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A Simple Explanation of Pinterest
Already know how Pinterest works but want to learn how to generate traffic to your articles or website?
Check out my guide on generating traffic with MFP images!
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where you can 'pin' photos from any location on the internet.
People who like a particular photo can 'repin' it to their own pinboards.
Each user can make as many pinboards as they want, with a different topic for each pinboard and whatever name they choose to call it.
You can basically look at it as a social bookmarking service that uses images instead of links and text.
Every photo you pin from the internet automatically links back to the original website from which it was taken. That backlink stays with the photo every time it is repinned. With the exception of Facebook, you can pin images from almost any website although you should remember that many online images are copyright.
Making an image that makes people want to click it to find out more is a great way to increase your website traffic.
A Look At Using Pinterest
- The search box is fairly self explanatory - however it's a good way to find images to do with any topic and also see who's been repinning your images.
- Click the big Pinterest button to see your main feed page.
- You can use this area to view pins in different categories (from health to home improvement) and even sort pins by price (on items that have prices attached.)
- Here you can add new boards, or upload pins from your computer. Uploading pins allows you to insert whatever links you'd like - although you can always edit any pin and change the link if you need to.
- This is the link to your profile, and a page featuring your pinboards, followers count and more.
- A list of your recent activity, including new followers, repins and likes.
- A continually moving montage of pins made by both yourself and the people you follow.
Who Uses Pinterest?
Statistically, the greatest percentage of Pinterest users are middle aged women. Sure, there are other users but that's the audience you have to keep in mind when pinning content you want to send viral.
But Pinterest Is Just Full of Photos of Shoes and Handbags!
You're looking in the wrong place! Pinterest features dozens of "categories" over a huge range of topics.
You can view pins based on any category, or use the search function to find images related to any topic.
But I Have No Followers!
You don't need followers to get people repinning your pins - your pins will show up in the main Pinterest feed. If you put your boards into categories, your pins will also show up in category feeds. It only takes one repin from a person with dozens of followers to get you dozens of repins.
Why Don't My Pins Get Repinned?
It's important to make sure you know what people use Pinterest for. Many people use the site as a way to gather inspirational ideas for things they want to do themselves. Anything to do with recipes, gardening, style or organisation and design is usually a hit.
If you're pinning interesting content but not getting repins, have a think about why. Simply pinning a plain image of a home made apple pie won't generate a lot of interest. You either need to make the picture so delicious and interesting that people just have to add it to their boards, or add a twist such as a quicker way to make it or different ingredients to use.
Free image editors like Picmonkey allow you to easily edit, add text to and style your images before you pin them.
How People Can See and Repin Your Pins
- Pinning to your own boards will display your pin in your follower's feeds.
- Pinning to your own boards will display your pin in the main site feed.
- Pinning to your categorised boards will display your pin in those categories.
- Google traffic visiting a hub with a "Made For Pinterest" image are more likely to pin it (and then it can repeat the previous three steps).
Tips For Success On Pinterest
- Create images "Made For Pinterest".
- Categorize your pinboards so each one is in a category related to its content.
- Use beautiful or interesting images.
- Use the right text, both on and off picture, to attract attention.
Update: As of April 2013, the author's most pinned hub has in excess of 43,000 pins. In total, all her online content has somewhere close to 100,000 pins based on using this method.
Related
Comments
Thank you for this great article. I always thought Pinterest was yet another social networking site like Twitter or Facebook, today my understanding is clear.
I originally used pinterest to get ideas for renovating my home. But now you've shown me that it can also lead to new traffic to my blogs. Thank you so much for such a useful and helpful article.
Great Pinterest tips. I am interested in learning more about Pinterest. I have to admit that when I go on Pinterest the whole website is a bit confusing to me. Maybe I need to google to see if the is a Pinterest for dummies book :)
Thanks for sharing.
Very useful! Many thanks!
This is very informative and well explained!
Thanks for the useful tips! Voted up and pinned!
- Author
Made For Pinterest images.
very informative, thank you! what are MFP Images?
- Author
Thanks Au Fait!
