How many of you recently have had a friend tell you that the great cookie recipe your children liked so much came from Pinterest? Maybe a great idea for a family member’s birthday party? I’m guessing a lot of you have – as Pinterest.com continues to add members by the thousands daily as it becomes a one-stop destination for ideas and inspiration.
A little bit of history
Pinterest launched in 2010 and continues to operate by invitation only when it comes to joining. (Don’t worry about that – ask a friend already on Pinterest; they can invite you!) With more than 10 million members, the site’s users are almost completely female. According to Alexa.com, Pinterest is now the 32nd most popular web site in the U.S.
Why would you want to share links like this online?
Think of how many magazine articles you’ve ripped out to save – or recipe books that have bent pages to hold your place. Pinterest allows you to collect and categorize that type of information all in one place.
How does it work?
Members share links, photos and videos they love by “pinning” them onto online subject boards that they’ve created. Board subjects range from kids’ craft projects to those based on individual colors. Just like Facebook, you can “like” a pin or even re-pin it yourself to share with others.
To search for items, type in what you’re hoping to find – just you like would on Google. The more detailed, the better. There’s so much content on Pinterest that “headbands” will return a LOT of results that might not be what you’re looking for, but “DIY toddler headbands” will bring up a more refined group to choose from.
Who uses Pinterest?
People who love to be inspired! It’s not surprising that Pinterest is huge with crafters and design lovers. By sharing a completed how-to project or assembling dream items for a room makeover, Pinterest users are constantly sparked to try something new – or give new direction to an older project they haven’t been able to finish.
Companies like Pinterest, too
I bet some of your family’s favorite companies and brands are on Pinterest sharing ideas and new products coming down the road. There are a few hundred of them currently using Pinterest (not bad!), including:
- Whole Foods (check out their edible creations board)
- Sesame Street
- Pottery Barn Kids (need some ideas for the next birthday party in your house?)
What should I do next?
Start searching on Pinterest to see what’s out there! Who knows what kind of great ideas you’ll find?
