February 20, 2012
It’s social, visual, viral, fun and easy to use. That’s probably why Pinterest is the hottest item in social media right now. This web craze is an online pinboard that lets users collect, organize and share their favourite images.
Created since 2009, Pinterest. has suddenly skyrocketed in popularity. The invitation-only site now has 11.7 million monthly active users, increasing fivefold since last September. Time magazine listed Pinterest in its "50 Best Websites of 2011" column.
This re-pinning creates viral traffic that is great for business. People keep re-pinning content they like and when they re-pin a piece of content their followers see it. This is ideal for retailers, with many people pinning clothes, shoes, appliances and furniture to their boards. By adding such content, everyone is able to “window shop” online based on what their friends have pinned.
Users can also link images directly back to a site or a particular landing page so everyone who sees the pin has the opportunity to visit the original site.
Food brands, non-profit organizations, and media properties are also using Pinterest’s enticing layout as a promotional tool. It is a great opportunity to humanize their brands and share their favorite resources.
Pinterest is designed to link with users’ other social networking accounts so users can share their favorites with friends on Facebook or Twitter.