What is Pinterest and How It Works?
About Pinterest
Pinterest is a hugely popular website where users can create, collect and share a wide range of things on the so-called pinboards to which they add various images or pins. Most users have multiple boards; they are typically arranged according to the preferred criteria, typically themes such as interior decor, weddings, travelling, etc. The existing and newly created boards are continuously expanded by new pins which are ‘taken’ from other people’s boards on the website as well as outside sources.
In addition to enabling users to collect and share images, Pinterest also enables its users to connect and interact with other users with similar interests by:
- notifying them about recently posted pins of people they are following
- allowing them to comment individual pins
- allowing them to link to other popular social media such as Facebook and Twitter
Pinterest for Business
The website has also attracted a lot of attention among businesses, most of which use it to promote their products or/and service. But since Pinterest also allows businesses to access to user data, the site is also very useful for analysing response to new products not only through the number of repins but also through user comments which reveals what users both like and dislike about a particular product. Likewise, many businesses utilise Pinterest to increase traffic to their own websites, raise brand awareness, boost customer loyalty and marketing campaigns.
How Pinterest Works?
Pinterest is basically all about creating, collecting and sharing images. It works in three main ways:
- User pins an image they have created themselves or found on the Internet to their board on Pinterest
- User repins an image already posted on Pinterest, usually on boards of users they are following
- User shares pins by posting them on their pinboards