organization must have a Pinterest business account known as Pinterest Ads Manager.
Full details: https://about.pinterest.com/en/advertising-standards
Module 9 2 Pinterest Advertising Pinterest Advertising Formats
3 One-tap Promoted Pins
Pinterest recently rolled out One-tap Promoted Pins. They are the same as Promoted Pins. These ads act a little differently. When people tap on a One- tap Promoted Pin, they go directly to a chosen landing page.
Pinterest ads for this updated format must satisfy additional requirements in order to ensure a great user experience.
Landing pages for one-tap ads:
• Must load quickly • Must be mobile optimized • Must readily display the product, service, or information featured in the ad above the fold • Can’t include irrelevant pop-ups along with a webcast invitation call to action link
Promoted App Pins 4
Promoted App Pins make it easier for user to find out about the applications and app-makers just by click- ing on the Pin. These Pins link directly to the store for instant app download.
Interactive Pin Demo
Module 9 3 Pinterest Advertising Pinterest Advertising Formats
File type: MP4 or MOV Max size: 2GB, or less; 30 min, or less Aspect ratio: Square (1:1); Vertical (9:16) Resolution: Min 240p Frame rate: Minimum 25fps
Video Pin Demo
Promoted Video Pins Cinematic Pins
Pinterest Promoted Video is a pin with up to 30 These made-for-mobile animation Pins have the allure of motion as Pinners scroll minutes of program. A notable difference from past. Cinematic Pins are created using a sequence of images. Advertisers get the other social media video are the presence of benefits of eye-catching action in an easier-to-execute format that’s sure to grab featured Pins below the video. This is an ad- audience attention as a branding strategy. vantage for advertisers who use video to demo Cinematic Pin Demo their products and feature Pins below that showcase the products used.
Module 9 4 Pinterest Advertising Pinterest Advertising
Where People See Pinterest Ads Home Feed
Home Feed is the first thing a person sees when they come to Pinterest. Promoted Pins on the Home Feed are just like regular Pins—the only difference is that an advertiser pays to have more people see it. These Pins will always be labeled “Promoted” so they’re easy to spot.
Search
With Search Ads on Pinterest, advertisers can pro- mote visually engaging ads as consumers search for relevant products. Search marketers on Pinterest can engage earlier in the buying journey, when their cus- tomers are most open to new ideas.
Related Pins
When a Pinterest user clicks on topic button, a related pin may occur for a feature advertised product. These are related Pin advertisements.
Module 9 5 Pinterest Advertising Pinterest Campaigns
STEP 1 Campaign Setup and Management
A Pinterest business account is required to advertise. Go to http:www.pinterest.com. Opening a business account will unlock special features like Pinterest Analytics, and of course, Promoted Pins for advertising.
Next step is to establish a business profile. That will unlock the Pinterest Ads dashboard. Go to http://www. ads.pinterest.com or select the Ads menu option at the top.
Campaign Set up
Pinterest, like its social media cohorts, Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, is very deliberate about helping advertisers succeed. As a result, advertisers are lead through a direct sequence of steps beginning with “objectives.”
The first step is the Create‘ Ad’ button. Pinterest presents five (5) campaign objectives:
1. Build Brand Awareness Recommendation: It may be best to let students set up their own Pinter- 2. Boost Engagement est business accounts at this point of instruction. The ability to personally 3. Drive Website Traffic walk through the account set up, campaign goal, targeting and budget 4. Increase App Installs process will enhance their comprehension. 5. Build Brand Awareness through Video
Module 9 6 Pinterest Advertising Pinterest Campaigns
STEP 2
Upon selection, Pinterest leads advertisers through the entire sequence of naming, start and end dates of campaign, budget and audience selection or “targeting.”
Module 9 7 Pinterest Advertising Targeting with Pinterest Users
STEP 3 Targeting Audiences
Pinterest ad targeting is directed to the visual audience with up to three(3) coinciding strategies:
1. Pinterest Data (interests, behaviors, location, device, language, gender)
2. Actalikes (people who act like an advertiser’s desired target based on their Pinterest behavior)
3. Advertiser Data (past purchasers, loyalty members, website visitors and advertiser in-house data)
Advertisers begin with selection of any of the three choic- es. In-house data or existing board Pinners of a business or brand’s Pin board may be utilized. Many advertisers expand the target through interest, behavior, location, language and gender layering that Pinterest delivers upon campaign set up.
