Podcast Summary: Winning With Pinterest Ads – How to Increase Your B2C Sales

Podcast: Social Media Marketing Podcast
Host: Michael Stelzner
Guest: Karen Nelson, Paid Media Expert
Date: November 13, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Stelzner sits down with paid media strategist Karen Nelson to explore the untapped potential of Pinterest ads for B2C businesses. Listeners discover why Pinterest is a “blue ocean” for marketers overlooked by many, the differences between Pinterest and other platforms, and step-by-step guidance on planning, creating, and executing highly effective Pinterest ad campaigns—especially for e-commerce and product-based businesses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Karen Nelson’s Marketing Journey and Entry Into Pinterest

• Background: Karen started as an elementary teacher, creating tech guides for teachers. Her content went viral on Pinterest, leading her to a marketing agency and eventually to founding her own media agency ([03:02]).

  “I started creating content for other teachers…Pinterest was the best way for me to do that. One of my pins went viral...I started researching that agency because you always want to know who makes your stuff go viral.” – Karen, [03:11]

2. Why Pinterest is a Missed Opportunity for Marketers

• Most media buyers focus on Meta, YouTube, TikTok, leaving Pinterest less competitive.
• Ad dollars go further: Pinterest content has a much longer lifespan (at least 3 months, sometimes a year) compared to Instagram or Facebook (hours/days), maximizing ROI ([05:05]).

  “If your client or customer is on Pinterest, it’s a huge missed opportunity…your advertising dollar can go just a little bit further on Pinterest.” – Karen, [05:05]

3. Pinterest’s Differentiators: Search vs. Social & Demographics

• Not social media: Pinterest operates like a visual search engine; users actively seek ideas, solutions, or products – higher intent than passive scrolling on Meta platforms ([06:40]).
• Gen Z Magnet: 500 million+ monthly users, with half being Gen Z (ages 13–28)—contrary to perceptions that younger generations are abandoning platforms ([08:03]).

  “It is not technically a social media platform…more of a search-based platform.” – Karen, [06:40] “They have half a billion monthly active users and half of those people are Gen Z...It’s the only platform out there right now skewing younger and not older.” – Karen, [07:24]

4. User Experience & Behavioral Insights

• Strong feed & visual discovery: Scrolling feed on mobile/desktop; robust search integrates trending and personalized content ([09:22]).
• Planning Platform: People use Pinterest to actively plan (“trip boards”, “kitchen remodel inspiration”, etc.), storing ideas in boards, providing advertisers with clear behavioral cues ([14:48]).

  “I have one board for each country that I’m visiting...and the advertisers have plenty of opportunity to pitch me not only things about Italy, Greece, and London, suitcases, travel organizers...” – Karen, [14:48]

5. What Businesses & Offers Work Best?

• Strong performers: E-commerce brands, physical products, home/garden, travel, gifting, food, DIY, info products.
• High intent research: Purchases are more often considered and planned vs. truly impulsive ([21:30]).
• High-ticket items CAN sell, but customer journeys may take longer. Pinterest’s attribution window (previously 60 days, now 30) reflects this extended research/buy cycle ([21:30]).

  “I’ve seen products up to a thousand dollars selling in an e-comm method on Pinterest…because you’re researching, planning a project...” – Karen, [21:30]

6. The Three-Step Pinterest Advertising Framework

Step 1: Offer

• Must have a proven, desirable product that already sells to strangers.
• Pinterest ads amplify what works—they can’t “fix” a poor offer ([17:24]).

  “We want to make sure before we even start building on Pinterest that you’ve got a solid offer. Because my amazing ad strategy will do nothing if your product doesn’t sell.” – Karen, [17:24]

Step 2: Assets (Creatives)

• Port content directly from Instagram/Facebook: reels, static images, short videos. Pinterest’s best assets resemble what works on Meta ([25:16]).
• Copy differences: Slightly shorter; headline-style “pin description” must entice, focusing on the user’s search intent. Less strict than Meta on text rules ([27:23]).
• Visuals: 2:3 aspect ratio is standard; square or 9:16 IG reels fit and perform well ([30:05]).
• Carousels & Catalog ads: Carousels (collections of images/videos) and catalog (Shopify/WooCommerce) integrations work well, especially for e-comm ([31:32]).

