Ashton Yates, social media director for online retailer Titanium Jewelry, was brainstorming ways to boost the company’s presence on Pinterest when she landed on the idea of launching a contest on the social media site—an idea that’s pretty brilliant in its simplicity. We asked Yates for details on the contest, which ends July 22, and how she thinks jewelry retailers can best present themselves on the hyper-visual site.

An ad for Titanium Jewelry’s Pinterest contest on its Facebook page (courtesy of Titanium Jewelry).

JCK: How does this Pinterest contest work?

Ashton Yates: We’ve asked our followers on Pinterest and Facebook to create the best-looking Pinterest boards for grooms that they can [men’s jewelry is the site’s specialty]. We’d love to see everyone be really creative. Once they create the board, they submit it on Facebook. Then based on the re-pins and likes on Pinterest, we will pick the top five boards. Then we’ll ask people to re-pin and like those five finalists, and we’ll pick a winner from those.

JCK: What are the prizes for winners and finalists?

AY: The winner gets a $500 gift certificate, and the five finalists get $50 gift certificates. And everyone who enters gets a 20-percent-off coupon.

JCK: How else are you using Pinterest to market the brand?

AY: This is something we’re doing alongside this contest: Whatever our most re-pinned or liked ring of the week is, we put it on Facebook and offer a flash sale, discounting its price for a short time. What people have shown us they love the most Pinterest, we bring to them for less and let them love it more.

JCK: Why the big push on Pinterest?

AY: We have a pretty good following on Facebook, but we’re new to Pinterest, so we wanted to extend the following to the site. We thought this would be a great way to jumpstart that. I’m personally addicted to it.

JCK: What’s your advice to other jewelry retailers looking to boost their presence on the social media site?

AY: Try not to do too much promoting of your business. Think what your posts mean to the user. Try to talk as though you’re speaking directly to them, not just announcing sales. Try to be their friend—another person instead of a company. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it, too.

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