Though Pinterest was founded in 2012 and initially took hold with Millennials, it’s now found fans among the next generation, with Generation Z making up 40% of monthly users, a Pinterest spokesperson tells PCMag.
They’re using Pinterest in all the familiar ways—making mood boards, exploring interests—and, it turns out, relaxing. A 2023 study from Berkeley found that Pinterest helps its younger users combat burnout, stress, and social disconnection.
“Active engagement with inspiring content on Pinterest mitigated the consequences of burnout on people’s daily positive emotion, preserving their capacity for feeling good,” says the study.
Scrolling through Pinterest is an endless buffet of lifestyle photos (and many ads, according to one user). Unlike TikTok, the site does not serve up a steady stream of high-energy videos, and it seems to rarely find itself embroiled in the type of controversy you’d find on Instagram or X, making it “the most unproblematic app ever,” says one Threads user.
Turns out peace is profitable. Pinterest’s first quarter earnings exceed Wall Street’s expectations, and were up 23% year-over-year to $740 million, according to Yahoo! Finance. CEO Bill Ready says a part of that success are new, powerful AI models that have improved the relevancy of recommended user posts.
One of the biggest trends among Pinterest users today? All-things Japan, according to Pinterest’s fall 2024 trends report. Mood boards with images, or pins, of Japanese food, fashion, and décor are cropping up all over the site. Pinterest identified over 20 Japan-related categories that are seeing a bump in traffic.
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(Credit: Pinterest)
Searches for “Japan fall fashion” are up nearly 140%, and “Japanese-inspired nails” is up 600%. When it comes to home decor, “Japanese vintage art” and “Japanese futon bedroom” have surged 270% and 245%, respectively. The biggest jump increase is “Japanese side bangs,” at 1,645%. Japanese books and food are of interest, such as Japanese fried chicken (chicken karaage) and katsu curry.
Pinterest attributes the trend to an increase in travel to Japan. Ever since the country re-opened its borders post-pandemic, it has experienced a record surge in tourism, so much so that the country has struggled to accommodate all the visitors, The Washington Post reports. That travel has fueled a “desire to incorporate Japanese aesthetics into their lifestyle,” says Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest.
(Credit: Pinterest)
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About Emily Dreibelbis
Senior Reporter
I’m the expert at PCMag for all things electric vehicles and AI. I’ve written hundreds of articles on these topics, including product reviews, daily news, CEO interviews, and deeply reported features. I also cover other topics within the tech industry, keeping a pulse on what technologies are coming down the pipe that could shape how we live and work.
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