Hay There! Are you hearing a lot about Pinterest? Emily A. Hay joined the Internet Advisor team on WJR 760AM to share some quick points on this much-talked-about social network. This blog will keep you in the loop on the basics and hopefully catch your Pinterest ☺

Remember, you can listen to the full podcast of Emily A. Hay on the Internet Advisor show on WJR 760AM in our media section (Also available on iTunes).

What it is

• Pinterest – an online pinboard for different topics you are interested in
  • Default pinboard categories like “Products I Love” and “My Style” but you can create your own (HINT: creative pinboards get noticed)
• Has been around since 2009 – more than 11M users last month (2012)
• It’s a way to organize a LOT of content very efficiently
• This user-friendly interface can impact how companies structure their websites going forward

How it works

• • It’s image based – ALL visual
  • To create an account, you must be invited (request an invitation)
  • Create your own personal profile with picture, basic info, links to your website, Twitter and Facebook profiles, etc.
  • Content types shared
    • • Recipes, outfits, products, technology, quotes, gift ideas
      • Fantastic for product discovery & sharing ideas
      • Photography (causing some copyright concerns; common to see photos watermarked per standard procedure)
    • Easy to use
      • Pin content from within pinterest, from anywhere on the web (using the “pin it bookmarklet” you install in your browser toolbar), from mobile device via app
      • Repin other’s pins, “Like” other’s pinboard content, comment on others pins, tag other users
      • Search for new content – Hay There Social Media team member called the “Search” bar on Pinterest “her new Google!”
      • Can connect your Pinterest activity to your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts
    • Keep in mind: statistics show that most pins on Pinterest are “Repins” (viral nature, exponential exposure)

Why all the buzz

• • • Your Pinterest activity is incorporated into your Facebook timeline (via Pinterst app)
    • Virtually no learning curve
    • Organizing a vast amount of content has never been easier
    • A new way to search, limits results to followers and similar people within your demographic
    • You can pin ANYTHING with a photo attached (so far, it’s seeming to be a “PG” rated environment)

Who it’s for

• • • People
      • Facebook users & Twitter users
      • “Word on the street” is that it’s female focused. Men can use it, too! It’s ok if men like the same things as the gals – male users may sway towards food, clothing or technology products for example.
    • Business
      • Marketers are using it to drive website traffic
      • Use pinboards as tutorials (like virtual chalkboards) and thank you messages to clients or client features
      • Etsy.com is one of the most significant sites to have content pinned from
      • Observe and listen to what customers are saying about products (real-time instant feedback)

For help with pinterest and other social media management services, contact Hay There Social Media today! Thanks for reading!

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