Simple Pin Podcast: Analyzing 1 Million Pins
Hosted by Kate Ahl | Released on January 22, 2025
Introduction and Background
In this insightful episode of the Simple Pin Podcast, host Kate Ahl delves deep into Tailwind's comprehensive four-part study analyzing 1 million Pinterest pins. Tailwind, known for its Pinterest scheduling and analytics tools, has shifted its focus back to Pinterest, underscoring the platform's enduring significance for small businesses aiming to boost sales and lead generation.
Kate Ahl (00:00):
"Tailwind has conducted a four-part study analyzing 1 million pins to answer a crucial question: How can you go viral on Pinterest?"
Purpose and Scope of the Study
The primary objective of Tailwind's study is to demystify the factors that contribute to a pin's virality on Pinterest. By examining 33 data points, the study seeks to provide actionable insights for marketers and businesses to enhance their Pinterest strategies effectively.
Danny Maloney (03:21):
"Our study aims to reset and re-benchmark what success looks like on Pinterest, ensuring we're advising people properly and building the right functionalities."
Major Findings
1. Concentration of Engagement
One of the standout revelations from the study is the uneven distribution of engagement, where a mere 1% of pins account for over 50% of total impressions and clicks within the last 90 days. This highlights the existence of "superstar" pins that drive substantial traffic, emphasizing the importance of creating high-impact content.
Danny Maloney (13:49):
"The data shows that a small percentage of highly viral pins drive the majority of engagement, suggesting that focusing on creating standout pins can yield significant ROI."
2. Evergreen Content and Pin Freshness
Contrary to the notion that fresh content is paramount, the study reaffirms Pinterest as an evergreen platform. Approximately 60% of pins garner engagement over a year-old shelf life, aligning with Pinterest's own metric of a 13-month content lifespan.
Danny Maloney (17:37):
"Pinterest remains an evergreen content platform. While there's a bias towards fresher content now, evergreen principles still fundamentally drive search and discovery."
3. Content Formats: Image vs. Video
Despite Pinterest's experimentation with Idea Pins (video-based content), image pins continue to dominate in terms of engagement and traffic generation. However, video pins that showcase complex products or processes, such as workout demonstrations or DIY projects, perform exceptionally well.
Danny Maloney (37:44):
"Image pins remain the top-performing format because they are faster and easier to create. However, video pins excel when they demonstrate complex concepts or processes effectively."
4. Color Usage in Pins
One of the most surprising findings pertains to color usage. The top 100 viral pins predominantly feature white, near-white, or light gray colors, with only three bolder colors making the cut. This challenges the traditional emphasis on brand colors, suggesting that a more subtle color palette enhances pin engagement.
Danny Maloney (44:29):
"Among the most viral pins, 87 out of 100 dominant colors were white, near white, or light gray. Bold brand colors were scarcely used, indicating that a neutral palette may be more effective in driving engagement."
5. Description Length and Hashtag Usage
The study reveals that shorter descriptions tend to perform better, with the top 1% of viral pins averaging 220 characters, compared to nearly 400 characters for less successful pins. Additionally, while some viral pins incorporate hashtags, their impact remains nuanced, potentially serving as keyword indicators without being a net negative.
Danny Maloney (50:45):
"Most viral pins have shorter descriptions, around 220 characters on average. Overly long descriptions might dilute key signals, making it harder for pins to reach the right audience."
Implications for Pinterest Marketing
1. Strategies to Achieve Virality
Given the concentration of engagement, businesses should focus on creating high-quality, standout pins that have the potential to become viral. This involves experimenting with different designs, formats, and content types to identify what resonates best with the target audience.
Kate Ahl (29:54):
"To achieve virality, it's essential to balance creating enough content to find winners while maintaining quality to ensure sustainable engagement."
2. Content Creation Tips
- Embrace Neutral Colors: Utilize light and neutral color palettes to make pins stand out and encourage engagement.
- Optimize Description Length: Keep descriptions concise, focusing on clarity and relevance to enhance discoverability.
- Leverage Hashtags Wisely: While not detrimental, hashtags should complement the description without overwhelming it.
- Balance Fresh and Evergreen Content: Maintain a mix of new and existing pins to maximize reach and longevity.
Danny Maloney (49:35):
"Avoid overemphasizing brand colors in your pin design. Instead, focus on creating visually appealing pins that align with current trends and audience preferences."
Upcoming Parts of the Study
Tailwind plans to release parts three and four of the study, which will delve deeper into the nuances of pin freshness and account-level performance norms. Part three will focus on fresh pins' lifecycle, offering insights on benchmarking and evaluating new content. Part four aims to identify successful account patterns, providing a blueprint for sustained virality and engagement.
Danny Maloney (57:00):
"Part three will explore the nature of fresh pins and how to benchmark their performance, while part four will analyze account-level norms to guide successful Pinterest strategies."
Conclusion
This episode underscores the complexity of Pinterest as a dynamic marketing platform. Tailwind's extensive analysis offers valuable, data-driven insights that challenge established norms and provide a roadmap for businesses to navigate Pinterest effectively. By focusing on creating high-impact content, optimizing design elements like color and description length, and balancing fresh and evergreen pins, marketers can enhance their Pinterest strategies to achieve sustained growth and engagement.
Kate Ahl (58:22):
"Studies like these provide the data-grounded guidance we need to navigate Pinterest's evolving landscape, ensuring our strategies are both effective and efficient."
For more detailed insights and actionable strategies, listeners are encouraged to explore the full study available through Tailwind's resources.