Pinterest has updated its guidelines for contests to avoid spam. The new rules prohibit contests that suggest Pinterest sponsors or endorses them, require users to pin from a selection or pin the contest rules, run sweepstakes where pins/likes are entries, encourage spammy behavior like asking for comments, ask users to vote with pins/likes, or require a minimum number of pins. The goal is to prevent contests that motivate irrelevant or spammy pins rather than pins users are truly interested in.

1. Mini Law Lesson
New Pinterest Contest Guidelines
Brian Heidelberger
bheidelb@winston.com
Twitter @briheidelberger
Info @ www.winston.com/bheidelberger

2. IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
• I am not your attorney.
• This is not legal advice.
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3. Pinterest is All About Avoiding
Spam
• “Contests can … motivate people to add
Pins they aren’t truly interested in, which
is why Pins from contests can often feel
irrelevant and even spammy.”
-Pinterest
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4. Pinterest Will No Longer 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
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5. Pinterest Will No Longer Allow
Contests That …
• 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
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6. Follow me on Twitter
@BriHeidelberger
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7. More Mini Law Lessons
youtube.com/AdAge.com
&
youtube.com/BrianHeidelberger
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