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Pinterest ad format

Pinterest Standard Ads (Image Ads) Management

The standard ad is Pinterest's simplest format: one vertical image, a title and a destination link. It is almost indistinguishable from organic Pins in the feed, and that is where its strength comes from. We use Pinterest image ads as the base of awareness and conversion campaigns. More often than the image itself, what decides the result is how precisely the keyword groups are built.

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Illustrative view: illustrative view of a standard ad in a visual feed.
Purpose and appearance

What do we use this format for?

We use standard ads to appear with one clear idea in specific need-based searches such as "coffee table" or "graduation dresses". In an account new to Pinterest, this is where we first learn which search groups and which images get saved and clicked; we then carry the winning images into carousel, video and Collections ads.

Funnel stages it serves

  1. Awareness
  2. Consideration
  3. Conversion
  4. Loyalty

Pinterest standard ad specs: size, file and text limits

Pinterest's product specs page recommends a 2:3 ratio, or 1000 x 1500 pixels, for standard ads. Taller images can be cropped in the feed, and square images look small among vertical Pins. When we receive a creative package, we check text fields as well as dimensions. The points that most often need fixing:

  • The title can be up to 100 characters, but only the first 40 may show in the feed. We fit the main message into the first 40 characters.
  • The description can run up to 800 characters and is not shown to users; Pinterest uses it to understand what the ad is about. We fill it with natural sentences that match the search phrases.
  • The file must be PNG or JPEG; the limit is 20 MB for desktop uploads and 32 MB in the app.
  • Logos and price tags placed in the bottom corners can clash with Pinterest interface icons; we keep the brand mark in the top or middle of the image.

Pinterest keyword targeting: building keyword groups

In standard ads, targeting weight sits on keywords. Pinterest offers broad, phrase and exact match as well as negative phrase and negative exact match; it recommends at least 25 keywords per ad group, with a limit of 20,000. We split groups by need: for a furniture brand, "sofa set ideas" and "coffee table" run in different ad groups with different images.

Among popular searches from Türkiye, English phrases such as "cozy living room" and "casual outfits" rank high. So we add both languages to keyword lists and cut irrelevant traffic with negative keywords. We build search lists with the method from our keyword and topic cluster work.

Which images stop the scroll on Pinterest?

A single product on a white background often looks like a copy of an online store on Pinterest. Images that show the product in context, as part of a living room or an outfit, get saved more. We add a text overlay of a few words at most: a line like "5 layouts for a small living room" answers the idea the user is looking for directly.

We launch at least three different images in each ad group and cut by save rate and outbound click rate after two weeks of data. We pull out what the winning images have in common with ad creative analysis and pass it on as a brief for the next shoot. If one image cannot carry the story, we test the same product with a carousel ad or a video ad.

Standard (Image) Ads: when do we recommend it?

We recommend it

  • Brands new to Pinterest that want to see which search groups work first
  • Campaigns that present one product or one idea clearly
  • Brands with a strong photo archive and limited video production
  • E-commerce sites that want to show up all season for specific searches (e.g. "graduation dresses")

We don't recommend it

  • Catalogs with hundreds of products that would need a separate image for each; shopping ads are more efficient there
  • Products that need to show usage steps or a before-and-after difference
  • Brands that only have landscape or square images and cannot adapt them to vertical

How we manage Standard (Image) Ads

  1. Crop and text overlayWe take 1000 x 1500 pixel vertical crops from product shoots and add a short text overlay that names the idea being searched.
  2. Title and descriptionWe fit the message into the first 40 characters and write the description to match search phrases.
  3. Keyword groupsWe build ad groups of at least 25 keywords per need, with Turkish and English phrases.
  4. Negative keywordsWe exclude irrelevant searches from the first weeks with negative phrase and exact match.
  5. Image pruningAfter two weeks of data, we replace images with low save and outbound click rates.

Standard (Image) Ads: metrics and requirements

Metrics we track

  • Save rate
  • Outbound click rate
  • Pin clicks
  • CPM / CPC
  • Cost per conversion

What you need to get started

  • Images in a 2:3 ratio, ideally 1000 x 1500 pixels
  • Landing pages that match the product or idea in the image
  • An installed and tested Pinterest tag
  • A list of category search phrases (we build it with you)

Official sources

The Brand Move Pinterest Team

To learn more about Standard (Image) Ads or other Pinterest ad formats, contact The Brand Move Pinterest team today.

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Explore further

Other Pinterest Ads campaign types and ad formats

Pinterest Ads overview

Carousel Ads

Swipeable Pinterest carousels of 2 to 5 cards for step-by-step stories, outfit ideas and product options, with the first card and card order tested.

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Collections Ads

One hero image with three product images below. Tapping opens a full-screen view of up to 24 products; built by hand or from a catalog.

Explore

Shopping Ads

Pinterest Shopping ads and dynamic retargeting with product pins generated from your catalog; feed quality drives the results.

Explore

Performance+ Campaigns

Pinterest Performance+ hands bidding, ad groups and creative to automation; it works best in accounts with 50+ conversions a week.

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Related pages

Frequently asked questions

Standard (Image) Ads: frequently asked questions

What size should a Pinterest standard ad be?

Pinterest recommends a 2:3 ratio, 1000 x 1500 pixels, as PNG or JPEG. Taller images may be cropped in the feed and square images take up less space, so we prepare vertical versions of every visual.

Do users see the description of a standard ad?

No. Pinterest states that the ad description (up to 800 characters) is not shown to users and is used only to understand the ad's topic. We do not leave it empty; we write natural sentences that match our target searches, not a pile of keywords.

Does text on the image reduce delivery?

A short text overlay is fine on Pinterest and often lifts clicks. We avoid long text covering half the image. Naming the idea the user is looking for in a few words usually works better than stating a discount rate.

Can we run standard ads with square images?

You can, but Pinterest recommends 2:3 vertical, and vertical images take up more space in the feed. We use square images only as a stopgap and prepare vertical versions quickly. Often a new crop from the same shoot is enough.

How many keywords should a Pinterest ad group have?

Pinterest recommends at least 25 keywords per ad group, with a limit of 20,000. We group keywords by need, include English phrases popular in Türkiye alongside Turkish ones, and add negative phrase and exact match terms in the first weeks.

Let's run a first Standard (Image) Ads review together.

In a free call we review your creatives, pixel and Conversions API setup and audience structure, then send you the first three opportunities in writing.

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