Can I create custom audiences for Pinterest Ads?

Yes, you can definitely create custom audiences for Pinterest Ads, and doing so is a great way to target specific groups of users based on their behavior and interactions with your brand. Custom audiences allow you to reach people who have already shown interest in your products or services, improving your chances of conversion.

Here's how to create and use custom audiences for Pinterest Ads:

1. Set Up Pinterest Tag for Tracking
Before you can create custom audiences, you'll need to ensure you have the Pinterest Tag installed on your website. This tag tracks users' actions on your website and allows you to create custom audiences based on those actions.

Steps to Install the Pinterest Tag:
Go to Pinterest Ads Manager and navigate to "Conversion Tracking" under the "Tools" section.

Copy the Pinterest Tag code and add it to all pages of your website (or just specific pages you want to track).

You can also set up Event Tracking to track specific actions, such as page views, product views, add-to-carts, and purchases.

2. Types of Custom Audiences You Can Create
Once the Pinterest Tag is set up, you can create custom audiences based on user behavior. Some of the most common types of custom audiences are:

a. Website Visitors
Target users who have visited your website but haven't yet converted. You can retarget all visitors or target specific pages (e.g., product pages, blog posts).

Example: Create an audience of users who visited your product page but didn't make a purchase.

b. Product Viewers
Target people who visited a product page on your website. These users are likely interested in your product but haven't taken action.

Example: Show ads featuring the same or similar products they viewed on your website.

c. Cart Abandoners
Retarget people who added products to their shopping cart but didn't complete the purchase.

Example: Create an ad reminding them about their cart with a special offer (e.g., "Hurry, your items are waiting!") to encourage them to finish their purchase.

d. Past Purchasers
Target users who have already made a purchase on your website. This is an excellent way to drive repeat purchases, upsell, or cross-sell.

Example: Show complementary products or accessories to users who bought a product from your store.

e. Customer Lists (Email List or CRM)
You can upload a customer list (such as email addresses) to Pinterest Ads Manager. This is useful for targeting existing customers with promotions or encouraging repeat purchases.

Example: Upload a list of customers who purchased your product in the past 30 days and show them an exclusive offer for a new product.

f. Engagement Audiences (Pinterest Activity)
You can create custom audiences based on users who have interacted with your content directly on Pinterest. For example:

Engaged with your Pins: Users who have saved, clicked, or interacted with your Pins.

Engaged with your Profile: Users who have visited your Pinterest profile or followed you.

3. How to Create Custom Audiences in Pinterest Ads Manager
Here's how you can create custom audiences step by step:

Step 1: Go to Pinterest Ads Manager
Open Pinterest Ads Manager and navigate to the "Audiences" tab.

Step 2: Click "Create Audience"
You'll see options to create new audiences. Choose "Create Custom Audience".

Step 3: Choose Audience Type
Select the type of custom audience you want to create, based on your data (e.g., website visitors, email list, engagement on Pinterest, etc.).

Step 4: Define Audience Criteria
For website-based audiences, choose the page or action you want to track (e.g., all website visitors, product viewers, cart abandoners).

You can set retargeting rules (e.g., targeting users who visited your website in the last 30 days).

If using an email list, you'll need to upload your customer data, ensuring you have the appropriate permissions to do so.

Step 5: Name Your Audience
Give your custom audience a clear name (e.g., "Cart Abandoners – March 2025").

Step 6: Save and Use Your Audience
Once your audience is created, you can use it for targeting in your campaigns.

When setting up an ad campaign, go to the "Targeting" section and select your custom audience from the list.

4. Best Practices for Using Custom Audiences
Refine Your Targeting: The more specific your custom audience, the better. For example, target users who viewed a particular product rather than just anyone who visited your site.

Frequency Management: Keep an eye on how often your ads are shown to users. Too many impressions can lead to ad fatigue. Limit the number of times your audience sees the ad (e.g., once per week).

Combine Audiences: You can combine multiple custom audiences to create more granular targeting. For example, target users who both viewed a product and added it to their cart.

Test and Optimize: A/B test different creatives or messaging for custom audiences (e.g., showing cart abandoners a discount vs. free shipping).

5. Custom Audience Duration
You can set the duration of your custom audience. For example:

Recent visitors (e.g., last 7 or 14 days)

Longer engagement windows (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days)

The duration you choose will depend on the typical buying cycle of your product. For e-commerce, 7–30 days tends to be a good range for retargeting.

6. Use Lookalike Audiences (If Applicable)
Once you've created a custom audience, you can expand your reach by creating a lookalike audience. This type of audience includes users who share similar characteristics and behaviors to your existing custom audience, but who have not yet interacted with your brand.

Lookalike Audiences are available once you've created a custom audience and can help you scale your campaigns by targeting new, similar users.

Conclusion
Custom audiences are a great way to target users who have already interacted with your brand in some way. By leveraging the power of Pinterest's Pinterest Tag, customer lists, and engagement data, you can create highly targeted campaigns that drive better results.