Simple Pin Podcast: What’s Working with Pinterest Ads in 2026?

Podcast: Simple Pin Podcast: Simple ways to boost your business using Pinterest
Host: Kate Ahl
Guest: Erin, Director of Ads and Design at Simple Pin Media
Date: April 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the current state of Pinterest ads in 2026. Host Kate Ahl and guest Erin, Simple Pin Media's Director of Ads and Design, share robust first-hand experiences, success stories, and tactical advice for business owners looking to leverage Pinterest ads. The conversation centers on realistic expectations, the evolving Pinterest ads landscape, balancing manual and AI-driven campaigns, the importance of patience, and strategic nuances that set Pinterest apart from Meta and Google advertising.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unique Appeal & Potential of Pinterest Ads

• Pinterest isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” platform. Erin stresses the importance of truly understanding the buyer persona for each client (“...figuring out who's the person buying this, who's searching for this…” – Erin, [01:57]).
• Both Erin and Kate see Pinterest as a golden opportunity, especially for brands that have already proven successful on Meta or Google (“...clients who have come to me after running ads on Google and Meta...we have the most major success with them on Pinterest.” – Erin, [05:32]).

2. Realistic Expectations & Timelines

• Patience is key. Success with Pinterest ads tends to build over several months, not weeks.
  • Recommended: Commit to a minimum of 3-4 months before evaluating major results (“...give it about three to four months running ads...” – Erin, [07:29]).
  • Kate compares it to “Hawaii time” versus faster-paced “New York time” of Meta and Google ([16:51], [17:52]).
• Budget recommendations:
  • Medium-sized ecommerce businesses should expect to start with $100–$200/day ([10:54]).
  • Stick with your campaigns—the “panic” to kill ads early is usually premature.

3. Pinterest’s Power as a Full-Funnel Platform

• Pinterest excels as a planning platform—people plan purchases months or even years ahead.
• Full-funnel opportunity: reach users at every stage (inspiration, consideration, purchase/retargeting).
  • “...Pinterest is search and discovery. So it's really similar to Google but we have all that visual inspiration...” – Erin, [08:24].
• Continuity is critical; don’t turn off ads except to lower budgets in off-peak periods ([24:36]).

4. Complementary, Not Competitive, with Meta/Google

• Pinterest ads aren’t in competition with Meta or Google—they offer a complementary reach.
  • “Really marrying them together instead of seeing them at odds, seeing them as complementary, I think, is key.” – Kate, [14:24].

5. Campaign Types & AI Automation

• Manual Campaigns: Still highly valuable for granular targeting and insights (“...when you set up a manual campaign...you get really good data moving forward...” – Erin, [20:36]).
• Performance Plus (AI/Automation): Offers scale and faster results, but less insight into audiences.
  • “Performance plus does tend to give you quicker, arguably better results...if you are set up properly.” – Erin, [28:27]).
  • “You can barely even report on performance plus campaigns because you don't know who's interacting...all you know is what the ads are telling you…” – Erin, [30:17]).
• Best Practice: Run a MIX of manual and AI-driven campaigns for balance between insight and scale ([31:35]).

6. Audience Insights: Male Demographic Myths

• Women often buy male-focused products as gifts; don’t exclude women even when advertising men’s products ([35:25]).
  • “...if you think that you only want to target men for a particular product...you are completely missing the biggest audience...” – Erin, [36:04]).
• Surprising results: male-targeted campaigns can outperform expectations in certain verticals ([38:50]).

7. Consulting vs. Done-For-You Services

• Simple Pin offers:
  • Full-service ads management for hands-off clients.
  • Consulting for teams wanting to learn and manage ads themselves ([41:28]).
• Transparency: SPM only accepts clients who are a good fit for Pinterest ads; they won’t take on broken funnels for the sake of a retainer ([43:33]).

8. Best-Fit Industries and Offerings for Pinterest Ads in 2026

• Best for: Proven ecommerce/physical products in verticals like beauty, home decor, clothing, wedding/event planning ([45:11]).
• Free lead magnets can still perform, but digital products (especially B2B) are less effective than in previous years ([46:55]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Success with Proven Products:
  • “If ever a client comes to me and says we're getting such and such on Google and such and such ROAS through Meta, I can almost guarantee that we will be getting really amazing results for them on Pinterest.”
    – Erin ([05:39])
• On the Pinterest Timeline:
  • “Pinterest ads are like Hawaii time. We're going to take our time, we're gonna set it up and then we're gonna go surfing for a few hours.”
    – Kate ([17:34])
• On Audience Discovery:
  • “You are relieving so much of the stress of the ads...because you know that somebody is taking care of it and that you don't need to know what's going on every day or even every week.”
    – Erin ([18:27])
• On Commitment to Transparency:
  • “...if you're not a good fit for ads, we will tell you, we will say this isn't going to be a good fit...ads are not going to fix a broken funnel.”
    – Kate ([43:33])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:57] – Erin discusses why she loves Pinterest ads and her process of understanding buyer personas.
• [05:32] – Comparing results for brands transitioning from Meta/Google to Pinterest.
• [08:24] – Patience and Pinterest’s “productivity” mindset.
• [10:54] – Budget advice and the importance of long-term investment.
• [14:24] – Combining Pinterest with Meta and Google ads for success.
• [16:51] – The "Hawaii time" analogy for Pinterest ad pacing.
• [19:51] – Types of campaigns: manual, consideration/awareness, and how to layer them for funnel coverage.
• [26:38] – Discussion on Performance Plus (AI) and campaign setup.
• [31:35] – Best practices on blending campaign types and case study with current clients.
• [35:25] – Targeting the male demographic (and not underestimating women as purchasers of male products).
• [41:28] – Explaining Simple Pin Media’s management vs. consulting service options for Pinterest ads.
• [45:11] – Best-fit products for Pinterest ads and changes in effectiveness for digital vs. physical offers.

Actionable Takeaways

• Brands with successful Meta or Google campaigns should seriously consider Pinterest.
• Give Pinterest ads at least 3-4 months before making major judgments.
• Invest steadily; don’t panic and stop campaigns early.
• Include both manual and Performance Plus campaigns to balance insight with scale.
• Don’t overlook “non-obvious” audiences—gift buyers are a huge driver, even for male-targeted products.
• Physical products, especially in lifestyle, beauty, home, and events, see strong Pinterest performance in 2026.
• Work with a Pinterest specialist or consultant—platform expertise makes a difference.

For More Insights

• Follow Kate Ahl on LinkedIn for real-time results and discussions.
• Visit simplepinmedia.com for consulting or management inquiries.

This episode serves as a comprehensive, realistic, and motivational guide for business owners considering or currently running Pinterest ads in 2026.