Have you tried out any MFP images yet?
Great information for people who are uncertain about whether to join Pinterest and/or who think it would be too complicated. This was the hub I used for advice before I joined a few weeks ago, and recommend this information to anyone who is feeling ambivalent about it.
very nice and informative post, thoroughly explained, thanks for sharing wrylilt, stay blessed dear!
wrylilt,
Thank you for the interesting information about Pinterest. I have used it for a few months, and it definitely attracts viewers. Voted up and sharing with followers.
Thanks for such a helpful Hub on Pinterest. I literally only started using it a few days ago, and now I think it's invaluable. Your Hub really helped clarify some components of the site, and the type of audience I should be aiming towards. Voting up and sharing.
Thanks WryLilt, for all the tips and information I have added this to my favorites, pinned it to my 'Art - Writing board, shared and voted-up, useful, awesome and useful.
I've been a member of Pinterest for a while but have never really known how to get noticed there. Thanks for some useful advice.
- Author
B. Leekley,
Hope this answers your questions:
-Hooking up Twitter and Facebook will post a "--- pinned an image to the [name] board" to both feeds. I personally haven't got it hooked up, but it's really a personal choice - if you pin a lot of photos you'd normally share on Facebook anyway, it would be good.
-In the search field you can search either for a word/sentence you know your pin description contains to see how many are floating around. Or you can search for your subdomain. Or when you click on your pin, there should be a section on the side which says "View more pins from ----- domain/site".
Up, Useful, Interesting, and bookmarked. I pin my own hubs and some other hubs using the Pinterest symbol that Hubpages shows on hubds, and I've done that for over a year, but once a picture goes to my Hubbers I Follow board or my My Own Hubs board, I'm not sure what becomes of it. I'll study this hub more closely when I can fit in time to study Pinterest. I find the site confusing.
The Pinterest system wants to get a hold of my Facebook account and also my Twitter account. Do you recommend hooking Pinterest with Facebook and Twitter? What does that accomplish? What are the privacy and security dangers for me and for friends? Will my Facebook friends get bothered by the Pinterest company?
You said to use the Pinterest search field to find out who repinned which of my pins. How do I use the search field to do that?
I have to thank Au Fait for sending me over here. I've just started playing around with Pinterest and it seems simple enough, but I really have no idea what I'm doing. Hopefully, I can apply some of these tips and advice and improve my pinning skills. Thanks!
Up and more,
Cat
I have Au Fait to thank for sending me over here. I've just started playing around with Pinterest and it seems 'simple' enough, but in reality; I have no idea what I'm doing. This is extremely helpful; hopefully, I will be able to make some improvements with your tips and advice.
Thanks,
Cat
i really didn't know about that before reading ur such an interesting hub..keep up the good work :)
WryLilt, thanks for this informative hub. I have a Pinterest account but I feel really dumb because I don't really get it. This helps some but I'm just dense. I hope it all clicks for me soon. Up and useful.
- Author
Webrevolve I would definitely believe that. Facebook isn't as visual, isn't a platform designed for sales (in fact there are talks of some types being banned completely, instead of ignored the way they are now) and Facebook also uses strict algorithms to show content to users which can cut down on views.
Some really useful tips in there, thanks. I'd read recently that Pinterest had a better sales return than Facebook - has anyone had experience of that?
I think of you as the Pinterest guru, btw. I found a small niche by searching out my fave band, Rammstein, there (they have cult status with their fans). i commented and followed some boards, and got 2 followers for my R+ board! Before, I just had one of my techie friends who took pity on me. I've been experimenting with the text on pic - I have a long way to go until they look like yours, though! Thanks for sharing.
- Author
That's right Peggy. :) Having a Pinterest account in itself isn't THAT important in this method IF you already have traffic to your hubs.
The more traffic you already have, the more chance that traffic will pin your images to Pinterest - thereby generating you more traffic without doing anything.
So essentially you're using your CURRENT traffic to bring you MORE traffic.
Thanks WryLilt,
I gather from what you are saying that it is not important to follow that many people. Just let it all happen in due time. I appreciate your advice as I am sure from reading the comments that many other people do as well.
