This is just a short overview of what different charities are choosing to do on Pinterest.
It may seem like a charity would not benefit a great deal from using Pinterest, but that's completely wrong - when used in the right (or smarter) way, this can be a great platform for images being shared, raising awareness and possibly converting some sales for the charity's products.
Amnesty UK on Pinterest
In comparison to the other charities, Amnesty UK are very active on Pinterest - note: they have a lot more followers, a diverse range of boards, and more personal boards such as 'favourite films'.
Arguably most interesting is their Pussy Riot campaign and how they integrated their Pinterest board into that.
If you Google 'Pussy Riot', then you will find that they have a paid-for post in this, which then links with their boards that include the hash tags #freepussyriot and #pussyriot, expectantly helping to raise awareness for this campaign.
What is also notable about their activity is the fact that they are subtly pushing their own products via this medium too.
Greenpeace UK on Pinterest
Greenpeace UK are pretty busy with Pinterest, yet they still don't have an outrageous following (considering they're a very well-known charity).
Having said that, their boards are varied, and they manage to incorporate a lot of their values into the various boards.
As with other charities, their content is very Pinterest-shareable - animals, nature, photography - which should encourage followers to their account.
Oxfam GB on Pinterest
Oxfam have a huge array of boards for their various organisations and subcategories around the world, but today I thought we could look at their GB board.
Their varied use of Pinterest appears to appeal to the users the most, as they have racked up almost 1,200 followers (which is a staggering amount, more than most others) and it's possible that this is because of their varied content and lifestyle focus.
Two of their biggest boards are focused on recipes; and cooking has a very broad appeal that may entice somebody onto such a board, possibly leading them to Oxfam's 'New Products' board (and in turn, perhaps converting into a sale for Oxfam).
This is a very simple but effective way of engaging with your audience and possibly acquiring some extra sales.
What's great about what Oxfam are doing is the fact they're not trying to push their own products and projects too much - their Pinterest site is about a broader appeal, and uses some great (shareable) imagery that is perfect for Pinterest engagement.
(It may also be interesting to see what their International boards are like - note again lots of shareable imagery, and varied content that still has a reasonably related approach.)
Advice to Charities using Social Media
If you're a charity using social media, it's important to remember that you want to create something fun and enjoyable for your viewer, not just bombard them with your products or campaigns (although that's good to a certain extent).
What's great with something like Pinterest is that you can contribute to your brand's personality very easily through images, and enhance your brand's personality along the way.
Additionally, keeping your eye on small details like hash tags and picture names is a way to enhance your online presence.
