Social media platforms continue to evolve, and Pinterest is no different. Its latest and greatest feature, Guided Search, is giving fair warning to search giants like Google and Yahoo! by offering their users the ability to move beyond just searching for content based on keywords. With Pinterest Guided Search, the site takes search a step farther along by “suggesting” pins that could be interested by a user based on similar common themes and topics.

1. Pinterest Changed by Guided Search
Social media platforms continue to evolve, and Pinterest is no different. Its latest and greatest
feature, Guided Search, is giving fair warning to search giants like Google and Yahoo! by offering
their users the ability to move beyond just searching for content based on keywords. With Pinterest
Guided Search, the site takes search a step farther along by “suggesting” pins that could be
interested by a user based on similar common themes and topics. The site will auto-generate a
number of suggestions when a user starts typing in a new query.
This may be quite significant, because Pinterest users normally go to their favorite search engine,
like Google, to search for content. But now, Pinterest users don’t have to go there at all. Now,
instead of searching for an item on Google or Yahoo!, and being presented with a bewildering
number of page after page of websites, they can use Pinterest Guided Search instead. After typing in
their query, they will be presented not only with images that relate to their query, but also other
relevant content as well. And, when appropriate, each link will also provide corresponding e–
commerce sites so they can buy whatever it is they’ve searched for.
For specific brands, Guided Search is important in two ways:
1. Search engines in general have to be fairly omnipotent. But with Pinterest’s ability to take out the
middleman in the search process, it’s a significant step toward conversion.
2. Pinterest’s Guided Search properly tags content with relevant SEO keywords. This makes it
imperative for visibility in a lot of digital spaces, especially Pinterest itself.
At one time, Pinterest was simply a “digital cork board” that was full of aspirational imagery. Now,
Pinterest has quickly skyrocketed into becoming an e-commerce destination, with social retention
rates that most likely will make other platforms a lot more than just a little jealous. With Pinterest’s
Guided Search, this social media site continues to move toward being a valuable platform for
brands that are looking for visibility and now, direct conversion.