Voted up and ++, pinned and shared with all. Finally, someone took the time to breakdown a how to guide to Pinterest in an easy to read and understand format. Thank you for doing such a nice job on this informative hub.
Thank you for posting this, your timing is perfect. I've been avoiding Pinterest because it's one more thing to learn...I logged in and was like ...uh, yah, not today. (Im not lazy, Im just burned out most days)....(ok ok, yes I am lazy, but I'm trying).
Your very easy to follow in plain English hub rocks, and I'll be logging into Pinterest later tonight to check it out. Archiving this and sharing.
- Author
Peggy, the Pinterest feed is just like the Facebook feed. You get updates from everyone you follow but you don't have to interact with them if you don't want.
With MFPs I find that my traffic TO my hub gets me more pins. So say I pinned my ways to induce labour hub image... It may get 50 pins on my account, but it's had over 50,000 pins from people visiting my hub or from their followers. So you don't NEED a Pinterest account for MFP images to work.
Hi again WryLilt,
OK...I finally joined Pinterest and have started using it by setting up boards. I followed 2 fellow hubbers and now ALL of their images are showing up on my feed. Is that a smart thing to do or should I simply pick the ones I want from them and individually pin them? If the latter is smarter...how do I unfollow them? What do you do in this regard?
This will be exciting to see if I start getting more traffic. With the many hubs already written, it would have taken a long time to go back in and change the images with Made for Pinterest onto all of them...so mine are just as they appeared when published onto HP.
Thanks! UUI votes and will share.
Your article deserves some time to read and comprehend. Accordingly, I've sent it to my email so I can spend the time reading it at my leisure. I will leave a more thorough and in depth reply at that time.
I have heard a lot about Pinterest but got to know about a lot and how to be benefited from it. Very nice of you helping others.
I'm getting much better at using Pinterest, thanks to you! I have been following your Forum where you are gracious enough to help Hubbers. You are a gem!!
Voted UP and shared.
- Author
Dolores, Hubpages as a site was banned from pinning for 48 hours ages back, but Hubpages staff sorted it out, so it's not an issue now - just make sure you pin from a few other sites as well!
In searching for how-tos I have often wound up on Pinterest and seen some interesting pictures there. Then I followed them to various sites for the help I was looking for. But I feel like I read that Hubpages stuff is forbidden there because hubbers were spamming. Is this so?
Another useful read about Pinterest, WryLilt. I will definitely up my action on Pinterest, esepcially since I've generated the most traffic to my hubs from it. Thank you for sharing.
Great hub on Pinterest. It's good how you explained things in a clear way so the newbies like me can easily understand things. I've been hearing a lot about Pinterest and it really does sound interesting. I'll have to check it out soon when I have the time.
Thanks. I did sign up and am trying to figure out how to get going, but so far I'm not doing very well. I loved the links you included in your article and am using two of them regularly now. Thanks.
Nice review about Pinterest. I love this site as well. Thanks for writing and share with us. Voted up!
Prasetio
- Author
Hi TIMETRAVELER2 ,
You no longer need an invite to sign up I believe.
You can see who's pinned your images by visiting your hub and checking the number beside the pin button.
I have my doubts about using Pinterest but would appreciate it if you'd send me an invite so I can give it a try. I'd be interested just to see if anybody has used any of my own pics! Thanks.
This is great information. I have a deeper understanding of Pinterest and now need to learn more about Made for Pinterest Images. Thank you for your valuable information.
- Author
Hi Peggy,
I believe that even if the Hubpahes pin button is turned off, they could pin using the button many people have in their bookmark bar.
The pin button in hubs automatically pins the first image on the hub. However if people like other images, they could manually pin them. However as long as the first image is a good bookmark image that'll help them remember why they want to return to your page, most people will be happy with that.
As I wrote on the forums, I've read nowhere of images turning creative commons?
