If you are like most indie authors, you fall into one of two camps. Either you know you should do social media and spend too much time doing it or you know you should do social media but you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. I can help. I develop the Pinterest boards associated with the Beach Book Blast group, part of the WG2E Street team.
What is Pinterest: It is a site that you can “pin” stuff that you think is cool or you want other people to see. People troll Pinterest looking for things that interest them and either “repin” them to their boards or they can share a link with people that may not be on Pinterest.
Why you should use Pinterest:
Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social media platforms. Their growth curve has been faster than that of Google+, Twitter, and even Facebook. Pinterest also dominates all of those platforms for lead generation ie. Sales, in our case people looking at our books. Pinterest can be linked to your Facebook and Twitter accounts so that you are maximizing the time you spend.
How to use Pinterest as an indie author:
Obviously you want to reinforce your brand so use your author name as your user name and add your website or blogger address to your profile, a logo too if you have one. Pinterest discourages blatant self promotion. This is NOT the place you want to be screaming ‘buy my book’. First, I think everyone is a little tired of the visual spam and Pinterest doesn’t really work without followers, no one will follow you if you do that.
Some of the site’s power comes from the fact that anything you pin has a link attached to it showing where it came from. It is these links that people can follow back to your site or your favorite e-book vendor. If all you have is a collection of covers from your books you are missing the point. Think about Pinterest as a way of virtually collecting things without the dusting. Maybe you make a board featuring the cover of your latest Horror book with a collection of the best zombie pictures you can find on the web or if you really want to get creative maybe you do a tutorial for how to do great zombie makeup. If you have some of those pictures on your blog so much the better. Then those links can go back to your blog. Maybe your hero has some interesting tattoos or your heroine loves vintage clothes, showcase some of those. Maybe you show the visuals of your research sources. Play around and invite friends to give you their feed back.
For the initial Beach Book Blast Pinterest Page I put up the covers and short blurbs of the books being promoted along with some great info-graphics about e-reader use and how to find your perfect summer book. The graphics pulled people in that had no idea what BBB was but then got the covers and blurbs in front of a new set of eyes that were interested in reading and e-readers. A lot of those people also repinned those graphics and followed the board or group. That let the board spread beyond the followers.
The other way Pinterest can help you is with the “Pin It” button add it to all of your pages so that your readers can pin things from your site to their boards.
A Cautionary note: There has been a lot of talk recently about copyright and Pinterest. The jury is still out but best practices should be followed. Hey, we’re writers and we wouldn’t want someone stealing our hard work! Always give credit where credit is due. Think twice (maybe three times) about pinning someone’s photograph that they are trying to sell. Safest to put up is your own work, if you are using company logos in a way the company may not like, have a lawyer on retainer. When in doubt ask for permission.
Check out how I plan to use Pinterest to build momentum for the BBB Release party coming up August 14-18.
Okay, WG2E-Land: I gave you some ideas, how do you see yourself using Pinterest?
The Best of WG2E Beach Book Blast and Pinterest Wishes — L.C. Giroux
L.C. Giroux is an Amazon Best Selling author in the US and the UK for her contemporary romances. You can find her at: http://www.lcgiroux.com and http://pinterest.com/lcgiroux/
I got interested in Pinterest-ing a while ago – but I’m not really sure what all it does for me. I found some really cool pictures. I posted some cool photos as well as listing all of my e-books and traditionally published books. Followed a whack of people – but there doesn’t seem to be much of a mechanism to inspire “following” beyond just the simple act of going there everyday and checking out everyone’s photo albums. It needs to be set up like Facebook where they send you an e-mail to mention that “ALABASTER MCGUFFINBUTT HAS JUST PINNED A WONDERFULLY MIND-BLOWING IMAGE ON HIS FAVORITE PIMPLE PINTEREST ALBUM – YOU SHOULD GO AND CHECK IT OUT.
Barring this – an simple tracking mechanism like Twitter – where you can scroll down the whole page and check out the new Tweets that your “tweeples?” – “twit-a-zoids?”, “fellow-twitterers” have tweeted.
(PS: I dig Twitter – but I’m still trying to come to grips with my Twitter vocabulary. I don’t know if I’m a Tweep, a Peep, A Veep, or a Gleep – which I thought was when your BVD’s got hitched up in your butt)
Still, I am “following” your BEACH BOOK BLAST PINTEREST PAGE – although I am still groping with the differences between “following” someone and “stalking” them – and I look forward to pinteresting new experiences.
RELEASE THE PINTS!!!
Steve, Pinterest does send out periodic (vague wording because author has no clue of the frequency) emails that update your followers on stuff you have pinned along with other popular stuff that is being pinned. I actually think the aloofness of the site is part of it’s draw. You are looking for your particular treasure in a mountain of dross. But then I like challenges- Hey I’m an Indie Author.
Hey, L.C. That’s good to know. And I do recollect seeing at least one or two e-mails from Pinterest mentioning my most popular Pinterest image. It’s possible that I haven’t seen any more because I did not follow up on the initial post. It might be that I have somehow offended the Pinterest mechanism.
It might have been my breath. From now on I’ll type all my e-mails while keeping one hand discretely over my mouth.
As for the aloofness – you could well be right. I can see how that would appeal to some folks. However, speaking strictly for myself, I approach most social networks in the same way that a carpenter will approach a toolbox.
A very bad carpenter.
A carpenter who makes Red Green look skillful.
Hey, Steve. I found your comment to have an entertaining, comical flare that I enjoyed. So I checked out your blog, and enjoyed that, too. Because of this, I also reached out and followed you on the Twitterverse, and sent a friend request on good ol’ facebook. If you haven’t yet checked out the WG2E Street Team offshoot of this blog, please do. We have a facebook page you can join as well as a Yahoo thingy group thing you can join. Anyway, looking forward to being further entertained by you.