Module 9 8 Pinterest Advertising Targeting with Pinterest Users
Pinterest Data Targeting
Existing Pinterest user data from actual Pinners is a powerful kickstart. Pinterest advertisers may choose from over 420 interests. This targeting allows advertisers to reach audiences when they are looking for new content, inspiration or discovery. The notion is that advertiser reach people (or Pinners) based on their affinity for certain things such as healthy recipes, or yoga without needing to make the ad message contextually-relevant.
Targeting Pinners by interests only reaches them in their home feed. Interests may be related to people interested in an advertiser or brand’s business. An example may be targeting “travel” as an interest to reach Pinners who may be interested in e-books.
Keyword Targeting
This is a way to reach Pinners based on their search behavior. Advertisers may select keywords which will allow their Pin ads to show up contextually in search results and related Pins. The strategy in keyword targeting is to group keywords by theme. Then include both head and long- tail terms to maximize reach.
Module 9 9 Pinterest Advertising Targeting with Pinterest Users
Targeting Audiences
Actalike Audience Targeting
The words “actalike” and “lookalike” audiences are interchangeable. This is targeting that scales an advertiser’s audience to people who act or look like existing customers based on their Pinterest behavior.
Advertiser Data Targeting
This is targeting based on “owned” data of the brand or advertiser. It may take the form of:
1. Customer List: Reaching existing customers through Pinterest by uploading emails, mobile ID’s or data application performance interface (API) captures.
2. Engagement Retargeting: Identify people who have already interacted with the advertiser’s Pinterest and drive them to action or purchase.
3. Visitor Targeting: Reach or retarget people who have already acted with an advertiser’s website or Pinterest account.
Module 9 10 Pinterest Advertising Targeting with Pinterest Users
Additional Layering
In addition to Pinterest data, Actalikes and Advertiser data targeting, Pinterest targeting can layer four additional categories to further enhance the pinpoint identification of campaign recipients:
1. Location 2. Language 3. Device 4. Gender
Module 9 11 Pinterest Advertising Buying Pinterest Advertising
STEP 4
Buying Advertising
Auction-based Pricing
Pinterest advertising is based on bid which is handled through the medium’s online ad auction. This should be expressed to students upfront (as it is true with most online media.) Based on the target audience specifications, Pinterest will express a bid maximum based on its pricing algorithm. The advertiser enters a bid that matches or is lower, or within a specific range. In addition, advertisers indicate “daily maximum” and “lifetime” campaign buy guidelines. In this way, no one advertiser will be charged more than a daily or total lifetime campaign capitalized sum.
Auction Pricing Methods
• Great for driving web traffic The cost-per-click (CPC) is the amount paid each time a user Cost per click (CPC) • Reach people in an action mindset clicks on a promoted pin. • Only pay when someone clicks to website
This is the standard media measure of cost efficiency (CPM). • Buying impressions with higher ROI Cost Per Thousand (CPM) It is the cost to reach one thousand people of a particular • Recommended to drive in-store sales audience. Advertiser pays for “impressions.” • Strategy for specific Reach/Frequency goals
Impressions are free, and the advertiser only pays CPE when • Efficient/Flexible auction buying a user engages with their ad. Engagements can be measured • Pay only when someone engages Cost Per Engagement (CPE) by shares, interactions, likes, comments, click-throughs or • Charged up to 3 unique actions in a given ad app downloads. • Reach people who are in-market and likely to engage
Module 9 12 Pinterest Advertising Creating Pinterest Ads
Creating Ads The Pinterest Ad is actually a “Pin” Pinterest ads look like most Pins with one exception. Understand the medium They are visually marked “Promoted Pin” at the bottom. Otherwise they are truly native advertising forms. This is visual content marketing. Though Pinterest has fallen under the social media The challenge is to create advertisements that stimulate umbrella, people do not use it in the same discovery, stories, creating or inspiration in a visual way. way as other platforms, such as Facebook Advertisements are actually pins that conform to the or Twitter. And it’s important to understand basic 600x900 pixel format of Pinterest. these differences when using Pinterest for a business or brand. For example, on Face- Pinterest Ad Basics book, people often share pictures of big life events, such as a wedding, or their child’s Mobile-optimize: Make sure birthday party. People typically don’t do this text is legible on the small on Pinterest, but they’ll use Pinterest to help screen by adjusting font size for them plan these events. phone rendering. 600 x 900 px On Twitter, users see tweets about current Vertical aspect ratio: Ideal di- events, breaking news, or about something mensions are 600x900 pixels happening now. But on Pinterest, users see pins about things to do or places to visit Give detailed descriptions: in that city. Pinterest Co-founder and CEO Describe the brand in vivid and Ben Silverman put it best in a recent Forbes descriptive terms. article, “If Facebook is selling the past and Twitter the present, “Pinterest is offering the future.” Think about that just a second, Text overlays: Use text on Pin images to convey details Pinterest gives businesses insight into the important to the audience. things people want to have or to do in the future. Call to action: Include a clear action for Pinners– whether it’s shop, try, learn or buy. The key to advertising on Pinterest is to present ideas for life’s moments that will Creating Ads Help Show multiple products: Show different products in a inspire a path to purchase. theme or the same product in different styles.
