{"id":11242,"date":"2012-11-20T10:00:15","date_gmt":"2012-11-20T15:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.shareaholic.com\/?p=11242"},"modified":"2014-05-09T12:38:58","modified_gmt":"2014-05-09T16:38:58","slug":"run-a-pin-it-to-win-it-contest-pinterest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shareaholic.com\/blog\/run-a-pin-it-to-win-it-contest-pinterest\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Run A “Pin It To Win It” Contest on Pinterest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to enable more social sharing on your site? Get Shareaholic’s Share Buttons now<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

So Pinterest is a pretty big deal–if you\u2019re a follower of Shareaholic, this isn\u2019t news to you<\/a>. With the addictive nature of the platform and it’s wild growth over the past 18 months, it\u2019s not surprising contests and giveaways have become popular.<\/p>\n

And how convenient: the words \u2018pin\u2019 & \u2018win\u2019 rhyme. Seems only natural to see promotions spring up on Pinterest. But what does \u2018Pin It To Win It<\/em>\u2019 actually mean? How does a \u2018Pin It To Win It\u2019 contest work?<\/p>\n

What’s the Definition of \u2018Pin It To Win It\u2019?<\/h3>\n

That question can only be answered by you. Seriously, it\u2019s the wild west right now in Pinterest promotion-land and you\u2019ve probably seen a lot of creative and awesome promotions spring up because if it. Folks use the term ‘Pin It To Win It’ because a) it signifies a Pinterest promotion is running, b) it\u2019s the term everyone knows and is familiar with and that\u2019s partly because of c) it rolls off the tongue so well. There have also been variations of promotions where entrants pin items they want to win.<\/p>\n

So why a promotion on Pinterest?<\/strong> Depends on what you\u2019re trying to accomplish. Could be a fun way to give back to your readers, increase site traffic, grow your Pinterest following, bring awareness to a new product, or help rid of excess inventory. The sky’s the limit. And that\u2019s why these \u2018Pin It To Win It\u2019 contests have become so popular.<\/p>\n

Compared to Facebook\u2019s promotion guidelines<\/a>, Pinterest’s rules are pretty relaxed and open to interpretation. In fact, Pinterest just recently announced Pinterest for Business earlier this month, which included a few paragraphs about Pinterest promotion guidelines (details here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

‘Pin It To Win It’ Contest Rules<\/h3>\n

I know I said there are no such thing as rules set guidelines to a PITWI promotion–but hang tight! While that\u2019s true, there\u2019s a popular Pinterest contest template that many brands have used to run their \u2018Pin It To Win It\u2019 contests. Let\u2019s draw up an example.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s November. The holiday season is coming up. As the recently hired marketing manager at the Ermahgerd Gingerbread Cookie Company (EGCookieCo for short), your boss is expecting you to make a splash on Pinterest. The promotion might have a title image that looks something like this:<\/p>\n

\"Ermahgerd<\/p>\n

The above example is pretty common. But it\u2019s tried and true. Slap together some terms and conditions along with a free year\u2019s supply of sweets and we\u2019re off to the races. If you\u2019re looking for a ideas for your first Pinterest promotion, this is a great place to start.<\/p>\n

Get creative–the sky’s the limit<\/strong>. Why not ask folks to upload their own images to their board? Maybe turn it into a contest where folks compete over who can make the best gingerbread house. Set up different categories and prizes. Go wild!<\/p>\n

Or go in a different direction altogether. Design a scavenger hunt. Partner with other bloggers. The possibilities are endless. While you still should keep focused on your promotion\u2019s end goal, sometimes experimenting and trying something completely new pays off. Don\u2019t be afraid to take a risk!<\/p>\n

9 Pinterest Contest Guidelines & Considerations<\/h3>\n

There are so many things to consider when you run a \u2018Pin It To Win It\u2019 contest. You\u2019ll discover many of them as you go, but consider the nine below as a starting point.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Create a Title Image.<\/strong> An attractive image that looks good on your blog, looks good on your followers\u2019 Pinterest boards, that describes the promotion\u2019s terms will not only add to the legitimacy of your promotion, it\u2019ll also help spread the word.<\/li>\n
  2. Hashtags & Captions.<\/strong> Asking entrants to add a hashtag to their pinned image can help you track the promotion as well as allow them to follow along. Having folks leave a caption alongside a hashtag that answers a question can create more of an emotional connection.<\/li>\n
  3. Board Category.<\/strong> If you ask folks to create a board in your Pinterest promotions, they\u2019ll have to place their board in a category.<\/li>\n
  4. Terms and Conditions.<\/strong> Both you and your readers deserve to be protected. When the giveaway starts, who is eligible, how to officially enter, and the prizes are all items that should be included in your promotion\u2019s terms and conditions.<\/li>\n
  5. Tracking Entries.<\/strong> You\u2019ll need a way to track entries into your promotion. Rafflecopter can help facilitate this process. We\u2019ve also seen many folks ask their entrants to email their entries.<\/li>\n
  6. Clear Instructions.<\/strong> In addition to your terms and conditions, the instructions that you present to your readers should be clear. Chances are you\u2019ll have a few steps for your entrants to follow. Help them every step of the way.<\/li>\n
  7. Entrant Effort vs Prize Value.<\/strong> Don\u2019t give out $10 gift cards to two lucky entrants that create a board with over 50 items. No one wants to work to the point where the payout isn\u2019t worth it.<\/li>\n
  8. Contest vs Sweepstakes.<\/strong> Consider if you want your promotion to be a contest or a sweepstakes. A contest would require judging and a little more brainstorming around how the winner will be selected. A sweepstakes would require choosing a winner at random, which is logistically easier.<\/li>\n
  9. Giveaway Best Practices.<\/strong> Probably not a bad time for an online giveaway best practices refresher – check out the ‘4 P\u2019s to a Successful Online Giveaway<\/a>\u2019.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Rafflecopter & Shareaholic Giveaway: Enter To Win!<\/h3>\n

    Boosh! Before you head off to create your own promotion, we\u2019ve got something for you to check out. We\u2019ve teamed up with Shareaholic to run a giveaway of our own. 10 winners will receive a one-month subscription to Rafflecopter\u2019s premium account\u00a0(to be released tomorrow!)<\/strong>\u00a0and a Shareaholic tee-shirt (ARV $75 ea., $750 total). Check out the image and enter on the widget below!<\/p>\n

    \"Rafflecopter<\/p>\n

    All images pinned in this giveaway will be compiled on a board in Rafflecopter’s Pinterest account. Giveaway is open worldwide and ends at midnight EST on Monday, December 10th. 10 winners will be notified by email.<\/p>\n

    Enter To Win Below – Good Luck!<\/h2>\n

    a Rafflecopter giveaway<\/a>
    \n