Pin It
Google+ entered the social media space with huge expectations and lots of media attention.
Pinterest quietly launched in March 2010 and is still invitation-only. But it has been steadily stealing and holding the attention of mom bloggers and social media lovers.
(If you want an invitation to start using Pinterest, just leave us a comment and we’ll send you an invite.)
I bet every person reading this knows exactly what Google+ is and probably has an account there but doesn’t use it very much.
On the other hand, some may not even know about Pinterest.
But, my guess is the women who have have discovered Pinterest spend much more time there than they do at Google+. Especially the mom bloggers.
Sure Google+ may have techies and social media gurus regularly posting and organizing their relationships into circles of influence, but I’ve noticed that most of my mom blogging friends aren’t nearly as active on Google+ as they are on their trusted old Facebook and their new love Pinterest.
What Is Pinterest?
Pinterest is an “online pinboard to organize and share things you love” and I believe it is revolutionizing web browsing. It is about finding and sharing truly good content.
Users often say they find Pinterest addictive (in a good way). It is wonderfully addictive as finding inspiration and learning should be. It’s not based on how many links a site managed to get to optimize for Google to give them a top spot. A brand new site that has a clever idea, a stunning photo or a helpful tutorial can quickly spread and reach countless readers.
Why Is Pinterest Rocking Social Media?
If content is king, Pinterest is his kingdom.
To get started with Pinterest, you don’t have to sort and organize everyone you know into circles.
It’s helpful to start following a group of people with similar interests, but once you’ve got a base to get going, you’ll naturally start following more pinners based on what pins you like. If you like a pin, chances are you’ll like other content that pinner shares, so you simply click follow on her username.
Start here and follow these active pinners. Then weekly find more favorite pins at Pin It Friday.
It’s fast. I love how fast content browsing is with Pinterest. The visual nature of the site means you can take in what’s on a board incredibly quickly and click through to the sites that interest you. With a quick click you can “Like” or “Repin” and save the link in a logical place where you can find it again.
You’re effortlessly organizing content because it’s visual and it doesn’t feel like a chore. You don’t have to type in a set of tags, you just “pin it” on a board that makes sense to you.
Everyone’s Talking…
Pinterest ranked #9 and Google+ ranked #10, in the Hitwise Social Networking & Forums category in the U.S. during the week ending Dec. 17, 2011.
Search Engine Watch explains “Pinterest content has something for everyone, but the site is dominated by images featuring home décor, crafts, fashion, and food. Not surprisingly, 58 percent of the visitors to the site in the 12 rolling weeks ending Dec. 17 were female and 59 percent were between the ages of 25 and 44.”
Kelby Carr, founder of Type-A Parent and one of the most active moms across all social media platforms including Google+, also recognizes the power of Pinterest and recently announced she is writing the book Pinterest for Dummies.
I asked Kelby why she feels mom bloggers are so attracted to Pinterest…
“I think moms are flocking to Pinterest (despite so many existing social networks) because it ties into things we like to do and our habits.
Many of us like to tack things up on a board, stick up post-it notes and make lists, yes, but we also love to share ideas. We like to save snippets and inspiration for later when we have actual time to focus.
The Pinterest interface is also very appealing, as it is visually engaging and mesmerizing. I think many of us feel the impulse to load just a few more pins. Personally, I also love Google+ and I interact with quite a few moms there. I have noticed many moms are not nearly as active there as they are on Pinterest, however.”
I am thrilled with the success of Pinterest. It’s fresh, inspiring and bringing forth a new way to blog hop that helps you find truly valuable content online.
No I won’t be deleting my Google+ account and I’ll be trying to be more active there because I feel like I should… but I’ll be spending much more time and having way more fun with Pinterest.
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
I answer to the name Mommy Blogger, but prefer the term Mom Blogger.
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at http://pinterest.com/5minutesformom/
Mrb arkadaşlar,ingilizcem yok doğal olşarak pinteresti kullanmam zor oluyor,bunun için sizlere yeni bulduğum hoş bir siteyi paylaşmak isterim,pinterest benzeri bir site fakat Türkçe,ister şirketinizin reklamını yapın,ister kendinize duvarlar oluşturun.
http://resimpanosu.com/
I would like an invite please. I requested one ovwr a month ago and no response yet. Thank you.
Hi Susan, great article and so glad I found your website! I joined Pinterest after noticing a lot of people were coming to my website from Pinterest and I have been hooked ever since! I use to save piles of magazines for inspiration and bookmarking pages that I could never find later on, but Pinterest has made it so much simpler to collect and mange content:)
I would love an invite to Pinterest if you still have one available. Thanks!
great article. now i am interested in pinterest….! would love to try it…could i have an invite please? thanks.
I think I’ve sent invites to all who have asked, if you still need one, please let us know.
