Pinterest's Guided Search feature was introduced for mobile devices on April 24. Today Pinterest announced that the guided search feature will be coming to the desktop version of the site over the course of the next few weeks.
Guided Search allows users to put in one or more search terms, then suggests related keywords to help narrow down the results. For example, a search for "BBQ chicken" might result in suggestions such as "wings," "pizza," and "recipes." Pinterest also released a video [see it below] demonstrating the new search.
With more than 30 billion pins on more than 750 million boards, Pinterest's efforts to create a more effective search engine come as no suprise. With that amount of content, images related to nearly any subject imaginable can be found somewhere on the site. The only hurdle is actually finding them. Guided Search is positioned to help solve this issue.
Guided Seach also seeks to help users who don't know exactly what they're searching for. Starting with a broad keyword like "lunch" could lead to "sandwiches," then "toasted," then "turkey" to lead a user to an interesting recipe.
"Search engines are great for answering specific questions-the weather in San Francisco or the capital of Peru-but Pinterest can help with the questions that have more than one right answer," said Pinterest in a statement in April. "Where's your next vacation or what's for dinner tonight? With so many possibilities, you might not know the best one till you see it."
The new search engine will allow users to filter results by specific boards or Pinners they enjoy in addition to the suggested keywords. The Guided Search bar will also be placed in a more prominent position than the one it's replacing, occupying a space directly adjacent to the Pinterest logo at the top left of the page and filling most of its width.
The change in layout suggests that Pinterest will be focusing more on Guided Search as a means of browsing content, rather than the passive observation of items which appear in the home feed. As more users and companies are drawn to the site, Pinterest may present a rival for Google Images in the area of visual search engines.
"Guided Search will be available in English to everyone over the next few weeks, with more languages coming," said Pinterest in today's statement.