90+% of all the images I use are my own and if I use other images they are attributed and most all of them are already creative commons images. I have disabled the Pinterest button on my hubs. If I were to join, is it only that top photo that needs to be inscribed and only the top image that joins the creative commons area...or all of them in the hub? I appreciate your answers.
- Author
Hi Peggy,
That's a shadowy area - Pinterest includes in their ToS that they can re-use pinned photos, and you should only pin those you are legally allowed to, which is why you should not pin work you don't have permission to. But many do.
If you pin to pinterest, your hub image may be legal, the pin will not. You should pin directly from the source.
Each photo on your hub is subject to the rules of where you found it.
However I use Made For Pinterest images so it's pointless for anyone to steal them.
From Mazzy..."I understand Pinterest better now, so thanks! However, isn't it breach of copyright to pin photos from anywhere on the Internet, unless they have a Creative Commons Licence?"
From you..."Yes Mazzy it is. Thanks for reminding me - I've written an article on that so better link it!"
Therefore, I am assuming that anything we pin of our own goes into the creative commons arena? What about the rest of the photos in a hub? All Creative Commons from then on?
Thank you for this explanation. I know it's supposed to be easy to use and it is, pinning other people's images, but I had trouble adding my own photos. You have set this out so clearly.
Wow i am really impressed with the in depth explanation on Pinterest.
Great, thank you.
- Author
Hi quicksand,
Did you read my hub on MFP images?
Basically if you design an image like the several displayed on this page, with hub title, you have the best bet of getting repins.
Hi again WryLilt,
Looks like it would be advisable for me to re-do the first image on a hub, improving its quality before linking the article to Pinterest, right?
You mean a "Made for Pinterest" image would perform better than the first image that already appears on a hub page?
Well, I created an image using Paint.net and before pinning it I also replaced the image on my HubPage with this "Made for Pinterest" image.
Have I got it right? Thanks again! :)
- Author
Hi quicksand,
Pinterest automatically "follows" people based on your interests. You can just unfollow them if you wish.
If you create "Made for Pinterest" images (see the linked hub), you can get hundreds of repins without ever pinning yourself.
If you click the "Pin" button near the "Like" button on a hub, it will automatically pin the first image.
I joined Pinterest, created a board and pinned a JPEG that I uploaded from my desktop. (I could not select images from the site I forwarded as the "next" and "previous" buttons do not or did not work in that module)
When I logged in the second time I found that I was following a hundred members. I also discovered that some good soul had pinned a couple of images from my hub pages weeks before I enrolled!
These pins automatically got linked to my account. However, (lol!) I did not get any page views from my pin. Do you think I will, later? ... Thanks.
- Author
Hi prairieprincess ,
I don't really find any time of day works better. Although I pin mine when I create them for the hell of it, I find I get far more repins from Google visitors. I find it's almost pointless pinning them myself - I've probably got about 300 pins on my personal account while my images have been pinned about 30,000 times directly from hubs.
Wrylit, I am quite an avid user of Pinterest. I just recently started taking your advice about creating Pinterest-intended pictures. The neat thing about that is that you can also upload those images unto other sites, as well, such as Facebook or more recently Scoop-It.
I have had only one massive repinning so far, and that was a recipe I made that was quite original. I pinned it about 10 a.m. on a Saturday. Do find there's a best time to pin?
Thanks for keeping us on top of the latest trends. Voted up, and pinned, of course!
Great information, WryLilt! This is something that some of my hubs should do well with - guess I'll have to join Pinterest next.
That was helpful. I never thought about using Pinterest to pose questions or pin a phrase as you mentioned, but that could be a useful.
- Author
Hey Lorlie, you can find my account on my profile. :-)
WryLilt-this is a fabulous explanation of the site, full of tips about the audience one should remember if one wants to be 'popular' there. My boards have been more personalized-wacky, perhaps ;)-until I read this hub-now I'm off to branch out to bring more traffic here on HP.
Do you have an account? I'd like to see your stuff!
Take care,
Laurel
This could be useful for me to get people to my blog. I can make up a pretty notice about Astrology, The Tarot, or any of my other subjects. Will you invite me?
