Have you been hearing and reading a lot about the latest social media “It” thing to use or try out , Pinterest, and wondered what it was about? 

We’d like to introduce you to something that is fun, visual, less wordy and allows you to share or rather “Pin” some of the things that you love.

Remember those pinboards that are used in cop shows when the detectives are trying to piece together the common elements of the crime? Also when the magazine editorial team works on the fashion page? They used pinboards!

Pinterest (Pin your Interest) is the online version of pinboards and it is a fantastic way for people to organise and share every wonderful thing that they find on the web.

Getting married? Buying a new home? Pinterest is the ideal online place for you to put up your ideas and track your progress as you plan your big day. “Pinners” have the opportunity to view other Pinterest pages, comment and share them as well. If there is a particular person with great taste whose collection you enjoy viewing then you can "follow" that collection.

How to Pin it

What makes Pinterest so fresh and different as an online self-expression and social media tool is how people use it in many different ways.

The interests, topics and pictures that are seen on the site are so diverse. You can browse pinboards created by other people which is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. 

Users (Pinners) label and create theme-based image boards. Users can populate their own boards with media found online using the Pin It button.

The Pins are shown on the homepage through a Pin Feed that takes into account timing of pin, re-pinning activity, 'like' activity and comment activity. Your personal interests based on the board/pinners you follow is also taken into account.

Pins may be divided into pictures, videos, discussions, and gifts. A “Pin” is an image or item added to Pinterest.

Begin to Pin

The only way to join this community of individuals is by “Invitation only” and once you’ve received your invitation, you just need to get through a bit of admin with setting up your profile. This includes: your display name, a profile picture, a bio/description and how many followers you have (or will soon have) as well as how many you are following.  There is also the option of linking your Pinterest account to your Twitter and Facebook if you would like people to have a look at what you are pinning.

The low down on Pinterest is that even though it may seem to be high maintenance in the beginning, it’s actually fun. No matter what you pin, there is someone out there who will like it, comment and perhaps repin it as well. 

 Bloggers may find that Pinterest is a useful tool and depending on their blogging niche, it is a fantastic way to share your work and boost the traffic to your site.

Almost every topic can be covered in Pinterest and tastefully so (be sure to check out their Pin Etiquette) from fashion, literature and music, food and wine, art and design, photography, interiors, poets and whatever you decide to Pin.

(And for those with iPhones and iPads in tow, there’s a free Pinterest app available as well.)