Photo courtesy of http://blog.forever21.com/love-is-free-pin-it-win-it/It was English literature & poet extraordinaire, Geoffrey Chaucer that said, “All good things must come to an end.” Announced late last week, Pinterest will now be restricting its contest rules a la their Acceptable Use Policy. This comes after an initial soft push of restrictions back in May via Pinterest’s updated Brand Guidelines, complete with a simple list of Do’s and Don’ts.

Photo courtesy of http://blog.forever21.com/love-is-free-pin-it-win-it/

In a continued effort to ensure its users have a stellar social experience, specifically, free of spammy-type advertisements and the like, Pinterest has released contest guidelines.

What does this mean for you? No more of those “Pin it to win it-style” contests. According to Pinterest’s Kevin Knight in their business blog, “Moving forward, Pinterest WON’T allow contests that:

  • Suggest that Pinterest sponsors or endorses them or the promotion
  • Require people to Pin from a selection (like a website or list of Pins)
  • Make people Pin the contest rules
  • Run a sweepstakes where each Pin, board, like or follow represents an entry
  • Encourage spammy behavior, such as asking participants to comment
  • Ask to vote with Pins, boards or likes
  • Require a minimum number of Pins

Pinterest has even gone one step further by asking contest owners to examine their efforts and ask if they’re providing the best experience for pinners and effectively marketing. “If you do decide to run a contest, make sure it complies with all our contest rules. And remember: contests are just a tactic and shouldn’t replace a long-term Pinterest strategy,” said Knight.

Find this information useful? Want us to highlight a specific platform? Tell us by leaving a comment below.

The social world can be abstract, we can show you where the web meets reality. Gray Digital Group is a full-service interactive agency that combines creativity and technology to develop websites and web-based marketing strategies for clients. We specialize in ideas, solutions and results for your marketing needs. Contact us today to build your website and create your digital marketing strategy.