Photos tend to drive engagement on social networks—and that's especially true on Pinterest. The virtual pinboard (now at 40 million users and climbing) is being used by an increasing number of brands and businesses to boost their visibility and sales.

Images are a critical part of the Pinterest experience. And aside from creating visually compelling boards that help tell your company's story on Pinterest, you can further increase your Pinterest footprint by making your website and blog photos easy to pin with a Pin It mouse over button.

Image via WordPress Plugin Directory

You may have already installed a Pinterest sharing button on your site—but adding a Pin It mouse over button to each photo makes widespread sharing even easier. The tool is relatively easy to install—and if you like, you can customize the button's style. First, let's look at the basic Pinterest Pin It Button for Images plugin installation.

Installing the Pinterest Pin It Button for Images Plugin

If your blog is self-hosted on WordPress, you can install the Pin It plugin in just a few simple steps:

• Download the zip file from the plugin link.

• Sign into WordPress and, once you're at the dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New > Upload and choose the zip file.

• To activate the plugin, go to Dashboard > Settings > Pinterest Pin It.

• Under 'Show Pin It Button on Following Pages', select 'All Pages', which will apply the plug-in to all of your blog's images. Click 'Save' and you're done!

Customizing the Pinterest Pin It Button for Images Plugin

Feeling up to a more challenging project? You can customize the Pin It button's style to coordinate with your site's visual layout and your company's branding. Once you've chosen your button style (you can design it yourself or pick a free Pinterest button), follow these steps:

• If you haven't already, download the Pinterest Pin It Button for Images plugin zip file.

• Save your new Pin It button in the Pinterest-Pin-It-Button-For-Images folder.

• While you're in the folder, open the PPIBFI_Pinterest.CSS file in Notepad or Text Edit (depending on your operating system) and look for this code at the top:

  .pibfi_pinterest .xc_pin { width: 80px; height: 50px; background-image: url('ppibfi_button.png'); background-repeat: none;

• If you want to use a smaller or larger Pinterest button than 80 pixels by 50 pixels, adjust those two numbers accordingly. And when you're finished, save the file and zip the entire folder. Then follow the installation instructions listed earlier in the post and you're all set!

Once you've installed the plugin, keep an eye on the photos you're publishing. The higher quality and more compelling they are, the more likely they are to be shared. And if you're able to take your own photos or have other photography resources at your disposal, consider using original images wherever possible, which will help you steer clear of any possible copyright issues.

What are you doing on Pinterest? Any success stories or thoughts you'd like to share? We always want to hear what's working (or not working) for you, so let's hear it!

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