The debut of Pinterest, a new kind of social engagement site, has changed the face of online sharing. Pinterest has managed to make a splash in the sea of social networking sites all vying for a piece of our time, and it has done so with a simple, yet successful graphic interface.
Unlike sites that focus mainly on “self-derived content” – personal photos and status updates, etc – Pinterest is a platform for organizing and sharing content that users find interesting from all over the Internet. Likened to a virtual scrapbook by The New York Times, Pinterest utilizes “boards” (categories) to which users can pin (link) content they find around the web.
Amidst all the “pinning” is the opportunity for businesses to develop and diversify their online presence in a setting where millions of their consumers spend time.
Pinterest Stats
- Active Pinterest users skyrocketed from 4 million at the end of 2011 to 8.3 million last month, according to the site’s Facebook page.
- Pinterest snagged third place for average minutes spent per visitor on the site, behind Facebook and Tumblr and far ahead of Twitter, Linkedin, and Google Plus, according to a comScore report.
- Respected news sources that utilize Pinterest include The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune.
What Pinterest Can Do for You
With millions of people using Pinterest, the list of possible pins is endless. But do these pins have anything to do with your business? We decided to search Pinterest for a few of the topics that are relevant to personal injury law firms: Actos, DePuy and auto accident. Each of these search terms pulled up boards full of related content posted by a variety of people and businesses.
Pinterest is a space to pin things that users like, but there is also a growing community of people who use it to share information about health topics. Users search for an ailment and find relevant content that others with the same condition have pinned to their boards. More than just another social outlet, Pinterest is a site that is tailored specifically for the sharing of information with others.
Finally, we searched “law firm” and the results were astounding. Law firms across the nation have created Pinterest accounts to post articles, photos and their own blogs. Currently, Pinterest is a space for sharing and not advertising, which creates an atmosphere of trust. As the site grows, this may change, which is why it is important to build your presence now.
Perhaps it’s time to ask yourself, do your clients find you – or your competition – Pinteresting?
Sources:
Search Engine Watch, Comscore