Module 9 13 Advertising on Pinterest Metrics and Reporting
Metrics and Reporting Conversion Tracking
Pinterest analytics, called “con- version tracking” show what Pins people like, what they save from an advertiser’s website, and learn more about what customers really want.
The key point of benefit with Pinter- est is that data occur from paid as well as organic Pin activity. Pinter- est really gives an advertiser a vi- sual voice of inspiration that can be delicately weaved with Promoted Pins to create a fabric of marketing advancement.
Promoted Pins receive dashboards for every effort and/or campaign like the one alongside.
In addition, there is organic Pinter- est data that incorporate all activity including organic and interaction shown on the following page.
Module 9 14 Pinterest Advertising Metrics and Reporting
Module 9 15 Pinterest Advertising Case Study
Lowes® Focuses on Customer Experience One company that successfully uses Pinterest as a marketing tool is retail and build- ing supply chain: Lowes with over three million followers.
Moving Away from Tradition
Almost 70 years old, Lowes is no stranger to marketing as it has gone through almost every kind of campaign, from magazine and newspaper to radio, television and now online with social media and website ads. Most of the time its ads would focus on products, in-store sales and promotions or the efficiency of its sales asso- ciates. Although effective, when using Pinterest Lowes had to move away from this promotional tactic to show followers how its products could help them and what at projects these items might be useful with.
Module 9 16 Pinterest Advertising Be Subtle An example of a post that Lowes has repinned is from Pinterest user Laura Barnes’ board Kids, which featured a bug repellant idea Pinterest is all about pinning, or sharing content from others sites, for sandboxes. This idea suggested that an affordable alternative which is something that Lowes has done with its 47 boards and to traditional bug sprays was for parents to add cinnamon to the 1,695 pins. Instead of merely pinning photos of its inventory, such sand to ward off flies and mosquitoes. The post itself was original- as a toolset or furniture saying that they have that item in stock ly from user Kristen B’s profile and since it was first pinned over and what its price is, Lowes has taken photos from its website and a year ago has a total of 713 repins from other users, including made suggestions on how people can use this product in their Lowes. own home. An example of this is the posting of its Patio Gatewood furniture set, which features a couch, chairs and tables with the Not Everything, Just the Kitchen Sink caption “Bring comfort and style to your patio.” Despite Pinterest having a vast amount of page categories, with a Lowes Pinterest social Marketing vast amount of items that can be pinned in each specific category, a company does not have to pin every single item its store sells. This simple statement not only encourages engagement as it has Businesses should highlight one or two items from its stock or 111 likes, 16 comments and 1447 pins, but also promotes curiosi- something that relates to a particular event or season. ty in that a visitor might want to know more about the product and thus will click on the photo to be redirected to the Lowes website. As the summer season has just started, Lowes has decided to In doing so, they may become interested in buying the featured focus on outdoor spaces and tools that can be used to build these item and other products, which will equal more revenue and ROI spaces. One of the company’s boards is “Outside Your Home”, for Lowes. which features furniture, stone walkways and yard decorations. Despite only having 56 items pinned, the board itself has 78,415 Repin, Repin, Repin followers. A photo of garden posts with the caption “ A Rainbow Color for Your Garden” which was re-pinned a little over a week It’s not enough for a company to post content from it own web- ago already has 38 likes, two comments and 338 repins. The item site or product catalogue, a business has to integrate itself into itself was pinned from a source external to the Lowes page, but the wider Pinterest community by posting content from websites with the subtle rule in place suggests to visitors that they could and other Pinterest pages that aren’t part of the Lowes brand. buy items needed for this project from Lowes, such as paint and This shows users that the company is just as interested in what its wood. followers and others are doing on the site.
