How To Use Pinterest

1. You can save all the images you find online in a single, streamlined place.


2. You can pin any image from any website using the simple "Pin It" button, also known as the pinmarklet.


3. You can create unlimited boards about anything and everything that interests you.


4. You can organize your pins onto themed pinboards.


5. You can discover anything from new recipes and travel destinations to birthday cake ideas and decorating tips.


6. You can follow other Pinterest members (or just the boards you like).


7. You can contribute new pins to someone else's board, if their settings allow it.


8. You can repin another member's pins onto your own board.


9. You can comment on your favorite pins.


10. You can mention another Pinterest user when commenting on or describing a new pin.


11. You can share your pins on Twitter and Facebook.


12. You can like a pin, which will add it to the "likes" section of your profile.


13. You can invite others to follow you on Pinterest with cute buttons. Click mine in the introduction to check out my pinboards!

Unlike other social media sites, Pinterest requires prospective members to request an invitation. Although it seems exclusive at first click, signing up for Pinterest is actually pretty simple (and pretty much guaranteed). How can you request an invite? After visiting the Pinterest homepage, click "Request an Invitation" and enter your e-mail address. You'll receive an instant "Thanks For Joining the Pinterest Waiting List" e-mail and, within a few hours, an official invitation.

1. Connect with your Facebook or Twitter account. This one's mandatory. Why? Because Pinterest cares about quality, and one of the best ways to ensure high-quality content is to deter the spammers, trolls and shameless self-promoters from signing up in the first place.


2. Edit your profile. Pinterest will automatically import your photo and bio from either Twitter or Facebook, but don't forget to add a link to your website, blog or Squidoo lensmaster page! Including a link is a great way to give your future followers an opportunity to learn even more about you.


3. Install the "Pin It" button. The "Pin it" button, or pinmarklet, makes pinning images incredibly easy. If you decided not to install the pinmarklet when you first signed up, you can always access it by visiting the Goodies section of Pinterest's About page.


4. Invite your friends. Thanks to your Facebook or Twitter account, you can easily find friends who are already using Pinterest. You can also e-mail invitations to your friends who don't already use the site.


5. Get pinning! You stumble across hundreds of interesting things online every single day. Why not share them with the world?

Have an image you want to share? You've got to have to somewhere to pin it! New pinboards can be created anytime by clicking the "Add" button on your Pinterest navigation bar. Don't forget to categorize your board and name it something clever or eye-catching to gain other pinners' attention.

There are two ways to pin an image. First, you can upload a photo to Pinterest from your computer by clicking the "Add" button on your navigation bar. This is a great option for pinning images that aren't already hosted online.

But let's say you find an interesting image on a blog or website. Rather than saving the image to your computer and then re-uploading it to Pinterest, you can simply click the "Pin It" button, which you should have already installed by now! (What's that you say? You forgot? That's ok! Find it here).

When you click the "Pin It" button, you will be given the option to pin any of the images embedded on the webpage you're currently visiting. You'll also have the opportunity to choose which board you're pinning to and to describe your new pin. Don't worry about copy-pasting the source url into the description. All images pinned to Pinterest automatically retain the url of their original sources!

• Contribute to the Pinterest community. Put yourself out there! Pinterest is a social site so comment on the pins you love and start a conversation with the people who share your interests.
• Create boards that are visually striking and unique. The more visually appealing your boards are the more views, repins and likes you'll get. Pin only the best of what you find while browsing the web and pay attention to color schemes and board themes.
• Allow others to contribute pins to your boards. When you create a new board, Pinterest gives you the option to allow others to add pins as well. This is a great way to involve your friends and followers.
• Add your website to your profile. If people become interested in you, they will want to know more about you. Give them a place to find that information! How? Scroll down for the details!

• pinning low quality, generic images because you want to increase your blog's traffic
• creating an entire board dedicated to the items currently available in your Etsy shop
• dropping links to your website every time you comment on a pin

• pinning high quality, unique images because you want to share what inspires you
• commenting on and sharing pins because you genuinely like them
• pinning one or two items from your Etsy shop because they're awesome and they fit the theme of your board

How To Add a Link to Your Profile

1. Hover over your username in the Pinterest navigation bar.
2. Click "Preferences"
3. Beside your e-mail address, click "Edit"
4. Add your url where it says "Website"
5. Click "Save Profile"

Creating your own Squidoo pages (called "lenses") is fun, easy and free. You can even make some cash along the way. Squidoo's top writers earn more than $1000 per month! Ready to check it out for yourself? Join Squidoo here and start writing!