What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows users to manage theme-based image collections that can include events, hobbies, and interests. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes, favorite places to travel, and so much more. You can also browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

Why should I use Pinterest?

Pinterest gives the opportunity to share different ideas through the use of photos for your CSU department, organization, or program. Different ideas or plans can be organized through different boards. Through Pinterest you can share a variety of insights into the CSU community.

How do I use Pinterest?

Begin by setting up an account here. You can register via Facebook, Twitter, or an email address.

What is a pin? A pin is an image added to Pinterest. A pin can be added from a website using the Pin It button, or you can upload images from your computer. Each pin added using the Pin It button links back to the site it came from.

What is a board? A board is a set of pins. . Start with 3-5 boards that are related to your department. Organize your pins into these boards by topic, so that your content is organized and easy to understand. A board can be created on an topic, such as ”We Love Colorado State,” Ultimate Ram Fan,” “Things to do Before You Leave,” “Going Green” etc. On these boards, users can have an unlimited number of pins.

Pin from outside your own site. Very few of your pins have to come from your site. Choose sites that are related to your own or follow non-CSU groups that are related to your topic to repin content.

What is following? “Following” someone allows you to see, in real time, what others are pinning. If the user that you are following creates a new board, you’ll automatically follow the new board as well. You can follow individual boards if you’re only interested in seeing pins being added to specific boards. You can unfollow other people or boards at any time and users are not notified.

Have some fun! Your followers may not want to repin dry, boring content as Pinterest is for entertainment. Don’t be afraid to repin funny or beautiful pins that are related to your content area.

By registering on Pinterest or using the Pinterest website, you are agreeing to Pinterest’s Terms of Service:

You must:

Set up a business account and not a individual user account

Acknowledge copyright and ownership of original work whenever possible

You must not:

Pin content that is explicit, creates a risk of harm to user, creates a risk of damage to property, encourages conduct that violates law, contains abusive or hateful language, or is fraudulent, false or misleading.

Use Pinterest for spamming your followers

Strategies for using Pinterest

Credit your sources! Pins are most useful when they include links back to the original source. Try to find the original source rather than a secondary source like an image search or blog entry.

Boards with Friends: Once you have made a board you can invite friends to edit and help you build out the board and add their own content.  When looking at the board, click “edit board” after that, click “who can pin?” and invite friends to pin to the board via email.

If you want to see anything that is already pinned for a website go to http://pinterest.com/source[website URL here]/add URL at the end

More Pinterest Tips

–          Narrow down your favorite subjects by searching through categories

–          Create different boards for different subject, pin your finds and be able to look at them later

–          Be yourself, Pinterest is a place for people to express their authentic selves.

–          You can follow individual boards if you’re only interested in seeing pins being added to specific boards

–          You can unfollow other people or boards at any time, and they will not be notified

–          You can “like” a pin to signify that you like it, if you do not want to repin it.

–          You can’t converse on Pinterest, but you can tell your friends what you love by putting the @ before their Pinterest name in the description and they will be sent a notification.