Pinterest is opening its inventory to programmatic buying, allowing advertisers to purchase display and video placements directly through Amazon DSP, Google’s Display & Video 360, and Yahoo DSP.
Launched on October 26, the move seeks to capture demand for new-to-brand buyers using the platform’s 80 billion monthly commercial searches.
Advertisers can now integrate Pinterest inventory into their existing programmatic workflows across major demand-side platforms. By partnering with Magnite as a primary supply-side partner and utilizing Google Ad Manager for operations in Latin America and the Asia Pacific, Pinterest is shedding its reputation as a walled garden for ad spend.
This expansion, currently live across North America, South America, and Asia Pacific, allows brands to prioritize consolidated reporting over manual platform management.
The technical shift allows for automated bidding on Pinterest’s high-intent environment. For teams already optimizing for cross-channel reach, this means Pinterest data can now be ingested directly into standard DSP reporting pipelines. This change is critical for marketers who have historically treated Pinterest as a siloed channel requiring its own dedicated creative and bidding logic.
The business case for this programmatic expansion rests on audience incrementality. According to data reported by scaleup.community, a pilot campaign for the haircare brand Moroccanoil demonstrated a 15% increase in reach with only a 1% audience overlap with other channels. The test also yielded a 20% higher click-through rate compared to baseline expectations.
For operations teams planning a test, the primary objective should be identifying new-to-brand customers rather than chasing low-cost impressions. A recommended test structure involves allocating 10% of monthly DSP spend over a four-week period. Success metrics should be defined prior to launch, with clear decision rules for scaling or terminating the campaign based on cost-per-new-buyer thresholds.
While Pinterest expands its programmatic footprint, Google is refining its own AI-driven ad ecosystem. The company is currently testing a weekly AI-powered asset activity report that segments insights into four categories: featured, asset performance, asset diversity, and industry trends. These reports are designed to automate the identification of creative testing opportunities, though availability remains limited to a beta group.
Success on platforms like Pinterest requires creative that aligns with a user’s intent to plan or discover. High-performing ads often pair a high-value outcome with a clear, low-effort daily commitment. For instance, demonstrating a specific routine—such as a one-minute hair care treatment—tends to reduce conversion friction more effectively than aggressive, hard-sell display banners.
Brands should prioritize product-focused imagery and video content that provides immediate utility to the viewer. By aligning creative assets with the specific search behaviors common on Pinterest, advertisers can improve message-market fit.
