Pinterest, the virtual corkboard site, is giving thanks to its users early this year with the release of one of its most requested features, secret boards. These boards are hidden from public view on Pinterest; the only place to view what has been pinned to the secret board is with an invitation from the owner. Unfortunately, existing boards cannot be made private because other people may have already re-pinned its contents.
A few days ago, I received an email from Pinterest CEO Ben Silberman alerting me of
the new addition; within the context of the email he stated, “Secret boards will give you a place for things you’re not quite ready to share yet, like a surprise party, special gift ideas or even a new baby. We’re testing out the feature by giving everyone 3 secret boards.â€While Silberman’s referenced ideas were great for personal use, I began to revel with excitement at what this could mean for businesses. Take a look at how brands can utilize this new feature:
Create an interactive environment
Farewell to disengaged staffers who zone out when requested to stare at non-interactive presentation tools. If you’re looking to fundamentally change the way you collaborate, Pinterest secret boards can now make that possible. Upload ideas into a secret board and share with your employees and allow them to do the same. If any of them can turn just one good idea into a great one, the benefits are invaluable.Conduct market research
Are you aware of what your customers think about your products and services? Create a
board that displays your latest offerings and invite your most loyal and active clients to comment.  Gathering feedback in an organized manner is an excellent way to show your customers that you care and collect great insights for improving your products and services so you can beat your competitors.Plan your corporate events
Planning corporate events such as annual retreats, new product launches, and press days is vital to every company. The challenge for many corporations during the event planning process is effectively strategizing and marketing these events, either internally or externally, to ensure success. Create a Pinterest secret board to lay out the details and collaborate with multiple departments to ensure that everyone shares their input.
To learn more about how to begin working with these tools, visit Pinterest.
S. Lynn Cooper is a Washington, DC-based digital strategist and communications expert. Cooper is the founder and director of Socially Ahead, a strategic communications agency that specializes in the creation of social and digital strategies and campaign management. Follow her on Twitter at @sociallyahead.