In May 2011, I wrote my first tutorial for Pinterest beginners, and I followed that post up with some helpful hints in August 2011. Since that time, Pinterest has changed a few things, but I haven't had time to update my original Pinterest posts. I'm going to try to tackle a few of these changes to make it even easier to get started on Pinterest.
How do I get an invite to Pinterest?
1) The EASIEST and FASTEST way to get invited to Pinterest is to ask someone you know who is on Pinterest to invite you. Every single Pinterest member has unlimited invitations. I get so many comments on my other Pinterest posts with people saying, "My daughter is on Pinterest and she sure loves it! Can I get an invite?" or "All of my friends are always posting Pinterest pins on Facebook! I would love to be invited!"
If you know someone on Pinterest, ask them to invite you. All you have to do is tell them your email address.
2) Of course, you can always ask for an invite from Pinterest. I am hearing the wait time is between a couple of days and a couple of weeks. I don't know why some people get them more quickly than others. Remember, I don't work for Pinterest, I'm not affiliated with Pinterest, I'm just a community member, so there are many questions about Pinterest to which I have no answers!
3) You can still request a Pinterest invite from me! I receive anywhere from 25-75 Pinterest invite requests per day. Some days I get to them quickly, some days I don't. It may take a couple of days, but I'll happily send you an invite.
SUPER IMPORTANT: Typepad offers the option to sign in with Typepad, Facebook, or Twitter to leave a comment. If you are requesting an invite, DO NOT SIGN IN WITH ANY SERVICE. It is very important that you fill in the fields for name and email address correctly. If you do not do this, I cannot send you an invite.
ALSO IMPORTANT: You do NOT have to leave your email address in the actual comment box - ONLY in the field marked "email address." Your email address will be shared only with me. If you leave your email address in the comment box, it is open for all of the internet world to see!
How will I know when I have gotten my Pinterest invitation?
You will receive an email from Pinterest. The body of the email will look like this:
See that link at the bottom of the email that says "To sign up for Pinterest, follow the link below"? Click on that.
You will then be taken to a welcome screen like the one pictured at the top of this post. That brings me to the next most frequently asked question:
Do I have to be on Facebook or Twitter to open a Pinterest account?
This is the biggest change from when I signed up for Pinterest last spring. The answer is YES. As of this publishing, you DO have to have Facebook or Twitter to sign up for Pinterest. Again, I don't work for Pinterest, I don't know why they have decided to do this.
There are people who are intentionally avoiding Facebook and/or Twitter who are concerned by this. There is, however, a very simple workaround - it's what I did to grab the screen shots for this post. Simply open a Twitter account and use it to open your Pinterest account. Once you have opened your Pinterest account, you will have the option to either login with Facebook or Twitter OR login with email and password. You can then close your Twitter account and go on with your happy life. :)
How to get set up on Pinterest, step-by-step:
Step 1: Pinterest will ask you for your interests. Choose all that apply:
Step 2: Pinterest now chooses some popular pinners for you to follow. This is another big change from the time I published my first tutorial. There is no longer a "Tastemakers" list from the drop-down menus. Basically, Pinterest chooses Tastemakers for you to follow as you get started on Pinterest:
Step 3: Create your own boards. They will give you some starter boards by default. You can keep these or start your own:
Step 4: Make sure to install the Pinterest bookmarklet so you can pin wherever you are on the internet!
Other frequently asked questions about Pinterest:
Why does Pinterest say I have no followers when I know for sure people are following me?
Pinterest seems to refresh follower numbers once a week or so. Just hang tight, your numbers will eventually correct themselves!
Why can't I see all of my pins on one page?
You should be able to by going to your profile page and clicking on your Pins link. Pinterest uses an infinity scrolling feature, so just keep scrolling down that page and you'll be able to see all of the pins in one place.
How do I unfollow all of those people Pinterest made me follow when I signed up?
I still get lots of questions about unfollowing. To unfollow, go to the grayed-out FOLLOWING button beneath a person's profile to unfollow ALL of their boards or to the FOLLOWING button underneath an individual board's name and click that button. It will change to FOLLOW:
Again, you may still see that board or that person in your feed for a few hours or even a few days. It's one of those things you just have to wait patiently on and Pinterest will eventually catch up.
I hope this has been helpful for all of the Pinterest newbies and beginners still hoping for an invite! Those new to Pinterest may want to read my original beginner's guide and tips and tricks for insights on how to navigate the Pinterest community.
Remember you can leave a comment below to get an invite from me. If this has been a helpful resource for you, would you consider linking to it from Facebook, Twitter, Stumble Upon, or even pinning it for other hopeful Pinners to see? Thank you so much and happy pinning!
