For many of us, Pinterest has become a go-to destination during these times, whether we’re looking for new recipes to try, DIY projects to tackle, home decor inspiration, or creative arts and crafts ideas. As I was browsing through recipes recently, I couldn’t help but notice the abundance of Pinterest video ads and it struck me how impactful this ad format is for the platform.

If I were managing social media advertising for a B2C company right now, investing in Pinterest video ads would be a no-brainer. With that in mind, let’s delve into a concise and practical cheat sheet for utilizing Pinterest video ads effectively. Here’s a rundown of what we’ll cover:

• The reasons why Pinterest video ads are a smart choice.
• A step-by-step guide on setting up your video ad campaigns on Pinterest.
• Expert tips on formatting your video ads to maximize their performance.
• Insights into the types of content that truly shine in Pinterest video ads.

Why Pinterest video ads should be on your radar

Simply put, they deliver results. Pinterest video ads seamlessly blend into the platform’s feed, appearing alongside organic pins. These ads come in two sizes: standard and max width. While maintaining the same height as a regular pin, max width ads can span the width of two columns on mobile devices. When a user scrolls upon a video ad in their home feed, it automatically starts playing. Users also have the option to expand the video to a larger view, replay it, or enable audio.

Let’s take a look at few more reasons why you should use Pinterest video ads:

• Extensive reach: Every month, a staggering 367 million people use Pinterest.
• Highly engaged and purchase-ready audience: An impressive 98% of Pinners have reported trying out new things they discovered on the platform, and 85% turn to Pinterest for inspiration and resources when embarking on a new project.
• Untapped potential: Earned media plays a significant role on Pinterest, especially for visually appealing and high-quality pins and content. This translates to valuable *free* branding, increased traffic, and higher conversions, all thanks to the platform’s audience of highly motivated users. Now that we understand the “why,” let’s move on to the “how.”

Setting up your Pinterest video ads

If you’re already familiar with running ad campaigns on Pinterest, the process of setting up video ads will feel quite familiar. However, if you’re new to the platform, you’ll need to create a business account to gain access to the ad manager and analytics tools. You have two options: start from scratch or convert an existing personal account. Once your account is ready, click on “Create Ad” to begin. If you happen to have existing video pins for your business, you’re in luck! Simply select the relevant videos, add them to your campaign, and you’re good to go. For those starting fresh, you’ll need to add your own video content to get the ball rolling. Similar to any other promoted pin, you can upload content individually or in bulk using the convenient bulk editor. Keep in mind that you’ll have to provide billing information before your ads can go live.

Step #1: Define your campaign goal

Before you dive in, it’s essential to establish a clear objective for your campaign. Whether you’re aiming to increase brand awareness, drive video views, boost conversions, or generate traffic, Pinterest video ads can be tailored to achieve specific goals.

Step #2: Pinpoint your target audience

Just like other leading social advertising platforms, particularly Facebook, Pinterest provides a range of options to help you laser focus on your desired audience. Given the nature of Pinterest, the “Interests” section reigns supreme. Remember the early days of Pinterest when invitations were the norm and setting up your profile involved selecting your areas of interest? Those core interests continue to be the driving force behind user engagement, allowing you to connect with the ideal audience for your brand.

But that’s not all. You can refine your targeting further by leveraging keywords, demographics, geographic location, language, and even the type of device your audience uses.

Step #3: Establish budgets, bids, and delivery preferences

This step is a breeze. Input your campaign budget, whether it’s a daily limit or a total amount. Next, set your CPV (cost per view) bid and specify your desired pacing.

Step #4: Choose your pins wisely

Finally, it’s time to select the pins and videos that will represent your brand in this campaign. Think of this as the heart of your Pinterest video ad strategy.

If you have the video file readily available on your computer, simply drag and drop it, include a relevant link, and hit that publish button!

Pinterest video ad specifications

Pinterest, like any social media platform worth its salt, has specific guidelines in place to maintain a consistent and visually appealing ad experience. ad formats appear as native to the platform as possible. To make sure your video ads shine, adhere to these specs:

• File Type: .mov, .mp4, .m4v
• Size: Keep it under 2GB
• Length: Aim for a sweet spot between 4 seconds and 15 minutes
• Title: Make it count with a maximum of 100 characters
• Description: You have up to 500 characters to capture attention
• Recommended standard aspect ratio: Opt for square, 2:3, 4:5, or 9:16
• Required max width aspect ratio: Stick with square or 16:9 A couple of things to note: Only a portion of your title and description (around 50-60 characters) will be visible in the feed. The full text will be displayed if a user decides to click on your video. And before you get carried away with the idea of a 12-minute Pinterest video ad, take Pinterest’s (and every Pinterest user’s) advice to heart: keep it concise and engaging, ideally between 6 and 15 seconds. As with all things Pinterest, each video pin requires a destination link and an eye-catching cover image, which you can conveniently select from the video itself.

Pinterest video ad best practices

While crafting visually appealing pins for advertising using tools like Canva or existing brand assets might seem relatively straightforward, creating compelling video ads can appear more daunting. Trust me, you’re not alone. I managed social advertising for over two years before even considering video ads, and that was with the support of a talented creative team! Don’t let fear hold you back—it’s not as complicated as it seems! Remember, Pinterest video ads automatically start playing when they’re 50% in view on a user’s feed. However, they’ll remain muted until someone actively clicks on them. Interestingly, Pinterest has reported that branded advertising, not just limited to video ads, resonates well with its user base. So, don’t shy away from incorporating your logo and brand colors! Here are some practical tips for creating your own video ads and key best practices to keep in mind throughout the process.

Expand your toolkit

If you don’t have extensive video editing experience (and let’s face it, many marketers don’t—no shame in that!), there are user-friendly tools available to streamline the process. Consider using a dedicated video creator. Many of these tools offer subscription-based models, allowing you to sign up, create your video, run your ad, and if needed, cancel your trial without any long-term commitment. Some of my personal favorites include Promo, Animoto, wave.video, and Biteable.

Message is king (or queen)

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of showcasing your product or service, but don’t lose sight of the importance of attracting potential customers. Instead of overwhelming viewers with the technical intricacies of your app or product, focus on how it directly addresses their pain points and makes their lives easier. Craft a relatable scenario where your target audience would genuinely benefit from your offering and translate that into a compelling video ad. And here’s a crucial reminder: Words matter, even in a video ad. While people will initially encounter your ad on mute as they scroll through their feed, the ad space itself is limited. Avoid bombarding the entire tile with an overwhelming wall of text. Instead, select the most impactful words, highlight them visually within your design, and ensure your title and description align with these key messages.

KISS! (Keep it short and simple)

Pinterest recommends keeping your video ads concise, ideally between 6 and 15 seconds—a format familiar to those who have experience with pre-roll ads. One effective approach is to create a looping GIF for shorter, six-second ads, or a series of 3 to 5 animated slides for longer formats. For instance, take a look at the ad below. It appeared when I searched for “Bohemian Bedroom ideas” and it’s a straightforward tour of a beautifully decorated bohemian bedroom.

It perfectly aligned with my search intent.

Start pinning!

There you have it—a quick and easy cheat sheet for creating compelling Pinterest video ads. Now it’s time to put this knowledge into action and start pinning!