make money with Pinterest, stop doing it in the wrong way

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make money with Pinterest – Have you ever tried to make money with Pinterest? When it comes to making money online, people often have their eyes on websites. It is true that they remain very good sources of income , but they are not the only ones. There are also social networks. In fact, we are all used to using them for entertainment, discussion and sharing. 

However, they are a real way to generate income online . Moreover, they are very popular. Pinterest is one of the social networks that allow you to earn money online.

make money with Pinterest

Very popular, Pinterest is known for discovering creative and original ideas for fashion, clothing, DIY, lifestyle, and more. As a user, you can let your audience know about your attractions and different life plans through digital photo albums. It is quite simply the reference network in photo sharing. 

On the other hand, Pinterest is a godsend for earning money if you are a seasoned user. In this article, you will discover the best ways to generate money with Pinterest.

since 2009, Pinterest has been helping people find crafts, recipes, products they love, tips, and thousands of other random things. It’s both a creative outlet and a marketer’s dream, which means you can learn how to make money on Pinterest in a number of different ways.

But here’s the trick to making money on Pinterest… Pinterest knows how powerful the platform is and has been actively making changes to protect their users’ experience. There have been changes with affiliate marketing, running contests, etc.

Some people who learned how to make money on Pinterest have had to adjust their strategies, but the changes have honestly made things better for everyone. The content is improving and everyone is having a more authentic experience.

Despite the changes, there are 100% legit and non-spam ways to make money on Pinterest. Now, if you’re here on this page looking for ways to make real money fast, Pinterest might not be the best option.

Most of the items on this list will take time to create, but if you’re looking for something quick and easy, online surveys via Survey Junkie might be a better fit.

But if you’re more interested in long-term strategies for making money, read on. There are opportunities for bloggers, virtual assistants, affiliate marketing directly through Pinterest, and more.

What is Pinterest social network

As we said before, Pinterest is the gold standard for image sharing today. The social network launched in January 2010 by three Americans (Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra and Evan Sharp) has really taken off since May 2011. It is now a major social network in the world even if it is still far from the popularity of Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. With millions of users, Pinterest allows its followers to share images.

Pinterest is defined as a platform for finding inspiration for various projects based on interests. It is therefore full of several ideas from its users. It can then be considered as a social network for professionals.

Aside from how images are uploaded, there’s no big difference between Pinterest and other social networks . Thus, one can use this platform to make money.

The social network has a very female audience. Indeed, 65% to 80% of pinners are women. Additionally, 97% of Pinterest fans on Facebook are female. There is also one age group that clearly dominates among Pinterest users. These are people whose age is between 25 and 34 years old. We can then say that the pinners are mostly women and young people. This can be explained by the fact that Pinterest has a very aesthetic and very refined style. It is therefore normal that there are many ways to make money with Pinterest.  

Why should you take Pinterest seriously?

• Between 2012 and 2013, more than 20% of American adults used Pinterest , more than Twitter and Instagram . In addition, during the year 2019 in the United States, Pinterest gained 88 million active users per month!
• Over 80% of Pinterest users are women.
• Customers spend more money through a Pinterest suggestion than through a suggestion from any other social network.
• The average order amount after a Pinterest suggestion is $80.54. Facebook comes in second place with an average amount of $71.26.
• 70% of suggestions on Pinterest are generated by users.
• Over 80% of images posted on Pinterest are shared. The proof that this social network works very well in terms of viral phenomenon.

How do I sign up to earn money with Pinterest?

Before you can hope to make money with Pinterest, you must first have access to it. You can use your Facebook account to register on this social network. It is also possible to create an interaction between your two accounts on the two social networks. Thus, you will have the opportunity to follow your Facebook friends on Pinterest.

However, it is possible to register without going through Facebook. You will then have to proceed through several steps.

• Login to the site
• Enter your email address
• create a password
• give your age
• give your gender
• Choose your language and allow the platform to access your localization.

After all these different steps, you will choose the themes that interest you. It will be necessary to choose at least 5 of them. It is according to the chosen themes that your pinboard will be loaded with images. Each image corresponding to one of your themes. The home page that will be displayed is essentially made up of images, photos and infographics unlike other social networks where it can be made up of messages.

As soon as you become a Pinterest user, you will have all the necessary tools at your fingertips to develop some notoriety. Thus, the process of making money with Pinterest will begin.

How does Pinterest work? (make money with Pinterest)

It is no longer to be demonstrated that the contents of Pinterest are of a professional nature. It is rightly considered the social network for professionals . However, this still does not tell us about the particular operation of this platform. What are the notable differences between Pinterest and other social networks?   To this question we can already say that there is no big difference except in the way we put the images online. This is also the great particularity of Pinterest.

