Have you noticed the recent popularity of Pinterest? It’s as if someone flipped a switch overnight and thousands of new pinners joined the ranks of this Pinterest revolution. I’ve been pinning for awhile now and even have the iphone app to pin on the go, but it wasn’t until recently that I started really thinking about pinning with a purpose.
Here are a few tips on how to shift your pinning purpose:
1. Ask why? I began by asking myself why I was pinning in the first place. Was it just a collection of pretty images for me to refer to in time of need? Or could I shift my thinking and utilize this helpful tool to improve my business? As I gained new followers everyday I realized that I had other people to consider in my pinning decisions.
2. Keep consistency. This has been my philosophy since I began pinning. Maybe because I’m a design snob and couldn’t stand the site of my boards with out a cohesive look, but I really think that look is part of my brand : “modern romance/vintage style”. And I want brand consistency.
3. Give credit. Not only credit and properly pin the work of others (i.e. making sure you pin directly from a blog post instead of an rss subscription) but give yourself the credit due. Make sure your followers know when a pin is your work. Some sources even suggest labeling your photos with your copyright or a catchy phrase in case the source gets lost in pinning/repinning.
4. Engage with followers. If someone leaves a comment on your pin, try to remember to respond. This has been a challenge for me in the past since my reminder email sometimes gets deleted but I’ve found that 9 times out of 10 it sparks a bit of a conversation.
5. Link Up. Remember to link your website or fanpage on your profile with a great description of who you are and what you do. So often I find a pinner that I love their style and board collections or personal images and head immediately to their profile to find out more. I want to follow that pinner elsewhere or make a connection. Make it easy for followers to find you.
6. Source yourself. Go find out what Pinterest has on you. For example, I can find out who is pinning from my site by following this link http://pinterest.com/source/heatherspriggs.com/ . It might just help you know how to fashion your brand or blog posts by knowing what people are pinning from you.
7. Create Unique boards for readers. This is something Im working on, but Holly Becker has done it well with her #stripemania and #discomania group. She has created a social media invitation for readers to pin photos of themselves with links to their blogs, sites, etc.. and she repins to her followers to create a broader community and connection for her readers of Decor8
8. Don’t forget to pin yourself! But do it intentionally. Make sure you are pinning from a site or link that you want followers to engage with. I pin from Gatherings Magazine, my blog/website, my flickr stream, portfolio etc.. Make it easy for others to find and follow you!
Hope you will join me on my Pinterest Boards!
+ For more fabulous tips on pinning check out this article by Mom Advice that helped inspire this post. +
images: wunderschoen-gemacht , heather spriggs, unravelled design
thank you for the tips, heather! very helpful :)
Thanks Heather. I am hoping to refocus on my Etsy and craft blog after I graduate from law school and we get up to Nashville. These are some great little tips. I will definitely be pinning this!
Great post, Heather. Thank you!
Dearest sweet Heather, thank you so much for these tips! I am new to pinning and this is a great way for me to start! Love to you!
Hi Heather,
Thank you for sharing these great tips! I love pinterest and I too have been trying hard to keep to my particular style and interests. I think your points about remembering to pin yourself and creating unique boards for readers are very useful ideas!
I love your boards btw – particularly ‘For the Home’ and ‘Vintage’ – beautifully curated collections.
Sophie x
Hi Heather, I’ve missed reading your blogs. Sorry for being away, my work seems to get the best of me sometimes. I absolutely love your new blog! I’m so out of the loop, I kept going to your previous one, ha!
I purchased your first Gatherings, it was so “vintage, romantic and modern”, everything you stand for! I adored it!
Thanks for the pinning tips, you’ve made a lot of good points. I have just opened an etsy shop, and I am giving my blog another try, this will be a great reference for me to come back to.
Thank you for sharing!
Yay! Tricia! Glad to have you here and to “run” into you on line again. Glad you are putting you up more work too. Im always looking for new contributors for Gatherings Magazine and your work has always been a fave!
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