Shely Vargas: Jour.4460 Blog #5- Is there an Interest for Pinterest in the professional world?

There’s no question that the social photo sharing website of Pinterest has become a big success in the social media world. The site's mission statement is to "connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting”, and that is exactly what they do. There are so many things people can do on there. From DIY’s to cooking recipes to step-by-step hair tutorials, Pinterest has it all. Known by many as the “visual bulletin board for the Web,” Pinterest has come to be more than just a past time, it is becoming more and more popular in the professional world.

With women getting all of their wardrobe ideas from Pinterest, it’s no wonder why designers like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, just to name a couple, are using Pinterest to their advantage. Pinterest allows users to create their own boards with any pins of their choice. With this, users are able to share ideas with other users around the world. The visual aspect of Pinterest allows businesses to be able to connect with their consumers in various and creative ways. I see businesses taking Pinterest and running with it in all different kinds of directions. There is so much to do with this website that it will be able to expand the options of businesses and allow them to grow.

Pinterest has grown a lot since it first launched in 2010. According to entrepreneur.com, “The site registered more than 7 million unique visitors in December, up from 1.6 million in September. And it's driving more traffic to company websites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined.” Even if some business have not been able to utilize this up and coming social media tool, the ones that can have taken full advantage of it. With users pinning and repining pictures and ideas constantly, it’s not difficult to get something you want noticed to go viral. Pinterest is similar to Facebook and Twitter combined in the aspect that it allows you to have followers and also lets your followers “like” your pins. When it comes to posting on Pinterest, the possibilities are literally unlimited.

The way business are using Pinterest to their advantage these days are by putting up pictures that link them back to their websites. This is a perfect way to get consumers to notice what your company does. Whether it’s a clothing store, a beauty salon, a cosmetic store, or a jewelry store, the picture will most likely lead someone to that website. From experience, I know that when I see a product or an idea on Pinterest that I like, I will click on the link to the picture so that I know exactly where I can go to purchase the item or just to get more information.

So is Pinterest right for all businesses? In some cases, it may not be, but that doesn’t mean that it wont be in the near future. Some products may not necessarily fall into the Pinterest category at the moment. “If your product or service isn't particularly visual, your images may not tie directly back to your brand. The best way to determine if Pinterest could attract buyers is simply to give it a shot. Set up an account and start pinning things that are relevant to your business but not too promotional” (http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222740).

Whether you’re on Pinterest for business or personal, one thing is for sure, the repining can and will become addicting for some. So even if Pinterest is not being used by all businesses today, sooner or later it might become an essential tool in the professional world.