If you want to build your following on Pinterest, there's no easy shortcut.
That's the message Pinterest sent to users after the company updated its Acceptable Use Policy late last week. The subtle changes to the policy now condemn users who pay others to follow them or re-pin their images. In other words, users can't buy new followers or shares.
"We recently updated our Acceptable Use Policy to simplify language and clarify our stance on a few things," a Pinterest spokesperson said in a statement given to Mashable. "We want Pinterest to be a place where people can be authentic and share the things that interest them most, so we now prohibit paying per Pin or follow."
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Pinterest's decision to crack down on these types of social strategies is different from the approach taken by a number of other social networks. If you want to artificially grow your Twitter following or add Facebook likes to a post, numerous services and companies online that will help you — for a fee.
Social media service Mammoth Socials advertises that it can boost followings on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. A writer at Social News Daily used the site Fiverr, where people offer their services in a number of different areas for just $5, to gain 600 Twitter followers in just three days.
It's unclear exactly how prominent this tactic is on Pinterest. A spokesperson declined to comment on details, but Bob Gilbreath, cofounder of Pinterest marketing company Ahalogy, says that the change shouldn't have a massive impact on the platform.
"I think we're seeing another chapter where [Pinterest] is really trying to honor the user. I think more than any other platform I've seen, they want to have this true spirit," he explained, adding that Ahalogy does not offer its customers the opportunity to buy new followers. "They want certain spirit and community elements that I don't see happening in Facebook, for example, where the attitude is 'let's break things.'"
The change does not mean Pinterest users can't make money working with brands. A brand could pay an individual to create a board on its behalf, and that user could receive commission from affiliate Pinterest partners if his pins led to sales. The new rule prohibits them from receiving payment simply for pinning.
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