I’ve been hearing (and talking) a lot about Pinterest. This new hot social media platform is proving to be a great traffic generator for visually-based businesses. (Like ours.)
But I’ve also been hearing plenty of questions about Pinterest’s guidelines against self-promotion and if there’s still a way to use it to promote your work.
Which is why I put together this video guide to using Pinterest to promote your products (the right way).
This video isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about encouraging others to share your products on Pinterest.
Pinterest is a fantastic tool for connecting your products with people and driving traffic back to your site. (If you use it properly.) This video helps you do that.
Was this video helpful? Tweet it out!
Just copy and paste one of the tweets below:
Promote your Products with Pinterest (the right way) – http://bit.ly/x07hgc
Check out Designing an MBA’s guide to Promoting your Products with Pintrest – http://bit.ly/x07hgc
Want to learn how to use Pinterest for your business? – watch this video – http://bit.ly/x07hgc
Or, pin this on Pinterest. (Pretty please!)
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Megan Auman is a designer, maker, educator, and entrepreneur who has built a multi-faceted business around her passion for great design and sustainable business. Her 
I must say, before watching the video, I thought (exactly as you say in the video) ‘I don’t have time to join another site and look at pretty pictures!’ However, putting the ‘pin it’ buttons on my website and Big Cartel shop seems worth it. Thanks, Megan!
Thanks for this. I’ve been wondering where to point artists who are looking at how to engage with Pinterest in a productive way.
Nice video. I’m an “early adopter” of pinterest and you taught me a bunch. Now I need to get back to my shop and blog.
Great info Megan! I also thought I didn’t have time for another SM site before watching this video. You have spelled it out simply and clearly on how to use pinterest effectively. Thank you!
This was so helpful. Thanks Megan! I happily tweeted about this post via one of the tweets you provided.
Dear Megan………absolutely fantastic information. You are amazing. I love Pinterest and use it a lot, but you gave me new ideas for my company. Definitely tweeted this! I also use an easy WP widget (can’t remember if you discussed it), here is the link: http://flauntyoursite.com/pin-it-on-pinterest/
Thank you for all that you share, Sondra
That was the plugin I mentioned in the video! Thanks for sharing the link!
Hey! Thanks for posting this – I have been using Pinterest for several months and absolutely love it. It does drive a lot of traffic to my Etsy shop too.
One thing – I tried putting my shop url in the way you suggested and it didn’t work – could this be because I am linking to an Etsy shop? I tried adding www and http etc but still did not work…
Thanks!
Alison – a few other people had this question. It looks like this doesn’t work with individual Etsy shops, because of the way Etsy has subdomains set up.
I would recommend checking the Google analytics for your shop, because they can give you an idea of where the pins are coming from!
Thank you for this generous amount of information. Wonderful overview of the site.
Melita
Thanks a bunch! My shop is all updated with pinterest buttons. (As I know little about coding I had to look up the how to get the image URL. Once I had that it was a cinch!)
Thank you for posting such an informative video about Pinterest! I am new to it and you really gave a great summary and valuable ideas on ways to get my art and projects on there. I just got my invite the other day and cannot wait to make boards. The photos and ideas are so inspiring. Thanks
[...] designinganmba.com [...]
I just learned about Pinterest last week and have been fascinated. I chose a name that I’m not sure I want (hope it’s not like Etsy where you cannot change the name). This format really speaks to me — the fun, the visual attractiveness.
Thank you so much for this incredible post!
Thank you so much, this was super helpful. I really love Pintrest, I think it’s important that you use what social media you feel comfortable with, and enjoy too. Going to follow up all your fantastic tips
Thank again 
:D:D
This was so very helpful. Thank you. I also love the picture of the little girl you picked. Mostly because that is my photo and my little girl. I LOVE it!
Great video! I’ve been noticing lately many visitors to my Etsy Shop and Blog are finding me on Pinterest which made me realize I need to spend more working to have my photos pinned. Thanks for the tips how to do it the right way!
Thanks!! I’ve just uploaded this to my blog. Can’t wait to see what it does!
Great video! I love Pinterest and I appreciate your information in helping me promote my work! Thank you!
Now I love Pinterest even more!
Thanks for posting this! I’ve been also wondering how Pinterest could help my children’s clothing business and this is so perfect!
Absolutely fantastic information, thanks so much, I will get to pinning, ASAP. Love your site. It is ALWAYS helpful and full of tips.
Hi Megan, I learn so much from you thank you. I paused this video half way through went to my pinterest account, deleted some boards, changed some titles and merged some boards. I chose 1 relevant product from my shop with an interesting image and added it to one of my boards. It has already been repinned. thank you so much for showing me how to use a site I already use to potentially bring traffic to my store. x
Tammy – I love hearing that you paused the video to get to work! I actually kept doing that as I was researching/working on the video. I would learn something, go apply it, and then come back and figure out how to work it in the video!
