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Nice, isn’t it?

Church Of Passers-By. More at my art site, RSMITHINGS.com

Pinterest for Instagram

How to post Instagram Images on Pinterest

You probably already know that Instagram and Instagram-web-interface sites like Gramfeed are great tools for discovering amazing images, sharing your own creations and connecting with others through visual art. And you’ve probably also heard about the social and image-sharing website Pinterest, with its incredible growth as another medium for sharing and discovering based on compelling visuals.

Here’s a basic guide to using Instagram and Pinterest together that will help you share what you like on Instagram with others on Pinterest. To link Instagram to Pinterest is just a matter of selecting what to share. This also will show you some best practices for crediting Instagram artists for their work, which is not only proper etiquette for Pinterest, but is the right thing to do whenever sharing any artwork anywhere.

There are already plenty of resources on how Pinterest works beyond the scope of what’s covered here, so this post will assume you have a basic understanding of Pinterest and an account there. Now, let’s get started sharing the great images you already like on Instagram at Pinterest, with the help of Gramfeed.

Use Gramfeed & Always Give Credit

Gramfeed is not only a great way to participate on Instagram via the web, but it also gives you a convenient way to share and properly credit Instagram images on Pinterest. And it’s easier than you might think, for your own images as well as those of other Instagramers. Just follow these five steps:

1. 

   Open the image at full size to pin on Pinterest.

   Browse in Gramfeed to a photo of your own you’d like to pin, or photos you have liked. “My Likes” in Gramfeed’s top menu is a good place to start — since you already like those images.

2. Click on the photo you would like to share on Pinterest to open it at full-size view.
    
3. VERY IMPORTANT –  Pin directly from the image’s Gramfeed page. Just click the red “Pin it” button in the lower right corner on the image’s page.
   
   
   

   EASIEST WAY TO PIN IMAGES FROM INSTAGRAM: Using Gramfeed, just click on the photo you like and click the “Pin It” button to the lower right of the image. Select a board, and pin away. Click for larger view.

   
   Do NOT just pin the small thumbnail images from the list page using the Pinterest tool you may have installed on your browser. If you only share from a page of small preview images, the links associated with your pins will not work, and Pinterest viewers can’t click through to the original sources. By sharing from the full-size image page, visitors can click through your pin to the artist’s actual page, thus giving the proper credit to the owner – while also showing a beautiful full-sized image instead of a small preview. This is important, since larger images get more repins on Pinterest.

   

4. Finally, to give proper credit where it is due, I suggest you copy the artist name from their photo page and then paste that into the comments box of your pin with something like, “From Instagram by Instagramer-name-here.” You will then have given full credit to the artist whose work you are sharing, and lessen the chance that others may accuse you of stealing or taking credit for someone else’s work. Here’s an example of how I’m doing this with my own Pinterest board I’m calling “Instagramagic.” Note how all images link to the creators of the images and mention them on the pins.

Bonus Points: since Pinterest is more fun and you will gain more followers by interacting, try to say a few words about what it is that makes the photo special to you. Do you like the contrast, subject matter, or apps used? Say so in the comments when you’re giving credit and ask others what they think. Pretty soon, you’re likely to get comments and start discussions with other like-minded folks on the site.

Pinterest Boards for Instagram Categories

Pinterest is a great way to categorize images you find on Instagram. Just do a search in Gramfeed for a subject you’re passionate about, then set up a new board when pinning those images (while always giving credit). Do this a few times, and before you know it, you’ll have several visually-rich Pinterest boards with your favorite images, and you’ll be establishing yourself as a Pinterest pro.

What do you think? Are you on Pinterest and/or Instagram? Do you have any suggestions on how to share images through Pinterest? Let us hear from you in the comments!

How to Become Popular on Instagram: 10 Tips

So you want to be on the Instagram Popular Page? Here are 10 tips and a look at the top 15 Instagramers. A few months ago, these powerusers were featured in a post by Jennifer Van Grove, rich with detail and tips. Problem is, the good stuff’s buried in a well-intentioned slideshow with a blinking ad (nothing against capitalism, but hey).

