We’ve all heard the news of Pinterest Guided Search – Pinterest’s newest feature. But what does the new feature mean for Pinterest users and the platform’s role in the larger social media world?
When asked about online search engines, most people instinctively think Google, and maybe Bing or Yahoo. While Pinterest Guided Search is not trying to compete with these search engine powerhouses, they definitely feel they have something to add to the landscape. You’ll still look to Google for questions like what’s the population of California or where’s the nearest hardware store; but Pinterest can help with the more subjective questions like how should I transform my backyard?
Pinterest is known for being a powerful visual platform – so it only makes sense that they are striving to capture users in the discovery phases by helping guide them to great ideas in a few clicks. Descriptive guides now help users filter through Pins by giving suggested search categories steering the users’ search in the right direction. If you search ‘backyard’ in the search bar, Pinterest will now guide you to hone that search by giving tap options for fire pit, landscaping, patio, BBQ, party etc., so you can filter though the millions of idea Pins. The guided search tool is full of possibilities, even helping users make discoveries along the way and change their original plan, which is all part of what makes the Guided Search feature special.
To start a search (from Pinterest’s help desk):
- Tap the search icon
- Type in something you’re looking for in the search field
- Tap any of the guides to help refine your search
- Type in any extra search terms to get even more specific
This update will not be changing the way Pinterest ranks search results, so businesses won’t need to reevaluate their strategy to benefit from the new feature. Users will benefit from the added search element, and in the larger realm of social media, Pinterest is stepping it up as a real powerhouse, beyond the brides and DIY-ers. Pinterest Guided Search is currently available on mobile for iPhone, iPad and Android, but will soon be on the web and everywhere else in the world.
