By Aaron Blank
I registered for Pinterest, took a shot at it, then gave up. Is it because I am the wrong demographic – a guy?
Pinterest enables users to “pin” images found around the Web into categories, collection, and boards. Today, the site is buzzing all over the online world. Pinterest is 2012’s hottest website. It is now the fastest standalone site ever to surpass 10 million monthly unique web visitors.
So at our staff meeting today, I asked: Who is using Pinterest and why?
Molly, our staff intern quickly jumped up with excitement. She’s a Pinterest user. In fact, she baked some Valentine’s Day cookies using a recipe she pinned on her Pinterest board.
Pinterest has already made our office a better place. These cookies were a virtual creation that became a reality today. (Thank you, Molly. Oh, and thank you, Pinterest.)
So why, as a guy, have I not used the site?
I asked the staff. We explored the site a bit further, hunting for definitions – It’s a virtual scrapbook, an online pinboard. It lets you organize and share all the things in your life you find on the web. The site’s definitions page says “people use it to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.”
None of which is very interesting to me, the guy. Even the cursive logo seems aimed at a more feminine audience.
But, as a counselor devoted to understanding the next best innovative technology and tool to help clients – I’m writing to you. I’m taking the plunge. I am eager to learn how Pinterest may excite a guy and attract a new user.
It was time for me to get back to my exploration.
Today I went back to Pinterest to re-register, after closing my original page. I need to learn it. I need to explore it. I want to find out how brands may benefit from it.
Stay tuned! In the meantime, tell us how you use Pinterest.