• by Jenny Vandehey , May 4, 2012

The other week, Pinterest moved in to the No. 3 spot as the most-popular social network in the U.S, trailing only Twitter and Facebook, eclipsing LinkedIn, Tumblr and other more seasoned social sites. Where Pinterest is winning is with women, and, in particular, with moms.

It is hard to imagine moms, the most time-strapped community, using their precious minutes reserved for sleeping, pampering, cleaning or relaxing, to pin items to their boards. Pinterest is time-consuming, yet it seems that moms are willing to trade those last few hours of sleep in the morning for a good pinning session. 

But moms have gone beyond simply hunting for ideas and are taking their Pinterest inspiration boards to the next level, and turning browsing into action. 

The Pinterest Challenge

“Are you on Pinterest?” is so yesterday in moms’ world. The real question is, “What have you actually MADE on Pinterest?”  

 “What have you DONE from Pinterest? Did it work? I've done some recipes (Chix Parm, and a few crockpot meals) made play-doh---easy, fast, and DS likes to play with it---we made it 3 months ago and it's still good. Made x-mas ornaments---they were my favorite gifts to give EVER! Cute, a little time-consuming, but totally worth it! Share yours!!!!”

And while they want to share and compare their best Pinterest finds, some moms are upping the ante by starting their own “Pinterest Challenge.”

“Time to actually do some of that stuff you pinned. Pick something off your boards to make/cook/do and complete it by the end of the month. Post the link here and then we'll share pictures of our projects when all done!”

These challenges are being chatted about across Twitter, mommy forums, blogs and Facebook. Not only is the response impressive, moms cheering on other moms, but the results are proud mamas showcasing their Pinterest proof for all to see.  

“Here's one Home project I've completed. This is the Pinspiration, they used a rubber door mat as a stencil laid across two stained boards and spray painted over it for the design. Source: lowescreativeideas.com via Sara on Pinterest. And here is my version of it. I love how it turned out and it goes very well with my living room.”

What’s next? The Pinterest party

Consider Pinterest the new book club, moms’ night out or wine night. This social network is inspiring real life experiences for moms to gather in their communities around the country. 

 “I've actually been to a Pinterest party with my mom and her friends! It was really a craft party, but all the ideas were from Pinterest. My mom is hosting one this month.”

“OMG. SO freaking fun! I invited a bunch of girls over to do fall craft projects and eat food we'd seen on Pinterest. Everyone said how great it was because it made them take the time to do the stuff they'd been wanting to do. Plus, we were kid-free. Everyone brought their glue guns, whatever supplies they needed (I provided stuff for decorating pumpkins) and we hung out and crafted, ate, chatted and drank for hours. We can't wait to have another one!”

Getting involved

Moms are inspiring each other to try new things whether it is a recipe, craft or even a book to read. Brands and marketers can take advantage of this opportunity by sponsoring their own Pinterest challenge. Encourage moms to share their creations inspired by your brand or product.  You can even publish a Pinterest party guide to help get the evening of crafting and cooking underway. It is the new night out with the girls and your brand can be the fuel to the fun. 

The Moms HEC used Moms Pulse – a proprietary social listening tool that listens to thousands of moms across nine markets in real time. This analysis followed U.S. moms during the January 2012-March 2012 time period. Follow the Moms HEC on Twitter @MomsHEC.