Simple Pin Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Kate's Take: Quick Thoughts on Pinterest Marketing #5
Host: Kate Ahl
Date: March 11, 2026
Podcast: Simple Pin Podcast: Simple ways to boost your business using Pinterest

Main Theme & Purpose

In this quick, five-minute episode of Kate's Take, host Kate Ahl reflects on the current state and future of Pinterest marketing—particularly its evolving focus on e-commerce, the place for creators on the platform, and how algorithmic changes are affecting discoverability. She shares insights from her own use of Pinterest, recent platform news, and the latest experiments Simple Pin Media is conducting, closing with a call to experiment and adapt creative strategies for Pinterest in 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pinterest’s Direction: E-Commerce Focus

• Pinterest's recent evolution: Kate notes a strong, unmistakable shift toward e-commerce since 2022, which has only accelerated under the leadership of Bill Ready (former PayPal and Venmo executive).

  • “From the hiring of Bill Ready...and his stacking of the C-suite team with other e-commerce forward C-suite leaders, the writing on the wall has been clear. E-commerce is the path forward.” (01:00)

• Implications for creators: With the platform’s energy going into commerce, Kate questions and explores where content creators now fit, underscoring that content remains vital for nurturing buyers.

  • “Where do creators fit as content is one of the number one ways that you warm up a buyer to make a decision?” (01:30)

2. The Changing Experience on Pinterest

• Personal experimentation as a user:

  • Kate encourages listeners to actively use Pinterest “as a user,” seeing firsthand what dominates their feeds.

  • She details how quickly her own feed shifted toward product-focused results after only a single click on a swimsuit, and how searching for travel tips swung results back to classic content.

  • Quote: “It was really hard to find content, but now I’m searching for tips on Spain and it’s back. So that being said, search is still alive and well.” (02:35)

3. Search is Thriving on Pinterest

• User growth and search activity:
  • According to Q4 2025’s investor report, Pinterest boasts more searches than ChatGPT and has reached 614 million monthly users.
  • Quote: “Pinterest in Q4 2025 investor report said they have more searches than ChatGPT, which is impressive. Also, users grew to 614 million monthly users.” (03:00)

4. Business/Advertiser Impact and Platform Economics

• Advertiser pullback explained:

  • Despite strong user and search numbers, Pinterest’s stock dipped due to reduced spending from large-scale e-commerce advertisers (like Target and Walmart), blamed on external “strong headwinds” and “tariffs.”
  • Quote: “E-commerce sellers on a large scale…were hit super hard. So essentially they pulled back all their advertising dollars…which means they didn’t make as much money as the market had predicted.” (03:40)

• Pinterest’s response:

  • In response, Pinterest is bringing in new C-suite leaders to focus on attracting small to medium-sized businesses as advertisers.
  • Kate shares that Simple Pin clients with e-commerce stores saw the highest ROI on ads in Q4 2025.

5. New Experiments: Pinterest for Substack Growth

• Kate shares Simple Pin Media’s ongoing experiments using Pinterest to drive Substack newsletter subscriber growth. Two accounts are currently running tests.
  • “We are leaning into also experimenting with Substack and how to leverage Pinterest for growth of subscribers…They are eager to prove out this model by going through our accelerator model first and then transitioning into ads.” (04:20)

6. The Big Question: Is Pinterest Dead for Creators?

• Short answer: Kate does not think Pinterest is dead for creators in 2026, but insists “the old models might not be working,” pushing for new, creative approaches.
  • “Is Pinterest dead for creators in 2026? I don't think so...But I think the old models might not be working. It's time to think about it differently and more creatively.” (04:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “From the hiring of Bill Ready from PayPal and Venmo to his stacking of the C Suite team with other e-commerce forward C-suite leaders, the writing on the wall has been clear.” (01:00)
• “It was really hard to find content, but now I’m searching for tips on Spain and it’s back. So that being said, search is still alive and well.” (02:35)
• “Pinterest in Q4 2025 investor report said they have more searches than ChatGPT, which is impressive. Also, users grew to 614 million monthly users.” (03:00)
• “E-commerce sellers on a large scale think Target and Walmart were hit super hard...they pulled back all their advertising dollars...which means they didn’t make as much money as the market had predicted.” (03:40)
• “We are leaning into also experimenting with Substack and how to leverage Pinterest for growth of subscribers.” (04:20)
• “Is Pinterest dead for creators in 2026? I don't think so. It’s definitely a question I ask every year and have been asked, but I think the old models might not be working.” (04:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 01:00 — Intro, context for the episode, and defining the central questions
• 01:00 – 02:20 — Pinterest’s e-commerce shift and leadership changes
• 02:20 – 03:00 — Using Pinterest as a user and impact on feeds/content
• 03:00 – 03:40 — Pinterest’s search and user stats; what’s missing in investor reports
• 03:40 – 04:20 — Advertiser dynamics and strategic refocus; impact on ROI
• 04:20 – 05:00 — Substack experimentation, concluding advice, and encouragement to experiment

Final Takeaways

• Pinterest is doubling down on e-commerce, but content still drives user decisions.
• Using Pinterest personally can reveal platform changes—product feeds are strong, but content discovery via search remains robust.
• Advertiser dollars from enterprise brands have waned, but opportunity for small to medium e-commerce sellers and content creators is growing.
• Old approaches may no longer work; new, creative strategies—like using Pinterest to fuel newsletter growth—are on the horizon.
• Kate encourages business owners to experiment, play with the platform, and rethink how they use Pinterest in 2026.