Social networking is not my strong point. I fail miserably at Facebook, am lackadaisical on LinkedIn and intermittent on Twitter. These platforms feel to me like walking into a crowded room and talking loudly in the hope that the assembled company will find me fascinating (you'll note I've managed to overcome that feeling on the blogging front). When you think about it, it's quite odd, but I'm getting the hang of them...slowly. One new platform, however, I've fallen instantly in love with: Pinterest.
I found it because it figures quite highly among the routes via which people find this blog. The home-made garden sprinkler that I featured a couple of years ago has crept onto a number of Pinterest pinboards.
Part of Pinterest's attraction is that it's so easy. You see a picture you like? You just click the Pin It button that you've downloaded onto your browser and, like magic, you can add the picture straight to one of your Pinterest pinboards, online versions of corkboards on the wall. Naturally, as Pinterest has grown, it's attracted the interest of marketers, so firms are looking at how to use it to promote themselves, but there are loads of people who, without an axe to grind, are putting up pictures that you would never have found otherwise and which take you straight to the website where the idea or item originates.
It's a really simple way to file ideas on any subject. My boards are, of course, garden-related, but people use theirs to save ideas on fashion, craft, home decoration, pets - you name it.
So far most of the ideas I've gathered have been for Recycled Stuff in the Garden, but I haven't got much pinned yet, because I'm not going to fill boards up for the sake of it, but do drop by and leave a comment. If you have pictures that you think would go well on the boards, then just give me a shout, and if you're already on Pinterest, let me know and I'll come by for a visit!
...Landscape Juice Network
Hi Helen,
Great to hear that you've been enjoying Pinterest! You're right, internet marketers are doing their best to get a handle on it - but for now it's an exciting time and a fab way to share photos!
Best wishes, Alex.
Posted by: Railway Sleepers | Friday, 23 March 2012 at 02:42 PM
Hi, Alex. Yes, there's something about Pinterest that has hit the spot. The number of visits to Pinterest increased 40-fold in the six months up to Dec 2011, putting it among the top ten networking sites. http://techcrunch.com/2011/12/22/pinterest-40-fold/
Posted by: Helen Gazeley | Saturday, 14 April 2012 at 03:56 PM