Until recently, Pinterest has been the social media site for dreamers. People shared and pinned their favorite images but were unable to take any action on those images.
For example:
- A woman who pins fashion pictures of her favorite outfits could use those images for inspiration but was unable to determine where the clothing came from and how she could buy it.
- An aspiring chef who pins food could mimic the meals on Pinterest but could not always find the exact recipe.
- A movie buff who pins a poster for a new movie cannot watch the trailer, research the cast or read the reviews.
As of late May 2013, that has all changed. Pinterest is taking its first steps in integrating images with brands. The process is intended to make it easier for Pinterest users to interact with brands, make their desires a reality and generate revenue for both Pinterest and those selling goods on the site.
Pinterest has created new pin types for food, retail products and movies. Food pins will display ingredients, recipes and nutritional information. Retail product pins will give users the option to buy products. Movie pins will give users information about the cast, the plot and what the reviews have been.
Pinterest is not currently making profit off of this system, but it is expected to expand and bring in revenue for all parties involved. Pinterest has already partnered with eBay, Neiman Marcus, Whole Foods, Netflix and many more.
Some people may say that this change will ruin the magic of Pinterest, changing it from a site of inspiration to another place to buy goods.
I would have to disagree. I think this change is a positive for producers, consumers and Pinterest. Not only can people now pin their favorite images, but they can learn all about them. Each image pinned will come with some sort of information, whether it is who makes the product, how to create the product, where it comes from or how to buy it.
This change will increase interactions between consumers and brands, building stronger relationships. The new Pinterest will also benefits brands through free marketing. When Pinterest users re-pin what they see, or take note of images on their friends’ pins, they will also be taking note of what brands their friends are interested in.
Pinterest keeps emphasizing that this change is not a form of advertising. Pinterest wants to associate action with its website and add value to the sharing experience. I believe the changes Pinterest is making will make each user’s experience more significant and useful. In fact, I have never been an avid user of the site, but I am now more enticed to increase my pinning.
Perhaps the outcome of this change will be an uptick in Pinterest users, more partnerships with brands and stronger marketing power for brands.
Today Google said goodbye to its RSS reader, Google Reader. I had previously written on this blog that Google Reader was an excellent tool for creating your own “newspaper.”