Our chambanamoms boards on Pinterest.
Editor’s Note: This is part of an occasional series, Chambana Social Scene, all about the who, what and where of our local social media.
By Amy L. Hatch
It can be tough to keep up with all the social networks out there, and when we hear about a new one we sometimes groan at the idea of having to spend even more time online.
Then along came Pinterest.
Anyone who loves browsing through catalogs, cookbooks, home-improvement magazines, fashion magazines … well, really any and all lifestyle publications, will absolutely adore Pinterest.
Let’s back up a little bit: Pinterest launched in 2011 and was touted as a virtual pin board for all the odds and ends you want to refer back to later. For fashion fiends, it’s the perfect place to store ideas for your fantasy closet and/or your style inspirations.
Looking for a new hairstyle? Pin online photos for your stylist on Pinterest.
Looking for the ultimate collection of free printables for kids? Search for them on Pinterest and pin them there.
It is really amazing. And, it’s the fastest growing social network ever: According to Mashable, the website hit 10 million users faster than any other independent site in history and that would include the granddaddy of them all, Facebook.
It boasts 12 million unique monthly visitors, which in the web world is … well, unprecedented for a site that is in its infancy.
The site is super-popular with the ladies, and 97 percent of its users connected via Facebook are female.
But gentlemen, don’t let that stop you. There are plenty of cool dudes pinning, even some local friends.
I’m an indiscriminate early adopter, partially because I need to keep up on social-media trends for my work here and elsewhere, and also because I just love new stuff and hate to feel left out.
I got an invitation to Pinterest early on due to my professional social-media responsibilities and I sort of let it languish for awhile. Then I checked back in a month or so ago when I started seeing more and more “Pinterest” tweets and Facebook posts.
And holy moly.
I am hooked. Hooked, I tell you! My boards work as cookbook, inspiration for decorating my house on the cheap, a style clipboard of looks and items I love for my closet and, maybe, a weird obsession with crafts I am unlikely to ever do.
Truly, though, this network is a valuable tool for curation of any kind, without making 100 lists or storing a gazillion URLs and/or photo files on your hard drive.
I could totally see using this to create a gift list, either for yourself or for your kids, to keep track of super-cool stuff you see online. With one click, you’ve created a repository for all that stuff you’d normally forget by the time you need it.
This is not a competitive, broadcasting kind of social network. No one is competing for followers, there’s no conversation you have to feel obligated to join. It is, for lack of a better metaphor, kind of a solitary way to be social!
If you can’t tell, I’m a little bit … enthusiastic … about Pinterest. So go check it out for yourself (here are our chambanamoms.com boards), and if you need or want an invite (yes, you still need to be invited), email us at editor AT chambanamoms.com, subject line: PINTEREST INVITE.
Here’s a video tutorial for you!
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