Do you want to try using Pinterest , even just to understand whether you like it or not? Perfect. In this article we will first of all tell you what it is, then we will also explain how it works.
PS: we assume no responsibility if, after reading our guide, you develop any form of addiction to Pins.
What is Pinterest
Pinterest is a social network based on images, or rather, on visual content, which allows its users to pin the most interesting contents of the web on virtual blackboards.
In English the term pin translates as pin , in fact Pinterest means “to pin an interest” (pin + interest).
The most popular topics are recipes, fashion, travel, and more generally anything that contains a list or ranking. However, don’t think that there are only cakes, hairstyles, places to visit or endless lists. As soon as you join, you will understand that the community’s interests go far beyond the simple dessert to prepare or the next shoes to buy.
Remember : there is no limit on the interests you can “pin” (pin) to your wall. You are therefore free to add as many Pins as you want, identifying a specific category for each of them so as to keep the board in order.
How Pinterest works
Before you start using Pinterest you need to register a new account. Once you have completed your registration, you can begin to populate your virtual wall with Pins , i.e. the contents that you find most interesting and worthy of being noted. To save one you simply have to touch it and press “Save”, choosing each time which board you want to insert it on.
Furthermore, it is also possible to interact with them: for example you can leave a heart to show appreciation, share the link and thus spread it to other users, or hide the topics you are not interested in.
We will now explain to you in detail how to use Pinterest if it is your first time , and to do so we will start with registration.
To sign up, download Pinterest from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone), then launch the app and select the method you prefer to complete the registration :
- Email address
- Continue with Facebook
- Continue with Google
Once you have entered your email or selected one of the two profiles of your choice between Facebook and Google, enter your name and surname plus your age, then press “Continue” to successfully complete the registration.
First contact
At the beginning you are asked to answer some questions like “How do you define yourself”, “What is your country or region”. Based on the answers you give, the system processes the topics that may interest you most. From those proposed you will have to choose 5 (or more), then tap “Next” at the top right to allow Pinterest to customize your feed .
After a few seconds the feed is ready. At the bottom you will find the menu , which is made up of four items:
- Home: The home page of the feed
- Search: Allows you to search for new content
- Notifications: the space where you can see comments or updates from other users
- Saved: here you see the Pins that you save from time to time
Create a bulletin board
To create your first Pinterest board, follow these simple steps:
- Tap an image that intrigues you among the many in the feed
- Tap on “Save”
- Type the name you want to assign to the board where you want to save the Pin
- Press “Create” to complete the creation of the board
You can view the virtual whiteboard you just saved under “Saved”. Other similar content appears below the Pin, but you can see much more if you select “More Ideas.” The “Organize” function is also available, which allows you to move Pins, create subsections with respect to the main category/board, share one or more contents, or delete them. The “Notes” option, on the other hand, can be useful for writing down something you want to remember or a list of things to do.
Interact with Pins
Interaction with Pins does not end with simply saving them on the wall. When you see content that interests you you can also :
- download the image to the device’s internal memory by tapping the three dots at the top right and selecting “Download image”
- copy the link to share or save it using the “Copy link” command
- add a comment by pressing the icon at the bottom left
- share it with any other app (WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, etc.)
- follow the “pinner” (the user who added the Pin) by clicking “Follow”
- visit the website that hosts the Pin by tapping on “Visit”
- add it to favorites via the star icon
- enter a note by tapping “Add a note”
Post a Pin
Anyone signed up to Pinterest is free to publish a Pin , then inserting it into a new board. Here is the procedure to do it:
- Go to “Saved”
- Tap “+” at the top right
- Press on “Pin”
- Select “Allow” to allow the app to access photos and other media stored on your phone
- Choose a photo or video and tap “Next” to continue
- Assign a title to the Pin, add the description and the destination website (if you have one), complete the alternative text and press “Next” again
- Tap “Create Board” to add a new board that hosts the Pin
- Tap “Create” to complete the creation of the board and publish the Pin
Pinterest Business
The standard version of Pinterest, the one described so far, is for personal use. However, there is also Pinterest Business, the version designed by the developers of the US social network for companies or creators who wish to make themselves known to a potentially huge audience.
Among the main features of Pinterest Business are:
- exclusive Pin formats
- better interaction with subscribers (Pinterest will show Pins to the people who like them most)
- promoting Pins via ads
- detailed statistical data on interactions
- collaboration with Pinterest Partners
To start using Pinterest Business, connect to this page and sign up, or use the “Switch to a business account” function in the “Account Settings” of the app.
Unsubscribe from Pinterest
If after trying it you think it is of little use to you, therefore preferring other social networks, you can delete the account in less than a minute:
- Go to “Saved”
- Tap the gear icon in the top right
- Tap on “Account Settings”
- Scroll down and select “Delete Account”
- Press “Continue” to confirm your desire to delete the profile together with all your Pins and boards
- Follow the instructions sent via email to the email address you registered with
Note : if you think you might return to using Pinterest in the future, instead of deleting your account, deactivate it (Account Settings > Deactivate Account). This way no one will be able to see your Pins or your profile, and your account will no longer be connected to Instagram, Etsy or YouTube.
Conclusions
Our Pinterest guide ends here. We hope we have answered all your questions comprehensively, and helped you understand a little better how what is certainly an atypical social network works.
Do you plan to use it? And if so, what is the reason that drives you to prefer it or even just combine it with other social networks? Let us know by leaving a comment on the article on our social networks, we are curious to know your opinion on the matter.
