There’s Something Pinteresting Going On In Social Media
Posted by Patrick Murphy on Mon, Jan 30, 2012
“Pinterest” is the latest buzzword going round the web. It seems like in the space of just a few weeks that Pinterest has risen from a small niche site to the platform to be in. It’s trendy. It’s the cool place to hang out. And of course with that comes the marketing crowd. In the space of a couple of weeks Pinterest has gone from “doesn’t matter” to “why aren’t you on it?”.
So what’s the big deal about this social sharing site that makes a focal point of images? How are people using it? If you’re not familiar with the platform, it can be described as a stylish way to share things you like with followers or groups. This is done by way of sharing images of the idea, object, scene, product, etc. You can create different boards for different subjects, and collect pins to build up a repository of reference material. Images can be uploaded from a phone or computer, or can be pinned from any website you visit.
The kind of content shared on Pinterest tends to be stylish ideas backed up with great images. Among the most popular content is sharing of home décor idea, books, clothing, food, photography and arts & crafts. There are already around 7.2 million people pinning and Pinterest is rising up the ranks of the most visited websites in the US. This is despite the “invite only” admission policy (if you want an invite, just drop us an email or ask on twitter, because lots of people on Twitter are Pinterest members at this stage.)
Does Pinterest have a place in marketing?
I believe marketers need to tread lightly on this platform. Pinterest is not the place to post up an image of the latest discount promotion. Anyway, brands will be prevented from displaying blatant advertising. It’s about sharing quality content and maintaining the atmosphere that endears people to the site. Currently, it’s being used very well by brands in the food industry, fashion industry and the design industry. For example, clothing brands could create some classy style boards, or a local health food store could create a board about their town and another about their favourite recipes.
Pinterest is a subtle and beautiful way to use social sharing. Got any ideas about it: good, bad or indifferent? Comment below.
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