I just moved into a new home, which means I’ve been spending hours on Pinterest 📌 pulling ideas & inspiration. It really is a platform where we shape dreams✨. It was such a treat to hear from Judy Lee, Global Head of Experiences at Pinterest, during the “Booming Live Experience Economy” panel at the Variety Entertainment & Tech Summit in #LA. She spoke on a topic I’m deeply passionate about: live experiences. As Rahul Gautam said it, in a world that’s more digital than ever, we’re all craving real, in-person connections. The brands that truly stand out are the ones creating seamless “phygital” moments — where online and offline experiences flow together. 🎞️ Watch below some of the highlights! #livexperiences #experiential #brandmarketing #creatormarketing

Instagram just crossed 3 billion monthly users — and that’s huge. 🚀 Meta says much of the growth lately is coming from Reels, direct messages, and personalized recommendations. What’s new: Instagram is rolling out tests so users can tweak their feed algorithm — for example, being able to turn off certain topics (like “college football” or “film photography”) if you’ve had enough. They’re also planning changes to the navigation bar, making it quicker to get to DMs. TL;DR: More people are using Instagram, and finally Instagram is giving you more control over what you see. #tech #technews #instagram

3 Things I loved from 🍒 Pinterest Presents 2025 🍒 I tuned into Pinterest Presents last week, and wow - the platform is seriously leveling up for creators, brands, and advertisers. It’s not just about inspiration anymore - it’s about turning ideas into action. Here are my top 3 takeaways 👇 1️⃣ Performance, but make it pretty. Pinterest dropped Performance+, a smarter way to run full-funnel campaigns using automation and AI (without losing creative control 🙌). Basically: less time tweaking, more time creating. 2️⃣ Trends that actually predict the future. Their trend insights now forecast what’s going to pop up to 90 days in advance - perfect for planning content and campaigns before everyone else catches on. Future-you will thank you. 3️⃣ Shopping that feels seamless. Pinterest is becoming a real shopping powerhouse - think local inventory, “where to buy” links, and shoppable inspiration all in one place. The journey from pin to purchase just got way smoother. Pinterest is looking more like a full-funnel, performance-driven, creativity-first platform than ever before - and I’m here for it. 💪 Did you catch Pinterest Presents? What were your takeways?

SHOTS... 👉Snapchat comes to Instagram Instagram is expanding its new “Shots” image-sharing feature to more regions, offering users a fresh way to post single-image updates with captions, similar to BeReal or OG Instagram posts. 🤔 Unlike Stories or Reels, Shots are static, scrollable images designed to bring back simplicity and authenticity to the feed. For UK small businesses and creators, this could be a great opportunity to: • Showcase products or behind-the-scenes moments without needing video • Post quick updates or offers with minimal design fuss • Tap into the trend of “real-time, real-life” content that’s gaining traction The “Shots” feature is still in limited rollout, and there’s no confirmed public release date for UK users yet. However, given Meta’s typical expansion pattern and the feature’s growing traction in other regions, it’s likely to reach UK accounts within the next few weeks, especially for business and creator profiles. Keep 'em peeled and let me know when you see it as an option. Let me us all know how you may use it? #InstagramShots #SocialMediaTrends #GorillaConsulting #SmallBizMarketing #AuthenticContent #DigitalDesign

Ever found yourself staring at that “perfect” something, online or in a store, and suddenly feeling stuck? Should you buy it? Is it really what you want? With so many choices out there, finding the right one can often feel more overwhelming than inspiring. I talked about this moment at this year’s Pinterest Presents. In a world overflowing with options, Pinterest is designed to clear the noise and help people move from inspiration to confident decisions, with less second-guessing and more satisfaction.  At this year’s show, I spotlighted: 📌How Pinterest is helping users and brands overcome decision fatigue, turning overwhelming options into clear, confident choices. 📌 What’s new (and next) for visual search, because shopping is visual and Gen Z is leading the charge. 📌 The magic of boards, timely trends, and our global creator community—all working together to help people discover fresh ideas, save what they love, and get trusted recommendations, all in one inspiring place. If you care about meeting your audience right when decisions are made and want to be part of a more inspiring internet, discover what’s new at Pinterest: https://lnkd.in/gYayiB-P

Pinterest Says Curation is Key to Driving Purchase Activity With so many options, Pinterest says personalization can help prompt action. 

Instagram has started a new global awards program called "Rings" to honor 25 creators who make a big cultural impact. This award celebrates people who are brave enough to try new creative ideas and stand out. Who is Honored? Only 25 creators will receive this very exclusive award. What is the Prize? Winners get a custom-designed physical gold ring by designer Grace Wales Bonner. They also get a unique digital golden ring around their Instagram profile picture, a feature that replaces the usual story ring. Other Perks: Winners can also change their profile's background color and design their own "Like" button. Is There Money? No, there is no monetary prize (no cash) attached to this award. It focuses on high-level recognition and special status. Who is Judging? A star-studded panel, including Instagram head Adam Mosseri, filmmaker Spike Lee, designer Marc Jacobs, and tech expert Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), chooses the winners. When is the Announcement? The first winners are expected to be announced on October 16th. This award is a way for Instagram to recognize its most innovative creators, acting like a digital "Oscars" for the platform. #InstagramRings #CreatorAwards #GoldRing #TopCreators #DigitalCulture

There shouldn’t be a trade-off between engineering for positivity and building a thriving business. At Smartly #ADVANCE2025, I shared how Pinterest proves responsible AI can drive growth. Two years ago, we moved all users under 16 from public to private-only profiles to protect their safety and well-being. Wall Street thought we'd hurt our Gen Z audience and the stock took a hit. Now? Gen Z is our largest, fastest-growing segment at over 50% of our users. We've seen 12 consecutive quarters of user growth and 17% revenue growth in our most recent earnings. When you prioritize user safety and well-being, trust follows. And trust drives sustainable business growth.

Pinterest might be the best AI ad trade nobody’s talking about 578 million users, revenue up 17% year over year, and Gen Z now makes up more than half the audience. That user mix is rare and valuable because Pinterest is not a passive scroll. People come with intent. The real lever is multimodal AI plus the taste graph. Third party work suggests engagement gains up to 50 percent. Early data show higher click through rates and lower cost per click. That is ROAS moving from theory to proof.   Our model takes that ROAS lift seriously. Adjusted EBITDA from about $1.08bn to $1.55bn and EPS from $1.08 to $2.20 in the next year. Share count falling to 400 million via buybacks amplifies the math. The price target we publish sits at $52 which implies meaningful upside if execution matches the thesis. Watch realised ROAS from Gen AI, CTRs versus CPCs and the pace of international monetization for early signs. If those trend the right way this is a classic execution story rather than hype. Conviction builds.

Instagram just crossed 3 billion monthly users and Adam Mosseri says the next phase of growth will focus on DMs, Reels, and Recommendations. Following still matters, but discovery and connections beyond your immediate network are driving the platform forward. To match that shift, Instagram is now testing a new way for users to tune their algorithm. Inspired by the “Dear Algorithm” meme, this feature lets you see what Instagram thinks you’re interested in and adjust it. You’ll be able to add or remove topics, shaping Reels (and eventually Explore and Feed) into something that feels more relevant and personal.