****Update*****
The method for pinning from Instagram has changed since this post was written. Click here to see the latest method.
With the enormous growth of Pinterest and the $1 billon acquisition of Instagram by Facebook, 2012 will be known as the year when images came to rule social media.
While Instagram is primarily a photo sharing app for smart phones, earlier this month it found its way to the web. Instagram users can now access their images and profiles online.
Pinterest + Instagram
Like the magic that happens when chocolate is combined with peanut butter, we can make magic when we combine Instagram with Pinterest. Online Instagram images can be pinned to Pinterest in a few easy steps.
To do this, you must already have an Instagram account. Go to instagram.com and click on your account.
Log in using your username and password.
To get to your Instagram images, click on your username in the top right corner. Then, from the drop-down menu, click on view profile.
Here’s a peek of Oh So Pinteresting on Instagram
Let the Magic Begin
To pin Instagram photos to your Pinterest acoount from the web, you’need to use the “Pin it” button from your browser’s bookmarks bar. If you don’t have it installed, GASP!
It’s ok, I’m here to help.
Installing the “Pin it” button is very easy and it will allow you to pin images found on the web. From the About drop down menu found at the top right side of your Pinterest page, click Pin It Button. Follow the instructions on the page for your browser. Or, just click here to go to that Pinterest page.
Back on your Instagram profile, click the Pin it button in your bookmarks bar.
A page will open with your Instagram photos to choose from to pin to Pinterest. They don’t appear in chronological order so you might have to look around for the one you want.
Here’s a look at an Instagram pin. Notice that the image enlarges to make a good sized pin, not just a thumbnail. When you click through the pin, it takes you to your Instagram profile. Now, people that don’t follow you on Instagram can see what cool pictures you take.
Proceed with Caution
Pinterest allows you to share your pins on Facebook but Facebook does not allow you to pin directly from your timeline. I suppose they want to keep their images to themselves, way to go Mark. Since Facebook owns Instagram this magical experience might not be possible for very long.
Because online Instagram images are pinnable, you might want to consider water marking or somehow “signing” them so they will be identified as yours. You can do this by adding text to them in separate smart phone apps. I have an iPhone and use InstaPicFrame, a free app found in iTunes, to add text and effects to my Instagram images.
Remember, since all of the images on Instagram profiles are public, please be careful about revealing too much personal information with the images you post.
For businesses, pinning your Instagram pictures on Pinterest is a great way to cross promote your social networks. This could be way to share those spontaneous behind the scenes photos or coming soon teaser images. Try to keep in mind how people use Pinterst when pinning images. Some images that are fun Instagram might not be right for Pinterest. Also, your online Instagram profile includes a clickable link back to your website, this can be another way to get more traffic when someone clicks through your pin.
On a personal level, I know some of my friends and family aren’t on Instagram but, they are on Pinterest. I can make a secret board to share images with them there. (To learn more about secret Pinterest boards click here)
Things to Remember
-Use the pin description to give information about the picture like location or what’s happening.
-Keep in mind how people use Pinterst when pinning images.
-Some images that are fun Instagram might not be right for Pinterest ~ random pictures of feet. Why?
-If it is a picture of delicious food, tell us where we can get it or where we can find the recipe.
Will you be pinning your Instagram pictures?
Great easy to follow tutorial! Thanks! It will help me keep my neglected Pinterest account fresh.
You’re Welcome Daryle! What’s your Pinterest username so we can follow your fresh Pinterest boards?
It appears the magic is over. Does this still work for you? When I try it I only get my profile image as a pinnable item, no other images are available to pin…? Bummer! “Way to go Mark” …I love that – very nice writing!
Hi Jason, thanks for such a nice compliment
It looks like Mark is onto us but there’s a little bit of magic left. I got the same results you did when I used Chrome but when I tried it in Internet Explorer, it worked! I also had success when I used an Instagram viewer like extragr.am As they say, Happy Pinning!
Thanks, good to know. Great stuff!
Jason
Cool option!
What I was doing or planning to do was: upload a picture to instagram and use a filter etc to make it look cool, then when that edited picture saves on my phone, upload it to pinterest to the related board…
I thought about this and wondered if I would be duplicating image content…but you’ve given good tips here, thank you again.
Jose
You’re welcome, Jose! Since writing this post Instagram has changed things. Now, I can only get the method above to work with Safari. I don’t have Internet Explorer to try it on right now but I know it does not work on Chrome or Firefox on my Mac.
If you don’t have access to Safari, you can always use the method you mentioned above.
Does this still work? My attempt to Pin an Instagram photo of someone I follow is always blocked, just like trying to Pin an image a friend shares on Facebook.
Is it only possible to Pin your own Instagram images to Pinterest? Did this used to work, but now Facebook/Instagram has decided they don’t want to share with any other social network?
It is annoying when I can’t share what I want to share on the social network I want to share it on…
Hi Muskie,
This question has come up a couple of times this week so I did a little research into it and there are a few steps to doing it. I though it would be best to create a video that explains the way I found to pin Instagram photos. Here’s the link to the video I just made http://youtu.be/DJ_zKCUunfA I hope it’s helpful.
I agree it is annoying that it is so difficult to share between social networks.
Thanks for your question.