Dean
Hey Dean. Thanks for the follow. Sorry I didn’t reply sooner, but I’ve been busy working at a waterfront busker festival, here in Halifax.
I’ll make sure I follow your WG2E Street Team blog offshoot – even though it sounds a little like something my doctor might warn me not to catch.
I likewise Facebook – but I’ve never much luck doing the Yahoo. Might be because I’m too much of a yahoo myself.
Steve
I’ve likewise added the WG2E button to my blog sideboard – along with a link. You folks always have solid pertinent and entertaining info and I’m happy to do my bit to help out as part of the WG2E Street Team.
I really like the pins that list long processes for something with graphics. Recently I came across a crime scene investigation pin. You start at the top with the body, and then go through the steps. It’s clear, concise, and helpful to my murder-mystery writing.
Thanks for the great post, L.C.!
Hey BeachBookBlast Buddy!
I am always amazed at the depth of the tutorials on there and most are super easy to follow.
Glad you liked the post!
Terrific post, L.C.!
Here’s all the scoop on how I use Pinterest:
http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/authors-heres-a-superfab-fun-way-to-connect-with-readers-pinterest
Note: I’ve built up a following on Pinterest faster than on any other social media platform so far!
Aw! (blushes)
D.D. you really use it to increase your brand presence which it is great for. No one going to your boards would miss who you are and as Indie authors that is a big part of what we need to do since we don’t have a big PR dept. branding us. Your article has some really great ideas of how an author can start doing that.
I use it to show off my new book covers. Pictures I’ve taken and placed on my blog to show my inspiration also to show books that I like. Movies also I love to see and pictures from my travels. Also I comment on others pictures. Follow large brands that have some relation to my books.
LM, those are all fabulous ways for readers to get to know your books and to get to know you as an author.
Excellent tips for using Pinterest. I’ve recently added a bunch of photos, but haven’t gotten to adding to my book pages yet. Thanks for the inspiration!
Great post, L.C.!
I confess, I am Pinterest shy. Or maybe just reluctant to learn yet another social media system. But you’ve given me motivation and some clear ideas about how to begin.
And I luv the book spine tattoo you put on the Beach Book Blast Pinterest board!
Glad I could help with the shyness! It really is super easy to use because it is all visual. You are not stuck trying to be witty and erudite in 140 characters or coming up with words that you could be using in your writing. I warn my students all the time about the “John Mayer” syndrome. i.e. spending all your time composing social media to the point that you have no creativity left for the words that make your living.
Isn’t that tattoo great? Not sure I’m up to that level of commitment. There was another one that I saw but couldn’t find when I went back that had a stack of old books on the side of some guy’s torso. It was pretty awesome too.
I have been using it to indicate to others what interests me (eg health, teaching children) and for promoting my ebooks by repinning pictures that can be connected to my work, and by pinning images I find or have taken connected to my books inc covers. Just had an idea to put up cover for my forthcoming magical romance ebook. Let’s go and do it now.
Julie those are all excellent ideas! and an Atta Girl! for jumping on the task while it is still fresh in your mind! I SOOO need to work on that.
I’m using it similar to how you mentioned – book covers and then concepts from the story. Then I just stick stuff up there that I love and enjoy. Pinterest to me is the easiest of all the networks. I have the Pin It button and when I see something I like I use it. I think it has grown so fast because it is visual. I definitely have a visual learning style, followed by kinesthetic – hands on. I need to see something, then do it or touch it. Pinterest is perfect for me. It’s simple, uncomplicated, I don’t feel like I have to be there all the time, but when I’m there I discover some really cool stuff.
I don’t know that I’ve gotten blog traffic or book sales from it, but at this point it’s something to have fun with and connect with people in a different way.
Christina, I agree with you on everything. You can check to see if you are getting traffic on your blog from it through your analytics. I use Google’s free suite. I could do a lot more with them but I love being able to see where people come from.
I wish I could use it. I have satellite internet and for some reason, whenever I try and get onto pinterest it just won’t load. It tries and tries for ages (I left it running for 2 hours once and it still hadn’t loaded). Not sure if this is something to do with my internet but it’s the only site I have trouble with
.
Alison that is weird. Could it be a browser issue? I always hear horror stories about people trying to use Smashwords with Chrome. Maybe it is something similar?
I love Pinterest! I think is so successful because it’s fun, easy to use, and you’re not focused on numbers–how many friends or followers you have. (At least it seems that way to me.)
I have boards for some of my favorite things: All Things Bookish, Bookshelves, Clouds, Vintage Travel Posters, Passport (Exotic Travel), etc.
I also have a boards for my WIP. I pin inspiration photos of settings, personal style, and research articles. As the books are published, I’ll link to the boards so that readers can get a first-hand glimpse of the inspiration for the story. Here’s an example for my travel thriller: http://pinterest.com/srosett/elusive-an-on-the-run-travel-thriller/.
Pinterest is one of those social media sites like Twitter. There’s a buzz around it, but so far it has done nothing for building my readership. The only thing I’ve gotten out of it is lots of spam links from companies saying ‘we liked your image, but you’re not google optimized, buy our service.’ I’m getting more spam from Pinterest than any other site.
Thanks for the chat about pinterest. I was sort of shying away from it….just another social media thingy to master…but now I am intrigued. As a photographer, I’m a highly visual person myself, so now pinterest doesn’t seem so scary to me anymore. Not having to write witty or thoughtful stuff is a relief, cuz after working it on fb and twitter, the well gets dry. thanks a bunch!