If you’re ready to dive into Pinterest advertising, you’re in the right place. Getting your ad formats and specs right isn’t just about meeting technical requirements — it’s about creating content that actually performs well in Pinterest’s unique visual search environment.
Standard Pin Ads
Standard Pin ads are your bread and butter; they’re the format that’s been dominating Pinterest throughout 2024 and into 2025. Think of them as your reliable friend who always shows up when you need them.
Specs (2025): Source: Pinterest Business Help – Review ad specs
- Image size: We recommend using a 2:3 aspect ratio, or 1000 x 1500 pixels
- File type: .PNG or .JPEG
- File size: Desktop 20 MB, In-app 32 MB
- Title: Enter up to 100 characters
- Description: Enter up to 800 characters
Best for: Product highlights, blog post teasers, inspirational content, driving traffic to your website
CTA options: “Shop now,” “Learn more,” “Read it,” “Visit site”
PRO TIP:
Use branded colors and text overlay without overcrowding the image. Research shows that designed images with high contrast and very light or dark spaces perform better than overcrowded visuals. Also, keep in mind that only 4% of the most viral designed Pins used brand color palettes, so don’t feel locked into your brand colors if they’re not performing.
Here’s a great example of a standard Pin ad from @heatherfarrisco:
Video Pin Ads
Video Pins have been gaining momentum, especially as Pinterest continues to compete with other visual platforms. While they represent a smaller percentage of viral content, they can be incredibly effective for the right type of content.
Standard Width Video Specs (2025):
- Length: Minimum 4 seconds, maximum 15 minutes (Recommended length for video ads: 6 to 15 seconds)
- Aspect ratio: Shorter than 1:2 (width:height), taller than 1.91:1. We recommend making your videos square (1:1) or vertical (2:3, 4:5, or 9:16)
- File types: .MP4, .MOV or .M4V
- Encoding: H.264 or H.265
- File size: Up to 2GB
- Title: Enter up to 100 characters
- Description: Enter up to 800 characters
- Length: Minimum 4 seconds, maximum 15 minutes (Recommended length for video ads: 6 to 15 seconds)
- Aspect ratio: Max. width videos cannot exceed the height of a 1:1 aspect ratio
- File types: .MP4, .MOV or .M4V
- Encoding: H.264 or H.265
- File size: Up to 2GB
Best for: Demonstrations, tutorials, quick product reveals, step-by-step processesThis ad from Lena & Co (found in the Pinterest ads repository) shows clearly how many items can fit into this bag. It functions to help sell the bag by demonstrating how roomy it is:
PRO TIP:
Add captions for silent autoplay and create a strong visual hook in the first three seconds. Data shows that vertical videos with an aspect ratio of 2:3 or shorter comprised 76% of viral video Pins. Keep your videos mobile-optimized since most Pinterest users browse on mobile devices.
Carousel Ads
Carousel ads are perfect when you have multiple products to showcase or a story to tell across several images. Think of them as your mini-slideshow that keeps viewers engaged.
- Number of images: 2 to 5 images per carousel
- Image size: 1:1 or 2:3 aspect ratio
- File type: .PNG or .JPEG
- File size: 20 MB per image
- Title: Enter up to 100 characters
- Description: Enter up to 800 characters
Best for: Product collections, step-by-step guides, feature walkthroughs, seasonal promotions
CTA options: “Swipe through,” “Explore collection,” “Shop the set”
PRO TIP:
Create a cohesive narrative with consistent branding across each frame. Each card should work independently while contributing to the overall story. Use the first card to grab attention and the subsequent cards to provide additional value or information.
Collection Ads
Collection ads are Pinterest’s answer to shoppable content. They’re designed to turn browsers into buyers by showcasing your products in an integrated shopping experience.
- Hero creative: Must have either a 1:1 or 2:3 aspect ratio (can be image or video)
- Secondary creatives: Minimum of three recommended, maximum of 24. All must have the same aspect ratio — either 1:1 (square) or 2:3 (vertical). We recommend making your secondary creatives with a 1:1 ratio.
- File type: .PNG or .JPEG for images
- File size: 10MB for images
- Video specs (if using video hero): .MP4, .MOV or .M4V, H.264 or H.265 encoding, up to 2GB, minimum 4 seconds to maximum 15 minutes
- Title: Enter up to 100 characters
- Description: Enter up to 800 characters
Best for: Shoppable product bundles, seasonal promotions, lifestyle collections
CTA options: “Browse now,” “Shop the look,” “Explore products”Collection ads show all of the images on the ad, as in this example from @simplepinmedia:
(Carousel ads show small dots below the main image, prompting the user to “swipe through” to the next image.)
PRO TIP:
Use product feed integration to dynamically update availability and pricing. This ensures your ads always show current information and reduces the manual work of updating campaigns.
Idea Ads (Formerly Story Pins)
While Idea Pins for organic content have been retired, Idea Ads still exist as a paid format. They’re designed for longer-form, educational content that provides real value to viewers.
