Discovering Pinterest: definition, origin and evolution of the social network

by our Digital Agency and Social Media Agency Optimize 360

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Since it first appeared on the social networking scene, Pinterest has quickly won the hearts of Internet users looking for visual inspiration. 

So what is this strange social network that seems to have revolutionised the habits of Internet users since 2010? 

In this article, we'll find out how this product came about. website and what is the story behind this great success.

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a social network based on the exchange and sharing of visual content such as photographs and still images.

Its name comes from the contraction of the English words "pin" and "interest", because it's all about users pinning their interests in visual form on virtual boards.

The site offers a wide range of ideas and inspiration, from interior design to fashion and cooking recipes.

Key features

• Pins : Pins are the central elements of the platform, as they are the images associated with the links to be shared. They can be created by uploading your own images or by retrieving those already on the Web.
  
  
• Tables : They allow pins to be grouped and organised according to different themes. Each user can create as many pinboards as they like.
  
  
• Subscriptions and subscribers : On Pinterest, we don't talk about friends, but about subscriptions and followers. Users can follow specific people or boards to get inspired by their content and news.
  
  
• Search engine : With its advanced search engine, Pinterest is a real source of inspiration for users looking for specific ideas or for those who just want to browse the site.

The story of Pinterest, from bold idea to global success

Whereas Ben SilbermannCEO and co-founder of Pinterest, works in the offices of GoogleHe left this comfortable job in 2008 to give life to an idea that had already been kicking around in his head for a while: allowing people to share their passion and inspiration in visual form online. Two years later, with the help of a few associates, the idea was born.

The birth of the concept (2010-2011)

In March 2010, Ben Silbermann, assisted by Paul Sciarra and Evan Sharp, launched the private beta version of Pinterest.

At the time, the site had just a few dozen users invited to test the service, including the founders themselves. The platform really took off a few months later, in May 2011, with the launch of the public version of the social network, which quickly attracted thousands of users.

Dazzling success (2012-2014)

At the beginning of 2012, Pinterest was already considered a resounding success, with almost 11.7 million unique users per month and ranks third among social networks in the United States.

Even more astonishingly, the site is fast becoming a reference in the field of e-commerceAccording to a study carried out in March 2012, Pinterest generates almost as much traffic on online sales sites as Twitteran older behemoth.

So it came as no great surprise when, in October of the same year, a mobile application was launched to satisfy the growing number of users.

The first official partnership between Pinterest and a website was also sealed that year, with the collaboration between the National Geographic channel and the image-sharing platform. Other prestigious brands such as Target and eBay would follow over the years.

The ongoing evolution (2015 - today)

Pinterest continues to grow popularity and strengthen its position among the major social networks.

In 2015, there were 100 million active users on the platform, almost 10 times more than in 2012.

At the same time, the company continues to develop and integrate new features to attract even more users: a search engine based on image recognition in 2015, the integration of video pins in 2016 and the ability to buy products directly from pins in 2018.

The future of Pinterest: more social, commercial and intelligent

Pinterest still has many cards to play to win over Internet users and establish itself as a key social networking site. Among the avenues of development envisaged by the social network are :

• A stronger social aspect: Like Facebook or Twitter, Pinterest wants to enable more interaction between its users through pins and boards.
  
  
• Developing partnerships with brands: Businesses are increasingly attracted by the commercial potential of Pinterest and want to take advantage of its audience to promote their products and services.
  
  
• Ever more advanced functions : With the development of new technologies and machine learning, Pinterest wants to develop tools that will make even better use of its users' data to offer them a personalised and enriching experience.

So, both in terms of the unique concept that gave it birth and the innovative ideas that continue to drive it, Pinterest is much more than just a social network.

This website, a cross between social networking and image sharing, has found its real strength in its simplicity, in a world where Internet users are always looking for inspiration and originality.