I, like most people that are actively connected, get 3-5 invitations every month for some new social interest. If it looks interesting enough I may register in order to reserve my username in case it makes it big one day but most are ignored. So it was when I heard about Pinterest. But then I saw an article about them, then another. By the third I thought it was time to check it out.
I signed up for an account and experimented a little and spoke with some people that have used it. Following is my description of the service and some ideas on how it could be used.
The platform was launched early in 2010. It’s an invitation service at this point and once you are signed up you are given a few invitations. To get an invitation visit their site (www.pinterest.com) and fill in the form. It took about 5 days to get my invite.
So what is it all about?
Think of a pin board on which you collect information about a subject. In the 70s if you were following a celebrity you might have a pinboard on which you pinned every article you found about the guy. That’s Pinterest, but in the 21st century. Once you have an account you can set up multiple pinboards for your interests and as you troll the internet you can pin items to these boards.
Pinterest in a organising tool. It could also be used collaboratively. We all come across things that interest us or that we like. Now there is a way to catagorise and save these things.
You might looking at something work related and see a picture of a great holiday resort you’d like to visit one day. You don’t have the time to explore the venue in detail right now. Just “pin” it and you can look at it again when you have more time.
What about shopping around? Looking for a car? As you search the net pin all the possibles to a board. Now all your options are in one place and not scattered over 20 browser tabs.
So that’s the overview. Here are some way to get creative:
- Use existing pinboards to get inspiration. Search Pinterest for what you are interested in. Guaranteed someone has collected images that will be of interest to you. Simply “repin” them to your board.
- Had a family get together or party or wedding? At any such function there are as many photographers as there are people and each have posted their pics to Facebook, or to a website or Flickr. Use Pinterest to pin these pictures to one pinboard. Now you have a fully collaborated space for a full record of that event!
- Pinterest is a great way for brands to create exposure for their industry. A restaurant can have pinboards for functions at their restaurant, recipes and cooking ideas and more.
- Planning a function? Pin ideas to your board, get others pin ideas to create that perfect style.
- Perhaps you want a makeover (guys or gals). Pin style ideas for clothes or hair or whatever. Now review your collection and make your choices.
The ideas are myriad! Get pinning.
You can follow me at www.pinterest.com/ryanhogarth. You can also watch a short video tutorial here
Already using Pinterest? Got any other ideas for using it? Let me know in the comments.
Recent Comments