Fear not — I’ve done the work so we can all learn from the experts, who are legitimately WAY more popular than you or I will ever dream of being. So don’t just take it from me; observe the efforts of these 15 other Instagram legends who’ve done it many times over. Behold, the following master work distilled for your photo-sharing advancement:

Tip #1: Observe the experts (links = sites & feeds)

1. @mikekus
2. @fashion
3. @looking_glass: “I have over 5,000 photos on my iPhone. When I get a break from my hectic schedule, I reflect on the recent events in my life, and browse for that photo / moment that best portrays my feelings and thoughts which I wish to share. It is a way for me to better understand myself and life, to convey a mood and distill what I have captured.”
4. @inkedfingers “In less than a minute I created an image that from a layman’s point of view, is almost indistinguishable on that tiny screen from what our $3,000 camera took.”
5. @poeticaesthetic “Instagram has enabled me to capture and share images that might not be shared otherwise, at least not with such a broad audience.”
6. @babysmurf
7. @colerise
8. @danrubin “Instagram has made photography part of my daily routine. Looking at the world through a lens changes the way you see things, and having that lens with you at all times means you are always looking, and never have to miss a shot. I don’t always carry my dSLR, Polaroids, or my other myriad film cameras with me, but my iPhone — and Instagram — is always at the ready. I shoot every day because of Instagram.”
9. @laurenlemon
10. @chrysti
11. Josh Johnson
    @joshjohnson ‘It’s exciting that so many are now walking around with the tools to create and publish art. That’s what our cellphones have become. Amazing.”
12. @nirl
13. @jenniferjeffrey
14. @skwii
15. @bbyrd ‘It gets me away from my computer, makes me see things differently.”

Instagram Popular Page Tips from the masters:
(see these folks on Statigr.am):

1. Share something you have a connection with — @looking_glass
2. Shoot through a knit sweater for some awesome light-play — @colerise
3. Don’t shoot from eye-level — @danrubin

More tips to improve your Instagram experience that I personally recommend:

My own pics @rsmithing

1. Use a 3rd party site like statigr.am. Great for comment effectiveness.
2. Don’t be afraid to get the shot; do it! The opportunity will not come back.
3. Enter challenges. They’re an easy and fun way to see what others are doing and grow your skills.
4. Get one or two apps you’re intuitive with and master them for edits. It may take some experimenting, so plan to spend at least $20 in the app store.
5. Pick a filter and stick with it for a strong impression. I don’t do this, but the effect is undeniable and eliminates complexity.
6. Thank people religiously, leave comments, and be funny. Or, at least try
7. Rock and roll all night and party every day. That’s more a just general life lesson, but it should at the very least provide some good raw material. OK, real tip: consider an accessory lens by PhotoJojo. I did this and am seeing the world in a new way, especially bugs.
8. Hashtag the crap out of your photos. Look up keywords in other languages and make friends from around the world.
9. Keep a bunch of hashtags handy in a note so you can copy and paste as appropriate. You might also use groups of tags for common subjects (cat, dog, grayscale, etc.). Tap around on some hashtags and find the popular ones that appeal to you most.
10. Process pics later. You might have a great photo op in line at the TSA security check, but sometimes it’s best just to get the pic and move on as fast as possible, then dive deeply into the editing afterward (like once you’re on the plane).

BONUS TIP: take really, really excellent photos. Observe the work of the top 15, get creative, encourage others, and have fun on the site.

Have you taken any of these steps? What has your Instagram experience been like? Or are you already popular by means not otherwise noted here (besides booty and/or dog/cat shots)? Tell us in the comments!

Related articles

• How to become “most popular” in Instagram (instagramers.com)
• Instagram’s Official Blog (blog.instagram.com)
• Statigr.am Measures Useful and Fun Instagram Metrics (lockergnome.com)