Wow, this is so fantastic, Megan. Such great information for consideration and it’s helping me a ton in planning a strategy for my online products.
Great post! I was taking notes the whole time! Tons of great ideas. I think I am going to put a ‘pin it’ button on my big cartel shop items today!
Thank you.
Megan, Thank you for this video! Down in the Keys, we are a little slow to catch up with the rest of the world. I’ve been slowly hearing about Pinterest through friends, but haven’t had the time or know how to really explore the site. I really appreciate you giving us the low down on how it works and the best way to use the site. – Grace
Hi Megan, Thank you so much for the video. I too paused it to add a “Pin It” button to an item in my Big Cartel shop. Thanks for sharing!
thanks so much! super helpful.
Hey!
1) I loved this video
2) I recognized that Cosmos’ “pin”
I love this video. Pinterest has been a little confusing but your video is a great help!
I’m not sure if I should use my name or my business name for my pinterest account. What is your opinion on this? Thank you!
Loved your video, very informative! I’ve bookmarked your blog and shared your video. Thank you!
You are a treasure!!! Tried to pin this from your “pin it” button but am asked to log in. Going to request an invitation from Pinterest now. Thank You!
Thanks for some great information.
What great information! As an artist new to the online world I’m thrilled to find this site. It’s a much needed tool for me. I look forward to reading more about how to make my business successful. Thank you!
[...] and purpose and creating visuals that people will want to share on blogs and social media (like Pinterest)! When you approach marketing this way, not only will it be more effective, but also more [...]
Exemplary content, Megan, and fabbytastic video tutorial!
I recently received an invitation from a fellow blogger to join Pinterest. You have convinced me to accept the invite and proceed with using Pinterest as an awesome online marketing tool.
Thank You.
Most shareable post I’ve devoured this week!
Thank you! I just updated our shop site for pinterest. You were right, it took a few minutes but I think it was worth it. I’ll be checking back often for more great advice.
Wow! I guess I’ve had my head stuck in the sand! I was totally unaware of Pinterest. Thanks so much for all the great info. One question, you mentioned wordpress as your blog platform of choice. Why do you prefer it over others like Blogger. I’m in the planning phases of a blog and hope to avoid any pitfalls I can.
Thanks so much,
Susan
WOw thanks so much this has so much info we can use!! FABULOUS!
Megan, this is a wonderful and informative video with excellent info that I am sharing with all of my friends, followers and clients.
I’m a Pinterest junkie and don’t want to do anything to spoil the fun, but why not use it to our advantage as a marketing tool. It’s another way to share what we do, which is what we love, in the hopes others will love them too..
[...] In other news I’ve started ‘Pinning’. If you haven’t heard, Pinterest is the hot new social media site right now. I was asked to join a couple months ago but didn’t really get into it until I watched this video by Megan Auman. [...]
Thanks, Megan!
I’ve been hesitant to self-promote on Pinterest! I need this : )
Sara
Thanks so much Megan – I didn’t think i had time for a 20 minute video but before long I was taking notes!! I’m going to add pin it buttons to all my products! Great stuff!
Thank you so much for this video – it was very informative and provided a lot of great tips on encouraging others to pin your products. I’ve seen traffic from items that I have pinned myself, so that I know that Pinterest can be a very effective tool.
[...] ability to utilize Pinterest to promote my Etsy shop. I found the Designing and MBA video post Promoting Your Items on Pinterest extremely informative and [...]
Great information! I too have had difficulty checking what is getting repinned.
Very concise information, I didn’t know about the little pin it button for blog features, will go and have a look at that now!
[...] Promoting your products with Pinterest [...]
Excellent post it was needed I will be able to relay the information too my friends they will love your blog. Thank You
thank you!! excellent information and I totally appreciate that you shared it with us for free. thank you!
I’ve been readin quite a few articles about concerns regarding Pinterest and potential copyright violations-a big concern for visua artists trying to maintain some sort of control over their images. Do you have any concerns on this issue?
What an amazingly informative post – thank you so much for sharing that information!
bookmarked!!, I really like your web site!
This is the perfect webpage for everyone who wishes to find out about this topic. You know so much its almost tough to argue with you (not that I really will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a topic that’s been discussed for decades. Excellent stuff, just great!
You need to take part in a contest for one of the best sites on the net. I am going to highly recommend this site!
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Thanks Megan for Pinterest 101 : )
Awesome video Megan…I can’t tell you how much I have learned from your Designing an MBA website! I’m just starting my jewelry business and you have given me so many great pointers. You rock! And you jewelry is lovely…my favorite is the Lucy necklace-so versatile.
[...] to know more about promoting your products with Pinterest? Check out my video tutorial! (It’s free.) Pin [...]