TikTok and Instagram dominate marketing headlines. They’re the platforms where culture is made in real time, where brands chase virality, and where media budgets often flow by default. But there’s a quiet powerhouse hiding in plain sight: Pinterest.

Unlike other platforms, Pinterest isn’t designed for endless scrolling or distraction. Its 578 million monthly users come with a purpose. They’re not just browsing for fun; they’re planning purchases. And when they find what they want, they act. Shoppable formats on Pinterest drive three times higher conversions and twice the return on ad spend compared to other social platforms, and they reach a higher income demographic.

For CMOs, that makes Pinterest one of the most undervalued levers in the media mix. Often overlooked, it’s uniquely positioned as a channel where influence directly translates into measurable sales impact.

Power of Intent-Driven Platforms

The most significant distinction between Pinterest and its competitors is the level of intent. TikTok and Instagram are entertainment-first platforms where users come for memes, trends, or inspiration; not necessarily with a plan to make a purchase. Pinterest, by contrast, is an intent-driven platform.

Malik Ducard, CCO at Pinterest, explains it like this: “In a world overflowing with options, Pinterest is designed to clear the noise and help people move from inspiration to confident decisions, with less second-guessing and more satisfaction.”

A user scrolling TikTok may stumble onto a new skincare brand by chance. But a Pinterest user is actively searching “best skincare routine for sensitive skin.” That difference changes the dynamic entirely.

• Pinterest users are closer to the bottom of the funnel.
• Searches are tied to planning, not passive consumption.
• Discovery happens in the context of decision-making.

This intent translates to results. Data shows that Pinterest delivers three times higher conversion rates and twice the ROAS compared to other social platforms. That’s not just incremental efficiency; it’s a competitive advantage for brands seeking to stretch their budgets and demonstrate impact in a crowded digital landscape.

Pinterest as a Long Tail Growth Engine?

One of Pinterest’s hidden strengths is its long-tail effect. On platforms like TikTok or Instagram, content lives and dies within days, sometimes hours. A viral post may spark buzz, but once it slips from feeds, its influence fades fast.

Pinterest works differently. Pins are designed to be evergreen. They continue to surface in search results weeks and months after they’re published. That means a single piece of content can generate traffic and conversions long after the campaign budget has been spent.

For brands, this long-tail effect compounds. Instead of constantly fighting to break through noisy feeds, Pinterest builds momentum over time. A home décor brand’s pin for “small apartment kitchen ideas” doesn’t vanish after launch. It continues to work as long as people are searching (and people are always searching).

In a world where most marketing dollars chase short-lived impressions, Pinterest’s compounding effect is one of its most undervalued advantages.

Pinterest as a Window Into Culture

Pinterest isn’t only about conversions; it’s also a lens into how people are shaping their lives. 

The platform functions as a cultural mood board, reflecting emerging trends before they hit the mainstream. Whether it’s “quiet luxury,” “dopamine décor,” or “low-lift wellness,” Pinterest trend reports and searches often signal shifts in consumer identity months ahead of other channels.

For CMOs, this makes Pinterest not just a media buy, but also a cultural intelligence tool. 

Unlike TikTok, which thrives on rapid-fire trends, Pinterest reveals where people are making intentional choices — how they want to live, what they aspire to buy, and the rituals they’re incorporating into their daily lives. It’s where slow living, wellness culture, and lifestyle planning converge, giving marketers insight into both current intent and future demand.

Creator Partnerships On Pinterest

Pinterest is no longer just about static mood boards. The platform has evolved with creator-first tools, such as Idea Pins, shoppable links, and affiliate integrations, that connect inspiration to purchase.

Creators bring the authenticity audiences crave. On Pinterest, their content doesn’t just inspire — it converts. A food blogger can create a recipe pin that includes shoppable ingredients linked directly to retailers. A beauty creator can demo products in an Idea Pin with clickable links that enable users to make a purchase. The result is an influence with measurable sales attached.

For brands, this presents an opportunity to seamlessly blend storytelling and commerce. 

Pinterest creators often specialize in niches — such as home, food, wellness, and fashion — where audiences are already primed to plan and make purchases. Pairing creator content with Pinterest’s shopping formats becomes a direct growth engine.

Consider how beauty brands use Pinterest for launches. 

A creator-led pin showing a new product in action doesn’t disappear after 24 hours. It becomes part of the platform’s search ecosystem, surfacing repeatedly when audiences search for solutions. That persistence is something no fleeting Instagram Story can match.

Why CMOs Overlook Pinterest

If Pinterest is so effective, why is it still undervalued? The answer is perception. Pinterest doesn’t generate splashy cultural moments the way TikTok does. It doesn’t dominate marketing discourse or make headlines every week.

Instead, Pinterest is often viewed as a niche platform for hobbies and lifestyle inspiration. It feels quieter, older, maybe even “old-school” compared to the energy of TikTok or the gloss of Instagram. That perception masks its power.

The irony is that undervaluation is exactly what makes Pinterest so valuable right now. Underpriced attention has always been an opportunity for forward-looking marketers. Instagram ads were once dismissed as experimental; now they’re table stakes. Facebook video was previously underestimated until it became central to a brand's strategy. Pinterest sits in that same moment today.

For CMOs willing to rethink their media mix, this presents an opportunity to capture value before others catch on.

The Case for Pinterest in Your Media Mix

The argument for Pinterest isn’t just about doing something different. It’s about efficiency, stability, and long-term growth.

• Efficiency: Pinterest consistently outperforms in terms of conversion and ROAS, making dollars work harder.
• Stability: TikTok faces regulatory uncertainty. Instagram is oversaturated. Pinterest offers a more predictable and secure channel for investment.
• Longevity: Content on Pinterest doesn’t evaporate. Its long-tail discoverability continues to work long after campaigns end.
• Cultural Fit: Pinterest sits at the intersection of lifestyle, planning, and wellness trends — all spaces with ongoing consumer interest.

Taken together, these factors make Pinterest not a side bet, but a critical lever in a diversified media strategy.

What This Means For CMOs

CMOs are under pressure to do more with less. Media budgets are being scrutinized. Every channel must prove impact. In this environment, overlooking Pinterest is a missed opportunity.

The path forward is clear: stop treating Pinterest as an “add-on” and start treating it as a core channel. Test and reallocate spend. Pair creator partnerships with shoppable formats. Measure conversion and ROAS side by side with TikTok and Instagram.

Pinterest may not dominate cultural headlines, but it dominates where it counts: consumer intent. 

Brands that act now will lock in undervalued gains before the rest of the industry catches up. And in a media landscape where efficiency and measurable impact matter more than ever, Pinterest could be the secret weapon your media mix has been missing.