n the race to win customers online, most brands default to Facebook ads — the long-standing giant of digital advertising. But while Facebook continues to dominate ad spend, there’s another platform quietly delivering exceptional results, often at a fraction of the cost: Pinterest.
Pinterest isn’t just a place for pretty pictures or DIY inspiration — it’s a visual search engine where millions of people actively plan purchases and discover new brands every single day. And when it comes to advertising, Pinterest offers unique advantages that Facebook can’t match: lower competition, longer-lasting results, and an audience with unmatched buying intent.
If you’ve been pouring your budget into Facebook and wondering why costs keep rising while returns shrink, it’s time to take a closer look at how Pinterest stacks up — and why it might just be your brand’s most overlooked growth channel.
| Pinterest Ads | Facebook Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience Intent | 🛒 High buying & planning intent. Users come to Pinterest to discover, plan, and shop for future purchases. | 🎯 Low to medium buying intent. Users typically browse to connect socially, not necessarily to shop. |
| Platform Type | 🔍 Visual search engine + inspiration feed. Users actively search for ideas, products, and solutions. | 🗣 Social network & feed. Users browse posts from friends, pages, and groups. |
| Ad Longevity | ⏳ Long shelf life. Promoted Pins often continue to drive free organic traffic for months or even years after campaigns end. | ⏱ Short shelf life. Once ad budget stops, so does the traffic — very little residual exposure. |
| Targeting Options | 🎯 Hybrid targeting: interests, demographics, AND keywords. Can target people searching for specific topics. | 🎯 Social targeting: interests, behaviors, lookalike audiences, detailed demographic data. No keyword targeting. |
| Competition & Cost | 💰 Less competition, often lower CPCs. Many advertisers overlook Pinterest, keeping costs down. | 💸 Highly competitive, higher CPCs. Many businesses drive up auction costs. |
| Content Discovery | ✨ Users discover new brands/products. 97% of top searches on Pinterest are unbranded, making it easier for small brands to stand out. | 🚀 Strong for remarketing. Users often see ads from brands they already interacted with. Discovery is harder. |
| Best For | 🏠 Brands in home, decor, beauty, fashion, wellness, food, weddings, DIY, and similar inspiration-heavy spaces. | 📈 Brands with a broad mass-market appeal, strong retargeting strategies, or social engagement objectives. |
| Creative Format | 📌 Visually-driven static Pins, Idea Pins, video Pins. Seamless with organic Pins, blends into user feeds. | 🎥 Multiple formats: carousel, stories, reels, instant experiences, collection ads. Looks more like traditional ads. |
| Trust Factor | ✅ Pinterest content feels like organic ideas. Ads blend in and are often seen as helpful resources. | 🔔 Facebook ads can feel disruptive in a personal feed, may be ignored or hidden by users. |
| Shopping Features | 🛍 Rich Pins & Shop tabs directly connect products to buying journeys. Pinterest Verified Merchant Program further boosts trust & reach. | 🛒 Strong Facebook Shops & Instagram Shopping integrations, especially powerful for DTC brands. |
✅ Quick summary:
| Pinterest Ads | Facebook Ads |
|---|---|
| 🎯 Higher buying intent | 🔍 More social browsing |
| 💰 Often cheaper CPCs | 💸 Highly competitive costs |
| ⏳ Long-lasting results | ⏱ Pay-to-play traffic only |
| 🔍 Targets keywords & interests | 🎯 Targets interests & demographics only |
| 🏠 Best for inspiration-heavy niches | 📈 Best for mass reach & retargeting |
