It's official: Gen Z is the trendsetting generation on Pinterest right now. They're using the image-sharing service a bit differently than Millennials, who helped launch the platform when it debuted in 2010.
“Gen Z is Pinterest’s fastest growing audience and represents over 40% of the platform’s global monthly active users,” says Rachel Hardy, Pinterest’s director of consumer product marketing.
She explains that Gen Z’s momentum on the platform has increased in the past year especially.
“We believe this is mainly driven by personal exploration, as Gen Z users come to Pinterest to form and explore their identities,” Hardy explains. “They talk about it as a place to figure out what they like vs. being told what to like without the scrutiny or judgment they feel in other places. They’re developing their aesthetic, collecting resonant quotes, curating mood boards, and dreaming about their futures.”
So, how else is Gen Z using Pinterest? We talked to the experts on trends they're seeing today's teens and 20-somethings explore on the platform.
They're using interactive collages
Gen Z is taking full advantage of the platform's visual technology.
“We believe this Gen Z growth is driven by new features we have introduced like Collages, a new immersive format designed to help Pinners visualize ideas using our advanced visual technology to cut out products and create interactive collages,” says Hardy.
The Collage format (which is currently an iOS-only feature) offers a more creative spin on the traditional Pinning experience, which may be why it has been so successful with younger users.
“As we've scaled Collages on Pinterest, we’ve observed that 72% of Collage creators are from the Gen Z cohort,” adds Hardy. “They also save Collages at three times the rate of other Pin types.”
They're exploring their identity
Along with honing their aesthetic and vision-boarding, Gen Z is doing a lot of soul-searching on Pinterest.
“For a lot of them, Pinterest is about self-expression and forging their identity,” says Hardy. “As they get older, they’re using Pinterest for many of the same reasons older cohorts do: recipes, decorating their first apartment, and planning events from birthdays to weddings.”
The tools that the platform provides allow them to get as granular as they'd like with their preferences.
“They have the deepest engagement and save over two times more ideas than other generations,” Hardy adds.
They're collaborating on vision boards
For Gen Zers, using Pinterest isn't just a solo activity. They enjoy creating shared Boards with their close friends to inspire and uplift each other.
“A lot of Gen Z Pinners curate boards for their friends as a way to show their appreciation. We’ve seen friends, for example, planning their dream wedding together on the same board,” adds Hardy.
They're shopping smarter
Many social media platforms now have their own in-app shopping experience, but Pinterest's is one of the most enjoyable to use — and Gen Z is all over it.
“Pinterest deeply understands the nuances of people’s tastes,” says Hardy. “In fact, 84% of Gen Z weekly users say they discover products that fit their taste and style while shopping on Pinterest.”
The platform also makes it easy to search for unique gift ideas, since users can compare the prices of different products right from the platform.
“Pinterest offers a very seamless and integrated shopping experience,” says Alecsandra Fitzwater, U.S. Gen Z Lab Ambassador at Edelman. “Since they launched their search function, I've used it more than Google.”
Because Pinterest automatically groups shoppable Pins into a "Shopping List" Board, users can see all of their saved products at a glance without invasive algorithms serving up unrelated content.
“I feel like I have more control over what I want to see and potentially buy than on any other social media platform,” adds Fitzwater.
They're enjoying the best parts of social media
Hardy points out that Pinterest “provides a unique, positive environment where Pinners can envision their future far from the judgment of others.”
For Gen Zers who are concerned about how their internet use is affecting their self-care routine, this is a refreshing departure from the competitive nature of other social media apps.
“When we look at platform usage overall, we know that people aren’t on Pinterest to passively scroll or be entertained. People come to Pinterest to dream, discover, and shop for their future,” says Hardy.
Many Gen Z users will also co-opt trends from other social media apps and reframe them for Pinterest.
“Nighttime routines and ‘romanticizing the little things’ are evergreen Gen Z trends on TikTok, and, over the last year, Pinterest has organically joined that side of TikTok,” says Laura Montilla, another U.S. Gen Z Lab Ambassador at Edelman.
“I'll see videos of creators preparing their tea, setting the mood, and getting ready to plan their life on Pinterest,” Montilla says. “I see people saying Pinterest is ‘for the girls’, and that using Pinterest is an activity all by itself.”
But Pinterest may be benefitting Gen Z in much deeper ways, too.
“I think it's interesting that most social media apps are something people say to avoid when prioritizing mental health and wellness. But Pinterest is somehow the app that's now a part of that routine and is seen as investing in your health and creativity,” says Montilla.
Emily Shiffer
Freelance Writer
Emily Shiffer has worked as a writer for over 10 years, covering everything from health and wellness to entertainment and celebrities. She previously was on staff at SUCCESS, Men's Health, and Prevention magazines. Her freelance writing has been featured in Women's Health, Runner's World, PEOPLE, and more. Emily is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she majored in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and minored in musicology. Currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina, Emily enjoys instructing barre, surfing, and long walks on the beach with her miniature Dachshund, Gertrude.
