Standard (Image) Ads
A single vertical image in the home feed, search results and related Pins. The format where keyword targeting works most clearly.
Explore
Pinterest ad model
Pinterest Video Ads: Standard, Max Width and Premiere Spotlight
Pinterest video ads come in three forms: standard video at regular Pin width, Max Width video that fills the whole mobile feed, and Premiere Spotlight, reserved for specific days. The same footage can feed all three, but their objectives, specs and buying paths differ. The campaign objective and the aspect ratio of your video decide which one we use.
Purpose and appearance
What do we use this format for?
We use Pinterest video ads to build broad, visible reach within a few days at a launch or the start of a season. Video shows use, texture or motion that a photo cannot, and Premiere Spotlight reserves the most visible spots in the feed and in search on critical days. Success is measured through video completion, viewability and the change in branded searches after the campaign.
Funnel stages it serves
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Conversion
- Loyalty
Standard width vs. Max Width video ads on Pinterest
Standard-width video appears in the same column as other Pins in the feed and can be used with awareness, video completion, consideration and conversion objectives. Max Width video spreads across the full width of the feed on mobile; it is a paid-only format, available only with awareness and video completion objectives. In Max Width, video height cannot exceed 1:1, so a 9:16 vertical video does not fit this format directly.
In practice, this means that if we want both clicks and visibility in a campaign, we use the vertical video at standard width and the square or horizontal cut in Max Width. On Pinterest, the video completion objective optimizes toward the 95% view mark, and only Performance+ bidding can be selected for this objective.
Pinterest Premiere Spotlight: placements and booking
Premiere Spotlight is a reservation product that shows Max Width video in premium placements. It does not enter the auction; it is sold at a fixed daily rate and set up with Pinterest's account team. Türkiye is among the countries Pinterest lists for this product; campaigns outside the US can be planned for 1 or 3 days. Creative must be approved by Pinterest before it goes live.
- Home feed: the first ad placement on the second page
- Search page: the first ad placement in the search carousel
- Category Takeover: visibility in search results within the relevant category; the creative must be clearly related to the reserved category
Why combining formats works
Each format does a different job. Premiere Spotlight puts the brand at the top of search results for a short, high-visibility window; standard image ads keep the product in front of people as they save and compare ideas; video ads tell the story and show the product in use. Run together, they reinforce one another across the same audience, so a launch gets both a strong first impression and the repeated exposure it needs. This is why we plan seasonal and launch campaigns on Pinterest as a format mix rather than a single ad type, and some brands that have tested this setup report stronger visibility than with one format alone.
Pinterest video best practices: the first two seconds
In the feed, video often starts muted and users scroll quickly. We show the product or the result in the first two seconds, show the logo from the start and support dialogue-based storytelling with captions. Instead of uploading a 30-second ad shot for YouTube as is, we prepare 6-15 second cuts; Pinterest also recommends this range.
From the same raw footage, we also produce cuts for YouTube video campaigns and TikTok In-Feed, but we change the tone: on Pinterest, the viewer is looking for ideas and inspiration rather than entertainment. We time launch dates with seasonal behavior analysis to the weeks when search volume starts to climb, and go back to standard ads when a single image is enough.
Video Ads and Premiere Spotlight: when do we recommend it?
We recommend it
- Brands that want high visibility in a short time at a product launch or the start of a season
- Categories where a photo cannot convey how the product is used, its texture or its motion
- For Premiere Spotlight: brands that want to stand out on a specific day or in a category and have a budget suited to reservation
We don't recommend it
- Brands with no video production that want to start with photos given a slideshow effect
- Accounts whose measurement depends only on last-click sales and that have no awareness budget
- For Premiere Spotlight: campaigns whose creative is prepared too late to clear the approval window
How we manage Video Ads and Premiere Spotlight
- Format and objective selectionWe choose standard or Max Width based on the video completion, awareness or consideration objective.
- Aspect ratio cutsFrom the same video, we prepare 2:3 or 9:16 vertical and 1:1 square cuts.
- First two seconds checkWe check that the product, logo and core message are clear even when viewed without sound.
- Premiere Spotlight bookingWe plan the date, placement and category with the Pinterest account team and submit creative for approval early.
- Viewability and completion readingWe report video completion, watch time and post-campaign changes in search and site traffic together.
Video Ads and Premiere Spotlight: metrics and requirements
Metrics we track
- 95% video completion
- Average watch time
- Viewability
- CPM
- Saves
- Change in branded search
What you need to get started
- Video between 4 seconds and 15 minutes, ideally 6-15 seconds
- A square or horizontal cut for Max Width
- Captions and text overlays that work with sound off
- For Premiere Spotlight, approval-ready creative finished before the booking date
Official sources
The Brand Move Pinterest Team
Contact us nowTo learn more about Video Ads and Premiere Spotlight or other Pinterest ad formats, contact The Brand Move Pinterest team today.
Explore further
Pinterest Ads overview
Other Pinterest Ads campaign types and ad formats
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.
ExploreCollections 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.
ExploreShopping Ads
Pinterest Shopping ads and dynamic retargeting with product pins generated from your catalog; feed quality drives the results.
ExplorePerformance+ Campaigns
Pinterest Performance+ hands bidding, ad groups and creative to automation; it works best in accounts with 50+ conversions a week.
ExploreInteractive Formats (Quiz, Showcase, Lead)
Quiz, Showcase and Idea ads that move people through questions, cards and pages. Lead ads are coming soon in Türkiye.
ExploreFrequently asked questions
Video Ads and Premiere Spotlight: frequently asked questions
What are the Pinterest video ad specs?
Videos can run from 4 seconds to 15 minutes, with 6-15 seconds recommended. Recommended ratios at standard width are 1:1, 2:3, 4:5 and 9:16; files can be MP4, MOV or M4V, encoded in H.264 or H.265, up to 2 GB. In Max Width, video height cannot exceed 1:1.
Can we use our vertical 9:16 video in a Max Width ad?
Not directly. Pinterest requires Max Width video height not to exceed a 1:1 ratio. So we prepare a square or horizontal cut from the same footage and use the vertical version in standard-width video ads.
Can Premiere Spotlight be bought in Türkiye?
Yes, Türkiye is among the countries Pinterest lists for Premiere Spotlight. The product is reserved through the Pinterest account team at a fixed daily rate rather than through auction, and access is subject to approval. Campaigns outside the US can be planned for 1 or 3 days.
What is the ideal length for a Pinterest video ad?
Technically, you can upload videos from 4 seconds up to 15 minutes, but Pinterest recommends 6-15 seconds. We keep our cuts within this range and place the core message in the first two seconds; a story that runs longer than 15 seconds is usually split into two separate videos.
Let's run a first Video Ads and Premiere Spotlight 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.
Book a growth call
No sales pressure. Just findings.