How to Make Money With Pinterest for Beginners
Are you overwhelmed by the myriad of ways to make money online? If so, diving into the world of Pinterest for beginners might be just what you need. Pinterest is more than just a social media platform for finding recipes, DIY projects, and home décor inspiration; it can also be a powerful tool for earning an online income.
In this article, I will explore the various ways to make money with Pinterest, even if you’re just starting out. With over 400 million monthly active users, there is no shortage of opportunities to turn your passion for pinning into a profitable side hustle or full-time business.
As you venture into the world of Pinterest, remember to be creative, genuine, and consistent in order to make the most of these monetization strategies.
Setting Up a Pinterest Business Account
Create a Pinterest Business Account
Setting up a Pinterest Business Account is a simple process.
First, sign up for a new account, and select “Create a business account”. Enter your email, create a password, and provide your age. Click “Create account” and move on to the next step.
Optimize Your Profile
Once your account is set up, it’s time to optimize your profile. Fill out the fields to build your profile, including your business name, location, and website.
Make sure to choose a description that accurately represents your business. Adding a high-quality profile image and a keyword-rich description will also help attract potential customers.
Keep in mind that your Pinterest profile should be visually appealing and match your brand’s image.
Use eye-catching images and create organized, relevant boards to showcase your products and services.
Domain Name and Web Hosting
To make the most of your Pinterest business account, it’s essential to have your own website. This allows you to link to your site in your pins, driving potential customers to your online store or blog.
First, choose a domain name that represents your brand and is easy to remember.
When it comes to web hosting, choose a reliable provider, such as Siteground, which offers various hosting plans according to your business needs.
Whether you’re starting small or aiming for rapid growth, a dependable web hosting service is crucial for the success of your online presence.
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful Pinterest business account.
Remember to stay consistent and active on the platform, sharing high-quality content that engages your audience.
Effective Ways to Make Money on Pinterest
Affiliate Marketing
One popular way to make money on Pinterest is through affiliate marketing. As a beginner, you can join affiliate programs related to products or services you genuinely like and recommend to your audience.
Create visually appealing pins that showcase these products and use your affiliate links in the pins. When your followers purchase the products through your links, you’ll earn a commission.
To maximize your earnings, try to pin consistently and engage with your audience.
Promoted Pins
Another option for making money on Pinterest is by using Promoted Pins. These are essentially paid advertising on the platform.
By investing in Promoted Pins, you can increase your reach and drive more traffic to your website or eCommerce store.
Start by creating engaging and high-quality pins, and then set up a budget for your ads. Make sure you carefully target your audience and track the performance of your campaigns to optimize results.
Pinterest Virtual Assistant
If you have a knack for creating eye-catching pins and optimizing Pinterest profiles, consider offering your services as a Pinterest Virtual Assistant.
Many businesses and bloggers are willing to pay for help with their Pinterest strategy. As a virtual assistant, you can assist with tasks such as pin design, scheduling, and account management.
To promote your services, create an appealing portfolio showcasing your pin designs and successful Pinterest accounts.
Collaborate with Brands
Working directly with brands can be a lucrative way to make money on Pinterest. Reach out to companies that align with your niche and audience, and pitch your ideas for sponsored content.
Examples of brand collaborations include:
- Idea Pins: Create Idea Pins featuring the brand’s products or services and use the paid partnership tool to tag the brand. Once they approve the request, their brand name will appear on your Idea Pin.
- Shop the Look Pins: Promote products you’re wearing or using in Shop the Look pins. These shoppable pins make it easy for your followers to purchase the featured items, and you may earn a commission on sales generated.
Sponsored Posts
Finally, consider sponsored posts as another way to monetize your Pinterest presence. Brands may pay you to create and share content that showcases their products or services.
To attract sponsorship opportunities, focus on growing a dedicated audience and maintaining a consistent posting schedule.
Be transparent about sponsored content by using the paid partnership tag and comply with the FTC guidelines on sponsored content disclosure.
Creating and Optimizing Pins
As a beginner, it’s crucial to understand how to create and optimize pins on Pinterest to maximize your chances of making money. In this section, we’ll focus on three main aspects: High-Quality Images and Videos, Keyword-Optimized Descriptions, and Engaging and Authentic Content.
High-Quality Images and Videos
When browsing on Pinterest, people are attracted to visually appealing pins, so make sure to use high-quality images and videos for your content. Choose vibrant, eye-catching images that are well-composed and have a clear focus. Avoid poor resolution or blurry visuals as these decrease engagement rates.
While including videos, keep them short and captivating. Pinterest users enjoy watching quick snippets that grasp their attention, so craft videos with this in mind. Aim for around 15 to 30 seconds for optimal viewership.
Keyword-Optimized Descriptions
To ensure your pins reach the right audience, it’s essential to use relevant keywords in your descriptions.
To find the best keywords, do some research on Pinterest’s search tool and see which terms appear most often in connection with your niche.
Incorporate these keywords naturally within your pin descriptions to increase their visibility and make them more easily discoverable by users who are interested in your content.
