What is this crazy new frenzy that everyone is talking about? Well, if you haven’t been bitten by the Pinterest bug, you will. I had no idea what it was all about, but several months ago I was invited to join, and spent a few minutes on the help section. The rest is history. To put Pinterest in simple terms – it is a series of bulletin boards where you can organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use the theme boards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes through images. It’s very addictive and lots of fun. If you’re an organizing nut like I am, you will love it. By the way, the rules have been changed so you do not need to be invited. Just sign on.
Many years ago, I began cataloging pictures of kitchens, baths and anything else I thought would be a good visual tool for my clients. As we all know, most clients are visually challenged. Having a binder for each design style was a huge time-saver. By showing pictures, I learned more about what the client had in mind for the design, finishes and details. I ripped apart hundreds of magazines, always updating and adding to my collection of binders. It sure was easier to grab a binder of Tuscan kitchens pictures instead of carting 12 magazines with sticky notes to the client’s home.
- Pinterest is the same concept but 100 times more efficient. Your boards are like bulletin boards or binders. Each time you find a picture that you would like to save, you “pin” it to the appropriate board. You have no choice but to be organized. You can also browse the bulletin boards created by other people and discover new things, getting inspiration from people who share your interests. You can then repin their pin onto your board, if you wish.
The beauty of Pinterest is that once you start pinning, other people will repin your pins to their boards. You are notified by email when this happens so you then have an opportunity to see their boards and repin what they have to your boards. Sounds like a game of “Old Maid” in a way. I have repinned some interesting designs from people all over Europe, as well as South America and Australia.
The visual appeal of the site is what seems to have triggered its immense growth (it is the fastest site in history to reach 10 million unique visitors per month). With millions of new pins added weekly, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests.
Even if you are not planning to launch a social network anytime soon, you can still use Pinterest to promote your sites, to expand your network and organize everything.
If you have any questions about Pinterest, or want to view my boards, follow me or join- click here
Happy Pinning!
