Pinterest is venturing into the realm of online events. The platform has been observed evaluating a new capability that enables users to register for Zoom sessions directly through Pinterest, while content creators can utilize Pinterest’s boards to structure course materials, supplementary notes, and other helpful resources, or even communicate with participants via an integrated group chat function. The company has acknowledged that the testing of online classes is currently an experimental phase in progress, but declined to provide any further specifics regarding its future intentions.

The discovery of this functionality was made on Tuesday by software engineer Jane Manchun Wong, who uncovered details about the online classes through analysis of the application’s underlying code.

At present, it is possible to access certain “demonstration” profiles – such as “@pinsmeditation” or “@pinzoom123,” for instance – and view their listed Class Communities. However, these communities are currently vacant upon access. This is because the feature remains unreleased, according to Wong.

Should the feature be officially released to the public, these communities will incorporate dedicated areas where creators can organize their course content – including lists of required materials, notes, images, and more. They will also be able to use these communities to provide a course summary and description, direct users to a related storefront, facilitate group discussions, and offer additional features.

Creators will also have the ability to leverage these communities – which function as enhanced Pinterest boards – to address questions from attendees, share photos from sessions, and generally engage with participants.

When a user wishes to enroll in a class, they can select a “book” button to register, and will subsequently receive a confirmation email containing the meeting details. Additional buttons provide options to download Zoom or copy the link needed to join the class.

It is unsurprising that Pinterest is expanding into the online events sector, considering its platform has become a widely used tool for organizing remote learning resources during the coronavirus pandemic. Educators have increasingly turned to Pinterest to manage lesson plans, find inspiration, and share educational activities. Early in the pandemic, Pinterest reported unprecedented levels of activity, with more searches and saves occurring globally during a single March weekend than at any other point in the company’s history, due to its effectiveness as an online organizational resource.

This expansion has persisted throughout the year. In October, Pinterest’s stock value increased following strong financial results, as the company exceeded expectations in both revenue and user growth. The company generated $443 million in revenue, compared to the anticipated $383.5 million, and increased its monthly active users to 442 million, exceeding the projected 436.4 million. Beyond the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, this growth was driven by strong international adoption, increased advertising expenditure from advertisers shifting away from Facebook, and heightened interest from users seeking iOS 14 home screen customization ideas.

Considering the ongoing challenges in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., many classes, events, and other activities are likely to remain virtual as we move into 2021. The online events market may continue to expand in subsequent years, benefiting from the momentum provided by the pandemic.

“We are exploring methods to facilitate closer interactions between creators and their audiences,” stated a Pinterest representative when asked for additional information.

Pinterest did not confirm further details regarding its plans for online events, but did indicate that the feature is under development and the testing phase will contribute to shaping the product’s future direction.

Pinterest frequently tests new features before making them available to a broader user base. Earlier this summer, TechCrunch reported on a Story Pins feature that was in development. Pinterest subsequently launched this feature in September. If a similar timeline applies to online events, we may potentially see the feature become more widely accessible sometime in the early part of next year.