Pinterest model creating new battlefield in China

BEIJING--Pinterest has generated so much buzz globally that several Chinese social sites offering similar scrapbooking services have since sprouted to cash in on the growing demand.

With the emergence of interest-based social networks such as Mogujie.com, Huaban.com, Zhimei.com, Mishang.com, Pinfun.com, Markpic.com, icaitu.com and Faxianla.com, the Pinterest model has quickly become the new battlefield in China's Internet space in 2012. In addition, Tumblr has inspired similar interest-based scrapbooking sites here.

Can these social networks see long-term development in China?

Hu Dandan, vice president of China's Internet research firm Dratio, noted that the Web 2.0 era represented by social media models such as Facebook and Twitter had created shallow exchanges based on human relations. The quality of information is typically inconsistent and varied, and the degree of interference also greater.

User exhaustion from traditional social networks
Pinterest, on the other hand, offers a social networking model based on personal interest scrapbooking, Hu said. Content is collected and organized within categories the user is interested in. It also provides a model on which users can actively contribute good quality content.

He added that this comes at an opportune time as users are becoming weary of social media models represented by the likes of Facebook. In fact, Pinterest has achieved the fastest growth in terms of user base.

Hu revealed: "Compared to the Facebook and Twitter models, Pinterest has greater user adherence because it is based on the common interests of users who, thus, find it easier to find resonance in their interactions and build a social network based on that commonality.

"This is very different from social networking Web sites that are based on relationships such as classmates, colleagues and friends. Pinterest is more lasting," he said.

Looking it from the perspective of media value, the greatest appeal of the Pinterest model is that it is a natural advertising hotbed due to the pictures, prices and links, of relevant Web sites pinned in Pinterest.

At the same time, it can also drive high-quality traffic for e-commerce Web sites that can ultimately lead to customer transactions.

Currently, Pinterest-type Web sites in China already have the potential to bring in billions of yuan in transactions for e-commerce platforms each month.

Xu Chaojun, CEO of Diandian.com, a Website that has a model similar to Tumblr, has seen growing demand for interest-based social networking sites compared to a year ago.

"Douban.com, Guokr and Dongxi.net are excellent social networking Web sites built on interest-based scrapbooking," Xu said. "In addition, choosing to start a business using interest-based scrapbooking can help entrepreneurs avoid the intense competition of social networking."

Competition, however, is already intensify in the fast-growing market for interest-based scrapbooking, though, some analysts believe the Pinterest model in China is still in its infancy.

In view of the fact that its profit model is comparatively clearer, industry analysts believe more of such Web sites will emerge in China this year. At the same time, some large Internet and IT enterprises, and even traditional corporations, will consolidate areas of their businesses to offer a service based on interest-based scrapbooking in a bid to achieve better traffic conversion.

Already, several major Internet players such as Wow.Taobao.com, Renren.com's J.renren.com and Vancl's Star.Vancl.com, have begun their forays into this market segment.

According to market data, there are already almost 30 Pinterest-style Web sites in China.