A Dude on Pinterest?

So I decided to request an invite to Pinterest.  Now, you might be wondering what a dude is doing on this craft-oriented and female dominated social site, but I believe it does serve a purpose.

I might not spend as much time as more traditional users and I will not be creating huge lists or expecting a large following, but I do believe this is an important social site to understand.  Social media and micro-blogging is completely changing how we as people gather and comprehend information.  Whether for better or worse, everything is becoming shorter, concise, and more visual.  I have even noticed on Facebook that about half of all the posts that show up on my news feed are pictures or videos.

It is a proven fact that humans are visual creatures and this idea is being supported by the rise of sites like Pinterest, and the existence of "old" social sites such as Flickr.  I believe Pinterest is appealing because it allows the quick sharing of ideas presented in a way that is easy to comprehend.  It also allows users to easily see what is most popular and add pictures that they hope can become the next big thing and thus increase their follower base.  Likes, comments and repins help you see how successful your picture is among a mass market.

As a marketer, the main reason I want to check out a site like Pinterest is to learn how it can be used to reach customers.  Companies can try to create sites that draw customers, but usually brands are the ones that need to go where the customers are.  Pinterest is growing at huge rates and companies need to be aware of where their customers are.  Not all companies can take advantage of every social site, but there are ones that can successfully use Pinterest.  Any brand that has products based on nature, crafts, or creativity in general have the opportunity to add value to the users at Pinterest.

It will be interesting to see if the site continues to grow and what becomes of it.  The exclusivity and grassroots origin of the site definitely caused it to grow fast, but I believe it does have staying power.  People will join because it is seen as different from Facebook and as such it provides value to the user.  Will Pinterest join the big three of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn?  Only time will tell...

Aaron Roecker