#Pinning is #Winning

I created my account on Pinterest in December and have been obsessively pinning ever since. For those of you who are a little behind in this booming social media trend, it is basically an online scrapbook. The site was launched in 2010, and went from 1.6 million registered users in September '11, to more than 7 million in December '11. WOW. The site is fun and engaging for users because it allows consumers to create and organize personalized and categorized bulletin boards, which they can pin their favorite images to. When they "pin" something, their friends/acquaintances/followers will see it and can re-pin it to their own boards, or simply "like" or comment on it. Additionally, Pinterest pins have the ability to go viral, just like posts on Facebook or Twitter. 


Pinterest is not only a great social media platform for consumers, but it also provides an incredible opportunity for companies, brands, and blogs. When users click on a picture, it will link them out to its source, which ultimately drives visitors to company websites and relevant blogs. Companies should highly consider setting up accounts on Pinterest in order to reach consumers in a visually appealing way. This is especially applicable to retailers who can post images of their own products, and ultimately link users back to the company's website and... DRIVE SALES! 


Like any social media website, the goal of Pinterest is to interact and engage consumers. Companies should not only post their own pins, but also re-pin the images of other users in order to maintain a presence and avoid being too promotional. The scrapbooking site is strictly visual... so it's not the optimal social media platform for every company. But if marketers are able and willing to think outside the box and get super creative, it might result in various positive outcomes! Chobani is one of these innovative companies. The popular yogurt brand posts pictures/recipes of delicious looking (and sounding) foods that use Chobani yogurt as an ingredient. It helps the brand drive consumers to its bloggers and website, which helps promote the brand's personality, values, and uses. Another Pinterest success story is Ideeli, an online retail "deal" site that specializes in luxury products. Ideeli has seen a 446% increase in web traffic from Pinterest in the last six months!


Here are a few of my favorite pins...these are just snippets of styles I love, delicious looking food and recipes, future home dreams, and incredible photography. 

Pinterest is quickly becoming all the rage among consumers...SO, if companies and marketers haven't signed up yet, they should probably get on that...today.


POGS,
AKtually Ashley

PS. Pinterest is my go-to site to find yummy recipes and trendy online shopping sites. Buffalo fried goat cheese? Yes, please.