Accelerate Your Product Management Career: Insights from Pinterest Users

Accelerate Your Product Management Career: Insights from Pinterest Users

Pinterest has taken the social media world by storm, growing from 40,000 users to 3.2 million in just one year. But what is it about Pinterest that keeps people coming back for more? We interviewed 15 super-users to gain insights into why they use Pinterest and how it has impacted their lives.

For Kary Delaria, Pinterest is a diversion from the daily work routine. It provides a visual insight into the personal and creative side of individuals in her network. She describes Pinterest as a social bookmarking of visual items. What sets Pinterest apart from other platforms is the lack of "chatter" and the abundance of lifestyle-related content. It's a quiet place for users to casually observe and gather ideas.

Mariam Shahab also appreciates the quiet nature of Pinterest. She uses it to collect and organize pictures and links of things she likes or wants to learn. Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest allows her to filter her many interests and only follow the boards she is genuinely interested in. It's a silent community where users can busy themselves with repinning.

Mikinzie Stuart sees Pinterest as a platform for curating ideas that interest her. It's a hybrid of Tumblr and Delicious, offering a visually-oriented way to collect and share interests. Interestingly, she has noticed that people who are less social on other networks tend to use Pinterest more. This suggests that Pinterest appeals to those who prefer a more visually-driven and low-maintenance social experience.

Kristin Greeley appreciates Pinterest as a way to tailor her online experience. She can choose what she wants to see by following specific people and boards. Pinterest allows her to archive things online for future reference and acts as a magazine with no words that appeals to every type of person.

For Laura Scholz, Pinterest is an online inspiration board. She feels comfortable sharing with lots of different people without revealing personal information. It's like thumbing through magazines and ripping out all the pages that inspire her, but on a much larger scale. Pinterest is a place to relax and get inspired.

Lauren Gray believes that Pinterest makes you want to be more creative and fashionable. It offers a different lifestyle to explore and allows users to imagine improvements to their own lives. The platform provides endless inspiration for crafts, fashion, and travel.

Drew Hawkins uses Pinterest as a source of creative inspiration for client work. It allows him to visually organize fun and useful stuff he finds online. Pinterest's story-telling capability through different boards sets it apart from other social networks. There's less sharing fatigue and a focus on quality content.

Mary Woestehoff uses Pinterest to add photos that provide inspiration for her photography. She finds it considerably harder to run out of new content to look at compared to other platforms.

Julia Prior started using Pinterest to gather gift ideas and plan for her friend's wedding. Now she uses it as a bookmarking tool for her favorite websites, articles, and recipes. She enjoys seeing what others are pinning, especially those she only knows through other social networks. Pinterest's background running feature makes it a great bookmarking tool.

Sasha Westin sees Pinterest as a business outlet for sharing picks and has evolved into a platform for sharing both business and personal interests. It offers a quiet place with no ads, tickers, or auto-refreshes.

Jenny Schmitt uses Pinterest as a place to put visual bookmarks of things on the web that interest her. She describes it as "visual snacking" and believes that the personal and visual elements make Pinterest engaging. It's a place to create visual bookmarks, plan ideas, and gain insights into what visually resonates with others.

Julie Kucinski uses Pinterest because it's fun, useful, and allows her to keep track of beautiful things. It's a visual platform with very little conversation, perfect for showcasing visuals.

Julia Cantor started using Pinterest as a bookmarking tool for work/client presentations. She also uses it to furnish her apartment and share humor with friends. Pinterest allows her to explore her interests without prying into others' lives.

Melissa Lawhorn appreciates the wide range of people she can interact with on Pinterest. Unlike other platforms, there isn't much commenting happening, relieving her of the burden of keeping up with conversations.

Meghan Wilker uses Pinterest for personal fashion and style inspiration. She also views it as a way to share products she likes with others. Shared boards allow for collaboration with others and provide a mental vacation when scrolling through pins.

From these insights, there are three actionable pieces of advice to accelerate your product management career:

• 1. Use Pinterest as a source of creative inspiration for your work. Explore different boards and pins related to your industry to gather ideas and insights.

• 2. Tailor your Pinterest experience by following specific people and boards that align with your interests. This will ensure you see content that is relevant and inspiring to you.

• 3. Utilize Pinterest as a visual bookmarking tool to keep track of useful articles, websites, and ideas. This will help you stay organized and easily access resources when needed.

In conclusion, Pinterest offers a unique and visually-driven social experience that appeals to users for various reasons. Whether it's for personal inspiration, creative ideas, or collaboration, Pinterest has become a valuable platform for many individuals. By incorporating the insights and advice from these super-users, you can accelerate your product management career and make the most of what Pinterest has to offer.