Pinterest Advises Brands to Kick Off Holiday Campaigns Ahead of the Seasonal Rush

Pinterest has published a set of recommendations aimed at helping marketers prepare for the end-of-year shopping season, with the platform advising brands to initiate their holiday campaigns earlier than usual to maximize potential opportunities.

The company notes that its users are already in the early stages of planning their holiday purchases. As Pinterest explains: “The number one reason people come to Pinterest is to shop. That makes our audience unique: a growing group of high-intent shoppers that you can’t find anywhere else, actively planning everything from gifting lists and festive menus to party details and seasonal traditions.”

Based on historical data, Pinterest observes that “festive activity spikes as early as September.” Consequently, the platform suggests that brands should consider launching their seasonal campaigns as soon as possible to align with this early shopping behavior.

Emphasizing the importance of early engagement, Pinterest states: “[T]he earlier you arrive, the more of those decisions you shape. That’s why a full-funnel strategy with Pinterest is crucial. An always-on, full-funnel approach keeps you present throughout the entire customer journey, and it’s where Pinterest unlocks incremental results.”

To support this guidance, Pinterest has outlined five key tips for brands aiming to optimize their marketing efforts during the holiday period.

Set a Foundation

Pinterest advises marketers to ensure their product catalog and feed are fully uploaded and ready. Additionally, brands should establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) for the holiday push to measure success effectively.

Utilize Performance+

The platform highlights its AI-powered Performance+ campaign options, which are designed to help marketers achieve better results with reduced manual effort. Performance+ integrates Pinterest’s automation and artificial intelligence features to simplify campaign creation and scale effective strategies. Pinterest reports that recent updates to its ad delivery models have driven an overall 28% improvement in return on ad spend (ROAS) during testing for small and medium-sized business (SMB) advertisers using Performance+ campaigns with ROAS bidding.

Test and Learn

Pinterest recommends that launching early provides marketers with the opportunity to test various campaign approaches before the Q4 rush. The platform also suggests using other significant shopping moments, such as the back-to-school season and Halloween, to gain insights into what resonates with their specific audiences.

Aim for an Earlier Launch of End-of-Year Campaigns

Pinterest advises marketers to aim for campaign launches as early as possible between September and November. This timing allows for scaling budgets and creative assets into the fourth quarter, ensuring that campaigns are fully optimized by the peak shopping period.

Extend Campaigns into the Post-Christmas Period

The platform notes that 55% of its weekly users continue to make purchases during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. This extended buying window presents an additional opportunity for brands to maximize sales before the year concludes.

In essence, Pinterest’s core advice is that early campaign launches provide more time for optimization and refinement, which ultimately helps brands maximize their seasonal sales opportunities. While this guidance also encourages increased advertising spend on Pinterest—a factor that benefits the platform—the underlying logic of extending the learning period to refine and improve marketing approaches holds practical merit for advertisers.