VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Social Media ads increase despite user frustration
Riley Fay: You may have experienced scrolling through social media and seeing a picture or video that catches your eye, but when you click on it, you’re brought to a different site. Advertisements are nothing new to social media, but many people are feeling overwhelmed by the increased amount of ads.
Fay: Active social media user Sofia Destaso says she understands why companies produce ads, but it gets overwhelming.
Sofia Destaso: They have a lot of ads in between videos. I’ve noticed recently and they’re all tailored to what I like, so I end up clicking on them, especially for TikTok shop and stuff, and on Pinterest. I will scroll, and I click on a picture, and then it immediately brings me to another website, and I get mad.
Fay: Now, although Sofia is not alone in this frustrated feeling, companies don’t seem to be making a change. The reason companies like Pinterest see an increase in their amount of monthly users according to their monthly earnings report.
Fay: Advertising professor at SU Daniela Molta says quote that isn’t to say that the users aren’t frustrated, but it’s a sign that they’re doing something right. According to Pinterest, people use Pinterest to find new brands and ideas, so ads are actually useful. This can explain the increased users even with the increased number of ads. Riley Fay, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Advertisements are the main source of revenue for most social media platforms, but increased ads can lead to user frustration.
“They have a lot of ads in between videos. I’ve noticed recently and they’re all tailored to what I like so I end up clicking on them, especially for TikTok shop,” said Sofia Destaso, a regular social media user.
Pinterest is a social media app where people can get inspiration for projects and new ideas. They market their ads as being helpful for users.
“People use Pinterest to find new brands and ideas, so ads are useful…whether they’re browsing, searching, or ready to act,” Pinterest said.
“On Pinterest, I will scroll, and I click on a picture, and then it immediately brings me to another website, and I get mad,” Destaso said.
She said her main use for Pinterest is to find outfit ideas and inspirational quotes.
Although many users feel frustrated with the increased number of ads, Pinterest saw an increase in monthly users. According to MarketBeat, their earnings are expected to grow 46.67% this year.
Advertising professor at Syracuse University Daniela Molta said Pinterest has less advertising reach than Meta companies like Facebook and Instagram.
“Advertisers think about the context of how and why users engage with each platform before placing ad buys and develop goals and strategies to align. For instance, Pinterest may be considered a good opportunity for product discovery because of the heavy user search intent on the platform,” Molta said.