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Friends of Search > Beyond Keywords: How Visual Search is Reclaiming Personal Taste
Internationally acclaimed speakersPrestigious award showDrinks & Bites13th edition

Beyond Keywords: How Visual Search is Reclaiming Personal Taste

Katja Smith & Niki Lin

12:05 - 12:35

In a world dominated by algorithms that flatten our style, how can brands help users find what they actually love? Join Niki Lin, Agency Lead and Katja Smith, Lead Client Partner at Pinterest, as they explore the shift from text-based queries to a visual-first discovery landscape.
Drawing on new research into Gen Z’s “doomshopping” habits and their search for safe spaces to explore identity, Niki and Katja will demonstrate why visual search is the key to driving deep engagement. You’ll learn how to leverage Pinterest’s AI-driven visual tools to build a search strategy that moves beyond trending keywords to help your customers create a life they truly love.

Katja Smith

Lead Client PartnerPinterest

As Lead Client Partner at Pinterest, Katja has spent her career helping businesses of all sizes grow online. Drawing on her experience at Pinterest and previously Google, she is a firm believer that the search landscape is evolving beyond the text box; it’s about the power of inspiration.

On Pinterest, search has always been visual. This natural way of discovering ideas is what drives deep engagement. Katja’s goal is to help brands turn that inspiration into action – moving users seamlessly from “searching” to “doing”. She lives this daily as a power user, whether she’s using the platform to find new workout routines or sourcing the perfect outfit. Katja is here to help you make the most of this evolving landscape by building a strategy that helps people create a life they love.

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Niki Lin

Agency LeadPinterest

As Agency Lead at Pinterest, Niki Lin draws on more than 15 years of industry experience—including an extensive chapter at Google—to help agencies and brands redefine their digital strategies. With a deep background in search, digital marketing, and programmatic advertising, she leads the Pinterest agency business with a focus on how the landscape is evolving beyond the traditional text box. On Pinterest, where search is inherently visual, she guides brands and agencies in unlocking new ways to connect with audiences and move from “searching” to “inspired doing”.

Niki’s work is driven by a belief in the power of visual discovery to foster positivity and authentic engagement. She is proud to champion Pinterest’s mission to inspire everyone to create a life they love, keeping positivity and diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart, whether building strategic alliances or navigating the latest in visual search, the goal is to help partners thrive in a digital ecosystem that is as innovative as it is positive.

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