What began as a quiet start-up in 2010 has become the fastest-growing standalone site in history (techcrunch via comScore). Virtual corkboard Pinterest hit 11.7 million unique monthly U.S. visitors in February 2012, surpassing the 10 million mark faster than any site has before.
Photo Tutorial: Creating a Pin
So what is Pinterest, and why should you consider using it?
Pinterest is an international, invite-only social media website which brings together businesses and consumers through a mutual exploration of the Internet. The site allows users to “pin” an image or video from almost anywhere on the Internet to one themed board using a JavaScript plugin. If the user wants to pin something to a new board, no problem. Simply type in the title, and the next prompt will offer to share your new pin to other social media outlets.
Individuals, brands, and businesses can all create boards around favorite foods, styles, shows, locations, you name it. Share these boards with friends and clients; build a following by following, liking, and commenting on other user’s boards.
Video Tutorial: Pinterest 101
Brides might use the online pinboard to pin potential bridesmaid dresses or flower arrangements to share with friends via one link, while a business like Whole Foods engages customers by pinning store items. Travel groups might share routes or destinations, people might pin their favorite funny memes; Tampa web developer Dan D uses it to share the typefaces he comes across.
Sounds complicated, but it’s not.
The Pinterest business plan seems to be simple — gain traffic by letting others do the work for them, sharing boards with friends and colleagues. And so far, it seems to be working. Social media online relies on interpersonal experiences that are often rooted in web content, namely images and video. Pinterest’s quick growth only highlights the continuing trend toward interactive content.
What’s your takeaway? Free advertising, and potentially lots of it, not to mention a great way to interact with your consumer base and find out what your shared interests may be. One business that jumped on this bandwagon is fashion magazine Marie Claire. Fashion Director Nina Garcia has a well-maintained Pinterest page dedicated to items that the magazine is showcasing, from Haute Couture to Accessories and Gifts to Spring 2012 fashion runways and more. Each repin or like spreads the content further.
While your business or brand may not have Ms. Garcia’s 185,000-plus followers, it should have an individual voice or style. Share that voice. Figure out what that is, be it a love of LOLCATS, a compilation of dream castles to visit in Ireland, or a collection of the coolest Samurai swords found online.
Hugh MacLeod’s book “Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity” emphasizes this very point: “The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours.”
Gimmicks aren’t going to cut it in social media. Marketers placing touch-tone calls in the 90’s had one set of tactics; web strategists today have another. Trends toward Facebook business pages, Twitter business bots, and Linkedin connectivity all nod to Pinterest as an emerging thought leader in the online marketing industry. Why? Through the use of customized pinboards, the site allows for the potential to showcase the individual “persona” or personality of a brand that the other social media sites may not have offered. And based on growth in the East South Central and West North Central States, Pinterest has engaged more than the typical early adopters on the east and west coasts.
By using simple strategies to harness Pinterest boards and a following, your business might benefit. Exposure, buzz, and connectivity are all key aspects of maintaining a strong social media presence. And according to comScore, via Techcrunch, “the average Pinterest user spends 98 minutes per month on the site, compared to 2.5 hours on Tumblr, and 7 hours on Facebook.”
It all adds up to potential time to engage, whether it’s clients or colleagues. Beyond the social media mecca that Pinterest is turning into, the site is, at its core, a simple place to pin all of your ideas into one visually appealing place. Redecorating? Pin your patio design! Shopping for the holidays? Pin a wish list for you or the kids. In fact, incorporating some unconventional themes like these into your business boards and showcasing your brand’s individualism can only promote your social media presence.
Have you or your business used Pinterest? What have your experiences with the growing social media site been? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!