Ready to learn how to use Pinterest like a pro? You’ll love today’s guest post by Peter Trapasso of PeterTrapasso.com and VinoPete.com.
Pinterest is on fire and you should be using it daily. Here’s why:
10 – 20 Million users (Depending on who you ask). Check
Referral traffic that is only beat by Google (organic), Yahoo, and Facebook. Check
Average time spent on site = 74 minutes. Check.
Here is a handy checklist for you to use Pinterest correctly:
- Make sure your images link correctly when you post them.
- Include an appropriate description of your image.
- Include a link in your description.
- Include a watermark on your images and videos.
- Share your pins often.
Make sure your images link correctly when you post them.
You want someone to arrive back at your original post when you pin images or videos. If someone clicks on a pinned image you want him or her to arrive at your original post. After pinning an image view it. You will see a “Repin” and an “Edit” button to the top left of the image. Click on the “Edit” button. You will see a box with a “Description” and a “Link”. View the URL next to “Link” and decide if you are happy with it or need to change it.
Include an appropriate description of your image.
When people repin your pin the description goes along with it (although they can change it). You have 500 characters to work with so make sure that you description accurately describes your pin. Also use appropriate keywords to make sure your pins come up when people search for them. For example, a good search-friendly description for a pin of an image from a wine review would be, “New review to Read: Chateau Ste. Michelle 2010 Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon”.
Include a link in your description.
This will help people find you and again remember that whatever you type into the description is carried along with repins. Again, remember that your description is carried along when someone repins. Include a link that will make it easy for them to find the original source of your pinned content.
Include a watermark on your images and videos.
By using a watermark on your images you make sure that people have a way to find you even if you forget to add a link to your pin description or if (gasp!) someone decides to change it when repining. A watermark can be as simple as the text “© PeterTrapasso.com” at the bottom of your pinned image. This is easy to do on a layer using Adobe Photoshop, Elements, or pixlr.com (free). Learn how by watching this handy video.
Share your pins often.
When you initially pin an image or video you will see a popup window that has a check box marked “Twitter”. By all means “check it”. Also make sure that you have the Pinterest Facebook app installed on your Facebook profile too. This will automate the sharing of your pins on your Facebook profile. Easy peasy!
Convinced that Pinterest needs to be used every day? Print this article out and keep it nearby as a handy checklist and quick guide to maximizing your pinning effectiveness.
Click here to see how I use Pinterest and follow my boards.
How do you like to use Pinterest?
Peter Trapasso, self-taught social media and wine expert, is the owner of PeterTrapasso.com, listed on Alltop Social Media. As part of a 14+ year corporate career in technology he worked for Fortune 500 and startup companies. Also one of the 250 most followed people on Twitter in San Francisco and a +K Klout Influencer. He is a food and wine enthusiast and recently launched VinoPete.com featuring Wines of the West Coast Reviewed Weekly.
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Hey Michelle
I tried to register for Pinterest a few months back. It said it would send me the activation link, but it never did. I repeated this process a few times and I never have received an email from them. I would definitely be using it if it wasn’t for the activation email.
Have a great day
Your friend across the pond
David
Hey David, it sounds like one of two things–either that activation email was getting stuck in a spam filter or eaten by a web gremlin, or maybe it was because they were in beta still. Yesterday they finally opened for public registration without a waiting period or invite required. :) I’d be happy to send you an invite though and see if that would work. Would you like me to?
David,
Pinterest has gone public now so you can just register and start using it. Great platform to link photos.
~Malhar
Great post Peter. Pinterest is indeed a very powerful platform and am looking forward to use it more often.
Thanks for sharing the tips!!
~Malhar
whoa i had no idea pinterest could be used so amazingly. thanks for these tips.
Hi Michelle, with rights to photos becoming a legality issue – what is your advice as to how to determine if you have the rights to post certain photos. I would imagine that there are 1000s of photos up on Pinterest presently that have not taken the time to address whether or not you should or should not post a certain photo – including myself. Have there been any cases where Pinterest has had to eliminate photos due to this issue?
