• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, December 10, 2020

Pinterest on Thursday released a search and styles trends report for 2021, as the company continues to find ways to displace Google and Amazon as the go-to search platforms for those researching products and ideas.

The trends forecast provides insights, but the reveal came when former Marie Claire Editor in Chief Aya Kanai -- who joined Pinterest in September as head of content and editorial partnerships -- began talking about the company’s mission.

“Our obligation is to provide users with ideas that they can bring offline,” Kanai said. “We need to make Pinterest a space where ideas become actionable.”

That means users would have all the information they need to finalize a new product purchase or initiate and complete a project, whether it involves cooking a new dish or making a purchase for their home. It’s about using online research and bringing that to an offline experience, she said.

If anyone can provide insight from the data collected on Pinterest about beauty trends, certainly the former Marie Claire editor in chief can.

Indie beauty and popular makeup trends continue to change, with a pop of color or butterfly eye makeup. On one side, people are paring down the color to more natural tones, but others want that "pop" of color on their eyes because the rest of their face is covered with a mask.

Pinterest has found its own niche to compete with Google, Bing, Amazon and others that offer search experiences.

The platform is a place where people come for inspiration and ideas, and not for friends, news, or politics, Pinterest CMO Andréa Mallard wrote in an email to Search & Performance Marketing Daily. “It also provides a unique discovery experience where you can visually browse possibilities, which is different from a search engine when you typically have an idea of what you’re looking for,” Mallard wrote.

Some 97% of searches on Pinterest are unbranded, which gives brands of all sizes a level playing field for reaching consumers during the discovery phase of their shopping experience. 

The intent and behavior of Pinterest users can give brands a glimpse into the future with insights to reach users who are looking to discover information.

McCormick, for example, saw indoor activities increase 13x early in the COVID-19 pandemic and found new creative use cases for their product with this DIY window clings pin and this sand slime pin. These became two of their top-saved pins this year. There are hundreds of millions of in-stock Product Pins that direct to checkout on the retailer’s site.

The number of Pinners engaging with shopping surfaces has grown more than 85% in the six months ended September 30. In second-quarter 2020, business catalog uploads from brands grew 350% sequentially in the quarter, propelled by store closures and our partnership with Shopify.

Most of the videos saved to Pinterest and Story Pins created on the platform are centered around how-to topics, from recipes to DIY projects and styling ideas. This matches the behavior and intent of the audience who are on Pinterest to try something new.

This year the company saw an increase in the number of views on organic video Pins or non-ads, up 240% year-on-year — particularly driven by food and beverage, beauty, DIY, entertainment and home decor.

Pinterest organized 150 trends into 10 categories including travel and style, showing how behavior continues to shift. It also reveals what people are looking to attempt to accomplish in the year ahead.

With more than 442 million users worldwide, Pinterest has become a “visual inspiration platform” that leverages search data to determine what’s coming next.

In 2021, home remains the workplace as well as the restaurant, the gym, and the movie theater.

Pinterest search data shows that in 2021 people will prioritize their mental, physical and spiritual selves. New-age wellness trends and rituals are returning, and alternative healing methods are becoming mainstream.

People will begin to plan trips and book travel in 2021. Outdoor exploration continues to trend, with activities such as RV camping and stargazing becoming more popular. Car travel rose this year as people traveled domestically. Cars will become the escape space, as people use their vehicles for everything from date night to survival. Searches for drive-in cinemas rose 190%, the report found, while dog car seats rose 100% and car survival kits rose 60%.

People cooked more in 2020, and next year they will continue to experiment with spiced-up recipes. People will entertain differently, with a new take on and charcuterie for breakfast foods. Searches for bread art rose 130%, gourmet food plating, 105%; tea recipes, 60%; and food garnishes, 55%. The searches reveal peoples' desire to begin creating culinary experiences in the home.

And even if people return to the office, Pinterest data suggest they have become accustomed to casual styles, with cocoon-style clothing searches rising 155%, and fluffy slippers rising 90%. Athletic and quilted clothes are also on the rise.