Pin It? Pin it to what? Well, no need to panic! The phrase “pin it” is most likely referring to an option on the very popular social networking site, Pinterest. Pinterest is a primarily visual social networking site that was conceptualized by Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra, and Evan Sharp in December 2009. The site was then launched in March 2010 and was only open to a small group of family and friends of the three founders. Because the founders were not equipped to operate a major social networking site from their humble Mid West apartment, the site was originally operated on an invitation only basis. This allowed Silbermann, Sciarra, and Sharp to interact with their users, even sometimes meeting with them to discuss possible improvements. Since March 2010, Pinterest has continued to grow into one of the top social networking sites available on the internet.
Due to the vast increase in users over the years, Pinterest has developed a mobile app for the iPhone, iPad, and Pinterest mobile for non-apple users. With all of these new platforms opening up accessibility, Pinterest decided to end its exclusivity rule in 2012 and open its doors to all users without having to send a request or be referred by previously existing users. That act opened many doors for Pinterest, especially in developing a strong male following. As of early 2012, women globally dominated Pinterest. However, studies have proved that in the United Kingdom, over half of the Pinterest users are male. Until early 2013, the number if new Pinterest users were climbing exponentially.
One of the reasons Pinterest is so successful is because it is a primarily visual tool, allowing users to use photo boards. While a majority of media on Pinterest are pictures, videos can also be uploaded, pinned, and repined for all to see. Once you decided to sign up and create an account for yourself, you can start pinning away! Although it may look daunting, Pinterest is actually quite simple in design and user friendly. You can choose to follow the boards of other people, in which you would be able to see what they pinned to what boards and, if the person is a dedicated user, why. Or, the Pinterest user has the option to create personal boards. The later option is more personal because the user has the option to create their own pins from personalized computers and websites of their choice.
Although Pinterest has developed a cult like following for personal accounts, a new aspect of the site is incorporating businesses onto the platforms. With the ability to see multiple boards and pins at once, clothing retailers are taking full advantage of the storeroom quality that Pinterest allows. Pinterest is becoming increasingly popular with not just clothing retailers, but all types of businesses. If Pinterest keeps improving at this rapid pace, it just may take over the spot as the most used social networking site. For more help and information on Pinterest Advertising, talk to one of our experts at Premiere Creative and give us a call at (973) 346-8100.