  “The very best assets on Instagram and TikTok…can be taken almost directly from one platform to the other.” – Karen, [25:16] “You don’t have to do a lot of design at all…as long as your content’s compelling.” – Karen, [26:30] “The best thing is actually a video and not an image…The more authentic it looks…the better results you can get.” – Karen, [34:53]

Step 3: Architecture (Campaign Structure)

• Three-pronged funnel:
  • Engagement/awareness ads (top of funnel, get clicks/attention).
  • Conversion ads (majority of budget, drive purchases/signups).
  • Retargeting ads (recover non-converted prospects) ([38:50]).
• Creative > targeting & placement: Modern AIs make targeting easier, so great creative and relevance matter most for driving outcomes ([38:50]).
• Pinterest Tag: Essential for tracking conversions, similar to Meta pixel ([41:50]).
• Targeting: Pinterest’s interest targeting is well-categorized (demographics, interests, “actalike” audiences). Performance Plus uses AI to amplify reach ([45:01]).

7. Pinterest Ad Costs & ROI

• Costs similar to Meta/other platforms, varying by niche and offer.
• Money goes further due to content longevity; ad-spend continues to generate value after campaign spend ends ([45:15]).

  “Even if it costs you the same to get a lead...your ad spend can live a little longer [on Pinterest].” – Karen, [46:33]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Why Pinterest is Still Underutilized:

  “If your client or customer is on Pinterest, it’s a huge missed opportunity…it’s a little bit of a blue ocean because not a lot of people are spending money over there and you can end up with some super strong results.” – Karen, [05:05]

• On Content Lifespan:

  “Organic content on Pinterest and paid ads play into that can live a minimum of three months...good content, it can last for even a year.” – Karen, [05:47]

• On Authentic Creative:

  “The more authentic it looks and the more sort of real and relatable it looks, the better results you can get...when it matches what you typically see on Instagram or TikTok, it also feels native on Pinterest.” – Karen, [35:25]

• On Planning and Targeting:

  “You can go and look at what’s trending on Pinterest and sort of anticipate what’s coming and put that sort of those trend informations into your ad targeting...” – Karen, [11:59]

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:02 – Karen’s origin story & transition from teaching to digital marketing
• 05:05 – Why Pinterest is overlooked and worth considering for paid ads
• 06:40 – Pinterest as a search engine vs. social platform
• 07:24 – Demographics: Gen Z dominance and shifting shopping behavior
• 14:48 – How users plan and collect ideas on Pinterest; implications for advertisers
• 17:24 – Three-step ad strategy: Offer, assets, and architecture explained
• 21:30 – High-consideration, high-ticket purchases and Pinterest’s longer sales cycle
• 25:16 – Creating assets: How to repurpose Meta creatives for Pinterest ads
• 30:05 – Image/video sizes, creative formats, and using carousels/catalog integrations
• 34:53 – What types of creative (images vs. video) and styles perform best
• 38:50 – Campaign structure: Funnel approach, creative > targeting/placement
• 41:50 – Detailed discussion of targeting, interests, demographics, actalike audiences
• 45:15 – Ad costs and maximizing the investment’s lifespan on Pinterest

Practical Takeaways

• Start with a proven offer: Don’t use Pinterest ads to validate new or untested products.
• Repurpose existing well-performing reels/short videos: Minor tweaks for copy and aspect ratio suffice.
• Focus on authentic, relatable visuals: Native-looking content trumps overtly “ad” style creative.
• Don’t ignore the Pinterest tag: Set it up for effective tracking and smarter campaign optimization.
• Carousels/catalog ads can drive discovery: Leverage for e-commerce, especially with Shopify/WooCommerce.
• Campaign structure matters—but creative is king: Build with three funnel stages, but invest most in asset production.
• Targeting is user-friendly and precise: Use interest categories, “actalike” audiences, and let Pinterest’s AI work once you seed it with good data.
• Budget for longevity: Expect your best ads and pins to contribute to traffic and discovery long after the main campaign ends.

Connect with Karen Nelson

• Website: karennelsondigital.com
• Social: Karen Nelson Digital on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn

For full episode show notes and resources, visit socialmediaexaminer.com/podcast/