How to Make Money on Pinterest: Pin Your Way to Success!

Pin Your Way to the Good Stuff!

 Fun Fact: Did you know that Pinterest is the third-most visited social media website in the US?

Starting with the million-dollar question: can you really make money on Pinterest? Drumroll, please… yes, you can! While the platform doesn’t allow you to monetize content like other social media, there are a few other venues you can explore to drive both traffic and sales such as its Verified Merchant Program, ads, or affiliate marketing. 

Don’t know where to start? No worries, that’s why we’re here! In this blog, we’ll explore five strategies on how to make money on Pinterest. So, whether you’re a newbie dipping your toes into this platform or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to add this app to your digital marketing arsenal, you’ll find expert tips to build your brand, grow your following, and boost your profits. 

Without further ado, let’s jump right into how to make money with Pinterest! 

Before We Start — Setting up Your Pinterest Business Account

Option 1. Direct Traffic to Your Blog

Pinterest can be a fantastic option for boosting your online presence, especially when it comes to driving traffic to your brand’s blog. Think of it this way: by sharing eye-catching pins that link back to your content, you can attract a steady stream of visitors, turning the curious browser into a loyal reader. Still not quite convinced? That’s ok! Let’s look a bit deeper into it.

Why Pinterest Is Perfect for Blog Traffic

-> It’s a Visual Search Engine 

Did you know that around 85% of users turn to the platform to plan their next project? With this in mind, it’s clear that social media has transformed how audiences discover new products and services. Pinterest’s search engine-like capabilities rely on keywords (much like Google!) and visual cues, allowing users to browse through fresh content.

-> It Boasts an Active Global Community

Just as we’ve mentioned, Pinterest hosts a rich, diverse community (known as pinners) that are not only highly engaged but see the platform as a shopping destination too. With its steady traffic income of around 482 million users every month, you can rest assured that your blog will surely gain exposure to a vast, enthusiastic audience. 

-> It’s a Top Source of Inspiration 

We can’t help but stress this enough: people arrive on Pinterest in search of their next big idea.  Whether a DIY project, sleek outfits, summer items, or tasty recipes, there’s the perfect pin for every need and interest. With the right strategy (which we’ll go over in a minute) your blog can become their top discovery too!

Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?

Let’s explore how to transform your profile into a powerful traffic-driving tool with this “How to Make Money on Pinterest” section!  

Top Tips for Driving Blog Traffic With Pinterest

1. Polish Your Profile for Maximum Impact

This is the first sneak peek potential followers and customers will have into your brand. So, make it count! Ensure you fill out every section completely, including your picture/logo, business description, website link, and email address. A well-crafted profile not only looks professional but also boosts your credibility.

2. Pin With Purpose! Create a Content Strategy

A well-thought-out content strategy is the backbone of your blog’s success. And, the same principle applies to Pinterest! Start by identifying your target audience and the type of posts that resonate with them. Then, create a calendar that aligns your pins with your blogs, ensuring your brand stays relevant year-round. 

Last but not least, consistency is key as you navigate Pinterest and how to earn money! Update regularly to ensure your audience keeps coming back for more. 

3. Boost Your Reach With Pinterest SEO

Keywords are crucial for getting your pins discovered by the right audience. Make sure to incorporate them into your pin descriptions, board titles, images, and even in your profile bio. Keep your texts short and engaging; be mindful of character limits (for instance, 500 characters for Pinterest board descriptions). This increases your chances of attracting more viewers!

Option 2. Tap into Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing can be a great way to monetize your online presence too. As a Pinterest affiliate, you’ll partner with brands to promote their products and services through eye-catching content, AKA pins! Each time a user acquires them through your referral link, you’ll earn a commission. This makes a cost-effective and low-risk alternative for savvy pinners (like you!).

Top Reasons to Try Pinterest Affiliate Marketing

1. Pinterest Is a Shopping Destination 

Pinterest isn’t just the go-to platform for inspiration; about 50% of its users view it as a place to shop. With an audience actively looking for new goodies, it’s a prime choice for promoting your affiliate links and driving sales. By leveraging its social media visual appeal and shopping-friendly interface, you can effortlessly connect pinners with products they’ll love.

2. Profit Without Inventory Hassles 

As a business model, affiliate marketing doesn’t require you to design, create, or manage any product inventory. Instead, you’ll link up cool products with enthusiastic shoppers, helping brands acquire new customers and earning cash along the way. It’s a win-win, making it a great form of side hustle and passive income (which we’ll cover next!).

