Pinterest

 

Pinterest is an image-sharing app that works on all platforms. It’s basically scrapbooking, sans washi tape. Users can pin pictures from web pages or search on Pinterest to create pages and interest boards. The app is free and cloud-based so that data is accessible from one device to the next. Pinboards can be public or private. It’s simple, easy, and very useful.

After you get a Pinterest account, the program asks a few questions. Gender (or opt for non-specific), country, and language. Then it ask
s for your interests. Choose five from their lists. You can always change later. (Which is good because they suggested Nail Art for me about six times. That’s a no from me. LOL) Pinterest then suggests a set of “pins” for you, pictures from various sources that might interest you based on the categories you clicked. Select one or go to the Search bar and find your real interests. If you select one, you can choose from various options. To save the picture, click Save on the top right of the pin. It goes to your profile or a board you’ve already created. To see the source of the image, click the bottom left. This will send you from Pinterest to wherever the user clipped the image from. To send it to other social media or email, press the upload icon. Last, the three dots let you download, hide, or report a pin. Hide merely tells the app you’re not interested in that pin. Report lets you mark offensive or inappropriate pictures.

To create your own boards, click on the icon of your profile. Press the Plus button on the right to create a new pin or board. Name your board. Then type in the search bar for material for the board. You can continually add more pins to any board. Once added, you can drag-and-drop images to organize the board.

You can join friends on Pinterest by adding them through their name or email using the dialog button on the top right. Pinterest informs you what they are up to and who likes your pins and boards with the bell icon.

How does this help authors?

Pinterest is another great way to show off your books. Start by making a board for your book. Add in inspirational pictures of your characters, setting, even cover art possibilities. Share the boards on other social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Add personal interest boards about your hobbies, vacations, fandoms. Market your book through mutual interests, free samples, and branding. Use pins from other users, especially authors, to share your love of their projects and pins. Create curiosity for future books by making dream boards of titles to come. Then share, share, share. Check out this article from BookBub for more Pinterest ideas.

It all seems so simple because it is. Pinterest is not the most popular social media app, but it is the easiest, in my opinion. It’s mostly click-and-share. If you are new to social media, try this one to ease into the marketing world!