There's a new social player in town, and it's taking the country by storm. It's called Pinterest, and if you haven't heard of it, you won't be in the dark for long.
New visitors are in for a visual treat: It's an online pinboard, a place for users — most of whom are women — to categorize, bookmark, store and share photos of clothes they're wearing, food they're eating and other lifestyle-centric items that just plain inspire them. Users have pinboards to help prep for their weddings, redecorate their homes and, yes, even plan their spring gardens and dream landscapes.
In early February, comScore reported that Pinterest had hit 11.7 million unique monthly visitors in the United States alone, less than three years after its initial launch in March 2010. It hit that mark faster than any other standalone site in history.
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And now that it's reached critical mass with consumers, marketing professionals and brands are beginning to pick up on its potential, too. According to a January Shareaholic report, Pinterest is driving more traffic to company websites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined.
"The green industry is highly visual, and Pinterest is a visual medium — it's a perfect match," said Chris Heiler, green industry speaker, social media consultant and principal of Landscape Leadership.
And because each photo posted to Pinterest links directly back to its source, users are exactly two clicks away from the businesses' website or, better yet, a place to purchase products online.
"The potential for green industry growers and retailers, especially those with e-commerce capabilities, is truly astounding," added Heiler.