Pinterest launches Top of Search ads for visual shopping transformation

Pinterest announced on September 25, 2025, its most significant advertising expansion targeting visual shopping behavior through new Top of Search ad formats and enhanced commerce capabilities. The visual discovery platform, serving over 570 million monthly active users, introduced three major advertising solutions designed to capture consumer intent at critical shopping moments.

The centerpiece announcement focuses on Pinterest Top of Search ads, currently in beta across all monetized markets. These advertisements appear directly within the top ten search results and Related Pins sections. According to Pinterest's internal testing data, 45% of user clicks occur within the top ten search results, with 96% of these searches being unbranded queries.

Performance metrics demonstrate substantial engagement improvements. Top of Search ads achieved an average click-through rate 29% higher than standard campaigns during testing phases. The new format showed 32% higher likelihood of attracting new clickers compared to existing advertising options.

Wayfair participated in early testing phases, experiencing a 237% increase in click-through rate over a two-week period compared to standard campaign performance. The furniture retailer's results highlight the format's effectiveness for e-commerce businesses targeting active shoppers.

The advertising unit incorporates advertiser catalogs through brand-exclusive positioning. This approach ensures product visibility during early shopping journey phases, addressing the critical discovery window when consumers evaluate purchasing options without predetermined brand preferences.

Pinterest's visual search emphasis aligns with changing consumer behavior patterns. According to the company, 39% of Generation Z users prefer starting shopping searches on Pinterest rather than traditional search engines or text-based platforms. This preference stems from visual search capabilities that enable product discovery through image recognition rather than descriptive text queries.

The announcement coincided with Pinterest Presents, the company's annual global advertiser summit. The event showcased Pinterest's strategic positioning within the visual commerce ecosystem, emphasizing the platform's unique role in connecting inspiration with purchasing decisions.

Local inventory advertising represents the second major development. Retailers can now display real-time pricing for in-stock merchandise within shoppers' local store radius across Pinterest's shopping markets. This functionality addresses the growing demand for omnichannel shopping experiences combining online discovery with offline fulfillment.

Canadian Tire Company tested the local inventory format as the first Canadian retailer implementing this advertising approach. The automotive and home goods retailer reached interested shoppers 48% more efficiently than standard shopping campaigns. Additionally, Canadian Tire observed a 16.5% higher in-store visit rate when incorporating local inventory ads into their overall shopping strategy.

The local inventory system integrates with retailer inventory management systems to provide accurate availability information. This real-time integration prevents customer frustration from discovering unavailable products while browsing Pinterest content, improving overall shopping experience quality.

Pinterest Media Network Connect introduces a third major capability addressing fragmented media buying workflows. The self-service tool within Pinterest Ads Manager enables media networks to securely share first-party audiences, product catalogs, and conversion data with advertising partners.

This integration allows campaign building and management from a centralized interface while maintaining advertiser control and transparency. The system supports the full range of Pinterest advertising solutions, including Pinterest Performance+ automated optimization tools.

Initial media network partnerships include Kroger Precision Marketing and Instacart Ads in the United States, with expansion plans under development. According to Christine Foster, Senior Vice President at Kroger Precision Marketing, the capability "empowers advertisers with faster decision-making and control, while using purchase-based audiences direct from the retailer."

The technical implementation addresses common challenges in retail media collaboration. Media networks often struggle with fragmented tools and complex data sharing requirements when executing campaigns across multiple platforms. Pinterest's unified approach simplifies these processes while maintaining data security standards.

The announcement builds upon Pinterest's recent advertising technology investments. The platform launched Performance+ AI tools in October 2024, focusing on automated targeting and creative optimization. These developments contributed to Pinterest's 17% revenue growth reaching $998 million in the second quarter of 2025.

Pinterest's positioning within the digital advertising landscape continues evolving from inspirational content toward actionable commerce. The platform's expansion into programmatic advertising through Index Exchange and Criteo partnerships demonstrates broader monetization strategy development beyond direct advertising sales.

The visual search focus differentiates Pinterest from text-based search advertising. Traditional search engines require consumers to articulate product desires through keywords, while Pinterest enables discovery through visual inspiration browsing. This fundamental difference creates unique advertising opportunities for brands seeking to influence purchase decisions during exploration phases.

Shopping behavior data supports Pinterest's visual-first approach. Internal research indicates that Pinterest trends last nearly twice as long as trends on other platforms, driven by user planning behaviors extending beyond immediate purchase decisions. This extended engagement window provides advertisers with longer optimization periods for campaign performance improvement.

