Pinterest Evaluation - By Jessica D. and Kelly W.

Pinterest

By Jessica D. and Kelly W.

 

       

 Gone are the days of searching through magazines to find the perfect hairstyle for your upcoming special event. Gone is the frustration of losing your Grandma’s beloved family recipe for meatloaf. And gone are the now antiquated cork board and push pins from our parent’s generation. Thanks to the website Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) our lives have become somewhat easier and a bit more orderly. On its website, Pinterest describes itself as “…a tool for collecting and organizing things you love.”  Think of it as your very own online recipe keeper, beauty tip finder, home décor expert, fashion advisor, event planner, and overall endless bank of useful information – not to mention the overabundance of hobbies and craft ideas, there are enough to keep a person busy for infinity. Upon joining the Pinterest website, one is apt to become lost in a world of images, recipes, craft ideas, fashion, and just about everything else imaginable. Pinterest is a website that prides itself in allowing people to “…collect and organize the things that inspire you.” The blog-like website is home to millions of users called “Pinners” and is one of the top social media websites actively used in modern society. Since its launch in March 2010, Pinterest has become a highly recognizable blogging website known for its excellent functionality, abundant customization, and versatile accessibility.

       By joining Pinterest, users can browse through other members “boards” to view the images posted, “pin” items to their own personal boards, or “like” photos. Pinterest is not simply a photo-sharing website; there are many pins on the site that, upon clicking the link, will take the user to an outside (third party) source where the image was originally found. This aspect is especially helpful when searching through pictures of food for recipes and Do-It-Yourself projects; often the link will lead you to the desired recipe or the instructions on how to craft the quirky DIY project that caught your eye. Many people assume that Pinterest is closely similar to Facebook, this is simply not true. Pinterest does not offer a “status” option, nor does it offer online “games” like Facebook does. There is an option to invite friends to follow your boards, but this is not a necessary step required to enjoy the website. Also, Pinterest is not as complicated as Facebook, or most other social websites. As amazing as Pinterest may be, this pin board style photo-sharing website could potentially be overwhelming for a new user. However, once in the swing of things, you’re bound to be locked in and creating personalized boards in no time at all. The Pinterest site is easy to navigate; new users should have no problem in figuring out the functionality of different buttons, features, and tabs.  

One reason Pinterest is so highly sought after is due to its customizable options and individual freedom of expression. A user’s board collection may consist of absolutely anything they desire. There are a multitude of different themes to select from that offer countless items of interest, or a user may take the initiative to make up any theme they choose.  Content is presented by the site and the user has the option of selecting or not selecting it; as it is stated on the website “No matter what you’re interested in, there’s a place for it here.”  This kind of freedom to choose desired content is what makes Pinterest so enticing and somewhat addicting. With that being said, Pinterest does have a few rules that members are required to follow, for example: “Any use or access by anyone under the age of 13 is prohibited.” Although the site is family friendly, children do not need to become members. Additionally, the site states: “…don’t post porn or spam or be a jerk to other Pinners.”  This is as straightforward as it gets.

X-rated materials are prohibited, so are personal attacks and bullying. The creators of Pinterest continually strive to maintain a safe, friendly, and welcoming environment throughout the site.

Pinterest is phenomenal when it comes to delivering customized content and personalizing the experience for the user. Upon creating an account, the user is offered multiple boards to follow; this is done in order for the person’s “feed” to be only loaded with pins and boards they desire. Boards offered on Pinterest usually have a theme or genre, such as a board devoted to cookie recipes or gardening. Pinterest will keep track of what users pin and share, including pictures they like so that the content offered in the future will reflect the user’s preferences. One can create public boards, pinning various items for others to access, view, re-pin, and share. Pinterest also offers users the option to create private or “secret” boards as well; these boards are meant only for the user’s eyes and are not available for public display or sharing. This option would be convenient for users that have family or coworkers that like to view their boards. It is a politically correct way to like certain things (such as cocktails or tattoos) without offending anyone or making others feel uncomfortable.

One of the highly acclaimed key features of Pinterest is that it provides versatile accessibility. The website can be accessed on multiple devices including, Internet Explorer, Apple products, Android, Google Chrome, Kindle, and many others. The website and individual accounts may be accessed through an internet search by means of a PC or laptop. Pinterest may also be downloaded as an app on mobile devices. This type of access versatility enhances the user experience because it allows accessibility through numerous channels. Users do not need to be “tied to a computer” to log in to their account. Many users find this versatility helpful, especially when they need to look something up and all they have is a smart phone.   

As with any excellent website, Pinterest does have its downfalls. One difficulty user’s encounter with Pinterest is that there is SO much to discover, look at, read, and of course pin to a board, that it can be quite overwhelming. This is not a website that can be quickly looked over; a person can easily spend copious amounts of time just looking at the different pictures. Individual time management skills are required so that users do not spend all of their time going through Pinterest and ignoring other more important duties. 
Overall, Pinterest is an excellent source to use if you’re interested in pinning photos, recipes, quotes, DIY projects, or anything else imaginable, to a blog-like website. Browsing Pinterest is a great way to get new decorating ideas for the holidays, find new recipes that look enticing, or any fun project for a day you’re feeling a bit crafty. The website is greatly popular and due to its excellent functionality, abundant customization, and versatile accessibility.