I first bumped into Kalebra Kelby on Google+, sometime this past summer. I don’t remember how or why but I am glad I did. Kalebra’s love of chocolate, coffee and Pinterest make her Google+ updates very entertaining. And Kelby has a very active community on Google+. Where she seems to comment on almost every update. Making your Google+ experience a bit more personal.
Recently, Kalebra started the podcast – The Playful Side of Pinterest. Where Kalebra, friends and guests eat chocolate and talk about well — Pinterest.
I have caught a few episodes and all I have to say is – Godiva Milk Chocolate Pearls. And yes they are tasty!
So please lean back and enjoy my interview with Kalebra Kelby.
The Interview
Why did you start the “Playful Side of Pinterest” podcast?
KK: To play!
That’s the thing I like the most about Pinterest—it’s a place to go to play, explore, and be inspired. Every book you read about Pinterest and all the talk you hear over Pinterest is about how to make money from it, but I think there is tremendous value in play and I wish more people embraced its possibilities.
Play frees my mind to experiment and gives me permission to fail. I’ve had some wonderful successes through a process of “failures.” So, Pinterest appeals to me because (being image driven) the impact of your play is immediate.
How does the average person get the most use out of Pinterest — as a dream board, to do list, bucket list, etc?
KK: As a resource for their interests.
Pinterest is a constant feed of information, ideas, and inspiration for whatever you’re in to—whether that be photography, illustration, art, travel, DIY projects, recipes, decorating, you name it! Need an idea on how to pose a model, the perfect honeymoon destination, redecorate your house, what to wear to a party, what dish to bring to the party?
It’s all there on Pinterest just waiting for you to take advantage of it.
How should a company use Pinterest to “sell a moment?”
KK: Don’t sell it—share it and mean it.
Pin a beautiful or clever image that evokes your message. For instance, if you’re a resort in the Swiss Alps, give the pinner a beautiful shot of the Alps from your resort so they can pin it to their “Places I’d Like To Visit” board. When they become more interested, they’ll seek you out.
But, in the mean time, they have a beautiful photo to pin and (don’t forget) share. Your image will have direct links to your site or specials or whatever you’re trying to promote embedded right in it, but someone else is forwarding your message—not you.
How do you see Pinterest evolving over the next 3 years?
KK: It feels like a pretty fluid project to me, so I imagine they will be able to adapt to their users needs fairly easily.
And, of course, business will continue to catch on to the power of Pinterest, so they’ll have to come up with a way to accommodate that without alienating their main users. Maybe they could have an area within Pinterest just for ads and new product information.
Where you could search, say “laundry detergent,” and then the pins (ads) for laundry detergent would come up and you could look at the ones that interested you. The pins could have hyperlinks to sites, coupons, whatever.
In this scenario I think Pinterest would be a great thing for photographers and creatives because the best pin wins! Meaning, the most visually pleasing pin is going to get the most views. If I were selling laundry detergent, yard rakes, or destinations, I’d want to make sure I hired professionals who could capture my message—and the viewers attention.
Call To Action
One, Circle Kalebra Kelby on Google+ and two, checkout The Playful Side of Pinterest. And if you are someone or a brand trying to capitalize on the popularity of Pinterest — “Don’t sell it—share it and mean it.”
Read more: Dino Dogan, Triberr & The Future Of The Free World