Pinterest continues to evolve its video offers and this time it’s launching a new, separate ‘Pinterest TV Studio’ app designed to enable live-stream creators to improve their streaming set-ups with multi-cam support, improved editing tools, and more.

PinTV 

TechCrunch first reported that Pinterest went for a ‘subtle’ release of the new app earlier this week on both the Google Play Store and App Store. However, the app is available to only a few users at this time.

According to TechCrunch:

“Upon first launch, creators have to enter in a code or scan a barcode that Pinterest provides in order to gain access to the live-streaming tools the app provides.”

So while it’s technically ‘available’, it’s not yet fully released. Again, for some users. It’s a fully functional app. This points to the next phase of Pinterest’s video content push – a likely shift into live-stream shopping, which has become a bigger focus in social media circles over the last two years.

In China, live-stream shopping is already a huge industry, where predictions are that live shopping revenues will reach $400 billion in 2022, which is nearly half of all eCommerce spending in the US in 2021. To add, live-stream commerce is also increasingly popular among younger audiences (aged 27 and under) seeing the fastest adoption rates. This shift has caught the attention of platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, which are now developing their own live-stream shopping approaches. With this new app, Pinterest can now jump into the live shopping bandwagon too, as part of its expanded content push.

‘Pinterest TV Studio’ essentially feeds into Pinterest’s ‘Pinterest TV’ offering, which it initially launched last November. In the beginning, Pinterest TV only aired a collection of live, shoppable episodes, featuring various Pin creators. With this update, Pinterest looks to expand this option further, likely transforming into a constantly running live stream of various brands and creators showcasing their content, which could then be purchased as you watch.

Since it’s live, Pinterest will also need to vet the broadcasters that it lets in – so while there is currently an available separate app for this, it’s still unclear how long it’ll take Pinterest to expand access to all users.

The Wrap

Would this be enough to put Pinterest back on the social media map? In any case, it at least looks like a well-placed bet, especially given Pinterest’s focus on direct selling and artisan goods. Pinterest also notes that video is “a fundamental medium for inspiration and planning”, which alludes to its increasing focus on video content that will likely only get more attention in the future. It’s definitely a big opportunity for eCommerce brands.

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Sources

https://bit.ly/3MQgB5e