Module 9 17 Pinterest Advertising A Deal Here, A Contest There
Despite Pinterest being part of this new wave of social media One board that Lowes has is “50 Projects Under $50”. While most marketing, there is always room for for businesses to incorporate of the items pinned are originally from other Pinterest users, Lowes older marketing tricks. Contests have always been a good way shows its followers fun, budgeted projects they can do over the to reward current customers and attract new customers, which is summer months. An example from the board is a collection of something that can be done through Pinterest. The following is a spray painted folding chairs with the caption “Even folding chairs contest that’s listed on Lowes’ “It’s Time to Shine” board: can get a facelift. Use spray paint and make them feel better.” Pin for a chance to win your dream outdoor space Pinterest Lowes designed by HGTV’s • 8,270 foursomes created on a Budget, Jamie Durie, and $5,000 social media in Lowe’s products/ser- • 32% open rate for Sponsored InMails marketing vices. Two steps to get • 139 likes, 79 comments on “Hit the Links” status updates started: 1. Enter at www. At first glance Pinterest lowes.com/pinterests- • 1,500 new followers for Callaway Golf Company Page seems to just a be site weepstakes. 2. Re-pin five • 83% lift in positive sentiment on social networks where people mindless- images from this board.” ly post photos of items from websites and other This contest encourage sources, but it’s more more board traffic and re- than that. It’s a commu- pins and product sales, but also takes note of other interests that nity of content where people can relate to other users and find visitors may have, such as home design shows on HGTV. something in common with someone else. This in turn can help companies relate to their customers and customers to companies. Another way to encourage more traffic is by offering deals, but in That’s an important element of today’s digital marketing strategy. modern, Pinterest- friendly way.
Module 9 18 Pinterest Advertising Review Time
Challenge 1 Challenge 4 What is unique about Pinterest? Pinterest Targeting Pinterest’s single “image” focus as an advertising medium The specific targeting of Pinterest includes: is the unique selling proposition. If an advertiser wants to share actionable ideas that inspire purchase, the “show, • Pinterest Data (interests, keywords) don’t say” premise of Pinterest is a solid lead through the • Actalikes marketing funnel. • Advertiser Data Challenge 2 and may be further layered with targeting for: The Basic Pinterest advertising formats There are five(5) Pinterest ad formats. • Location • Language • Promoted Pins • Device • One-tap Promoted Pins • Gender • Promoted App Pins • Promoted Video Pins • Cinematic Pins Challenge 5
Challenge 3 Buying on Pinterest Pinterest advertising is priced on “bid.” Pinterest Campaign Objectives The three(3) options are: Like many online media (Facebook, Twitter, AdWords, You- Tube) Pinterest guides advertisers. Upon creating an ad, • Cost Per Click (CPC) one must choose one of five objectives for their promoted • Cost Per Thousand (CPM) Pin. • Cost Per Engagement (CPE)
• Build Brand Awareness • Boost Engagement • Drive Website Traffic • Increase App Installs • Build Brand Awareness through Video
Module 9 19 Advertising on Pinterest Module 9 Student Exercise Pinterest Advertising
Complete the learning module with several commit-to-memory exercises
1. What are the five(5)forms of Pinterest advertising available to all? 4. Pinterest Promoted Pins focus on five(5) action-oriented objectives. 1.______They are: 2.______1.______3.______2.______4.______3.______5.______4.______5.______
2. What is the "main audience premise" of Pinterest? 5. Your client has forty(40) pet store locations in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana. They want to promote their services of pet grooming, nutrition and obedience training. How can you "target" on Pinterest to further their presence beyond merchants of pet foods and goods? Who will you target? When? Keywords? 3. What are the three(3) forms of pricing Pinterest ads? How? Pins? 1.______2.______3.______
Module 9 20 Pinterest Advertising Created by Daniel J. Petek The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication • Washington State University Please send comments to www.aaf.org/learningmodules American Advertising Federation 1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005 www.aaf.org