Google Product Category Taxonomy for Pinterest Catalogs
Set up Google Product Categories for Pinterest Shopping and Product Pins to improve discoverability and ad performance.
1Pinterest and Google Product Category Taxonomy
Pinterest's product catalog system uses Google Product Categories for organizing and targeting Shopping ads.
When you add products to Pinterest, the google_product_category field helps:
- Pinterest understand what you're selling
- Match your products with relevant searches
- Display products in appropriate category browsing
- Improve Shopping ad targeting
Good news: If you've already categorized for Google Shopping, your Pinterest catalog is ready too!
*For the complete taxonomy overview, see our Complete Guide to Google Product Category Taxonomy.*
2Setting Up Your Pinterest Catalog
Catalog Feed Requirements:
Pinterest accepts product feeds with the google_product_category field.
id,title,description,google_product_category,... SKU001,Blue Running Shoes,Comfortable running...,5322,...
Category Format Options:
- Numeric ID (recommended): 5322
- Full path: Apparel & Accessories > Shoes > Athletic Shoes > Running Shoes
Data Sources: - Connect your Shopify/WooCommerce store directly - Upload a product feed CSV - Use Google Merchant Center feed
3Categories and Pinterest Shopping Ads
Accurate categories improve your Pinterest Shopping ad performance:
Better Targeting: Pinterest uses categories to match your products with users who have shown interest in similar items.
Category Bidding: You can adjust bids by product category in Pinterest Ads Manager, similar to Google Shopping.
Shopping Tab Visibility: Properly categorized products appear in the right sections of Pinterest's Shopping tab.
Idea Pins & Product Tags: When creators tag products in Idea Pins, accurate categories help surface your products for relevant content.
4Pinterest Product Type vs google_product_category
Pinterest accepts its own product_type field alongside google_product_category. Here's how they differ:
| | Pinterest product_type | Google Product Category (GPC) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Pinterest-specific categorization | Universal cross-platform classification |
| Format | Free-text breadcrumb | Standardized taxonomy (6,000+ fixed categories) |
| Feed field | product_type | google_product_category |
| Used for | Pinterest browse/search | Ad targeting, Shopping tab placement |
| Example | "Women > Shoes > Sneakers" | Apparel & Accessories > Shoes > Athletic Shoes (ID: 5322) |
Why GPC matters more for Pinterest:
- Pinterest uses google_product_category for Shopping ad targeting and category bidding
- product_type helps with Pinterest's visual discovery but doesn't control ad auction placement
- GPC is universal — set once, use on Google, Facebook, Pinterest, and Bing
Best Practice:
Set google_product_category as your primary categorization. Optionally add Pinterest's product_type for extra discovery, but GPC should always be present.
5Pinterest Category Best Practices
1. Be Specific Pinterest has visually-motivated users. Specific categories help match your products with users browsing specific aesthetics.
2. Use Lifestyle Categories When Applicable Pinterest is aspirational. Categories that align with lifestyle (Home Decor, Fashion, DIY) perform well.
3. Sync with Other Channels Use the same categories across Google, Facebook, and Pinterest for consistency.
4. Check Feed Diagnostics Pinterest's catalog manager shows category-related errors. Review and fix any issues.
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Get started: Use Product Category Finder to categorize your products for Pinterest.
*Read the complete guide: Complete Guide to Google Product Category Taxonomy*
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