Pinterest is reimagining its app for the TikTok era, catering to Gen Z’s demand for video-focused features. The company recently announced a significant update that allows users to create short videos of their curated Pinterest boards, designed to be shared on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This new feature aims to transform how creative sharing is done on social media, making it more dynamic and engaging.
The inspiration for this update came from the video-sharing activity already prevalent on apps like TikTok. In 2022, Pinterest introduced a collage-making app called Shuffles, which quickly gained popularity among Gen Z creators on TikTok. The app, initially in invite-only mode, went viral as users published their aesthetic collages and mood boards set to music and shared them on TikTok. This success led Pinterest to develop an official feature for shoppable collages.
Pinterest users have been sharing their boards on apps like TikTok using manual methods, such as posting screenshots or using green screen effects to share their curated collections, styles, and individuality. Pinterest refers to this type of sharing as the “mecore” trend, noting a 565% increase in searches related to this activity annually. Boards titled “mecore” also saw a 255% increase since last year.
With the new board-sharing feature, Pinterest users can share their boards more creatively on social media. The shared boards will include links that, when clicked, bring viewers back to the complete board on Pinterest, where they can browse through or shop the collected content. To date, Pinterest users have created more than 10 billion boards.
This addition is expected to inspire increased social sharing among Gen Z users, who are already drawn to Pinterest. It could also serve as a way to increase traffic back to Pinterest’s app by leveraging the viral mechanics of platforms like TikTok and others.
To promote the launch of board sharing, Pinterest partnered with power users and recording artists Avril Lavigne and Tierra Whack. This collaboration showcases the new functionality and positions the feature as a way for creators to reach their fans in new ways. Lavigne’s board includes fashion inspiration and promotes her tour, while Whack uses Pinterest for her eclectic interests and to gather inspiration for her creative projects.
To use the feature, users can tap the share icon in the top right of any public board to automatically generate a video. They can then click the “Add to Story” button or “Download” button to share the video on other platforms like TikTok. If sharing to Instagram Stories, users can use the Stickers icon to find the Link sticker and paste in the board’s URL. Users can also edit the board’s Pins or choose a different template before sharing.
Rachel Hardy, director of consumer product marketing at Pinterest, emphasized the importance of this update. “Gen Z makes up over 40% of our global monthly users on Pinterest and are our most engaged generation, with a significant increase in the number of boards created by Gen Z Pinners compared to last year,” she noted. “We are enhancing the board features based on user feedback, and this year, board sharing is one of our critical investments as users value the ability to share their creative processes on different platforms and find inspiration from others.”
For users like Gen Z, Pinterest isn’t just a platform; it’s a space where they can express themselves without external pressures. The new board-sharing feature is an opportunity for users to foster genuine engagement among communities and provide a window into the inspiration behind creative projects.
The collaboration with Tierra Whack and Pinterest is particularly noteworthy. Whack, known for her unique and eclectic style, uses Pinterest to gather inspiration for her creative projects. This partnership highlights how Pinterest can be a valuable tool for artists and creators to share their creative processes and connect with their audience in new and innovative ways.
In summary, Pinterest’s new board-sharing feature is set to transform creative sharing on social media. By allowing users to create and share video versions of their curated boards, Pinterest is tapping into the growing trend of video content and making it easier for users to share their inspiration with others. This update not only enhances the user experience but also positions Pinterest as a key player in the evolving landscape of social media.
Source: TechCrunch, Social Media Today, Pinterest Newsroom