Also, include a strong call-to-action (CTA) to prompt users to take the desired action, such as clicking through to your blog or purchasing a product.
Engaging and Authentic Content
Your content should be engaging and authentic. Make your pins relatable and provide value that encourages users to save and share your content. Some ideas for creating engaging content include:
- Offering helpful tips and advice
- Sharing personal stories or testimonials
- Providing step-by-step instructions or tutorials
- Presenting eye-catching infographics
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your content. Remember, Pinterest users appreciate authenticity and genuine connections with content creators.
By staying true to your voice and offering valuable information, you’ll increase engagement and build a loyal audience on Pinterest, setting you on the path to making money from your efforts.
Growing Your Pinterest Audience
Identify Your Niche
Before diving into the world of Pinterest, it’s essential to identify your niche. This helps you create targeted, high-quality content that appeals to a specific audience.
Think about what interests you, as well as what expertise, skills, or experiences you can share.
Your niche should be something that you’re passionate about, as this will help you stay motivated to create engaging pins regularly.
Increase Pinterest Followers
To increase your Pinterest followers, focus on creating high-quality, visually appealing pins that provide value to your audience.
Use eye-catching images, concise descriptions, and relevant keywords to make your pins discoverable.
Engage with other users by following, commenting, and liking their pins. Promote your account on your website, blog, or other social media platforms, and encourage your audience to follow you on Pinterest.
Leverage Save and Share Features
Pinterest encourages users to save and share content with others. To make the most of these features, create and organize boards around popular themes and trends in your niche.
The more relevant and visually appealing your boards are, the more likely they are to be saved and shared by other users.
Additionally, enable the “Pin It” button on your site or blog to make it easy for people to save and share your content.
If your website is built with WordPress(you should!) you will find a multitude of plugins that include a Pinterest button. My personal favorites are Add to Any and Grow Social.
Analytics and Performance Monitoring
Pay close attention to your Pinterest analytics and performance to better understand your audience and their activity.
This data can help you refine your content strategy by identifying the types of pins that resonate the most with your followers.
Keep an eye on your impressions, saves, and clicks, as they provide insight into how well your pins are performing.
Regularly reviewing your analytics allows you to stay up-to-date with trends and adjust your strategy accordingly.
By focusing on these strategies, you are well-equipped to grow your Pinterest audience and increase your platform’s success.
Remember to stay consistent and engaging with your content to maintain and grow your following over time.
Monetizing Your Blog or Website
E-commerce and Shopify Integration
Running an online store on platforms like Shopify can be a great source of income. You can pin your product pages directly to Pinterest, driving more traffic and potential sales to your site.
Ensure your pins have eye-catching images and relevant, clear descriptions.
Integrating your eCommerce site like Shopify with Pinterest will make it easier for customers to discover your products and make purchases.
Display Ads
Incorporating display ads on your blog or website can generate passive income as you attract more visitors.
Apply for networks like Google AdSense or Mediavine to display ads within your content. These networks have criteria for monthly website visitors, so make sure your website meets their requirements to be approved for monetization.
Create high-quality content and pin it to various Pinterest boards to increase your website traffic, and in turn, your ad revenue.
Offer Services and Consultations
If you have a specific skill or expertise, you can use your blog or website as a platform to offer services and consultations to a wider audience.
Create a dedicated page on your site, showcasing your experience and the services you provide. Pin this page on Pinterest with a captivating image and an engaging description to encourage potential clients to reach out.
By implementing these strategies and promoting them via Pinterest, you can start generating income from your online business. Remember to create visually appealing pins and use relevant keywords to increase your chances of success on the platform.
Driving Traffic and Optimizing SEO
Rich Pins
Rich Pins provide more information about the content of your pin, making it more appealing to users. They come in four types: Product, Recipe, Article, and App.
By using Rich Pins, you can increase engagement and drive more traffic to your website. To enable Rich Pins, follow Pinterest’s guide and validate them using the Rich Pins Validator tool.
Pinterest SEO Strategies
To fully benefit from Pinterest, you need to optimize your account for search traffic. Here are some effective Pinterest SEO strategies:
- Keywords: Use relevant keywords in your profile, board names, descriptions, and pin descriptions to help users find your content.
- Consistency: Pin regularly and be active on the platform to build your presence and increase visibility.
- High-quality images: Upload eye-catching, well-designed, and vertical images with a 2:3 aspect ratio.
- Link your pins: Drive traffic by linking your pins to relevant, engaging content on your website or blog.
Cross-promote on Instagram and Other Social Media Platforms
You should also cross-promote your Pinterest content on other social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. This can help you expand your audience and drive more traffic to your Pinterest account. Here’s how you can leverage other platforms for promotion:
- Instagram: Share your Pinterest boards or pins on your Instagram stories, and include a “swipe up” link if your account allows it.
- Facebook: Post your pins or boards to your Facebook business page, and join groups relevant to your niche to share your content.
- Twitter: Tweet your pins or boards and use relevant hashtags to extend the reach of your content.
By following these steps, you’ll optimize your Pinterest account’s SEO, driving traffic and increasing the potential to make money on the platform.