It's much like perusing your favorite magazines or even the week end ads, ripping out your favorite sale items, photos of room designs or recipes and putting them in a folder "somewhere". I have an actual bulletin board where I keep images of things I want to do in the yard. Well, Pinterest is much the same, only virtual.
For instance, let's say you are planning your wedding. On Pinterest, you could create a "My wedding ideas" board, find images of items that you like on the internet and "pin" them onto your board. The great thing about that is the website from which the image came is also listed on your board, so if you wanted to purchase the item or utilize the services of the provider (for example, a photographer or wedding coordinator), you could. Other ideas for Boards could be "Recipes", "Home Decor", "Places to Visit", "Books to Read", etc. This is one way to utilize Pinterest for your own interests.
According to Pinterest, the top retail pinners include HGTV, Nordstrom, West Elm and Modcloth, an indie boutique. The more images they put out there, the more they will be pinned and repinned - and the orders for the items will follow.
So, if you are selling products or selling services that allow you to tell your story through pictures, then Pinterest is an excellent option for you. Event planners, crafters, patisseries, vintage clothiers are all perfect for Pinterest. Salons could make good use of Pinterest by displaying new hair and nail styles. Fitness buffs could pin recipes of healthy foods, new yoga positions, etc.
It could also be a good option for non-profits as photos are a great way to tell the stories of people or pets in need.
If you are selling services such as coaching, e-marketing or social media services, Pinterest is a little more difficult but still very beneficial. You could pin the cover of your latest e-book or an infographic, which are very popular now, but one of the best uses of Pinterest is to allow your customers to get to know you better by providing a visual representation of your interests.
A way to incite curiosity about your business is to post photos of creative items in your office. (Of course, this requires that you be creative.) Or perhaps a photo of the cat sleeping on your keyboard - as cats are apt to do or maybe a new way to organize (such as the tower of Altoid tins that hold paper clips, rubber bands, etc. that I have pinned on my home office "board"). My mentor, Carrie Wilkerson pinned the "desk" that her father made and installed on her treadmill so that she could walk and work at the same time! HINT: Real Simple is very popular on Pinterest. You might be able to throw in a photo of your latest e-book or a photo of you working with a client.