3. It’s an Ideal Side Gig 

With no upfront investment, affiliate marketing is an excellent source of passive income fitted for diverse lifestyles. Once you’ve created your content and set up the referral link, you’ll be able to earn money even when you’re not actively promoting your content. By refining your Pinterest strategy, you can turn pins into profit as a complement to your daily activities.

Top Tips for Pinterest Affiliate Success

1.  Understand the Rules — Follow Pinterest Guidelines

Knowing the community guidelines is a key aspect of learning how to make money on Pinterest. For example, Pinterest affiliates should only operate under one business account, disclose that they’re promoting content for commercial purposes, and follow all applicable advertising laws. This ensures all your activities within the platform stay compliant.

2. Make Your Pins Pop With High-Quality Designs

Remember, every pin is a possibility and visuals make the magic happen on Pinterest! Thus, opt for high-quality images, bold text overlays, and vibrant colors to make your pins and boards stand out. Choose a vertical photo or design that follows the platform’s size dimensions to ensure your final asset isn’t cropped or blurry.  

P.S. Take a peek at how Placeit by Envato does it with its beautifully curated Pinterest account! 

3. Create Eye-Catching Boards for Your Pins

As we’ve mentioned, Pinterest is a platform that thrives on its visual appeal. Now, imagine all your pins scattered across randomly. That certainly wouldn’t make it any easier for your users to find what they’re looking for, right? Instead, create boards that clearly state their content and purpose with short, descriptive titles like “Back-To-School Products” or “LGBT T-Shirts”.

Option 3. Promote Sponsored Content 

If you’re a seasoned content creator with a strong following, this might just be your perfect match! Paid partnerships for creators are a fantastic way to earn extra income while sharing with the world about the products and services you love. So, why not add this app to your savvy social media strategy? Let’s unpack how to earn money from Pinterest with this option!

 Why Paid Partnerships Are a Game-Changer

1. Pinterest Helps Brand Get Discovered 

Let’s dig into some more data! Around 80% of pinners have discovered new brands and products through the platform. This ties up with the idea that users browse through the app with shopping in mind too. By promoting sponsored content, you have a higher chance of reaching an active audience looking to try awesome goodies.

2. They Let You Embrace Creative Freedom 

For starters, you get to choose the brand you’ll partner with, making the collaboration all the more authentic and effective. But, not only that! As a savvy creator, you’re the one in charge of crafting the content to promote said business. This allows you to incorporate their products or services in a way that fits your style and audience. It’s all about your creativity!

3. They Are an Opportunity to Grow as a Creator 

Collaborating with trusted and professional brands can expose your profile to new audiences, helping you grow your following on Pinterest. Moreover, paid partnerships can lead to exclusive opportunities such as influencer events or brand-new product reveals. All in all, it can be a great match to boost your career as a content creator.

 Heads Up: Keep in mind that paid partnerships happen directly between you and the brand. No worries, this means you’ll have more flexibility about the brands you choose to collaborate with. As with affiliate marketing, be mindful of the guidelines you’ll need to comply with to share sponsored content.

Top Tips for Implementing Paid Partnerships on Pinterest

1. Join the Branded Content Program

At the beginning of this “How to Make Money on Pinterest” guide, we talked about the importance of setting up a business account. This comes in handy as you’ll be able to use the “Creator Hub” button on your profile to get started on this program. The great thing about it is that it connects awesome creators (like you!) with cool brands for sponsorship opportunities.

Just click on the “Branded Content” option and check out the requirements to see if you’re eligible. Keep in mind that by signing up, you’re giving Pinterest the green light to help you score awesome brand deals!

2. Be Transparent About Paid Collaborations

The platform’s guidelines state that, as a creator, you’ll need to indicate that the content you’re promoting is part of a commercial collaboration. The best way to do this is by using Pinterest’s paid partnership tool. Just a heads up, this resource is only available within the app for iOS and Android systems. 

3. Maintain Your Content Fresh and Relevant

Pinterest prioritizes high-engagement content. So, aim to create boards that align with your branding, the paid collaboration, and your audience’s interests. Besides eye-catching images, complement your content with board names and descriptions that state what users will find. Aim to be concise, yet engaging with your text. Plus, remember, keywords are a booster to make your pins discoverable! 

