Pin Down Your Interest With Pinterest

Photo Credit: KAYLEE OBERFIELD

BY DESIREE DEMOLINA

Quaint, organized, and innovative, the new online blogging phenomenon known as Pinterest is on the rise. Launched in March 2010, the site is now an internet sensation, acting as a look book of all the things adored and found on the Internet. Offering photos of travel, food, craft, design, and beauty, Pinterest acts as a massive corkboard that is both visual and virtual.

At first glance, Pinterest may seem like a basic social networking site, but this is not the case. Pinterest is like a blog, only with thoughts shared through images and photos, not words. Adding to the gamut of “like” “retweet” and “reblog,” Pinterest offers the ability to “pin” or “repin” content. Doing so creates productive categorization and the ability to share with other networking sites.

Unlike Tumblr, Pinterest allows its users to organize web images on their own personal pin-board. What used to be stored in Internet favorites or written down is now efficiently “pinned” and linked to the user’s board. The board is easily created and showcases the diverse interests and inspirations of the user.

Pinterest offers a wide-variety of “how-to’s”; from fashion to food, crafts to fitness, Pinterest is full of original ideas and straight-forward instructions. The clean, modern, and cheerful designs in each category allow users to organize their own personalized creations. Additionally, Pinterest understands crafting isn’t for everyone and also displays image content for simple viewing. Pictures of architecture, home décor, humor, history, and photography ensure that users will be entertained by mindless browsing.

Generally when searching for content, we use words. Pintrest allows us to use our eyes to unveil our interests. Text is useful for direct results, but it doesn’t always build to stimulating and emotional discoveries. With a diverse collection of content and the option to extract images from other sites, Pinterest has many ways of demonstrating your likes.

In order to become a part of the site, you must be invited by someone who is already a member of Pinterest or request access through the site’s homepage. If your invitation is from a member, you are able to join the website much faster than requesting an invitation.  Regardless, you don’t have to be a member to experience and view the images on the site.

Although still in its early stages of development, Pinterest appeals to anyone with a love of collecting.