---

Profitable Pinning

Pins—images with short descriptions that link back to a webpage—are the basic currency of Pinterest, the social media juggernaut that has been wasting everyone's time with pretty quotes and too-easyto-be-true DIY projects.

Likes and repins are the standard actions, but when it comes to using Pinterest for marketing purposes, creating the right pins will help you win the social media jackpot. Why? Every time someone repins a pin that you've created, all of her followers will see that it came from your account.

Here's my advice on creating action-oriented, gotta-have-whatever-you're-selling pins:

Be Visual: The image is the foundation of the pin, so start off strong.

You want an image that will pop out from the sea of other pins, so think artistic, colorful and meaningful.

The image should represent what you're linking back to and should be at least 300 x 300 pixels.

Anything smaller will get blurry in the preview.

Be Witty: Descriptions should be quick and to the point.

This isn't the place to write your next novel, but you should strive to be witty, snappy and, when appropriate, humorous.

The golden rule: Whatever you say, never come across as a salesperson.

Hash it Up: Don't forget those hashtags like #hair or #brunette, to help people find your pins.

This especially helps when tweeps post their pins on Twitter.

Link Away: Always include a link to your website, especially if the original image doesn't lead back to your site.

This makes sure you're still the center of attention, while still giving the necessary credit to the creator of the image.

Pin the Price: One well-kept secret of Pinterest is the ability to add prices to pins, turning your images into a virtual marketplace of sorts.

Say you find an image of a cool ombre design that you'd like to share.

You offer a similar service in your salon, so why not post the price (with a link to your website or online booking portal, of course).

As long as you use the dollar symbol in your fee amount, Pinterest will automatically include a price banner in the corner of the image.

Voila! You're now, effectively using Pinterest as a free and less invasive advertising source.