Indeed, Pinterest is used to pin the images that interest you. When you pin images, they are grouped by topic. You can have a theme for example which is named luxury cars. As soon as you pin an image relating to the theme, it joins the other images of the same theme. You can add images in two ways. First, you can add them using your smartphone’s internal memory. Second, you can upload the images to a site.

It should also be noted that Pinterest has its own vocabulary. To click, we say pin. The page displaying the content of the platform is called pinboard, the images are called pins and the tables that group together the images of the different themes are called boards.

Using the social network is not complicated at all. Pinterest offers the same user experience as other social networks. You can like the pins, share the pins on other social networks, comment on the pins, add them and pin them to their respective boards. You can also follow a friend on the social network. Except for the design, Pinterest works the same way as Facebook, Instagram, and other social networks.

If you know how the social network works and you master it, then you can start by thinking about the different ways to make money with Pinterest.

Why can you make money on Pinterest?

It’s true that Pinterest is not yet as successful in France as it is abroad, but that’s no reason to neglect this social network. Indeed, the latter is in full expansion. For example, in the United States, Pinterest was used much more than social networks such as Instagram and Twitter during the years 2012 and 2013. Moreover, last year the social network was visited by more than 88 million subscribers each month. 

This is far more than the number of monthly active users on Snapchat (86 million) and on TikTok (80 million). All this makes Pinterest the third best social network after Facebook and Instagram.

In addition, suggestions on Pinterest are often very popular. In fact, product suggestions on Pinterest lead to more money spent than those made on other social networks. In addition, users spend an average of $80.54 after a product suggestion on Pinterest compared to $71.26 on Facebook. These suggestions are mostly created by Pinterest users (70% of suggestions).

Let’s not forget that women are the biggest users of Pinterest (65-80%). In the United States, the phenomenon is much more striking. Pinterest is very popular among mothers. At least 8 out of 10 moms are pinners (a name given to Pinterest users).

Moreover, image sharing is really developed on the social network. More than 80% of published pins are shared by users to other social networks. Pinterest content quickly goes viral. All this can allow you to earn money with this social network. You still need to be able to get a lot of engagements on your account.

Get more engagements on your account to earn money with Pinterest

As with other social networks, you need to have notoriety to hope to make money with Pinterest. On the other hand, the strategy to have more commitments on Pinterest differs from that which is used on other social networks. Pinterest being an image-based social network, the choice of images is the most important thing.

You have to find very good quality pins in order to attract the attention of pinners to your account. To choose a pine, several criteria must be taken into account. First, avoid images without dominant colors. An image with at least three dominant colors catches the eye more than an image without a dominant color. Choose images where faces do not appear. Indeed, an image that does not contain a face is more popular on Pinterest. (make money with Pinterest)

Finally, the pins you publish must have good brightness, good saturation, a light background, a large size (up to 1200 pixels) and a vertical plane. You can also choose to add videos to your account. This could allow you to increase your notoriety on Pinterest. If you have a good engagement on your account, you can now think about the different ways to make money from Pinterest.

How to make money with Pinterest?

Earning money with Pinterest is not complicated at all. Indeed, there are several ways to make money with Pinterest.

Use an Affiliate Program to Earn Money with Pinterest

Affiliation is the most proven way to earn money with Pinterest. Thanks to the high engagement rate of your account on Pinterest, you can ask users to join the affiliate program. The pinners who will decide to follow you in the affiliation will be your referrals and will be able to promote the affiliation program . They will then be in the front line to advertise the products concerned. Thus, they will help you to make sales. The promotion of these products can be done through different channels.

You can also make money with Pinterest through affiliate marketing . You will need to create an affiliate link that you will pin. Every time this link is used to make a purchase, the linker earns money. However, we have already said that suggestions on Pinterest lead to more spending among users. It is therefore very likely that the affiliate link will be used to make a purchase. However, before adding an affiliate link on Pinterest, you must notify that it is an affiliate link. This mention is mandatory and must be made in the description of the pin.

In the past, the platform had blocked pinners from sharing affiliate links. However, over the years, she has reconsidered her position. From now on, its users can share their referral links.

Pin products to earn money with Pinterest

This method is the most used to earn money with Pinterest. It is very simple to implement. To do this, you need to pin the product you want to promote and then post its image. It would be interesting if you could find a nice picture of the product. At the sight of it, some pinners may show interest in the offer. From then on, they will click on the image and will be redirected to the site selling the product. It should not be forgotten that the suggestions made on Pinterest are very popular.