The Top of Search ads format addresses a critical gap in visual discovery advertising. Previous Pinterest advertising options focused primarily on feed placement and category targeting. The new search-integrated approach captures users during active product research, representing higher commercial intent than passive browsing behaviors.

Technical specifications for Top of Search ads emphasize seamless integration with existing campaign workflows. Advertisers can utilize current catalog feeds and targeting parameters while accessing the enhanced search placement options. This compatibility reduces implementation barriers for brands already advertising on Pinterest.

Local inventory advertising functionality extends beyond simple availability display. The system incorporates pricing information, store locations, and availability windows to provide comprehensive shopping decision support. This detailed information presentation helps bridge the gap between online discovery and offline purchase completion.

The media network integration addresses growing demand for retail media advertising solutions. Major retailers increasingly view advertising platforms as revenue sources beyond traditional e-commerce sales. Pinterest's Media Network Connect provides technical infrastructure supporting these collaborative advertising relationships.

Performance measurement capabilities accompany all three new advertising solutions. Pinterest provides detailed analytics covering click-through rates, conversion tracking, and audience engagement metrics. These measurement tools enable advertisers to optimize campaigns based on actual performance data rather than estimated outcomes.

The September 25, 2025 announcement represents Pinterest's largest advertising platform expansion since the introduction of shopping ads in previous years. The comprehensive approach targeting discovery, local inventory, and media collaboration addresses multiple aspects of modern commerce advertising requirements.

Industry context suggests Pinterest's timing aligns with broader visual commerce adoption trends. Social commerce spending continues growing as consumers integrate social media discovery with purchasing decisions. Pinterest's established position in visual content positions the platform advantageously for capturing this market expansion.

The rollout timeline indicates measured expansion across Pinterest's monetized markets. Beta testing enables performance optimization before full-scale deployment, reflecting Pinterest's commitment to advertiser success rather than rapid feature launches without adequate testing periods.

Competitive implications extend beyond direct Pinterest advertising competitors. The visual search emphasis challenges traditional search advertising approaches dominated by text-based keyword targeting. Brands allocating significant budgets to search advertising may need to evaluate visual discovery opportunities as consumer behavior evolves.

Technical infrastructure supporting these new advertising formats builds upon Pinterest's existing machine learning capabilities. The platform's recommendation algorithms, content classification systems, and user behavior analysis provide foundational technology enabling sophisticated targeting and optimization features.

Privacy considerations remain paramount in Pinterest's advertising development. The platform emphasizes user control over data sharing while providing advertisers with effective targeting capabilities. This balanced approach addresses regulatory requirements while maintaining advertising effectiveness.

Future development directions suggested by these announcements point toward increased automation and AI integration. Pinterest's Performance+ branding indicates ongoing investment in machine learning-powered advertising optimization, potentially reducing manual campaign management requirements for advertisers.

Timeline

• November 28, 2024: Pinterest begins programmatic advertising expansion with Index Exchange partnership
• January 25, 2025: Criteo integration added to Pinterest's programmatic ecosystem
• April 17, 2025: Pinterest launches Performance Essentials certification program
• June 11, 2025: Pinterest unveils AI auto-collages and enhanced trend forecasting tools
• July 8, 2025: Pinterest releases inaugural Men's Trend Report revealing demographic shifts
• August 7, 2025: Pinterest reports 17% revenue growth with record 578 million monthly active users
• September 8, 2024: IAS and Pinterest launch Total Media Quality measurement tools
• September 18, 2025: Instacart CFO Emily Reuter joins Pinterest board
• September 25, 2025: Pinterest announces Top of Search ads, local inventory advertising, and Media Network Connect

Summary

Who: Pinterest, the visual discovery platform with over 570 million monthly active users, announced new advertising solutions targeting high-intent shoppers and retail media partnerships.

What: Pinterest launched Top of Search ads (showing 29% higher CTR), local inventory advertising with real-time pricing, and Media Network Connect for first-party data sharing. Early testing showed Wayfair achieved 237% CTR increases and Canadian Tire reached shoppers 48% more efficiently.

When: The announcement occurred on September 25, 2025, during Pinterest Presents, the company's annual global advertiser summit.

Where: Top of Search ads are in beta across all monetized markets, local inventory ads are available in Pinterest shopping markets, and Media Network Connect launches with Kroger Precision Marketing and Instacart Ads partnerships in the United States.

Why: Pinterest aims to capture the 45% of clicks occurring in top ten search results, with 96% being unbranded searches representing high-intent shopping moments. The platform seeks to transform from inspirational content to actionable commerce, addressing Generation Z's preference for visual shopping discovery over traditional text-based search engines.