The three pillars of a measurement system of truth
1. Build a fortress of first-party data
Relying solely on third-party data was always a gamble—now, it's simply unsustainable. Instead, focus on cultivating your own first-party data pile. On Pinterest, for example, advertisers who combine their customer lists with Pinterest interest-based targeting have seen impressive results, often outperforming retargeting alone.
Pinterest is also a goldmine of user intent, because the consumers you care about are actively using the platform to plan and shop. Pay attention to the Pinterest Trends tool—it's a direct line to the desires and interests of your audience, allowing you to tailor campaigns that resonate.
And let’s not forget to embrace server-to-server solutions like the Conversions API to close data gaps. Businesses that combine the Pinterest tag and the Conversions API have seen up to 14% lower CPAs and 28% more attributed conversion volume than with the Pinterest tag alone.
2. Experiment to optimise for your business
A well-designed marketing experiment provides specific, targeted information that other tools can't deliver. Take Sephora, for instance. As a longstanding advertiser on Pinterest, the beauty chain was keen to test the platform’s new lower-funnel capabilities and opted to implement a detailed campaign strategy tailored to Pinterest’s unique user behaviours. By optimising their targeting and budget distribution to reach the right audience at the right time, Sephora doubled their return on investment within a few months and achieved a substantial 14.8% increase in incremental sales.
But to maximise the benefits for your overall business strategy, experimentation should be a regular practice. Embrace a spirit of curiosity and make data-driven decisions a habit.
Start by using incrementality solutions like brand lift and conversion lift studies to understand the incremental impact of your campaigns. Matched market testing can further pinpoint the specific contribution of each platform or channel. These tools provide valuable insights into which efforts are truly moving the needle, allowing you to optimise your budget allocation and channel mix with confidence.
Remember, correlation isn't causation. Just because your ice cream sales go up during a heatwave doesn't mean your marketing caused the temperature to rise (tempting as that thought may be). To make informed decisions, you need to understand the causal relationships behind your campaign performance. Embrace robust testing methodologies to separate the signal from the noise and ensure your optimisations are based on facts, not just happy coincidences.
And don't forget the big picture. Integrate your experimental findings with cross-channel methodologies like Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) and Marketing Mix Attribution (MTA). These tools provide a holistic view of your marketing performance, revealing the intricate interplay between different channels and tactics. This comprehensive approach is designed to ensure that your marketing investments are not only effective but also optimised for maximum ROI.
3. Calibrate your ad effectiveness
Understanding your marketing performance is like piecing together a puzzle; cross-channel attribution and MMM can help you see the big picture. Cross-channel attribution highlights how your online and in-app ads directly influence sales by tracing the customer journey and identifying specific touchpoints that lead to conversions. MMM, on the other hand, takes a broader view, analysing how all your media channels, from TV ads to social media posts, work together to drive sales both online and in physical stores.
But these tools, while powerful, aren’t perfect. Cross-channel attribution might miss the subtle influence of ad views that don’t result in clicks, and MMM might not fully capture the nuances of personalised campaigns tailored to specific audiences. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of what works, you need to dig deeper.
Regular experimentation— testing different channels, tactics and creative approaches—provides valuable micro-level insights. It’s like conducting mini-experiments to see what resonates best with your audience.
This holistic approach empowers you to make informed decisions and adjust your strategies effectively. By combining the broad insights from cross-channel attribution and MMM with the detailed learnings from regular experimentation, you can calibrate your measurement tools in order to optimise your marketing, delivering stronger results.
The time to start is…right now
For a guided walkthrough, take our free Measurement Solutions course on Pinterest Academy. Building a measurement system of truth is an ongoing process that requires learning, adapting and refining strategies continuously. Embrace a test-and-learn mindset and prioritise experimentation to drive success in an ever-evolving industry.
Your Pinterest team is dedicated to supporting you every step of the way. We will guide you through the complexities of measurement and build a plan that works for you. Don't wait—the future of measurement starts now.
Hi Hannah! Tell us about how you got into personal styling…
I've worked in retail and loved fashion my entire life. When I moved to LA after college in 2012 I knew I'd need to start from the bottom and work my way up. I continued to work in retail, interned for a celebrity stylist, took unpaid jobs assisting on set for editorial photoshoots... everything I could to get my foot in the door.
I got a job as an assistant personal shopper, eventually working my way to a personal shopper and digital stylist with major online luxury retailers, and began to build my client book. I always had the goal to be a stylist and it was a grind to get here, but so worth it in the end.
What do you love most about your job?
There is so much to love about my job, and as cliche as it sounds, my favorite part about it is seeing the looks I've styled come to life. Hearing that my clients love the vision I have for their wardrobe and helping them see it for themselves Is so rewarding. I’m not afraid to push the envelope either, that's what clients come to us for, right? A unique eye!
Once my clients don't need to lean on me as much when it comes to developing their personal style... that's when I know I've succeeded.
What kind of clients do you usually work with?
My clients don't fall into one specific category or demographic and I love that. I work with some clients who turn to me for street style fashion-forward looks, and others who are looking for classic sophisticated styles. I've lived all over the US; Los Angeles, Colorado, Nashville and South Carolina, so I have a deep understanding of what my clients love - whatever their personal style and demographic may be.
What’s been the most memorable milestone in your career so far?
I'd say last year when I launched my own business. I've worked in the industry for nearly a decade and many of those years were spent working for some of the greatest luxury retailers and celebrity stylists, so to take the leap to go out on my own has been such a huge moment that I've been dreaming about for years.
Who are your style heroes?
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are lifelong style heroes of mine, they've contributed to my love of fashion since the 90s and that has never changed. Every era of their style influenced me at the time and what they've developed with The Row - that effortless, cool but classic aesthetic, really resonates with me today... that's exactly how I'd describe my personal style.
I've also always loved Sienna Miller's sense of style. She's evolved so much over the years while still remaining true to herself and she does it flawlessly.
What’s your best styling hack?
Create a capsule wardrobe of 10-15 timeless pieces that you can wear season after season and work in just a handful of trend pieces each season. This will prevent you from frequently having to turn over your entire wardrobe when trends have run their course.
What drew you to using our app?
THE FLOORR presents such an innovative way to connect with my clients, like no other platform I’ve used. It not only does it provide a streamlined shopping experience, but it also saves me so much time in my day to day, I couldn’t live without it.
What feature of THE FLOORR is your favorite for powering up your business?
The moodboard feature is a god-send, and my clients love it too. It’s such an easy way to communicate a larger aesthetic and vision for their wardrobe, and the fact they can shop directly from that moodboard is a major bonus. It cuts out so much of the back-and-forth and both my clients and I can really benefit from that.