Nothing in 2020 has happened as we planned or imagined it would and as this unprecedented and tumultuous year comes to a close, one thing’s for sure—this will forever go down in the history books as the year everything changed. That includes how we dress, spend time with loved ones, cook and enjoy down time at home.
With over 400 million active users with billions of boards, the team over at Pinterest prides itself on being able to spot what will soon-be-trending by monitoring their prolific users’ behavior trends. And, prolific they are. (Seriously, how many active Pinterest boards do you have presently? We lost count years ago.)
Just in time for the tail-end of holiday gift giving season, Pinterest has released Pinterest Predicts, a massive and fascinating list of what the visual discovery engine shows we’ll be all about in 2021, based on search trends this year. The good news: personal and professional growth, togetherness and comfort reign supreme on their list, which means you’re being proactive about your wish for a more positive and productive 2021.
Yup, we totally feel seen, and that’s exactly the sentiment Head of Content and Editorial Partnerships at Pinterest, Aya Kanai, hoped would be felt by those who take a glance at their list. “My hope in terms of sharing this list is that, when you’re seeing it, suddenly your shoulders relax a little bit and you’re able to be like, “Oh, I’m not alone,” shares Kanai in an interview with ESSENCE. In September, Kanai left her post as Editor-In-Chief of Marie Claire magazine to join the Pinterest team because, she says, she was moved by how users move with purpose to achieve their goals. “What I really am passionate about is that the intent of Pinners to, as we say, find the tools to better their lives and take those tools that they can find on Pinterest to go offline and live better,” Kanai explains. “That’s the kind of world that I certainly want for my own daughter and for everyone’s children. That’s what I love about the Pinner mindset and that’s kind of what we wanted to really showcase here in, in Pinterest Predicts.”
Here’s a breakdown of some of our favorite trends to watch from 2020’s Pinterest Predicts list.
“CEO Is The New DIY”
Professional growth is on our minds, big time, with Pinterest showing a huge increase in an entrepreneurial mindset for pinners. Year-over-year search traffic on the tool for “small business ideas” is up 90%, “branding your business” is up 105% and “account basics” is up a whopping 150-percent. Users are starting podcasts too, with searches for “podcast design” up 130% and growing.
“Zzz Time Is The New Me Time”
That’s right, we’re all getting a lot more rest and we’re on a mission to get more quality rest at night. Pinterest search trends show sleep is a popular form of self-care among users, who are in search of bedtime exercise routines, products that promote better sleep and more intentional nightly regimens. Year-over-year search for “night affirmations sleep” are up 100% and three times as many pinners are searching for “sleep workouts”. Users are also searching a lot more frequently for “sleep yoga” and “silk sleepwear”.
“Heart-Schooling Is the New Homeschooling”
This year we were all about mindfulness and how to be more in the moment and more of service to ourselves and others. In 2021, Pinterest Predicts says parents will be more focused on having these heart-to-hearts with their children and teaching the little ones more about mindfulness and morality, as searches for “stories with moral lessons”, “mindfulness activities for children” and “teaching kids manners” have increased 3 and 4 times the usual amount.
“Low-key wedding are the new high-key occasions”
As a result of the pandemic and everyone being abundantly cautious, matrimony went full minimalist in 2020 and Pinterest says laid back weddings are here to stay, with year-over-year search traffic for “small backyard wedding” up 160% , “wedding jean jacket bride” up 130% and searches for “courthouse wedding outfit” have doubled.
“Parking space is the new personal space”
Car romance is no longer reserved just for rom-coms. With social distancing and small groups being mandatory in 2020, couples and families are more inclined than ever before to make the best of things by taking the family fun or date nights to the car. Year-over-year Pinterest searches for “care date night” have doubled, “care man cave” is up 115%, “drive in cinema” is up 190% and even the fur babies are feeling the love—searches for “dog car” seats are also rising.
Read the full list of trends and see inspirational pins for each category here.