The news: Pinterest is becoming a primary discovery channel for younger consumers—not a secondary inspiration site.

• Gen Zers are Pinterest’s fastest-growing cohort and make up over 50% of its users, per company data.
• 71% of all Pinterest users report that the platform helps them discover products and ideas they wouldn’t normally find or engage with, per a Decision Lab survey commissioned by Pinterest.

What it means: Pinterest is a place where new brands can break through, countering the concept that Gen Zers only find new brands through TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. Further strength comes from unprompted discovery. Rather than searching for known brands, users are finding products organically.

As algorithms on other platforms become increasingly influenced by creator-led videos and viral trends, Pinterest’s discovery-driven model may become more attractive for smaller brands seeking incremental reach and product awareness.

Why it matters: Pinterest’s value may lie less in performance-style conversion and more in early- and mid-funnel influence, especially for brands trying to reach Gen Z before preferences and brand biases are formed.

• Pinterest’s role is less about driving immediate conversion and more about shaping awareness early.
• Discovery on the platform can occur without social validation via trends or creator recommendations, giving brands access to users outside of echo chambers.

Implications for brands: Brands should approach Pinterest as a crucial channel for inspiration and product awareness and education.

• Optimize for discovery by including visual search options and keywords that can elevate products in a variety of content categories.
• Launch new products on Pinterest when looking to gain social sway without influencer spend.
• Incrementally test reach to see how Gen Zers engage with content.
• Approach genAI content carefully to avoid being filtered out of feeds.