Pinterest Ads Guide 2026: Catalogs & ROI

Key Takeaways

• Pinterest reaches 553M monthly users, 85% of whom make purchases from Pins
• 96% of searches are unbranded — massive opportunity to capture discovery intent
• Shopping ads deliver 15% higher ROI than standard pins
• Mobile deep links increase conversion rates by 235% and lower CPA by 34%
• Set daily budget at 5x your target cost per result for optimal algorithm learning

Why Pinterest in 2026?

Pinterest isn't a social network. It's a visual search engine for purchase intent.

The numbers speak for themselves:

Since 96% of Pinterest searches are unbranded, businesses have a unique opportunity to reach users in the discovery phase, influencing purchasing decisions before competitors do.

Setting Up Your Pinterest Business Account

Before running ads, you need the foundation:

Step 1: Business Account Creation

• Convert personal account or create new business account
• Complete business profile with logo, bio, and website
• Claim your website to track conversions

Step 2: Install Pinterest Tag

• Add base code to all pages
• Set up conversion events (PageVisit, AddToCart, Checkout)
• Enable Enhanced Match for better attribution

Step 3: Connect Product Catalog

Catalog Integration Options:

• Shopify: Native integration, auto-sync
• Adobe Commerce: Direct connection
• WooCommerce: Plugin available
• Manual: Data feed upload

Pinterest Ad Formats

Standard Shopping Ads

Single static image pulling from your product catalog. Best for:

• Direct response campaigns
• Products with strong visuals
• Retargeting warm audiences

Specs:

• Image ratio: 2:3 recommended (1000 x 1500px)
• File size: Max 32MB
• Format: JPG or PNG

Video Shopping Ads

Auto-playing video in the feed. Higher engagement but higher production cost.

Specs:

• Duration: 4 seconds to 15 minutes (recommend 6-15 seconds)
• Aspect ratio: 1:1 or 2:3
• Max file size: 2GB

Collections Ads

Hero image/video with smaller product images below. Perfect for:

• Showcasing product lines
• Cross-selling related items
• Lifestyle + product combination

Idea Ads

Multi-page, immersive format. Use for:

• Tutorials showing product in use
• Step-by-step guides
• Story-driven content

Campaign Objectives

Choose based on your goal:

For E-commerce: Catalog Sales is usually your primary objective. It combines traffic and conversion optimization specifically for product purchases.

Setting Up Shopping Campaigns

Create Product Groups

Before creating ads, organize your catalog into product groups:

• By category (dresses, shoes, accessories)
• By price point (under $50, $50-100, $100+)
• By margin (promote high-margin first)
• By bestseller status

Campaign Structure

Campaign Level: Set objective (Catalog Sales) and budget

Ad Group Level: Define targeting, bid, and product groups

Ad Level: Auto-generated from catalog (or customize)

Targeting Options

Automatic Targeting: Let Pinterest find relevant audiences based on Pin content. Best for broad reach. Keyword Targeting: Target specific search terms. Essential for discovery campaigns. Interest Targeting: Reach users based on interests and behaviors. Audience Targeting:

• Website visitors (retargeting)
• Customer lists (email matches)
• Actalikes (Pinterest's lookalike audiences)
• Engagement audiences (people who interacted with your Pins)

Pinterest Performance+ AI

Pinterest's automation suite for better performance with less effort.

What Performance+ Does:

• Creates and enhances catalog ads automatically
• Optimizes bids for conversions
• Expands reach to qualified audiences
• Generates ad variations from your catalog

When to Use Performance+:

• Large catalogs (100+ products)
• Limited creative resources
• Scaling successful campaigns
• Testing new product lines

Mobile Deep Links

This is a game-changer for app-based commerce.

Advertisers using mobile deep links have seen a 235% lift in conversion rates and 34% lower CPAs.

How It Works:

User clicks your ad

If app is installed, opens directly in app

If not installed, goes to mobile web

Removes friction from purchase path

Setup Requirements:

• Universal Links (iOS) or App Links (Android)
• Pinterest SDK integration
• Deep link URL in ad creative

Creative Best Practices

Fresh Pins Strategy

Image Guidelines

Do:

• Use vertical images (2:3 ratio)
• Include product in lifestyle context
• Show scale/size reference
• Use high-quality, bright images

Don't:

• Use stock photos that look generic
• Include too much text overlay
• Use low-resolution images
• Crop products awkwardly

Pin Titles and Descriptions

• Lead with keywords (Pinterest is a search engine)
• Include price if competitive
• Add call-to-action
• Use relevant hashtags (2-5 max)

Bidding Strategies

CPC (Cost Per Click)

Pay when someone clicks through to your site. Best for traffic-focused campaigns.

Average CPC: $0.10 - $1.50

CPM (Cost Per Mille)

Pay per 1,000 impressions. Best for awareness campaigns.

Automated Bidding

Let Pinterest optimize for your objective. Recommended for conversions and catalog sales.

Measuring Success

Key Metrics

Attribution Windows

Pinterest defaults to:

• 30-day click
• 30-day engagement
• 1-day view

For comparison with other platforms, adjust to 7-day click.

The Bottom Line

Pinterest is an underutilized goldmine for e-commerce in 2026. While competitors fight for attention on Meta and Google, Pinterest offers:

• Lower CPMs
• Higher purchase intent
• Less creative fatigue
• Growing user base

The brands winning on Pinterest understand it's not social media — it's visual search for shoppers.

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