Ad spending on social media is projected to reach over $173 billion this year, according to Hootsuite. Not surprising when you consider where 3.6 billion people spend their time. As the number of engaged users keeps growing, even cautious marketers see the value of a strong social media advertising strategy.
Running ads on the right social platforms is a critical piece of any digital marketing campaign. But how do you choose where to put your money? Brands are increasingly shifting spend away from saturated channels like Facebook and Instagram toward newer platforms with less competition and stronger engagement rates.
Ready to shake up your social media strategy? Let’s take a deep dive into Pinterest and TikTok — two modern platforms where we’ve seen clients achieve strong results. Here’s what you need to know: what they are, why they work for brands, the types of campaigns you can run, ad formats, creative best practices, and more.
Pinterest is a visual discovery engine where people go to get inspired. They search for anything from recipes and interior design ideas to hairstyles and dog leashes. Users search with keywords and “pin” photos that link back to company websites, product pages, and blog posts.
For businesses, Pinterest offers a unique marketing opportunity — positioning your brand inside a visual search engine where people are actively looking for ideas and products. It’s one of the few platforms where users arrive with purchase intent already in mind, making it a powerful channel for driving traffic and conversions.
Why Pinterest Is a Good Channel for Your Brand
Unlike other social platforms where advertising interrupts the user experience, on Pinterest advertising is part of the experience. Users are actively searching for products and services — which means they’re generally more open to seeing your brand and more likely to respond.
Pinterest offers a strong mix of free and paid advertising options, making it appealing for marketers focused on ROI. Pinterest ads earn a 2x higher return on ad spend[1] and have one of the lowest average CPCs ($1.50 in 2021) in social media advertising.
Concerned about brand safety on a newer platform? Pinterest maintains rigorous advertising guidelines around content, messaging, and targeting — making it a relatively safe environment for brands.
Pinterest by the numbers:
- Pinterest is the 14th largest social network in the world, with 459 million monthly active users, according to Hootsuite.
- The audience skews heavily female — 78% women and 22% men, per Sprout Social.
- The median age of a Pinterest user is 40, though most active pinners are under 40.
- Video consumption is growing fast — close to 1 billion video views each day, with 82% watched on mobile.
- 97% of top searches on Pinterest are unbranded — meaning users aren’t committed to one brand and are open to discovering new products.
Advertising on Pinterest
Pinterest offers four ad types using video, images, or both. Ads appear as regular pins in your target audience’s home feed, category feed, and relevant search results.
Ad Types
- Collection Ads: One large hero asset followed by three smaller secondary assets.
- Carousel Ads: Multiple images in a single pin — great for showcasing product features, multiple products, or telling a brand story in chapters.
- Promoted Pins: Standard pins that run on a cost-per-click basis.
- Shopping Ads: Surface products directly from your catalog.
Campaign Objectives
- Awareness: Build brand or product recognition (Promoted Pins, Shopping Ads)
- Consideration: Drive traffic to your content on and offline (Collection Ads, Carousel Ads)
- Conversion: Drive online sales, signups, and subscriptions (Shopping Ads, Collection Ads)
- Offline Sales: Increase in-store purchases (Collection Ads, Promoted Pins)
Pinterest has also introduced Try On product pins, which use augmented reality to create a virtual fitting room experience. Users can see how an item looks using their smartphone camera — a compelling format for fashion and beauty brands.
Pricing
Success on Pinterest typically requires running multiple campaigns with different goals. Effective targeting and strong keyword research are essential. For brand awareness, expect to pay between $2.00 and $5.00 per 1,000 impressions. For engagement or clicks, expect to pay between $0.10 and $1.50 per click.
Creative Best Practices for Pinterest
According to Pinterest, “The best pins are visually appealing, tell a good story and make people want to learn more.” Follow these tips to get the most out of your campaigns.
Images
- Use vertical images over horizontal.
- Put your product or service front and center.
- Include your logo on every pin.
- Keep text overlay simple and clear.
- Optimize pin titles and descriptions for search.
- Test links to make sure they work properly.
Videos
- Aim for 6–15 second ads for the best conversion rate.
- Use text overlay for viewers watching without sound.
- Choose a cover image that instantly communicates what the video is about.
