[0] https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=p...
Forgive me for being blunt, I just think it’s a bit obvious: they have grown through means other than someone going to google.com and typing “Pinterest.”
I can think of a dozen reasons why that would be the case. Google Trends does not match 1:1 popularity, usage, or growth of all products.
Personally, I’m only a casual Pinterest user and have no stake in this, but the service has gotten a lot better over the last couple years.
The main search is definitely the mySpace trajectory:
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=US&q=p...
...but you have found the more accurate guess-data.
Pinterest have presumably done well with Google's carousel that shows image search results at the top of the list.
I am not sure the HN crowd is target demographic. Who here is looking for a new outfit to buy and wear? Who is wanting inspiration for some 'infinity band' tattoo?
People here just end up on Pinterest wanting images for projects, no intention of pinning boards together.
Why does this happen?
Pinterest have built a body of content that is essentially evergreen and well documented as far as images go. Nobody is interested in last week's news but images don't have this problem. Hence they get the image search results traffic.
Beyond that they do have their regular crowd looking for inspiration on clothes, home trinkets and what not. The search result blessings keep them relevant even if nobody outside the target demographic is actively using it.
If you have a fiance, more than likely she a Pinterest board or is following multiple for ideas.
That said, this is US data if I am not mistaken, and Pinterest seems to have a lot of activity happening internationally. Other comments state they have more MAU outside the US than within.
The conversation turned to wife-> her mom “did you see my nursery board? I pinned some inspo” and no explanation is needed she already had the app installed and didn’t need to go google “Pinterest”.
Also, the women in my life love it for inspiration that definitely drives purchasing behavior. I can’t speak to whether Pinterest is monetizing that opportunity to its fullest but I certainly feel like it’s established itself as a place to research a future purchase which we all know is a valuable position to be in. I use my wife’s account occasionally to look up ideas for a home renovation or landscaping ideas. It helps. But I feel they’ve made some poor UX choices bordering on dark patterns. And with that, they are probably their own biggest risk. Eventually they will do something to totally alienate and piss off their user base.
It maps closely to Instagram's steady rise, and Snapchat's slow demise.
https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/pinterest.com
Maybe as someone else mentioned, much of this is international growth? (india, Brazil?) If it is, then the traffic is a lot less valuable.
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=pinteres...
It's not hot and new any more in the USA but it seems to be spreading world wide