Did Tumblr walk so Pinterest could run?

How is Pinterest different from other platforms you use?

After revisiting Reddit extensively last week (and this week for the Community Norms Project), it was refreshing for my eyes and mind to not be reading conversational pieces and comments, and that format that we're most exposed to on social media sites. The organizational tools that are embedded in the site (boards, prompts to organize the boards, pinning to boards with a dropdown menu) are helpful and intuitive. It makes my overwhelmed self, when I go on Instagram or TikTok, where everything is just a compiled list of saved content, feel relieved to organize on Pinterest. In fact, this site reminds me of Tumblr from the early 2010s (I think the site is still active), where people blogged through digital media like GIFs, memes, aesthetic and niche pictures, and so forth. Pinterest has done all of that and more. With Tumblr introduced in 2007 and Pinterest in 2009, I definitely feel the influence Tumblr had on Pinterest, helping differentiate it from the exploding Facebook at the time.

When is it useful? When is it limited?

I think, in my case, it's been extremely helpful for cooking or interior design inspirations; whereas Reddit and Facebook are more helpful for vocational advice/niche tips and conversation pieces. Pinterest is definitely limited if you're looking to dive into a debate about classic hip-hop albums or the best songs of the 2020s. If you're looking for cool record player set-ups, Pinterest is the spot.

Did it feel social at all?

It could be if you use all of Pinterest's resources. I've created a board with a friend for cooking inspiration and another with my wife for Animal Crossing island design ideas. It's fun to return to a board and see what someone has shared with you. There's also a messaging feature with users you follow and a comment section on pins. The social element is still there, but it's not your immediate feed, which is refreshing.

How might you use Pinterest in a learning, teaching, or professional context?

Anchor charts, curriculums, lesson plans, classroom decor, exit tickets, engagement strategies, and more are shared all across Pinterest. It's definitely going to be a new site for me in that regard instead of exclusively looking at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Comments

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