Pinterest continues to evolve its video offerings, this time via the launch of a new, separate “Pinterest TV Studio” app, designed to allow livestream creators to enhance their broadcast setups, with multiple camera capabilities, improved editing tools and more.
As first reported by TechCrunch, Pinterest quietly released the new app earlier this week on the Apple and Google Play stores, though it’s only available to select users at this time.
According to TechCrunch:
“On first launch, creators must enter a code or scan a barcode provided by Pinterest in order to access the live streaming tools provided by the app.”
So it’s not really published, as such, but it does exist and it’s a working application for some selected users. This signals the next phase of Pinterest’s video content push and a likely shift to live shopping, which has become a bigger priority in social media circles over the past couple of years.
Live shopping is already big business in China, where the forecast is that revenue from live shopping reach 400 billion dollars in 2022, which is equivalent to almost half of all e-commerce spending in the United States last year. Additionally, live trading is also increasingly popular with younger audiences, with users aged 27 and under seeing the fastest adoption of live trading activity.
It’s caught the eye of TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, each developing their own approaches to live shopping, and with this new app, it looks like Pinterest is also keen to jump on the live shopping bandwagon, as part of of its expanded content push.
The app essentially powers Pinterest’s “Pinterest TV” offering, which it first launched in November last year.
The initial airing of a collection of live and buyable episodes, featuring various pin creators, it looks like Pinterest is looking to expand the initiative even further, likely into a continuous live stream of different brands and creators showing off their content, which can be purchased while you watch.
Given that it’s live, however, Pinterest will also have to check which streamers it lets into the initiative – so while there’s a separate app available for that purpose at the moment, it’s unclear how many time it will take Pinterest to expand access to all users, if ever.
Will it be a winner for the app? Again, live commerce is already huge in China, while various US-based influencers are also seeing thousands tune in to their regular commerce-focused shows on TikTok.
It seems like a solid bet, especially with Pinterest’s focus on handmade products and direct selling, and with the platform also recently noting that video is “a fundamental support for inspiration and planning”, it definitely looks like it will increase its video focus in the future.
This could provide great opportunities for e-commerce brands – we’ll keep you posted on any progress.
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