Pinterest Launches

Setting the scene

Grid layouts borrowed from design blogs made ordinary users feel like curators, lowering the bar versus blogging platforms.

What happened

Demographics skewed heavily toward certain interest verticals, shaping ad products around intent signals like wedding planning.

Why it still matters

IPO filings highlighted international expansion challenges. Memorable detail: early invites mimicked Gmail exclusivity, fueling waitlist hype.

Background

Pinterest helped normalize infinite-scroll mood boards and later leaned into shopping catalogs and visual search.