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!