A question I frequently receive is "I would love to use Pinterest for my family history and genealogy, but I don't know where to start. Can you help me?" Maybe you are new to Pinterest and feel the same. Or perhaps you have been on Pinterest a long time and you are not sure where to start with your Family History. Let me try to help.
Before we get started, I would like to briefly explain what Pinterest is. I like to think of Pinterest as a place to bookmark my favorite websites that contain valuable information that I would like to come back to. These are referred to as "pins" and they are placed onto "boards" on Pinterest. Pinterest is similar to the Favorites tab on your desktop computer except it is prettier, organized, and filled with images. The pins also contain links to the websites you wish to bookmark.
Pinterest is also similar to a search engine like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. You can search for pins already on Pinterest and add those pins to your boards.
So, Pinterest is not only considered social media, it is also a search engine and a bookmarking system rolled into one. This is why I LOVE using Pinterest for my Genealogy & Family History.
Pinterest is also similar to a search engine like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. You can search for pins already on Pinterest and add those pins to your boards.
So, Pinterest is not only considered social media, it is also a search engine and a bookmarking system rolled into one. This is why I LOVE using Pinterest for my Genealogy & Family History.
Now, lets get started with using Pinterest for Genealogy & Family History
The first step is to set up an account with Pinterest. Simply go to www.pinterest.com and sign up. You can use your Facebook or Twitter account or your email address to create an account. Fill out all the information and compete your profile (it will make it easier for others to find you).
Now that you have an account, you can create a "board" to store your pinned information.
I hope you found this information helpful and that it helps you start pinning your Genealogy and Family History. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me (or leave a comment below).
Be sure to pin this page and share it with your friends and family!
If you are interested in all the articles I have written about using Pinterest for your Genealogy & Family History click here.
Remember to keep it fun and simple! Happy Pinning!
I have written several articles on how to use Pinterest for your Family History and Genealogy. You can find a link to those here.
Setting up your account and creating a board are two crucial steps you will need to take before you start pinning your Family History. Now that you have those steps out of the way, it's time to start with the FUN stuff!
Let's start pinning!
1. Where do I find information to pin? You can use Pinterest to pin from anywhere on the internet! You can even pin your own pictures, copies of documents (census records), birth certificates, and more.
2. How do I pin? The easiest way to pin a website or image is to use the "Pin It" button on the website. Many websites now have "Pin It" buttons on their images and/or webpages. You simply click the button, select the image you want to pin, select your board, and Pinterest does the rest! Its really easy when there is already a pin it button.
3. What if there is no Pin It button? If the website does not contain a Pin It button, there are a few options for you. You can use your browser's pin it button (which you can install from Pinterest) or you can create a template image and link it to the website (see my article here).
4. How can I add pins to a website using Pinterest? This is an easy way to add a pin to your boards. It may sound a little complicated, but after a few times its a piece of cake. You simply log into your Pinterest account and click the plus sign (near the bottom of the page) and copy/paste the website's address (URL) into the address bar. Hit the search button. Pinterest will pull up the webpage and then you click the red Pin It button provided by Pinterest. Select the image, select your board, and Pinterest will add it to your board.
3. What if there is no Pin It button? If the website does not contain a Pin It button, there are a few options for you. You can use your browser's pin it button (which you can install from Pinterest) or you can create a template image and link it to the website (see my article here).
4. How can I add pins to a website using Pinterest? This is an easy way to add a pin to your boards. It may sound a little complicated, but after a few times its a piece of cake. You simply log into your Pinterest account and click the plus sign (near the bottom of the page) and copy/paste the website's address (URL) into the address bar. Hit the search button. Pinterest will pull up the webpage and then you click the red Pin It button provided by Pinterest. Select the image, select your board, and Pinterest will add it to your board.
Happy Pinning!
I hope you found this information helpful and that it helps you start pinning your Genealogy and Family History. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me (or leave a comment below).
Be sure to pin this page and share it with your friends and family!
If you are interested in all the articles I have written about using Pinterest for your Genealogy & Family History click here.
Remember to keep it fun and simple! Happy Pinning!
