Pinterest has announced a new feature they are calling ?Interests? that will make it easier for users to discover new content related to their interests. Pinterest will utilize search and browsing history as well as pinned content to help deliver personalized content directly to the user.
The Interests feed is separate from the home feed where updates from followed pinners appears, and is accessible through the main menu. Pinterest says the more you use the site, the more accurate the Interests feed will be. Think of the new feed as a shortcut?rather than browsing a broad category like gardening, you might have a category called ?urban gardening? filled with pins specific to that category.
The Interests feed will help users discover new content more easily than before, and the general consensus thus far is it is fairly accurate when determining what a user likes. Keep in mind that your search and browsing history on Pinterest as well as pinned items are all taken into consideration when deciding which categories to display.
The more content you pin, view or search on Pinterest, the more accurate the feed, and Pinterest has been testing this new feature for several months. The Interests feed not only makes it easier for users to find new content they like, but it may also make it easier for businesses to reach those who have expressed an interest in similar items.
Many have speculated that the Interests feed may be one way that Pinteresthopes, to showcase ?Promoted Pins? from advertisers. Pinterest has long stated that advertising on the social network would be in the form of unobtrusive native ads in search. It appears that the Interests feed would be another opportunity for even smarter and more targeted placement of ads.
Pinterest has a leg up on other social media networks when it comes to knowing what its users like, and the simple fact that the personalized Interests feed is so accurate for most users should be a positive sign for potential advertisers who will likely be able to narrowly target their ads, reaching only those who are most likely to be interested in their company or products.
The change may also be good for businesses on Pinterest, as now users will be able to see more of what they are interested in, regardless of whether or not they are following a board. Businesses on Pinterest should make sure pins include descriptive content with keywords, but keep in mind this is probably just one part of the algorithm that is used to deliver personalized content. High quality image are also important.
As Pinterest continues to grow, so too will it?s value in the eyes of its users as well as advertisers. Pinterest is currently used by one-fifth of adults in the U.S. who are online, and is expected to keep growing. The company has more than $500 million invested and is valued at $3.8 billion, but has yet to generate any advertising revenue.
Advertising is an inevitable endeavor for the social scrapbooking site, but it?s a tough balance to create something that users will engage with and that will provide positive results for advertisers.Pinterest has been beta testing sponsored pins with a select handful of advertisers. They have long promised that they intend to do it right?no banner ads?and that all advertising would be native and appear natural, while still being clearly identified as sponsored content. While they haven?t announced whether the Interests feed would include sponsored pins, it seems like a logical place for advertisers who would want to reach a specific audience.