Pinterest Launches 'Watch' Tab & $20M Creator Fund

Pinterest Evolves with TikTok-Inspired Features and Creator Investment

Pinterest is actively working to redefine its platform, shifting its focus towards becoming a hub for creators, rather than solely a source of shopping inspiration. The company has recently unveiled a series of updates designed to achieve this, incorporating features reminiscent of Snapchat and TikTok.

New Features and Creator Tools

These updates include a vertical video feed and a planned $20 million investment in a “Creator Rewards” program. Pinterest is also expanding its suite of creator tools, offering functionalities like responding to videos with “Takes,” integration with the Amazon Associates affiliate program, and the launch of original content initiatives.

Earlier this year, Pinterest introduced Idea Pins, a video-centric feature intended for creators. These Pins blend elements of TikTok and Stories, allowing users to record and edit videos with tools such as background music, transitions, and interactive components.

Idea Pins can be up to 60 seconds long, but uniquely, video is not the sole component. Each Pin can contain up to 20 pages of content, navigable like Stories, enabling creators to detail processes like recipes or DIY projects.

Redesigned Home Page and “Watch” Tab

Pinterest is redesigning its home page to prominently feature these Pins in a format similar to TikTok. Users can now choose between “browsing” and “watching” Pins via dedicated tabs on the home feed.

The new “Watch” tab provides a full-screen, vertically scrolling feed of Idea Pins, allowing users to engage through likes, comments, and saving for future reference. While mirroring TikTok or Instagram Reels in its video presentation, users can still access the multi-page content within the Pins.

A dashed progress bar at the bottom of the Pin indicates the presence of additional pages, differentiating it from a standard video progress bar.

“Takes” – A Creator Response Feature

Inspired by TikTok’s Duets and Stitches, Pinterest is introducing “Takes,” a feature enabling creators to respond to Idea Pins with their own content, linked back to the original. This allows for variations on recipes, project replications, or creative responses to prompts.

To promote “Takes,” Pinterest is collaborating with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Megan Thee Stallion, and Storm Reid, building on previous partnerships with creators like Jonathan Van Ness.

Augmented Reality and Original Content

Creators can now utilize a new “Try On” sticker for Idea Pins, allowing viewers to virtually test lip products using augmented reality. Pinterest has expanded its AR capabilities, initially offering lipstick try-on and later adding eyeshadow options.

The company is also launching Creator Originals, a series featuring over 100 creators across 10 countries, offering tutorials in areas like beauty, home décor, wellness, and cooking.

$20 Million Creator Rewards Fund

Pinterest is launching a $20 million Creator Rewards fund in the U.S., its first in-product creator monetization program. This fund will compensate creators for participating in Pinterest-issued challenges, expanding on a previous $500,000 Creator Fund.

Creators can access Creator Rewards through the new “Creator Hub,” where they can manage their Pinterest presence and apply for “micro-grants” to support projects like community gardens or wellness initiatives.

Monetization Opportunities

U.S. creators can now tag Pins with Amazon Associates affiliate links, in addition to existing support for Rakuten and ShopStyle. Pinterest is also enabling shopping recommendations powered by its visual search feature for videos.

These combined updates demonstrate Pinterest’s effort to adapt to the “TikTok era” by adopting and refining popular features. This strategy is common across social media platforms, as TikTok’s influence continues to grow.

Pinterest aims to regain creator interest and provide monetization options beyond brand engagements and virtual tipping. The new features are rolling out today on iOS, Android, and the web.

The platform’s unique advantage lies in its ability to allow users to save and organize content into Pinterest Boards, a feature lacking in TikTok, which could prove beneficial for users seeking to revisit tutorials, recipes, and inspiration.