After migrating from Snapchat to dozens of social media networks, Stories, the vertical multimedia posts that disappear after 24 hours, are coming to Pinterest — well, except for that disappearing part. On Wednesday, September 23, Pinterest unveiled Story Pins in limited beta, alongside a number of new tools designed for creators.
While the format originally created by Snapchat typically sees Stories disappear after 24 hours, Pinterest Story Pins are designed for saving to rewatch later. The Pin type looks like a typical Story from another network — it’s vertical, has multiple slides or pages, and mashes together photos, videos, music, stickers, and text. Story Pins, however, can live on forever in Pinterest boards just like any other Pin.
Co-founder Evan Sharp says that Pinterest users are “looking to do more than just watch,” but typically visit to find things to try themselves. Temporary posts don’t fit well with Pinterest’s save-for-later core, yet the company wanted to give creators more mobile interactive content that could be built right inside the Pinterest app.
Pinterest Stories are the opposite of the ephemeral format of Snapchat Stories, even preventing Creators from fully deleting what they’ve shared. Creators can make adjustments to the Story Pin for up to two weeks. And while it can be deleted from their own boards, creators can’t delete their own Story Pins that have been saved to other users’ boards.
Story Pins can potentially be resurfaced even after months from Pinterest’s search tools and algorithms, the company says. Besides the permanence of the posts, Story Pins also attempt to stand out by building in features specific to Pinterest’s most common types of posts — such as recipes and tutorials — with a designated spot for things like supply lists and ingredients.
Unlike a typical Pin, Story Pins aren’t connected to a website. That allows creators to share without a website, but means that users can’t click to find more details than what fits in the Story — each page or slide in the Story is limited to 60 seconds.
As much as Pinterest hopes the new format stands out, the update shares much with existing options. The format even builds in emoji reactions, much like Facebook’s multiple options to like a photo, along with the options to save to a board. Those reactions are also rolling out to Pinterest’s existing video posts.
Much like in Snapchat or Instagram, Story Pins can be done entirely inside the Pinterest app, with tools to record, edit, and assemble the post. Options include filters, of course, as well as music, voiceovers, and topic tags.
While the format is akin to what is found on other popular platforms, Sharp says that the company is launching the new tools in a way that stays true to Pinterest’s focus on positive, inspirational, and inclusive content while keeping cynicism and judgment out. Story Pins are reviewed by a human, not a computer, within the first day after publishing.
Story Pins are being tested alongside additional tools for Pinterest Creators, including key Pin stats right on their pins, an enhanced analytics dashboard, and a new trends tool designed to help spot which content is doing well.
Story Pins are currently in beta with only a select group of creators, though creators can sign up to be part of the early beta. Pinterest says that the tools will be rolling out to additional markets in the coming months.
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