Hi WryLilt-I'm really enjoying Pinterest, finally! I found it difficult to know who to ask to invite me, but one fine soul did so and I will be forever grateful-it's a blast.
Thanks for the further tips!
Laurel
Good clear guide. Thanks for putting this together and posting!
Now I understand a little better what pinterest is. Plan to join. Good job on this hub. Thumbs up!
Great article. I just received my invitation to join today. This article helps me to understand more about it. Congrats on your journalism degree and on your new baby. Glad to see you active here again.
Thanks for sharing this hub. I´m not on Pinterest yet but I might do it when somebody invites me if that´s what I need to join Pinterest. Voted up and useful.
Months ago you invited me to Pinterest - I have yet to try it - you inspired me - this weekend - I will do it! Great article. I always learn something from you. So glad you are here on HubPages.
Thanks for providing such a clear explanation of how to use Pinterest. I am anxious to read your other Hubs.
Great information here - I recently got an invitation and have been playing with it a bit but didn't really know what was meant by getting pictures for pininterest. Now I know. Thanks!
PicMonkey is a great tool and now I am using it and I love it. Thanks for the mention!!
Interesting hub and I will just wait for a friend to invite me or I will try to sign up on facebook as suggested by Haunty. Thanks WryLilt :-)
Congrats on your Pinterest success and thanks for sharing the idea that helped you to it! I'm gonna use this method from now on.
Btw, I signed up without an invite via my Facebook, so if you're on Facebook you don't need an invite.
Very informative, as always.
- Author
Moonlake it helps people want to click back through to the site. If it's a picture of a sunset they'll just repin it. If it's a picture of a sunset with the words "50 most beautiful sunsets" they're more likely to click.
I heard Reese Witherspoon say how much she loves Pinterest and that she is addicted to it. I'm not really sure how putting words on an image helps but you if you say it does I will give it a try. Voted up
- Author
Have you turned off Pinterest pinning in your account options?
Unfortunately anything you put online runs the risk of being stolen. That's why creating "Made For Pinterest" images relevant to just one article is a good way to protect images.
Pinterest is all well fine and good, but how do I keep people from putting copyrighted pictures I took off Pinterest? My photos are being taken without my permission. How do I stop this? These are my personal photos and they are copyrighted with notations on my hubs to that effect, but people just take them anyway. What can I do?
Great hub! I love pinterest and had thought of doing a hub that explained it, as well. This one is much better than I would have thought to explain it. Well done!
a good comprehensive hub.. i have joined , thnks for writing for us..
I had an interest in Pinterest, but did not know what it was. Now that I know, I think I should have a go.
Thanks!
- Author
It's very easy to get an invite - just ask a friend to send you one.
Pinterest does seem interesting. Is it actually easy to join, since it is invitation only?
Wonderful explanation of Pinterest and really nailed so many helpful tips in this one article. Am voting up and sharing too.
Thanks for this explanation, I've just joined Pinterest & it is really helpful to have this...have bookmarked...voted up & useful...
- Author
Sofs,
I'll send you an invite when I'm on my computer.
- Author
Yes Mazzy it is. Thanks for reminding me - I've written an article on that so better link it!
Well written about a spectacular site. Thanks for the tips. Voted up, useful and shared with my hub friends...
I think you invented this concept of MFP. You should copyright it.
I understand Pinterest better now, so thanks! However, isn't it breach of copyright to pin photos from anywhere on the Internet, unless they have a Creative Commons Licence?
Got it! Thanks for SHARING.
This is so helpful! Thank you for a clear explanation and great tips!
Good tips, especially the website that you mention, as the added effects and text can really capture some interest!
Up, useful and sharing ... oh and pinning of course ;-)
Great hub as always... maybe I could use a pinterest invite to explore the possibilities .
Thanks, this gives me some insight as to what Pintrest is about. I think I'll try it. Great hub, voting, up, useful and sharing.
- Author
Thank you! Shouldn't all the aussies be in bed? =D LOL
Thanks for this great explanation Pinned out and shared :-)
This is a good explanation of Pinterest with really helpful tips--well-done!
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