Hooked on Pinterest
I heard about Pinterest in the fall, and my initial reaction was similar to many others: “I don’t have enough energy to start another social media account.” A few months passed, and during the holidays, I overheard two relatives talking about using Pinterest for classroom ideas. Being teachers, they are both sensitive to using social networks, yet they felt comfortable having profiles on Pinterest.
It started to intrigue me more, but I still didn’t put it high on my priority list. Then, while on Twitter, I stumbled across a Pinterest contest from one of my favorite brands – Lands’ End. I was lured not only by the chance to win a gift certificate but also by the offer for (what seemed like to me) an elusive “invite” to join Pinterest. I asked for (and received) an invite, set up my account and got pinning.
My mom side was immediately engrossed. This was going to make me a better cook, crafter, PTA parent and Girl Scout leader! Look at all these ideas waiting for me: I pinned a recipe, an idea for homemade Valentines and a cute printable for selling cookies. Fun? Yes. But instead of actually implementing any of the ideas I’d found, I was searching for other things on Pinterest. It is a great (addictive) place to browse, and when I came across the Real Simple boards, I was definitely hooked.
My marketer side wanted to research brands on Pinterest, so I created my board for the Lands’ End contest. I admired the retailer’s creativity in developing an engaging way for users to interact and create boards promoting its products. I thought it was a smart effort, and as one of the first brands to do a promotion using Pinterest, it also generated a lot of buzz for the retailer. I think Pinterest presents a lot of promotion potential. I can see companies driving in-store visits through games and scavenger hunts, for example.
What I like best about the site is the ability to browse freely, and I find the lack of personal information refreshing. I don’t need to read status updates or act quickly to get the latest deal. I can simply look at pretty pictures. If I’m interested in something that requires more attention, I can pin it and come back to it.
As a user and a marketer, I’m concerned that as more people and brands join, it will stop being a place of inspiration and turn into an online garage sale. However, I’m hopeful that brands will respect Pinterest’s user-inspired culture and DIY feel. In fact, they may have to in order to be successful on the platform, which seems to be the tool du jour for brands with heavy visual appeal. It will be really interesting to see how these companies use Pinterest — and if they can turn pictures into profits.
