Ten Reasons Why Pinterest Rules the Web

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Currently 21 percent of online adults use Pinterest, and interest in the visually exciting social site shows no signs of slowing down.

Businesses are getting in on the action, too.

A whopping 36 percent of Fortune 500 companies have at least one corporate

Pinterest board.

Photo Credit: Flickr.com/Carissa Rogers

What is it that we love so much about Pinterest? What’s so captivating for personal users and brands alike? Plenty!

1. We love visuals. From selfies to pictures of our lunch we love to share images of the world around us. It’s only natural that we’d seek the same forms of sharing over social media.

2. Easy to use. Nothing kills the fun and usefulness of a social networking site faster than an app or interface that’s complicated or overly fussy. Pinterest is simple enough for users with any level of computer expertise to figure out in minutes.

3. Available wherever you are. Between browser plugins, smartphone apps, and a strong web interface, Pinterest is available whenever and wherever you want to use it.

Photo Credit: John Ragai

4. No signup required. Unlike social sites that require extensive personal information and a DNA sample, Pinterest can be used without signing in or up for anything. Of course, it’s not possible to save pins or create pinboards without registering but it’s nice to have the option to skip sign up.

Photo Credit: Flickr.com/Mike Mozart

6. We like to collect things. Pinterest got its start from a founder who parlayed his love of collecting things as a youngster into a multimillion dollar business. There’s something sentimental about a social site that taps into our childhood memories of the butterfly or stamp collections we kept as kids.

5. Big opportunities for brands. From small Etsy shops to international retailers, Pinterest is a great place to highlight a seasonal line or feature new items. Many brands also use the site to create buzz around product launches and engage customers.

7. It tags along while you surf. Pinterest browser extensions make it super easy to pin and share things from anywhere on the internet. It’s kind of like a digital Trapper Keeper notebook for collecting ideas during home renovations, party planning, and the like.

8. Social bonding at its finest. The social site makes it a snap to collect things that appeal to you and share them with friends and followers. Unlike sites where your contribution is thrust into a giant firehose of content whizzing through a single feed, Pinterest users post to Pinboards categorized by interest.

9. Handy for cross-promotion. Whenever you create visuals for company blog posts or marketing campaigns, it makes good sense to pin your images at Pinterest as well for additional cross-promotion.

10. Mass appeal, mass popularity. Since many social media channels center around a particular type of user base, social sites with this much mass appeal are a rarity. Pinterest’s versatility and usefulness attracts a myriad of users from homemakers to CEOs and everyone in between.

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What do you love about Pinterest?

Photo Credit: mkhmarketing.wordpress.com