Pinterest app on a tablet screen. Image: I AM NIKOM/Shutterstock
Visual search site Pinterest is a global phenomenon for ideas and, increasingly, mindfulness.
Pinterest has reached the milestone of 250m users, up from 200m last year.
The ideas-sharing platform has also revealed that more than 175bn ideas have been shared on Pinterest, ranging from recipes to fashion, holidays, cars, art – you name it.
‘We never imagined Pinterest would one day be one of the biggest internet platforms in history’
– EVAN SHARP
More than half of the platform’s users – and 80pc of sign-ups – are now from outside the US. To support this growth, it has grown employment by 32pc last year to more than 1,500 employees.
Pinterest is now many users’ safe place online
Products, which includes items for purchase on retailer sites, is its fastest-growing category, with a growth of 115pc in the last year.
Top categories remain strong, with DIY Projects up 35pc year on year to 27bn total Pins, Style up 38pc to 23bn total Pins and Home Décor ideas up 29pc to 18bn Pins.
The platform revealed that people come to it for self-care and positivity. Pins saved about mindfulness and meditation have increased 171pc year on year, and there has been a 140pc increase in searches for self-care routine as people focus on themselves.
The platform was started in 2009 by Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra and Evan Sharp, modelled on the idea of a scrapbook for things that you love and are influenced by.
“At a time when the internet can feel increasingly negative and politicised, we think it’s remarkable that a quarter of a billion people are choosing to spend their time on Pinterest, a place that helps them feel positive and optimistic about the future,” Sharp said in a blogpost.
“We hear it again and again. Pinners across the globe describe Pinterest as their own positive corner of the internet. It’s where they go to learn about their personal tastes and get the confidence to try new things.
“According to a Nielsen study, 98pc of Pinners go out and try ideas they find on Pinterest – way more than the 71pc average for social media platforms. Other apps are about connecting with friends and inviting more people to join. Pinterest is your place to reconnect with yourself.”
Sharp added: “When we first started building Pinterest eight years ago, we certainly hoped people would use it to get more creative with their daily lives. But we never imagined Pinterest would one day be one of the biggest internet platforms in history.”
Pinterest app on a tablet screen. Image: I AM NIKOM/Shutterstock
