8 Reasons Why Artists Need Pinterest

The most beautiful images in the world are not on Google. They are on Pinterest. Artists need to be part of this phenomenon.

Where do most people go to look for images online? The answer is of course Google images. Lets narrow that down. What if you wanted to find paintings by watercolor masters? Would Google images still be the best place? There is a better service called Pinterest. There are good reasons for this too.

The fact is that Pinterest is the fastest growing social media site. If Pinterest was a supercar and it lined up on the grid with the other big media services (Facebook, You Tube, Google+, Twitter) it would be Pinterest that reaches 100km/h first by a long way. Pinterest is the Bugatti Veyron while the others are family sedans. Will Pinterest grow to be the biggest of them all? Give it some time. For artists and collectors Pinterest has much more to offer and here is why.

1) Pinterest is a curated search of top quality images. Images posted have been selected by real people because the image is beautiful or interesting and of high quality. Google image search is an algorithm at work - a big impersonal net. Pinterest images are repinned and liked according to the opinions of real people too. If an image is offensive it will likely be reported and removed quickly. Pinterest images are the images people want to see. Pinterest's co-founder, Ben Silbermann, did work for Google so he knows what he wants to improve.

2) Pinterest boards are beautifully turned out. If you want your images neatly organised, easy to view and relevant right before your eyes then there is no better place. No sifting through poor or irrelevant images, suspicious websites and commercial riddled pages. Pin boards are exciting to view because they are immediate, attractive and accessible.

3) Pinterest is a positive environment. Tired of cynical social media? Snarky posts from disgruntled trolls getting you down? Not on Pinterest. Pins are inspirational, helpful and great to look at. The members are fussy about great content and this sets Pinterest apart. Positive environments are good for artists to share their work with collectors.

4) Repins lead to more visits to artists websites. The beauty of Pinterest is that it is generous with links to the original website that the image appeared on. These links are carried forward with every repin. The potential for new visitors growing just from one image is huge. No other media has this potential at present.

5) Pinterest is open to non-members. Visitors can search and view member's profiles, view pins and click to the member's websites from those pins. No other social media site has this open approach. This makes Pinterest an amazing resource for search and inspirational art. 

6) It is social. Yes the ability to share, like and comment is there for members too. The sharing is not just for images. Video, articles and services can also be marketed and found. The great part is that the focus is razor sharp. You get what you want and in excellent quality too.

7) Time suck? Sure you may spend too long on any website. The good thing is that you are not getting sucked into posting and responding to comments all the time.  Banal comments are not part of the way the site works. If anything artists will be inspired to get off the site and start doing more art!

8) Art marketing is classy on Pinterest. Your work looks great and is appreciated for what it is. The good thing is that art sales are done on the artists own website and not on Pinterest. It is wise to have your shop on your own domain, but use Pinterest's marketing potential.

There are other reasons to use Pinterest, but these eight stood out for me. Pinterest easily integrates with other big social media platforms too. Most importantly art collectors and artists can meet, share and be inspired. Try it.

Join me on Pinterest

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