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Searching on Pinterest takes one less tap with the latest update

Hillary K. Grigonis
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searching on pinterest
Marcel de Grijs/123rf
Pinterest users are exploring ideas with search tools more than ever before, and in response, the image-collecting site is making search easier to access. On Monday, Pinterest announced an update that moves the search feature from the navigation bar to the home page, saving mobile users a tap. With the change, Pinterest search options, including the image-based search called Lens, are accessible directly from the home feed.

Nearly 85 percent of Pinterest searches are made on mobile devices, Pinterest says. With the previous version, mobile users had to tap the search icon in the bottom navigation bar to access the features. In the latest update, now available in iOS and launching soon for Android users, the search bar is now at the very top of the home feed, which users see when first opening the app.

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The relocated search feature functions in the same way as the previous search tool, with the traditional text-based search bar. Tapping the camera icon next to the search bar allows users to explore via image, using the built-in camera or an existing image. Called Lens, the feature is still in beta testing, but Pinterest is frequently adding new capabilities, like the latest option to search based on what’s already in your closet.

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With the growth of Lens, it’s unsurprising to see that Pinterest’s visual searches have increased by 60 percent from the same time last year. Text searches have also increased by 40 percent. Pinterest search is a bit different from the typical web search, since many users turn to the modern mood board when they aren’t quite sure what they are searching for. “This kind of open-minded searching is what makes Pinterest so unique,” the company wrote in a blog post. “You don’t need to know what something’s called, or which brand made it. You can start your search broad, then quickly narrow in on the specific solution that’s right for you.”

Along with Lens, recent search changes have made it easier to narrow search results by tapping the circle at the corner of a pin to see similar results. According to the latest data, 73 percent of Pinterest searches are three words or less. The average Pinterest search turns up 60 Pins, which the platform says is about five times what a traditional search shows.

Along with the relocated search bar, updating the app will also give users recommendations that are instantly updated based on their searches and pins. The update also helps eliminate duplicate pins from popping up in the home feed.

Pinterest currently has 175 million active monthly users.

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