Before being able to pin a product on Pinterest, the functionality must be activated on the platform. For this purpose, you must first check the availability of the sales site. Next, you will enable the “Rich pin” option.

Also, it is important to note that there is an option for users to make a purchase of a pinned product without leaving Pinterest. Unfortunately, this feature is only available to certain users or advertisers.

Finally, it is also possible to make money on Pinterest by driving traffic to other web pages . The principle remains very simple and also resembles the method of pinned products. Pins that drive traffic to other web pages will be very beneficial for bloggers. They will be able to earn money with Pinterest.

How to make money on Pinterest

It is currently not possible to sell directly on Pinterest (because no payment function is offered there). However, there are plenty of other ways to turn your pins into sales opportunities.

Increase traffic to your e-commerce site

For brands that offer products online, Pinterest is a natural way to increase traffic and, therefore, sales. Use pins to showcase your products and direct your followers to your website where they can shop. A bit like Tom Thumb’s breadcrumbs, but digital!

To increase your reach, set an advertising budget to invest in your pins. Promoted Pins can be optimized for different purposes, such as driving traffic or increasing your number of Pinterest followers.

Step 1: Create pins linking to your e-commerce site

Upload eye-catching product photos, or create images that stand out using graphic templates created by Hootsuite’s in-house designers.

Ideally, link these images directly to the specific product page on your website, so subscribers can jump straight to purchase. Indeed, the fewer clicks they have to make, the better.

Step 2: Adopt conscientious SEO

Help Pinterest users find your Pins using strategic keywords that describe or define your product or style.

Use them in your pin description, in your profile, and ideally in your URL.

This way, your pins will be more likely to appear in Google search results as well.

The Glad brand has an extensive selection of pins showcasing the features of its Press ‘N’ Seal cling film. If a consumer has been cooking meals all week and was hoping to come across this kind of suggestion, they just have to click on the pin to be immediately redirected to Glad’s website before making the purchase.

Step 2: Track clicks more closely with a URL shortener

You will receive a special tracking code, to be added to the links, which will allow you to track all sales made through you. However, to collect your own data, try using URL shorteners .

These tools (often free!) make it possible to follow the click rate. For example, use a shortened first URL to feature tracksuits in your “Lazy Sunday” board, and a second for the “Outfits for work from home” board. Observe which generates the most actions.

Step 3: Sponsor products in your board and use affiliate links

Pin these products (making sure to highlight them) and share these affiliate links with the world!

The good news is that if someone re-pins your pin, your affiliate link is also shared.

Step 4: Pay close attention to Pinterest rules and guidelines

From time to time, Pinterest considers affiliate links to be spam and therefore blocks affiliate marketing. Keep up to date with Pinterest changes and preferences to avoid being penalized.

Pinterest user @Krystin_Lee linked this decoration photo to her Like To Know It page, where followers can click on affiliate URLs to buy the products in the photo. If someone else buys this coffee table book, Krystin will earn some money, which she will surely spend on other nice accessories for her photo shoots.

Help users buy your look

Shopping is a top priority for 48% of Pinterest users. So don’t miss the opportunity to market your digital storefront.

Show off a stylish outfit or a clean space to spark inspiration. Then tag the products in that photo so your followers can get the same look.

In this example from Pinterest, we see a very chic living room (by the way… when are we moving there?) where each product is identified in the photo.

Step 1: Create a professional Pinterest account

Only business accounts can use Shopping catalogs and ads. You can either upgrade your existing personal account or create a new business account .

Step 2: Put your product catalog online

For most e-commerce sites, Product Pins can be automatically created for your entire product catalog.

This special format with pins contains real-time product information, such as price, description, and availability. With a single click, users can finalize the transaction directly on your site.

For any non-compatible e-commerce product, you can create rich pins. They also display product information, but you must create them individually and cannot use them for Shopping ads.

Step 3: Create a collection to make your products stand out

With Pinterest Collections, you can now upload a decor-focused image and tag your products within the collection itself. This way users can buy your look on the spot.

Partner with a brand

To make money on Pinterest, you don’t need a product (or an affiliate link to a product!). But from an audience. So you can also sell access to this audience.

From fitness-loving moms to vegan teens, once you have a reliable group of followers , you have a valuable asset that other brands might envy.

Step 1: compile statistics

You can’t just show up and wait for Lululemon to give you money (trust me). To get a brand interested in you, you need hard numbers.

Collect data about your followers, like demographics, engagement, shares, and number of views.

When you contact a potential partner, you can clearly explain why your audience is an asset.