- Optimize video titles and descriptions for search.
TikTok
TikTok is a social media app where users create and share short videos. The platform launched in China in 2016 as a dance app and quickly grew into a global phenomenon. Today TikTok has over one billion users — and gains 8 new users every second.
Unlike traditional social platforms that rely on images and text, TikTok is built entirely around video. It empowers anyone to become a creator, sharing short clips that tell a story in three minutes or less. The format is addictive, the algorithm is powerful, and the audience is highly engaged.
Brands that build a strong TikTok advertising strategy now will have a significant advantage as the platform continues to mature and competition for ad inventory increases.
TikTok by the Numbers
- TikTok was the second most downloaded app on the Apple App Store in Q1 2022, behind only Instagram.
- TikTok is available in 150 countries across 75 languages.
- The app has been downloaded over 200 million times in the US alone.
- The user base skews female — as of March 2021, 61% are female and 39% male.
- 90% of users log on multiple times a day, and nearly half (49%) use TikTok to inform purchase decisions.
Advertising on TikTok
TikTok currently offers five ad types:
Ad Types
- In-Feed Ads: 9–15 second video ads that appear between user videos as people scroll their For You Page.
- Brand Takeover: Full-screen ads that appear the moment a user opens the TikTok app.
- Top View: The first in-feed post after 3 seconds — premium placement with up to 60 seconds of full-screen video.
- Branded Hashtag Challenge: Organic and sponsored opportunities that encourage user-generated content around your brand.
- Branded Effects: Custom stickers, filters, and lenses users can apply in their own videos.
Campaign Objectives
- Awareness: Build brand or product recognition through reach. (Brand Takeover, Branded Hashtag Challenge)
- Consideration: Drive traffic, app installs, video views, and form fills. (In-Feed Ads, Branded Effects)
- Conversion: Drive online sales, signups, and subscriptions.
Pricing
TikTok uses a bidding model with two budget options — daily and lifetime. The minimum campaign budget is $50 and $20 at the ad group level. Lifetime budget is calculated by multiplying your daily budget by the number of days you plan to run.
Targeting is available by gender, location, age, and interests. Lookalike and custom audience targeting are also available to help you reach your intended audience.
Creative Best Practices for TikTok
The best TikTok content is authentic. Tell your story in a natural, conversational way — but authentic doesn’t mean low effort. Keep your videos high quality in terms of both content and sound.
Before creating your first video, set clear goals and objectives. A solid plan will inform everything from how you build your profile to where you direct traffic — whether that’s a landing page, your website, or a product page.
Videos
- Aim for 21–34 second ads with your most compelling content in the first 3 seconds.
- Refresh content every 7 days to avoid audience fatigue.
- Use audio, captions, and text together.
- Keep the tone laid back and conversational — avoid hard selling at all costs.
Other Considerations
- Use tutorials and how-to content for higher engagement.
- Experiment with interactive content like polls and questions.
- Influencer-sponsored videos can accelerate engagement quickly.
- Use hashtags to make your content easier to discover.
Take time to get to know the platform before diving in. Browse trending videos to understand what performs well. Research popular hashtags and check out what competitors are doing — and how their audience responds.
If you use TikTok in your ad strategy, post consistently. Building a following is the goal, and if you connect with your audience they’ll keep coming back. Use the platform’s editing features, filters, and effects to give your brand a fresh voice. Don’t be afraid to try something outside your comfort zone — the opportunities for creativity are endless.
The Final Word
Consumers today want to be inspired and entertained — not sold to. Most people start and end their day online, moving through social media platforms, brand websites, and content that shapes how they think and what they buy. Social media marketing done well adds to that journey, using the right mix of ads, video, and relevant content to nurture relationships into motivated leads.
If you’re looking for a fresh way to reach a growing, engaged audience, TikTok and Pinterest are worth serious consideration. Both platforms offer lower competition, strong engagement rates, and audiences that are actively open to discovering new brands and products.
Ready to try TikTok and Pinterest advertising? Our team can help you navigate both platforms — from defining campaign goals and targeting to building budgets, creating ad groups, and placing ads. We’ll walk you through the options and opportunities that make the most sense for your brand.
Reach out today and let’s shake up your digital marketing strategy.