Hi Ron, that’s a great question. I’m sure Pinterest has had to deal with that, and they’ve got the usual DMCA take down notice and procedures in place as required by law so anyone whose content is added that doesn’t want it there can have it removed. They also offer a script that can be added to any site to keep people from pinning things. However, that doesn’t stop the problem since anyone can download or screenshot an image and upload it. It’s worth being concerned about as with any other site that allows sharing (many illegal images on Tumblr, Facebook, etc as well).
My personal approach is that I never upload any content other than images I’ve created myself or that I am 100% sure are okay to share (from friends or with clear licenses). I also don’t pin anything from sites that don’t have a “Pin this” type button. If they’ve installed a Pin button, I take that as clear permission that they are inviting me to pin their content. :)
As for re-pins that’s a little muddier and I do check the source for the pins to see if it matches the image before I re-pin and look for the same clue (Pinterest button on the site it came from) or whether it would generally be okay to share based on the same things I look for before sharing an image on my blog (licensing info, etc.).
I hope this helps. :)
I just realized that pinterest is more powerful that i thought, by reading this wonderful article. thanks author.
You are welcome!
Very very Interesting..
Some really great tips here, I am just learning how to use Pinterest to promote our travel site and this article is now bookmarked! Thank you!
You are welcome Adam!
I love pinterest and have been an avid user for over a year now, I have my own account and also one for the Daily Waffle. Traffic is great from pinterest and it helps to use good, clear images
Good tips! Pinterest is a great traffic source.
Thanks for the great tips, Peter. Joined the site when it launched but has never really been active. Planning to ramp up my activities there and this will just come in handy.
Pinterest is great for getting the word out and building a following for any cause or business.
I’ve been wanting to use Pinterest for quite a few months now, especially recently since I’ve seen some traffic coming in from Pinterest to my site. With so many social media sites out there, sometimes it’s tough to focus. Pinterest seems to be the new darling of social media and it’s getting tougher to ignore it anymore. Thanks Peter, for his handy checklist to refer to. Will certainly refer to it when I start pinning:)
Gazalla,
Give Pinterest a try and feel free to give me a shout for more tips.
cheers,
Peter
This is a good article on HOW to use Pinterest, but I need to know WHAT is Pinterest and WHY I need to use it. Hopefully I’ll find a post here. I’m just too new to the social bookmarking world that I need all the (correct) info. I can get.
Hi Pete,
I was an invited user since the very begin of Pinterest.
I think it is a great social tool, but it works better for some niche, than others.
Of course site and blogs with many images are likely more profitable with Pinterest.
Anyway, every blogger should have an account on Pinterest.
If you have some imagination, you can benefit from it a lot!
Thanks for the great article, Pete!
Nice tips Peter. This post will be great to turn into a checklist people can print and put on their wall as a reminder when they’re pinning.
Good article Peter. I can certainly see how Pinterest can be of use for visual products that serve the (so far) predominantly female userbase of the site.
How do you think it could be used for a B2B company?
For instance I can see a clear benefit of using it for your wine blog, but less so for the online marketing one.
Well Michelle, I created three boards on Pinterest and was amazed that I had repins in a matter of hours.
I took your VALUABLE information for using Pilxr.com and created some images with quotes that are connected to how I help others live the life of their dreams. I added my URL at the bottom of each image. I also have one for blog tips and your content was my first pin.
Thanks a mil for all of your useful information.
I love pinterest. I have been using it both for my personal and business needs and I get excited when someone follows me, likes and re-pins my pins. It’s a pretty nifty organization tool.
Dear Michelle,
I was motivated to use Pinterest after watching your video the first time. I’ve decided to watch it a second time to prepare me to move to the next level. Thank you for always being so giving of your expertise. Debbie Seiling