A series of new features on Pinterest have the site looking a little more like a social media platform. Traditionally, Pinterest has been used as a visual bookmarking tool to save content created around the internet. The new features give users more content creation options and greater control over how content is presented.
New data from Pinterest reported 5 billion searches a month, likely a measurement of just how much people are looking forward to life as they knew it: what to wear, what to make, how to make it, how to build something, where to go, and more. CivicScience took a look at Pinterest’s features and user demographics to better understand how it’s forging its own path in the world of content and pin-spiration.
Data collected in the last year show the heaviest concentration of daily Pinterest users among the youngest Gen Zers (13-17). Generally speaking, as age increases, so does daily use of Pinterest with a few exceptions.
Older Gen Z (18- 24) and Young Millennials (25-29) happen to be the Pinterest power users with cumulative use (daily, weekly, and monthly combined) reaching 44% and 43% respectively.
It’s clear who Pinterest is targeting with its new engagement strategy. TikTok users from the last year to date are the greatest users of Pinterest when compared to Facebook and Instagram users of the same time frame. Sixty percent of TikTok users say they are also Pinterest users.
The food and drink category is the most popular among users 18 and older looking for pin-worthy ideas, and home decor and DIY are the second and third most popular content categories. It’s easy to see how instructional live streaming is the perfect next step in Pinterest’s future.
One of the new features that allows users to live stream virtual learning sessions (think DIY blog post meets Reels meets YouTube ‘how-to’s”) garners interest from 12% of U.S. adult users of Pinterest. It’s possible that awareness of the new feature isn’t widespread, but age data indicate interest is minimal at best among some of its top users.
As awareness of the updates spread and new content is developed within the platform, CivicScience will revisit how social media users are interacting with Pinterest, particularly to see if its video and e-commerce features can sustain its young power users.
