If you're not already part of one of the fastest growing social networking sites, then let me be the first to tell you what you're not yet addicted to missing out on.
Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board. Instead of clipping that recipe from a magazine, or blouse from a catalog, you use a bookmarklet to "Pin It" from the internet on to pages of organized visual bookmarks. You can follow other Pinners, and tag their stuff to your boards. It's easy to connect with your friends through Facebook, and yes, there's an iPhone app for that. Read this article from USA Today to learn more about how Pinterest works.
When I first joined, It looked like a lot of stay-at-home moms were pinning housekeeping tips and pictures of their fantasy mansions. The first week of my forced sabbatical medical leave, I spent hours scouring the web for photos of my favorite vacation destinations, real and imagined. This really helped me stave off cabin fever. Professional photographers capture the essence of a place much better than my vacation photos do. Oh, and before you call foul on image piracy, consider this: when a photo is pinned using the bookmarklet, it retains a link back to the original source!
After more than 500 vacation pins, I decided to develop a few other boards. I have boards for sewing and crafting projects I want to do, housekeeping tips using simple products, art and quotes that strike a chord, and fabulous teaching ideas that I'd only have time for if I didn't have a job. Of course, I do have the requisite jaw-dropping dream homes, hair and makeup tips, and yummy recipe ideas.
As soon as I'd learned the ropes, I wanted to explore the boundaries of this amazing site. I imagined myself an interior decorator or a wedding planner asking clients to show me their Pinterest boards so I could get a sense of their tastes. I also wondered how one could use this to (tactfully) promote her own website, blog, product, or not-for-profit. And of course, I thought of all the goofy ways I could use Pinterest to illustrate the eclectic facets of my personality.
Although the site is currently dominated by women, I wondered what men would pin. And no, it's not what you're thinking. I clicked on a couple of my guy friends' pages and found boards dedicated to wildlife, travel, photography, humor, and WWII aircraft. A few have some recipe collections as well, but I get the distinct impression these men are more interested in eating the delicacies than preparing them.
My latest board was inspired by a guy friend who alternates between wanting me to find Mr. Right, and teasing me with all the reasons I don't want Mr. Wrong. Almost every girl grows up cultivating "the list" of qualities she's looking for in a spouse, and as we age, certain criteria become more or less important. I decided to make my list visual, and although I may be fishing in the wrong pool (80% female), it doesn't hurt to try!
Attempting to be somewhat subtle, I titled this board "Help Wanted." My desire for an intelligent husband is currently the most popular pin. It was liked almost immediately by 10 complete strangers, four of whom appear to be male. What started out as a joke may have some actual merit to it after all!
In all, I'd give this site five stars. I'm hopeful they'll address the hangups caused by what must be an overwhelming traffic flow. Pinning from the web is best on your desktop with the bookmarklet. The iPhone app needs just a couple of small fixes, especially in removing the forced constraints in photo cropping. I'd like to rotate the screen, but they don't have that feature yet.
If you would like to join this network, you will need an invitation. You can request one from Pinterest or have a friend send you an email invite.
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