I have requested an invite from pinterest but have not received one. I am very interested in this site and will be sure to check out Pin it Fridays. Thanks
I’m just learning all about Pinterest and have room for one more thing to become addicted to lol. Would love an invite if still available.
Excellent post. I think the functionality of Google+ is far to convoluted for most demographics to readily uptake. I think Pinterest really can offer something than not just Google+ can’t offer, but social networks like Facebook and Twitter too.
I’ve written a blog post about it if you’re (p)interested(!). Would love to read your thoughts.
http://www.contentandmotion.co.uk/blog/pinterest-vs-facebook-a-social-pr-strategy-smackdown/
I agree, I can’t stand google + and even more so, because they are taking away Google Friend Connect and MAKING me go to google +.
I’m in love with Pinterest. Addicted. LOVE. 🙂
I’d love to try Pinterest; I’ve been seeing mentions of it around but I didn’t have any idea what it was or how it worked until reading your article here.
The problem with Google+ is that they are trying to be a combination of Facebook and Twitter instead of approaching it from a new angle and thinking of something clever, interesting and different. Sounds like Pinterest took the latter approach and it’s working.
Please send me an invitation when you have a moment. Thanks!
This sounds completely awesome, I would love an invite!
Great article! Pinterest is SO much more interesting than Google+. I’m still trying to figure out everything with G+. I just don’t have the patience for it!
Good to know about your Pin It Fridays! I’ll definitely be joining them in the future. 🙂
-Courtney
peaceloverecipes.com
Thank you for the offer to share an invite to pinterest. I would greatly appreciate one, please.
I as well have been waiting for a pinterest invite. I would love for you to help out! Thanks so much!
I tried to get an invite via the Pinterest site itself – I’m on a waiting list for an invite…..how embaressing 😉 I’d love an actual invite – thanks!
Luv Pinterest and joined the linky & #pinitfriday – I think it’s popular because people tend to be visual and a great way to collect ideas. So many creative folks and I do click through to many new blogs!
I don’t have a blog (yet) but am an avid reader. I’d love to join pinterest, it looks fantastic. Could I have an invite please?
Pinterest is so much fun and so addictive! I could spend hours on it. I’ve gotten some fabulous tips from hairstyles to crafts to exercises. Such a nice way to research without having to read article after article.
Would love an invite please! 🙂
Just found your site today and am really enjoying it!
Can you send me a Pinterest invite please? thanks!
Ok ok, I give! Send me an invitation, please?
Hi Nancy, you sound like a potential addict like me, lol. Of course you can have one. It has already been sent to you – Susan
Thank you! I’ve been on it for the past hour, lol :3
Got the link and it works…thanks so much.
Would love an invite to Pinterest please. Thanks!
Your invite is coming, April. Let me know how you get on.
You know, when I first heard about Pinterest, I didn’t think much of it because I already have a Pinboard account I love and thought it would be redundant. But after reading more about it and taking another look at the site, I’m really intrigued. Pinboard is great for saving articles, essays, how-to guides, etc., but not so great for saving and browsing visuals. I end up downloading a lot of pictures I love, filing them away, and then never looking at them again because I spend more time on the web than I do my hard drive.
If you still have invites, I would love to get one!
Katie, I just sent you an invite. I have a feeling that you will love the format of Pinterest.
Thanks! Alas, nothing has come through my email yet. 🙁 Does it take awhile for the invite to get sent out usually?
Katie, did you get your invite?
I did! Thank you so much. You were right – I’m hooked. 🙂
Would love an invite. This is the second time this week I’ve heard about this. Thanks!
Hi Kalyani, I just sent you an invite so you can dive in soon and find out what all the fuss is about – Susan
I agree! Google+ is too much like Facebook! And I ALREADY use Facebook, I don’t need another one! It really stinks that I’ve already built my GFC and now they are doing away with it and pushing the Google+. I almost feel obligated as a blogger to build my Google+, even though I don’t like it, just to keep up! I wonder if companies will begin to look at Pinterest stats…
I hear you. It’s so annoying about the Google Friend Connect going away. I too feel like Google+ is something we HAVE to do, not want to do.
Me too!!! I’ve been thinking the same thing!
Would love to connect on Pinterest. Please send me an invite. Thanks!
I look forward to seeing you there, Lisa. An invite was sent
I’ve been a Pinterest addict for some time now. In fact, it’s been my goal to addict as many friends as I can. Google+ however – yeah I have an account but never, ever look at it.
http://pinterest.com/carolejm/
Thank you for telling what Pinterest is! I recently friended someone who posts what she’s seen on Pinterest and I had never heard of it. I would love an invite. My email is:
stephanieo@optonline.net.
Thanks!
Stephanie, an invite is coming to you. Tell me if it does not arrive. Thanks
I would love an invite, thanks!
