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If you haven't heard of Pinterest Shuffles yet, there are likely two scenarios: you're either not on TikTok, or you're not Gen Z.
(I'm not trying to be ageist, it's just the truth.)
Over the last few weeks, Shuffles has taken the Internet by storm.
And while Pinterest itself has been around since December 2009, the platform is not-so-secretly seeking opportunities to connect with the Internet-native generations - just as Meta is scrambling to lure users back to Instagram by blatantly copying features from TikTok and BeReal.
So what is Pinterest Shuffles?
Shuffles is a separate new app built by Pinterest. It allows users to edit via photo editing tools so they can begin creating interactive collages and mood boards to share with friends and followers on the Shuffles app, or externally on apps like TikTok or Instagram.
Right now, Shuffles is an invite-only app, which means if you want to start using it, you need to have an invite code.
And to be clear, finding invite codes are no easy feat, as you can see by Twitter and Reddit comments (side note: would you sell your soul for an invite code? Because if so, you're not alone...)
Where To Find Invite Codes
Right now, people are getting Shuffles invite codes by scouring Twitter, Reddit, or TikTok, where users are actively giving away invites (or now, some are even selling them.)
Given the app just recently launched, it's clear that Pinterest is tempering sign-ups by slowly launching more codes. Whether making it an exclusive platform was intentional or not, this method has only increased the desire for people to track down codes and download.
Do you need a Pinterest account to use Shuffles?
Yes, Shuffles automatically connects to existing users' Pinterest account. So you're not creating a Shuffles account on the new app.
How Shuffles Works
First, you're going to want to download the Shuffles app. And to be honest, the onboarding screens when you open the app are super cool (fun graphics and haptics that get you excited to start creating).
Once you get past the onboarding, you'll notice once you land on the For You Page (sound familiar? cough cough TikTok cough cough) or the Popular page you'll start seeing creations from other users on the app.
This is a fun way to start seeing how users leverage animations and graphics to develop their ultimate mood board.
If you scroll from right to left, you'll be able to toggle the top navigation. When you go past For you and Popular, you'll notice a tab called Hashtags, then Recent.
Content Discovery is Key
Pinterest has always done a great job helping its users discover new content, and the top four tabs are there for users to get inspired by interactive content that they, too, can create (or save, if they so like).
Additionally, it's a smart way to encourage engagement among other Shuffles creators without relying on first connections or friends to join the app (since invites are hard to come by).
Lastly, the search bar in the upper lefthand corner is similar to other platforms in that you're able to search for something more specific if the algorithms are delivering the kind of content you'd like to see.
How to Create a Shuffle
Step 1
To create new shuffles, you'll want to go to the icon in the bottom middle that has two pages overlapping.
Step 2
Click the purple star icon on the screen that looks like this:
Step 3
Now, this is where the fun begins. You'll see a few different options on the bottom for you to add new imagery.
The elements icon (middle smilies) is especially fun as it's reminiscent of using cutouts that you would add to an IRL collage or scrapbook.
Typically, most users in the app have some kind of "base" background to start. So I'm going to use one of the element cut outs already available to me in the app to show you how to build out a new collage.
First, I add a cut out and resize it so that it fits the width and height of the background.
Then, I'm going to start to layer other elements on top of that element.
Now here's something really cool. You can actually make each element animate by selecting this layered circle icon near the bottom right (right above the five icons).
Once you select this, you'll be able to add different effects to your Shuffles so that each element has a bit of movement.
When your masterpiece is complete, click the arrow icon at the top to share to your profile.
How Brands Are Using Shuffles
While Shuffles is for user-generated content, there isn't anything that's stopping brands from using the platform.
My guess is that as time goes on, we'll see more brands creating branded elements and trying to seamlessly blend into the app. Time will tell if that's an effective strategy.
Want to learn more about how to use the Shuffles app?
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