Contributed by Info Guru Lindsay Shugerman

One the most successful “new” players in the social media universe is Pinterest. And as with all social media, it’s attracted advertisers anxious to turn viewers into customers. With Pinterest, that means “pin to win” contests.

We’ve all seen them. We may have even entered a few. Did you win? Probaby not — few beginners do. If you’re ready to turn some of your pins into big wins, here are the best winning Pinterest contest tips from people who have racked up the prizes.

10. Understand the rules

This is the biggy. When it comes to Pinterest contests, a quick scan of the rules just won’t do. Remember, advertisers have a specific goal with each contest, and that means they want to see certain results. Some want certain kinds of boards, some specific images or an exact number of pins.

Read them, maybe even print them if they’re complex. Then follow the rules to the letter.

9. Go above and beyond

Yes, I know I just said follow the rules to the letter. Isn’t this just the opposite? Not really.

If a contest used words like “a minimum of…” or “at least…”, that’s your invitation to take it further. So if it says “At least 10 posts of table settings“, a winning entry will probably be one that added 100 or more images of beautiful dishes and all the details. And yes, this is true even if it says the number of posts don’t count! Trust me, they still do!

8. Check the promo site for changes

Sometimes contest sites have updates or changes. This is usually due to a misprint, or a common misunderstanding, but if you don’t check back often, you might miss the facts … and your chance to win.

7. Watch the deadlines

With everything we’re trying to do, it’s easy to miss a deadline, like submitting your board URL. Consider adding the deadlines to your regular Outlook or Google calendar, with notifications enabled.

And if the contest requires original photos (a common requirement for many of the travel, food and DIY events), make sure you allow enough time to take and post your photos. Rushing through 16 craft projects the night before the contest ends is not a good way to enter — or win.

6. Share the news

Even if the contest sponsors don’t specifically ask you to share on other social media, you can sometimes catch the eye of the company’s social media pros by doing just that. Yes, it may increase the number of entries … but according to winning Pinners, it also might boost your chance of getting that big prize.

5. Use the right board name

This goes back to that fine print, but it’s one many people miss. Or ignore. If the contest says you need to call your entry board “How to Warm up Feet”, forget trying to make it sound more creative by adding to or changing that title. If you want to win, just copy and paste that title. Done. Now pin.

4. Write good descriptions

Unless the fine print says what to use for descriptions, this is a place where your entry can shine. Use keywords and tags (but do NOT, NOT, NOT repeat them over and over!), include clear information and, if appropriate, mention the brand name. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, too. Yes, it counts!

3. Make sure the images are top-notch

If you’re asked to provide images, make sure they’re clear, in-focus and attractive. Remember, Pinterest is a visual tool, so the quality of images are everything.

So forget that fuzzy phone camera shot … pull out your best digital camera, take time to make sure the lighting and composition is good, then snap several and post the best.

2. Ask friends and famiy to visit

The rules might not say anything about traffic or visits or “Likes” and repins, but according to previous winners, this is one of the most important of their winning Pinterest contest tips.

Great boards, few repins? No win. Equally great board, lots of Pinterest traffic? A winner!

1. Keep working on it

One of the goals of Pinterest contest sponsors is engagement. On-going engagement. As a contest entrant, that means adding to your board over the entire length of the contest (unless the contest limits the number of pins.) That means sharing your board throughout the contest, and even responding to comments on your pins.

When it comes to entering “pin to win” contests, there are no guaranteed wins. But following these ten simple tips could be just what you need to finally see your name in the winner circle!