Done. Hope you like it, Kendra
LOVE pinterest, definitely going to check out pin it Friday 🙂
I am not on google+, I could never figure out how to sign on without having my real name somewhere for everyone to see… privacy is an issue for me… if I choose to keep my name off my blog why then would I have to put it up on social media. So I left it. And I am glad… to be honest I don’t want another thing I feel I have to answer to and therein lies the joy of Pinterest…
I pin and I am happy with that – a little break in my day without having to comment and find friends and respond and deflect!!! The fact that Pinterest builds blog traffic is not dependent on how busy I am on Pinterest but rather how busy my readers are over there, It is wether I blog about stuff that they want to pin!!! So the emphasis is still on building great blog content and for me Pinterest is a place to pin things I have enjoyed and really I can spread a little happiness by pinning things I love from the blogs I read. So a totally stress free chilled environment…Pinterest is like reading magazines in a hammock – and tearing out the snippets you want to keep for later… no need to phone anyone, announce anything… just enjoy!!!
Exactly!
Would love an invite to see what it’s all about. Thanks 🙂
Invite on its way. Enjoy
I agree with so many of your points. Content is king and Pinterest OWNS the kingdom. I have a Google+ account and rarely use it, but I am definitely on Pinterest more. It’s fun and it’s helping me grow and learn, which is what we would expect from the blogosphere.
Yes, Pinterest OWNS the kingdom… that’s perfect.
I too find I’m learning so much from posts I find through Pinterest.
I’d love an invite!! I’m surprised I just now heard of it. Looks like a fun site to explore. Thx ;D
Hello Jenn, sent you one, too
already imagining the ways to use it!
I would be indebted to you for a Pinterest invite….:)
Thanks!
David, I sent an invite from a colleague’s account as I’m not sure if they’d think I was spamming. Let me know if it arrives
My girlfriend and her female roommate are both into pinterest (particularly the roommate). Now I hear about it again on 5 Minutes for Mom. Is it somehow geared towards women?
Hi Damon, no it’s not aimed at women at all. Maybe it’s just that women tend to be more fashion, crafts, decorating and food oriented and Pinterest is full of great visuals of that but you will find around 42% are men and there are plenty of manly boards for you to repin, lol
Thanks, Susan! Good to know. Admittedly my sample set of three people (girlfriend, roomie, you) was pretty small. If you’re not too busy, I’d like an invite to check out Pinterest.
Thanks for another great post.
Done. Let us know how you get on
Yes, please I would love an invite. Thank you.
Would appreciate an invite. Getting anxious to check out the buzz. Littlesproutbooks (at) gmail (dot) com
Anne, I sent you an invite, let me know if you don’t receive it.
Have fun!!!
I have to agree with this article. I don’t have to worry about anybody “following” me on Pinterest – though it’s great to have them! – it’s fun, I can just pin away and get inspiration for all kinds of things – plus, no learning curve! Once you’re in, have at it!
Yes! You don’t feel the same pressure of stats on Pinterest that you feel on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. (Well for now… lol)
And yes… it’s sooooo easy!
I haven’t joined Google+. Mainly because I can count the number of non-blogger people I know who are on G+ on one hand. I’ve worked hard to build my FB page and just don’t have the time to do the same on another social media.
Pinterest is a different story. It’s quick and easy to pin up stuff I like. I pin to share with others but also so I don’t forget about all the great ideas I come across online. Funny thing is I’ve only actively used Pinterest for about 3 weeks but it’s changed how I read blogs. Now I find myself annoyed when a blog post doesn’t have a good image to pin. I’m also trying to include higher quality images on my own blog for that same reason.
Exactly… my thoughts exactly Stephanie!
Building up my audience on Google+ feels like I’m redoing my Facebook efforts and it’s a chore. While I do love the idea of circles, it’s a lot of work at this stage.
Pinterest is changing how I read blogs too, and how I save my bookmarks for my own recollection. It fills a need and solves a problem in a new way.
Thanks for the kind offer to invite us to pinterest. Yes, please, I’d like to be invited.
No problem. I’ve sent you an invite, let me know if you have any troubles. Pin with ya soon.
Yes,please – I’d love an invitation! I also sent a request and got no response, I want to join!
I never get a reply from Pinterest and I hear the same thing from everyone. You should have one from me now.
Got it! Thank you, Susan – can’t wait to start pinning tonight!
So pleased it arrive quickly. Enjoy it
I would love to join pinterest. I have sent a request to them several times but no response. Feeling a bit un-invited.
I also didn’t get a reply from Pinterest, but got the invite from a friend. I’ve sent you one now.
Thank you! 🙂
Paige, your invite is coming
I love love love Pinterest. Thank you for hosting Pin IT Fridays!
Great to hear it! So happy you’re joining Pin It Fridays.