Need some inspo? You got it! Have a look at how Joy Cho, founder and creative director of Oh Joy, did it with her “Oh Joy! x At Home” collection launch. As a fun fact, she’s one of Pinterest’s most-followed users worldwide! So, we are sure you’ll find some handy tips on how to make your content shine! 

By now, we hope all the answers to the million-dollar question “How can I make money with Pinterest?” are falling into place. But, if you’re still having second thoughts, don’t worry! We still have a few tricks under our sleeve. Let’s jump over to the next idea! 

Option 4. Use Pinterest’s Shopping Features

Calling all sellers and business owners! Using Pinterest’s shopping features can be a game-changer for driving sales directly from your pins. Let your products be easily discovered by enthusiastic audiences and provide a seamless experience with just a few clicks. Ready to get those numbers rising? Let’s uncover how to earn money from Pinterest with this strategy.

The Perks of Pinterest Shopping

1. Higher Sales Performance 

As we’ve seen throughout this “How to Make Money on Pinterest” guide, this platform continues to thrive when it comes to shopping! Just take a look at this data: retailers who upload catalogs and tag products experience a 30% increase in checkouts. As a business owner or seller, this means you can watch your numbers roar by adding another powerful tool to your sales and marketing strategy.

2. Unlock Exclusive Insights 

Your Creator Hub offers special insights and rich analytics regarding your content’s performance and user behavior. As a savvy seller, you can leverage this data to track your profile’s performance and strategize accordingly. As a whole, this will help you refine your marketing strategy and provide a better experience for potential shoppers.

3. Easily Connect Your E-commerce Store to Pinterest 

Got a Shopify store already set up? Integrate it into your business account to connect your product feed to Pinterest effortlessly. This option streamlines inventory management and sales tracking allowing you to focus on what really matters

Prep for Success — Quick Pinterest Overview

Before we dive into our top tips for this “How to Make Money on Pinterest” section, we wanted to share with you some key features and concepts to make the most out of this experience. So, grab your favorite pen and notebook, and get ready to become a Pinterest pro seller!

1. Product Pins

These are shoppable pins that automatically sync information from your site to Pinterest. In this case, they display important data such as up-to-date pricing, stock status, and item details directly on the pin.

2. Retail Catalog

Retail catalogs allow you to upload multiple product pins at once and then promote them across Pinterest as shopping ads. To create them, you can connect a URL as your data source or manually upload the necessary information to enable the platform to create pins automatically. 

3. Verified Merchant Program (VMP)

With your business account, you can apply to Pinterest’s Verified Merchant Program (VMP), which makes your brand eligible to distribute your products within their shopping experience. Moreover, it authenticates your profile and pins with a blue checkmark, letting users know you’ve been validated as a seller. 

Got all the info down to a T? Perfect! Now that we’ve gone over these key aspects, let’s find out how to make money on Pinterest by selling your awesome products.

Top Tips for Pinterest Sellers

1.  Keep It Clean — Know Merchant Guidelines

It’s worth repeating that understanding Pinterest rules is essential for maintaining optimal performance on the platform. For instance, if you’re applying to be a verified merchant, you can’t be promoting content as an affiliate marketer. In addition, your business needs to state a clear shipping and return policy so users know what to expect when they shop at your store. 

2.  Enhance Your Website’s Quality

Pinterest considers the quality of your website when authorizing your merchant verification. So, pay close attention to your page’s editorial and visual content. Stay on the lookout for any grammar or spelling mistakes, typos, broken links, low-resolution images, and out-of-date info. Reviewing your website periodically ensures it’s in top shape for your visitors!

3. Get Your Pins Purchase-Ready

Now, it’s time to upload your product pin! Make sure your chosen image features a specific item that’s available for purchase. Then, add an accurate description of said item. So, let’s say you’re selling custom t-shirts, the detailing should include the size, color, personalization option, fit, material, washing and care instructions, and shop policies. This way, shoppers know exactly what to expect from your awesome brand!

We’re almost reaching the end of this guide and, as you can see, there are different options on how to make money on Pinterest, it’s all about staying proactive and knowing the ins and outs of this social media. So, Whether you’re a passionate blogger, a talented content creator, or a skilled seller, there’s a spot for you on this platform! 

Source: https://blog.placeit.net/how-to-make-money-on-pinterest/