Using Pinterest to Market Your Book


If you had asked me a few months ago what Pinterest was, I couldn’t have told you, but it’s now one of my favorite websites.  In fact, it’s a favorite site for a lot of people.  Oh, you don’t know what it is? Think of Pinterest as an online bulletin board. People virtually pin things that they find entertaining, useful, or beautiful. To help you organize your pictures you create boards. For example, maybe you have a thing for beautiful doors so you create a board titled doors and pin pretty pictures of doors.  Is cake decorating your thing?  Make a board and pin pictures of beautiful cakes.

You can find Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com.  You’ll have to request an invitation, and after you’re approved, they’ll give you super simple directions on how to install your pin button.  Then, you can create your boards and start posting the eye candy.  You can follow pinners whose pins you like just like you follow people on Twitter. This is all easy to do even if you aren’t a computer guru.

Pinterest is fun.  I spend time there when I probably should be writing, but it’s positively intoxicating once you get started.  It can also be an effective marketing tool.  Just think about it; Pinterest is the third most popular social network behind Facebook and Twitter.  Most of the pinners are women between the ages of 25-44, just the folks I think might like to read the books I write. So, how can I use Pinterest to promote my book?

First, why not put a Pin It button on your website or blog so people can easily pin your book covers?  Add a link back to an online retailer like Amazon, and you just might sell some books.  To get the code for the Pin It button go here: http://pinterest.com/about/goodies.  

Second, get creative.  Did you write a description of a log cabin nestled beside a beautiful, sparkling lake?  Find a picture and pin it.  Did one of your characters get married?  Show the dress, the bridesmaid dresses, cake, and flowers.

Third, you can pin videos. Do you have book trailers?  Pin them for others to see.

Fourth, have a big ‘Follow Me on Pinterest’ button on your website or blog so people will know you’re a pinner.

Fifth, you can add a paragraph about you in your Pinterest profile.  I’d be sure to include my website and blog URLs.

Sixth, Repin others’ pins as well as adding your own unique content.  The person whose picture you repin get an email notification as well as a credit on your pin which in turn increases their following. 
Seventh, when you do a blog post, optimize it for Pinterest by adding pictures.

Eighth, why not have a Pinterest contest? You’re probably a lot more creative than I am, but here’s a possible example of a contest you can do. First, pin pictures of your book covers.  To enter the contest pinners must repin their favorite cover.  Perhaps you could give an ecopy of the book to the pinner who got you the most repins.

Ninth, Don’t forget to use SEO keywords when you describe your pins.

Last, have fun.  Enjoy all the pretty pictures and daydream about faraway places and beautiful spaces.  
No, wait. That’s not last. Last is following me on Pinterest.  http://www.pinterest.com/elainecantrell.  Thanks so much!

Guest post by Elaine Cantrell. Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services from Clemson University and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary sorority for women educators.  She is also a member of Romance Writer’s of America and EPIC authors.  Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest and was published in 2004 by Oak Tree Books.  At present she teaches high school social studies.


website:  http://www.elainecantrell.com
blog:  http://www.elainepcantrell.blogspot.com
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/elainepcantrell
Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/elainecantrell
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/elainecantrell http://www.http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=11343720

http://www.amazon.com/Never-Trust-Pretty-Wolf-ebook/dp/B0088346GK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339027299&sr=1-1



Elaine will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate to one randomly drawn commenter and encourage you to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/06/virtual-book-tour-never-trust-pretty.html.

18 Comments

  1. Goddess Fish Promotions15 August 2012 at 12:54

    Thank you for hosting Elaine today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ruth J. Hartman15 August 2012 at 16:22

    Great post, Elaine! I'm on Pinterest, but am not using it like I could be. Thanks for the new ideas :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. M. S. Spencer15 August 2012 at 16:25

    I love Pinterest--I'll retweet the link to your post so more people can get involved. I have boards for each of my books & post photos of the settings and things. It's great fun & easy to use. M. S.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous15 August 2012 at 16:29

    I've only just begun on Pinterest for my book. I love the ideas you have here. I already added a pin it button to my website. So cool! Thanks for the advice.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Patricia Kiyono15 August 2012 at 17:17

    Great suggestions, Elaine. I'm just getting started on Pinterest and I have my covers there, but you've got a lot of proactive ideas that I'll have to implement. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous15 August 2012 at 18:38

    I'm still just wading into social media, but Pinterest does sound intriguing. Thanks for the tips!

    vitajex(at)aol(Dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Joanne15 August 2012 at 18:50

    Congrats on the new release. Thanks for the great post. Pinterest sounds intriguing. I'll have to check it out. Your book sounds fantastic. Can't wait to read it.

    e.balinski(at)att(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  8. Elaine Cantrell15 August 2012 at 20:18

    Ladies, thank you so much for coming. i do think Pinterest has a lot of potential. I've noticed that lots of sites selling various products have a pin it button, so businesses are catching on to this great marketing technique.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lisa Orchard15 August 2012 at 22:27

    Great post Elaine! I'm on Pinterest but have not been using it like I should! Thanks for showing me the light! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Elaine Cantrell15 August 2012 at 23:10

    Thank you for coming, Lisa. I hope the post helped a little.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rita Wray15 August 2012 at 23:14

    I don't use Pinterest but you have me interested.
    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chelsea B.16 August 2012 at 01:54

    You know, I've actually never been to Pinterest. I know it!!! I hear people gush over it all the time, and yet, here I am, all on my lonesome ;-)

    justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Catherine Lee16 August 2012 at 02:49

    I'm not an author, but I did recently sign up for Pinterest. I haven't actually used it yet. Your post makes me want to take another look at it.
    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Susan Shapley16 August 2012 at 07:27

    Elaine-
    I'm a high school English teacher; I taught for nearly 40 years and am retired now. Apparently, we have a career in common as well as a love for romance literature. I'm very interested in hearing about Pinterest and am anxious to try it. I'm also looking forward to reading your new book.
    Susan Shapley
    susanshapley@sutv.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Mary Preston16 August 2012 at 11:22

    I can see how Pinterest could be very useful for writers to promote their work.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Unknown16 August 2012 at 14:20

    Thank you, Elaine, for sharing a very informative post.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Meg16 August 2012 at 15:34

    Great post, Elaine! I do love Pinterest, and need to use it more.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Buy Pinterest Followers25 February 2013 at 12:05

    I use Pinterest. It is amazing and addictive once you start getting the followers and there nice appreciative comments.

    ReplyDelete

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