Socially-based imaging site Pinterest has opened its doors to all for the very first time, bbc.co.uk reports.
Formerly the photo pin board site operated on an invite-only basis. However, after becoming the fastest-growing site of all time – with 10 million sign-ups in nine months – getting rid of the exclusive sign-up structure is hardly a surprise.
Although some believe that Pinterest’s exclusivity has been the key to its success. Just like Google+, keeping a social network private – to some extent – helps raise demand from other non-users.
“What remains to be seen is what happens if they start to commercialise – how they’re going to do that and if they do it in a way that’s not going to alienate their users,” commented Forrester Research analyst Darika Ahrens, regarding the company’s commercial future.
Ahrens explained that Pinterest has previously tried a number of methods to generate revenue from its customers, including monetising links to the site for content promotion purposes - but it has ended up dropping most.
Interest in Pinterest however is feverish – especially among women, who account for 60 per cent of the sites purported visitors, according to figures from Experian Hitwise (cited by pcadvisor.co.uk). Fashion and food pinboards are among the most popular on the site.
In spring, Experian also said Pinterest was the third-most popular social network in the UK, behind Facebook and Twitter.
