Pinterest Testing New News Section

My Carmine Media Pinterest account is among a small group of accounts being tested for a new Pinterest feature called News. In the section on the left in the feed normally titled “recent activity” I’m now seeing a new “news” feature, pointing me to a new tab on my page. The goal of this feature, according to Pinterest, is to make it easy to find relevant and interesting pins and help users find new pins to enjoy. According to their help section, News includes board activity and recent pins but does not include new followers. The test began January 16 and Pinterest is asking for feedback from users via an online form. Feedback results are not visible to users so there is no way to tell how this new feature is being received.

I took a look at this new feature and here’s what I’m seeing.

Pinterest News Section

In the news section, pins are arranged on a grid rather than in a feed as in recent activity. It is easy to see the pin, the user and the board where the activity is occurring. Is this a feature designed to make engagement easier or could this be a move toward a more business friendly interface? It may be too soon to tell.

Read more about using Pinterest for business in an earlier blog post and check out my Using Pinterest for Business slideshare presentation if you’re interested in learning more about the marketing side of Pinterest.

Are you among the group of pinners being tested for this new feature? Do you like it? Let me know in the comments.