Are you interested in learning how to make money on Pinterest this year? I have great news! I will show you exactly how I earn money using Pinterest. This post will focus on current and effective methods, as the old ways are outdated and could lead to account suspension. Pinterest has evolved into more than just a platform for saving recipes and wedding ideas. Since 2010, it has become a visual search engine that offers solutions to various problems. With over 290 million active users every month, Pinterest is an ideal platform to generate income, especially for marketers who can drive traffic to their websites and e-commerce stores for free.
However, it’s important to clarify that Pinterest itself does not pay users directly. Nevertheless, there are several legitimate ways to make money on the platform, and many individuals have turned it into a full-time source of income. While some methods require a small investment, others can be started with minimal costs. It’s crucial to understand that making money on Pinterest requires upfront work, research, and a budget to get started. If you’re looking for a quick and effortless way to earn money without putting in the effort, this post might not be suitable for you.
While it is possible to make money on Pinterest without a blog or website, it is becoming increasingly challenging, and Pinterest has been cracking down on affiliate-linked pins. Investing in a professional blog or website (costing under $75 a year) can yield significant rewards and prove to be worthwhile in the long run. If you’re unable to allocate $75 for a business that has the potential to generate six figures in a year, it might be best to delay starting a business and instead engage in a money-making side hustle to accumulate the necessary funds.
To achieve success on Pinterest, it’s essential to be an active pinner. Your success depends on actively creating and pinning images on a daily basis. Using tools like Tailwind, an authorized Pinterest scheduler, can help automate the pinning process and turn Pinterest into a passive income source. It’s advisable to have 2-3 variations of pins per link to avoid spamming the same content repeatedly. Additionally, pinning other people’s content, especially when you’re just starting, is recommended. Creating visually appealing images with attention-grabbing text overlays can drive significant traffic to your website or service using Pinterest’s visual search engine.
Establishing a schedule that works for you is crucial for success. For example, you can dedicate one day to creating fresh pins on Canva, another day for manually adding pins to each board for the entire week, an hour or two to schedule pins for the whole month using Tailwind Scheduler, and one day to create fresh content for your blog. Following such a schedule can yield quick results.
In this guide, I will walk you through two methods of making money on Pinterest: one with a blog and one without a blog. While it is possible to generate extra cash on Pinterest without a blog, it is important to eventually establish a foundation for yourself, and having a fully established blog can serve as a trustworthy platform for promoting your posts via Pinterest. Blogging also provides a solid base for your online business.
Starting a blog doesn’t require you to be an expert right from the beginning. With determination and drive, anyone can become a successful blogger. It’s important to take action and start learning as you go, researching each step as needed. To begin, I highly recommend starting a self-hosted blog with Bluehost, which offers a fully fledged, protected site for $3.95/month and a free domain. This small investment provides a more professional look and simplifies the setup process. Once you have your blog set up, you can focus on utilizing Pinterest to drive traffic to your website.
The first step is to create a standout, money-making blog and drive.
Here are the steps to follow:
- Choose a niche: Select a specific niche that aligns with your interests and expertise. This will help you create valuable and engaging content that resonates with your target audience.
- Set up your blog: Sign up for a self-hosted blog with a reliable hosting provider like Bluehost. Install WordPress, choose a theme, and customize your blog to make it visually appealing and user-friendly.
- Create valuable content: Start creating high-quality blog posts that provide value to your readers. Focus on solving their problems, answering their questions, or providing useful information. Incorporate relevant keywords in your content to improve search engine visibility.
- Optimize your blog for Pinterest: Install a Pinterest plugin on your blog to enable Pin It buttons on your images. This makes it easy for readers to save and share your content on Pinterest. Use eye-catching, vertical images with compelling text overlays to increase the likelihood of your pins being saved and clicked.
- Create a Pinterest business account: If you don’t already have one, create a separate Pinterest business account. This allows you to access Pinterest analytics, promote pins, and utilize other business features.
- Optimize your Pinterest profile: Fill out your profile bio with keywords related to your niche. Include a clear and attractive profile picture and add a link to your blog in your profile description. This helps drive traffic back to your website.
- Create boards and pins: Create boards that align with your niche and start pinning content. Curate a mix of your own blog posts and relevant content from other sources. Create multiple pins for each blog post using different designs and headlines to maximize exposure.
- Join group boards: Find and join group boards in your niche. Group boards have a larger audience and can help your pins reach more people. Follow the board rules and contribute valuable content regularly.
- Engage with the Pinterest community: Like, comment, and share pins from other users in your niche. Engage in discussions and build relationships with other pinners. This helps increase your visibility and attract more followers.
- Utilize Pinterest SEO: Optimize your pin descriptions, titles, and hashtags with relevant keywords. This improves the discoverability of your pins in Pinterest search results. Use keyword-rich board titles and descriptions as well.
- Promote your pins: Once you have a solid collection of pins, consider promoting them using Pinterest Ads. This can help increase the reach of your pins and drive more targeted traffic to your blog.
- Monitor and analyze your results: Regularly review your Pinterest analytics to understand which pins and boards are performing well. Adjust your strategy based on the data and insights you gather.
Without a blog:
If you don’t have a blog, you can still make money on Pinterest through affiliate marketing, selling products, or offering services. Here’s how:
- Choose an affiliate program: Join affiliate programs that align with your niche and have products or services you can promote. Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Commission Junction are popular affiliate networks.
- Create a Pinterest business account: Set up a Pinterest business account and optimize your profile as mentioned earlier.
- Find popular products: Identify popular products or services within your niche that have affiliate programs. Look for high-quality, visually appealing images of these products.
- Create compelling pins: Design attractive pins using Canva or other graphic design tools. Include the product image, a catchy headline, and a call-to-action. Link the pin to your affiliate link or directly to the product page.
- Pin and promote: Start pinning your affiliate pins to relevant boards and group boards. Write keyword-rich descriptions and use relevant hashtags. Focus on creating engaging content that encourages users to click and make a purchase.
- Monitor performance and optimize: Track the performance of your affiliate pins using Pinterest analytics and the affiliate program’s tracking system. Identify which pins and products are generating the most clicks and sales. Adjust your strategy accordingly to maximize your earnings.
Remember to always disclose your affiliate relationship in compliance with FTC guidelines by including a disclaimer in your pins or in your blog if you have one.
These strategies can help you make money on Pinterest, whether you have a blog or not. Stay consistent, provide value to your audience, and continually optimize your approach to maximize your earnings.
