Pin It to Win It Contests: What They Are and Pinterest's Rules

A "pin it to win it" contest asks people to save one or more of your Pins to their own boards and counts each save as an entry. Pinterest's contest guidelines now say not to require saving a specific image and not to allow more than one entry per person, so the classic format runs against them. A comment-to-enter contest fits both rules, and it's the version this guide shows you how to run.

What "Pin It to Win It" Means

"Pin it to win it" is shorthand for a contest where the entry action is pinning. The format has a few common versions:

• Save to enter. Entrants save your contest Pin, or a set of your product images, to their own boards, often with a contest hashtag.
• Board contests. Entrants build a themed board, add a required number of Pins, and submit the board link.
• Repin to win. Every repin of your Pin counts as a ticket, so more repins mean better odds.

Brands liked these formats because every entry put their images in front of a new set of followers. Entrants liked them because the prize felt within reach. They were common in the early years of Pinterest contests, and people still search for them today, often because they remember seeing one or because an older blog post told them it was the way to run a Pinterest contest. That's why it's worth checking the rules before you copy an old example.

Why Pinterest Restricted the Classic Format

The classic format has two features that clash with Pinterest's current requirements.

It forces a save of a specific image. When entry means saving your exact Pin or one particular image, everyone saves the same thing. Pinterest's contest guidelines say not to require people to save a specific image, and that people should be able to choose Pins based on their own tastes.

It rewards multiple entries. If every save is an entry, the people with the most saves have the best odds. That pushes entrants to save the same image to many boards, which looks like spam and fills feeds with duplicates. Pinterest's guidelines say not to allow more than one entry per person.

The same concern shows up elsewhere in Pinterest's policies. Its paid partnership rules say a business can't pay people for each Pin they save, because that artificially inflates popularity, and they ask people to save content they have an authentic interest in.

Read Pinterest's current Contest Guidelines before you launch anything. Policies change, and this summary may be out of date by the time you read it.

Allowed Alternatives: Comment-to-Enter Contests

The simplest alternative is a comment-to-enter contest. Entrants leave a comment on your contest Pin, and each person counts once, no matter how many comments they leave. No save is required, so the "specific image" rule doesn't come into play, and a one-entry-per-person draw follows the other rule directly.

Comment contests also work in several flavors:

• Answer a question, such as "What's your favorite fall recipe?"
• Tag a friend, which spreads your Pin to people who don't follow you yet.
• Vote on a choice, such as "Team Sage or Team Terracotta?"

Comments are also easier on entrants. Anyone can reply in a few seconds from their phone, with no board to build and no images to hunt down, and that usually means more people finish the entry. Each comment also sits under your Pin where other people can read it, which keeps the contest visible while it runs.

If you'd like people to save your Pin, you can invite them to. Just don't make it a condition of entry. For a closer look at how these rules apply to comments, read Are Comment Giveaways Allowed on Pinterest?

How to Run a Compliant Version, Step by Step

Here's a clean replacement for a pin-it-to-win-it contest:

1. Set your goal and prize. Decide whether you want followers, reach, or email signups, and pick a prize your own audience wants. How to Run a Pinterest Contest: Step-by-Step Guide covers this in detail.
2. Write one entry action. Keep it to a single comment, for example: "Comment your favorite fall recipe and add #FallEats to enter."
3. Write your rules. Include the prize, dates and time zone, eligibility, one entry per person, how the winner is chosen, and a statement that the contest isn't sponsored or endorsed by Pinterest. Pinterest Contest Rules: What to Include + Free Template has a copy-and-paste template.
4. Design the Pin. Use a vertical image, a clear prize photo, and big text saying "GIVEAWAY" and "Comment to enter."
5. Promote it. Pin it to your most relevant boards, and share it with your email list and other channels. One to two weeks is a good window.
6. Close entries and draw the winner. See the next section.

If you're converting an old pin-it-to-win-it contest, watch for these leftovers:

• "Save this Pin to enter" wording in the Pin title, description, or image. Replace it with a comment prompt.
• A rule that gives extra entries for extra actions. Keep it to one entry per person.
• Anything that suggests Pinterest runs the contest, including logo use that looks like a partnership. Keep the disclaimer in your rules.

Picking the Winner From Comments With PNT Picker

Once entries close, drawing the winner takes a few minutes with PNT Picker:

1. Paste your Pinterest post URL, and the tool loads the comments.
2. Turn on the keyword/hashtag filter and enter your contest hashtag, so only comments that followed your entry action count.
3. Keep duplicate removal on, so each person counts as one entry, which matches Pinterest's one-entry rule.
4. Choose how many winners you want, and add backup winners.
5. Run the secure random draw.
6. Share the public result link, and keep the winner certificate for your records. You can also export the entry list to CSV, Excel, or PDF.

You need a free PNT Picker account, and every account gets 3 free uses with all features. After that, Creator ($5/month) or Growth ($50/year) gives you unlimited use.

Pick Your Winner With PNT Picker: 3 Free Uses

Swap the saves for comments, set your filters, and let PNT Picker draw winners and backups with a secure random selection. Every draw comes with a public result link and a winner certificate.

[ Pick your winner with PNT Picker - 3 free uses → ]

PNT Picker is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Pinterest.