Are you pinteresting?

I’ve been using Pinterest for awhile now, though it really seems to have taken off in the past couple of months. I first stumbled upon it as a tool for style and artistic inspiration (I was working on revamping my website, still a work in progress), but have since started using it in more ways.

Digital fatigue, digital overload: Where does Pinterest fit in?

The question I find myself asking is, “what do I need to get out of this experience?” I already use sites like imgur to find funny pictures in my downtime, and I already use Reddit for news and communal thinking, and sometimes to explore pictures (I like the “what I’m looking at” style posts that feature views out of complete strangers’ windows halfway across the world). I use Twitter to share links, and I use Tumblr to re-blog stuff. So I don’t need another Reddit or imgur, and I definitely don’t need another blog, microblog, or social network. So what is Pinterest’s niche in my life?

I like to think of it as an inspiration source for pretty much anything. You’ll find lots of art-related pins, recipes, decorating, and clothing. It might seem like a girl’s world at first glance, but there’s absolutely something for everyone, and you can carve your own space. I recently started a board called “Sunsets & Skies“, where I uploaded a few of my own personal shots of colorful sunrises & sunsets. I like to look at that kind of stuff, and figured someone else might like to, too.

There seems to be a real communal effort to share only good quality images (you can see this emphasis on quality photography taken to more extremes at sites like foodgawker.com and dwellinggawker.com).

Pinterest in digital marketing

One of my favorite online clothing shops, Modcloth, ran their first Pinterest contest a little while ago and it’s clearly a fantastic platform for fashion retail. It’s also a great place for interactive marketers to share infographics, design elements, and general geekery. Here are some more use possibilities:

• Travel and geo-targeting
• Design critiquing, prototyping, and A/B testing
• Home improvement or office space inspiration for clientele
• Photography portfolios, albums
• Style lookbooks
• Share art, illustration, typography, and graphic design
• Test and share messages
• Reach hobbyists and niche fandoms

Pinterest as a traffic driver

Clearly Pinterest has a home in digital marketing for sharing on a professional level. It can also serve as another social venue to show off your product and draw traffic to your blog or online store. But like all social media (in varying degrees), authenticity is going to be incredibly important. I wouldn’t be surprised if an independent Etsy seller sharing photos of handcrafted products and interacting with customers via Pinterest would see more success than a major brand that attempts to launch a large scale social media campaign.

Check out my Pinterest boards here:

http://pinterest.com/literatrue/

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