Using Pinterest to Boost Creativity
Utilising online design resources can seem somewhat terrifying. With an abundance of information available online, I used to find it somewhat confusing - because I didn't know where to start. But within any creative industry (and yes, blogging counts), it's important to identify the tools and resources that just help the creativity flow - in particular, Pinterest.
Pinterest used to be one of those social platforms that confused me to no end - it didn't seem to have a familiar algorithm like Twitter and Facebook, and it was a bit of a unknown - but to this day, it's where most of my blog traffic comes from - and is always the site I head to first when I'm in a creative rut. So I thought I'd share the ways in which I use Pinterest to boost my creative flow.
1. Inspiration
I've touched on this briefly, but Pinterest has a wealth of inspiration. From visual home goals to a wealth of blog-related resources, I'd really recommend a bit of time organising your Pinterest to group your inspired pins. This not only gives you a clear layout to touch back on, but means that you're organising your thoughts and planning ahead.
2. Design Resources
Whenever I've updated my blog layout, I've normally found the template or resources from Pinterest. There are so many global creators that share their work on the site, that it has a wealth of tools. Some of my most popular posts on the blog are digital downloads, and displaying digital downloads in a banner can be tricky - so I'm a huge fan of using Pinterest for finding a mock up. This really helps to display any digital downloads quite clearly to any site visitors. It may seem silly, but if you're considering any digital downloads on your site, it's definitely worth positioning them in a relevant mock up scenario.
3. How to's
As someone with quite a stubborn nature, I like to do most things by myself, regardless of whether I have the tools to do so or not. It's a blessing and a curse - but trying to find helpful guides that answer exactly what you want them to, can be tricky. With any creative industry, there will be crossovers and as Pinterest is so visually lead, it's a great way to find how to's for those creative tasks you may have been avoiding. From helpful DSLR camera guides to more intensive hand lettering tutorials - there's inevitably a free guide on Pinterest that will help you well on your way! I've found so many of my favourite bloggers through searching for how to's on here so it's definitely worth a look first.
4. Style planning and branding.
I went through a phase of ""rebranding"" my blog every few months. Not because it needed it, but because I hadn't clearly identified what I wanted my blog to be and feel like. And that was simply because I wasn't planning it out. Pinterest has a wealth of experts who have shared such incredible style guides and branding tools that not only really help you to identify what you'd like your blog or site to be, but also to help you visualise how it would come together. Again, if you like doing things yourself even if it may not come naturally, this is a great way to take on board expert advice to create something that is inherently quite personal. Through this, there are great tools on colour palettes, font combinations and even basic guides to creating simple type based logos.
5. Everything else in between.
Like I've said, there has rarely been a search on Pinterest that has not afforded me with a wealth of information - from style guides to minimalism tools to that 3 day New York trip you've been saving up for - it honestly has everything, which is exactly why I'm far too heavily reliant upon it... But I'd really recommend working out what you'd like to do with your creative outlet and then refining that down using Pinterest. Not only will it help you to identify some of the most popular types of posts, but it will also show what is already out there and if there's a niche that you can slide into - because if you've searched it, someone else has too.
How do you try to get out of your creative ruts? Are you a fan of Pinterest or are there other methods that you fall back on? Please let me know!