Pinterest announced the launch of Promoted Pins in the UK, its first international expansion of the product. According to the company, this is a major market for Pinterest with Pinners in the UK having grown 50% over the past year.

Over 2.2 billion ideas have been pinned by users in the UK since its launch in the country 3 years ago, and each day, UK users are saving 3 million pins. The most popular categories are fashion, food & drink, home decor, DIY, and travel.

UK Promoted Pins are launching with John Lewis, B&Q, Bloom & Wild, Nestle – Nescafe Azera, Tesco, and MADE.COM. Pinterest says in a blog post:

More than 75% of all of the Pins saved to Pinterest come from businesses, which is why Promoted Pins don’t interrupt or distract Pinners. Ideas from businesses actually help people get closer to finding the products and services that are right for them.

Promoted Pins make it easier for brands to reach people who are in that “consideration mindset”—open to inspiration from credible sources. No other platform has an audience this receptive. In return, Promoted Pins are proven to help businesses achieve their marketing goals from building brand equity to driving online sales.

In related news, Pinterest has reportedly been pitching some exclusive ad features to brands in the U.S. including digital couponing. The company is also said to be testing video ads.

Images via Pinterest