As of this weekend I have officially jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon.
I think I like it. Anything that gives me a place to keep my “lists,” and gives pictures to boot, is a good thing in my book. Hence my participation on sites like ShareBuckets and Suite 101.
If you’re not familiar with Pinterest, here’s how I understand it after one day and two pins:
Pinterest is a social network, which means you get a page to personalize. This page is for connecting to friends, family and strangers with similar interests/lifestyles/etc.
The point of this social network is a new twist on the (admittedly self-absorbed) way we reveal ourselves online. Rather then focusing on our thoughts, words, social groups and self portraits, Pinterest is basically a colleciton of “Likes” you find anywhere on the Internet.
Better yet, these favorite things you find – and they can be anything from people to recipes to craft ideas – are organized into boards on your page. You and your followers (i.e. friends) see each item as a simple and enticing graphic.
Once you sign up, you put a button in your bookmarks/favorites. When you come across something you like online, you hit that button and add that link and image to the appropriate board on your page. As with Twitter, you can repin things that others have pinned on your own virtual cork board.
The ultimate goal is a collection you can return to for meal ideas, inspiration for decorating your home or a list of gift suggestions.
If you’d like to try Pinterest for yourself, feel free to ask me for an invite (otherwise it can be quite a wait to get one on your own). Happy Pinning!