Step 2: approach the right brands

Brands support Pinterest influencers in a variety of ways, whether through curating shared boards, sponsoring specific pins, or coordinating “take overs” (which, for a brand, is giving orders to one of brand accounts on social networks to an influencer for a fixed term).

Share your collaboration ideas with brands that might be of interest to your audience (use our brand pitch template if you’re not sure where to start).

It can be useful to include your contact details in your Pinterest profile for any partnership request, to remind everyone that you are open to doing business.

Instagram influencer Oh Joy has teamed up with Smuckers Jam to create recipes for her followers. Now she’s rolling in gold.

Become a virtual assistant

If you’ve perfected your Pinterest designs, why not go pro?

Some businesses realize the value of audiences on Pinterest, but don’t have the time to manage an account internally. Offering your services as a Pinterest virtual assistant could be a great way to earn some cash.

Virtual assistants can schedule posts, create pins, or manage announcements. This role may also include managing and interacting with the community; it varies from brand to brand.

Step 1: Make sure your account is presented correctly

You don’t risk being hired as a Pinterest expert if your own boards aren’t presented well.

To create successful pins, Pinterest offers to include eye-catching images and add overlay text. Check out Pinterest ‘s creative best practices guide .

Step 2: Let the world know you’re open for business

Reaching out to your own network to spread the word is a great way to start, whether in real life or on social media.

You can also post content to job boards or freelancer pages, like Fiverr , to reach companies looking for help.

Tips for making money on Pinterest

As you’ve just seen, there are many ways to make money from Pinterest, all of which ultimately rely on audience influence .

Catch the eye, and the clicks (and money!) will follow. Here’s how.

Be part of the community

The results are highly dependent on the effort invested (or should I say, Pins invested?).

Fully embrace the “social” part of this platform by liking, commenting and re-pinning others’ pins.

Following specific accounts or boards is a great way to get followed back.

Pineal Vision Jewelry is charming when commenting on this post from Pinterest influencer Almost Makes Perfect.

Create eye-catching images

Pinterest is a visual platform. If you want to grab users’ attention, you need to excel in graphic design.

Photos should be high quality and vertically oriented (Pinterest’s recommended aspect ratio is 2:3).

Graphic design tools, like Over , are great ways to overlay text or add distinctive graphic embellishments to make your News Feed images stand out.

Here’s a recent example of visuals worth mentioning: monthly box company Birchbox released dozens of text-only pins with beauty tips in colors perfectly suited to the millennial generation.

Do a keyword search

Keywords help people discover your Pins, both through direct searches and through Pinterest’s recommendation algorithm.

One could say that the keywords play the matchmaker: they ensure the meeting between the content and the users for a love story.

It goes without saying that adding the right keywords in any relevant text field is essential. This can be your pin description, overlay text, board title, board description, or your profile description.

In order to find the best keywords, start with something very general. Enter your target keyword into the Pinterest search bar and below you will see colored tiles offering related keywords.

For example, searching for “birds” redirects me to more specific words like “rare” or “colorful”. Why look for rare and colorful birds, you say? We are not here to judge.

If your keywords have high search potential, you’ll see a dozen or more additional keyword recommendations.

You’ll also be able to see which boards and pins are currently using those words, as well as their follower count.

Click to see more related and more specific keywords, and dig deeper for more niche suggestions.

Once you’ve collected relevant keywords, act on them, but don’t spam them.

Pro tip: Use keywords in full sentences rather than overusing them. As Pinterest says very well: “it’s useless”.

Schedule your pins

Adding pins as you go, rather than adding a whole bunch of them all at once, will help you reach more people. A scheduling tool like Afrilatest suit will help you get your pins ready to roll out at full speed.

Scheduling your pins in batches is the best way to get creative with your content, while saving yourself the hassle of logging in six times a day on Pinterest.

What are you going to do with your free time? Learn to play darts well ? Why not !

Create your own media kit

If you want to collaborate with paying partners, or if you want to host ads or sponsorships on your Pinterest boards, better prepare a media kit.

A media kit is a document that presents statistics about your subscribers and your engagement. It also provides insight into your brand and its value. This document may also include pricing for specific advertising opportunities.

Use a graphic template to create a stylish PDF download, or showcase the information directly on your main website or blog.

Once this document is in your toolbox, starting a conversation about partnership opportunities has never been easier and quicker.

Obviously, as with all social media platforms, quality content is key to success. So be sure to create Pins that you are particularly proud of.

Want to learn more about creating your professional Pinterest page? Check out our Pinterest guide for professionals and start turning your pins into profit.

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