- Format: Set of multiple images and videos in a single Pin
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 recommended
- File type: Image: .BMP, .JPEG, .PNG, .TIFF, .WEBP | Video: .MP4, .M4V, and .MOV
- File size: 1 GB recommended (Android and iOS: 2GB max, Web: 100MB max)
- Video encoding: H.264 or H.265
- Video length: Maximum duration is five minutes
- Resolution: For full-bleed images and videos, we recommend using 1080×1920 pixel size (9:16 ratio)
- Title: 100 characters max
- Character limit per page: 250 characters max
Best for: How-tos, recipes, DIY tutorials, step-by-step inspiration
CTA options: “Try it,” “Create yours,” “Get the tutorial”
Pro Tip:
Lean into education or inspiration over direct promotion. Pinterest users are looking for helpful content, and Idea Ads that provide genuine value tend to perform better than those that feel overly promotional.
Showcase Ads
Showcase ads are a multi-layered ad format featuring multiple swipeable cards, perfect for telling a comprehensive brand story or showcasing different aspects of your products.
- Format: Up to four cards in addition to primary title Pin
- File type: Image: .BMP, .JPEG, .PNG, .TIFF, .WEBP | Video: .MP4, .MOV, or .M4V
- File size: Up to 32MB
- Video length: Videos should be between 3-60 seconds
- Resolution: We recommend using 1000 x 1500 pixel size
- Aspect ratio: Title Pin: 2:3 ratio, Card: 2:3 ratio, Feature: 1:1 static
- Features per card: Minimum of one and maximum three per card
- Text overlay: Limited to no more than 10 words
- Feature text: Limited to 50 characters including spaces
Best for: Brand storytelling, multi-product showcases, comprehensive product walkthroughs
CTA options: Custom CTAs within each feature
Quiz Ads
Quiz ads are an interactive format that engages users with multiple-choice questions, making them perfect for personalized product recommendations or educational content.
Specs (2025):
- Format: Up to three results Pins with one title Pin
- File type: Image: .BMP, .JPEG, .PNG, .TIFF, .WEBP | Video: .MP4, .MOV, or .M4V
- File size: Up to 32MB
- Video length: Videos should be between 3-60 seconds
- Resolution: We recommend using 1000 x 1500 pixel size
- Aspect ratio: Title Pin: 2:3 ratio, Results Pin: 2:3 ratio
- Title: 100 characters max
- Text overlay: Limited to no more than 10 words
- Questions: Up to 96 characters, including spaces
- Answers: Up to 48 characters, including spaces
Best for: Product recommendations, personality quizzes, educational content, lead generation
CTA options: Custom results-based CTAs
Pinterest Ad Format Best Practices (2025 Edition)
Now that we’ve covered all the formats, let’s talk about what makes Pinterest ads actually work. These aren’t just technical requirements — they’re insights based on real performance data.
Keep content mobile-optimized. With the majority of Pinterest users browsing on mobile devices, your ads need to look great on smaller screens first.
Stay within safe zones. Avoid placing important text or elements at the very edges of your images where they might get cut off.
Always add Pin titles and descriptions with keywords. Even though Pinterest has de-emphasized visible text elements, Pin titles and descriptions still help Pinterest understand and categorize your content. Research shows that the most viral Pins used targeted keywords consistently across all text fields.
Link Pins to relevant landing pages. Ensure your landing pages load quickly on mobile and provide a seamless experience from ad to conversion.
Use alt text. Data shows that Pins with alt text earn 25% more impressions and 123% more outbound clicks than those without.
FAQ: Pinterest Ad Formats & Specs
Q: What’s the most important Pinterest ad format to focus on in 2025?
A: Standard Pin ads should be your primary focus. Research shows that 89% of the most viral Pins were Image Pins, making them the most reliable format for reaching Pinterest users.
Q: Can I use the same image for multiple Pinterest ad formats?
A: While you can use the same base image, you should optimize it for each format’s specific dimensions. A 1000x1500px image works great for standard Pins but will need to be reformatted for carousel cards or collection ads.
Q: How long should my Pinterest video ads be?
A: Keep them short and sweet; 6-15 seconds is the sweet spot for maximum engagement. While Pinterest allows up to 15 minutes, shorter videos consistently perform better.
Q: Should I include text overlays on my Pinterest ad images?
A: It depends on your content category. Research shows about a 50/50 split between raw images and designed images among viral Pins, but the effectiveness varies by category. Test both approaches to see what works for your audience.
Q: How many keywords should I include in my Pinterest ad descriptions?
A: Keep it focused — most viral Pins used five or fewer keywords in their descriptions. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity.
Q: Is it better to create ads directly on Pinterest or use a scheduling tool?
A: Both work, but data shows that Pins published through tools like Tailwind were up to 54% more likely to drive high traffic volumes, likely due to better adherence to best practices and optimal posting times.
Q: What’s the difference between a Collection Ad and a Carousel Ad on Pinterest?
A: While both ad types allow you to show multiple images, the way they’re displayed is different:
- Collection Ads show all featured products or images below the main hero image or video. This layout invites users to browse through a shoppable set with visual access to everything at once.
- Carousel Ads display one image at a time with small dots underneath, signaling users to manually swipe through each card. It’s a more sequential, story-like experience.
The post Pinterest Ad Formats & Specs (Updated for 2025) appeared first on Tailwind Blog.
