Have you ever wondered what you’re supposed to do when people start commenting on, liking, or re-pinning your Pinterest posts? If you thought you had to respond to every action, think again. . .
In today’s article, I’m going to explain 4 ways you can socialize and build good relationships on Pinterest, without running the risk of alienating your followers.
1. Be selective in your communication
According to Ashley Davidson, Social Media Manager for Voices.com, “Pinterest works best when you communicate with others. The more you give, the more you get. However, it’s not necessary to engage with every post.”
Business Coach for Creatives, Laura C. George agrees.
Laura says, “No one is tracking all the pins they ‘like’ or re-pins to make sure that the person who pinned them first properly responds. It’s less social than that. You’re not even expected to follow someone back who follows one of your boards. It’s more about making sure you’re sharing things that fit your brand.”
That’s right! You don’t have to follow everyone who is following you, and you don’t have to comment on or like every post of someone who has done the same for you. . . so don’t feel obligated to do so.
2. Stay true to your brand
“People use Pinterest for inspiration and visual stimulation so only re-pin content that can be useful to your followers,” says Ashley. “Try to think in the eyes of your customer and ask yourself ‘How useful is this to me?’ If the post doesn’t contain a message that best presents your brand or doesn’t add value to your community of followers, it’s best to just leave it alone.”
It’s quite simple really, if you’re using your Pinterest account to communicate with art collectors, gallery owners, and others who may do business with you, it’s best to keep your comments, pins, and re-pins focused on your business.
You can always create a second account for more personal stuff, like creating a board full of items you’d like to decorate your baby’s room with.
3. Respond with purpose
Kelsey Jones of The Social Robot believes that when you do choose to respond to a pin, comment, or like, you should only do so “if it is genuine.”
In other words, don’t comment simply to make it known that you’ve noticed the other person’s pin, comment, like, or re-pin. That’s unnecessary noise and could potentially do more harm than good. If you’re not careful, it could even be considered spam.
When you do choose to comment, make sure you have something valuable to add to the conversation.
If you like something particular about one of their boards or pins, for instance, you could take the time to explain what it is about that particular board or pin that stands out to you. This is especially helpful to artists and crafters who share their work online. It’s nice to receive a few high fives, but it’s more meaningful when they know exactly what it is about their work that captures your attention and draws you in.
4. Be respectful
Not everyone who re-pins your post, or follows your boards, is going to have the same belief system as you or like the same things you like. If you disagree with something that was shared on one of your follower’s boards, simply refrain from commenting.
Remember that people are sharing a part of themselves with you—a stranger! It takes a lot of courage to do that, so whenever possible, refrain from negative comments and instead only respond with positivity and kindness.
If you work hard at following the 4 steps above, you’ll find that Pinterest can be a great place for both conversations and relationships. Good luck!