Weight loss searches on Pinterest down 20% since ad ban
Pinterest has released the findings of its Body Neutrality report, which shows that searches containing terms related to weight loss have decreased by 20% since introducing its weight-loss ad ban last year.
Body positivity searches have doubled since the ban / Image via Pexels
To date, Pinterest is the only platform to ban weight-loss ads, updating its policy in July 2021 to prohibit all ads with weight-loss language and imagery. This was an expansion of its ad policies that also prohibited body shaming and weight-loss products or claims, in the hopes of fostering a more inclusive environment on the site.
Pinterest says it began to consider how conversations around body image tend to peak during the summer months, and that a year after the ban came into effect its analysis of user behavior around healthy living and healthy lifestyles revealed that global searches containing the search term ‘weight loss’ have decreased by 20% in May 2022 compared to July 2021.
Instead, users coming to Pinterest are instead looking to cultivate healthy habits, especially those related to a healthy diet. Searches for ‘quick and healthy meals’ were 65x greater and ‘healthy food motivation’ increased by 13 times from mid-April to mid-May 2022 compared to the year prior.
Searches around healthy habits and body positivity are on the rise as Pinners reshape conversations around self-confidence, mental wellness and wellbeing. Changes in search terms include:
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50% increase in ’how to change your mindset’ searches
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32% increase in ’how to become more confident’ searches
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5x increase in ’positive self-affirmations’ searches
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36% increase in ’loving myself’ searches
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3x increase in ’accept your body quotes’ searches
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2x increase in ’body positivity’ searches
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7x increase in ’body positive photography aesthetic’ searches
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5x increase in ’body positive line art’ searches
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5x increase in ’curvy body reference’ searches
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3x increase in ’curvy modeling’ searches
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57% increase in ’androgynous body type’ searches
”As a creator, Pinterest has been a constant in my personal wellbeing journey. As I’ve grown, my Pinterest community has grown too – and within that growth, I’ve seen a larger shift in how Pinners, as well as my clients, are responding to health overall. The days we used to focus on meeting external beauty standards are being replaced by the practice of self-acceptance, compassion and grace. And over the last year, Pinterest’s weight-loss ad ban has cultivated an environment for that shift to occur with more ease on the platform,” said Nory Pouncil, a Pinterest creator.
”When we implemented our weight loss ad ban a year ago, our hope was to continue building our platform as a safe and welcoming environment where all Pinners feel free to be who they are, regardless of body shape or size. Now a year later, we are seeing a positive response from users, demonstrating the true impact such a policy can have on online behaviors and perceptions. We will continue to support and protect our users from harmful information or content that does not align with our mission and values,” added Sarah Bromma, head of policy at Pinterest.
To fulfill its mission, Pinterest now says it is committed to not only serving inspiring content, but also identifying and preventing harmful content including misinformation, hate speech and negative aspects of search and content.