Pinterest: An Overview
Since 2010, Pinterest has been a website that allows users to share content at no cost.
If you go to the site, you’ll come across a wide range of information in different categories, such as beauty, travel, motivational quotes, digital products, food, and DIY home projects.
The main goal of Pinterest users is to find inspiration and share interesting or thought-provoking content, such as recipes for fudgy flourless gluten-free brownies or ideas for patio furniture. Users have the ability to browse the site and save images they come across from various sources onto their personal pages.
Who’s on Pinterest?
Pinterest has a monthly user base exceeding 400 million, surpassing even Amazon’s number of users.
Pinterest’s global audience consists of over 60 percent women. Additionally, there has been a significant increase of male and Gen Z users on the platform, with a combined growth of 40 percent year over year (YoY). Moreover, U.S. Millennial users have also risen by 35 percent YoY, suggesting that the site remains popular among younger demographics.
It is intriguing to note that a significant percentage of Pinterest users come from affluent backgrounds. In the United States, specifically, 45 percent of individuals who have a household income exceeding $100,000 are active on Pinterest.
It is important to note that the majority of Pinterest users visit the platform with the intention of beginning a new project or making a purchase. Statistics from Pinterest indicate that 85 percent of users use the site for project initiation, and 80 percent of weekly users find new brands or products on the platform.
Now that you have knowledge about the opportunity Pinterest offers, let us delve into the details of how to initiate earning money using this platform.
How to Make Money on Pinterest
Earning money from Pinterest is slightly more intricate compared to marketplaces like Etsy or Amazon Handmade.
Pinterest is not a store; instead, it functions as a third-party content-sharing site. While the platform allows users to link to stores, it does not enable direct selling like its eCommerce competitors.
While this may discourage certain merchants, it can also have a positive aspect. To entice prospective buyers, the content needs to be genuine and offer a valuable user experience.
Keeping that in consideration, here is a detailed, sequential guide on how to generate income using Pinterest.
1. Create an account
To begin, the first step is to create a Pinterest account at no cost. This can be done by providing your name and email address, and choosing a password.
Pinterest provides two different account options, catering to both personal and business needs.
When it comes to making money, opt for a Pinterest business account instead of a personal account. Personal accounts on Pinterest should not be used for commercial activities. Nevertheless, you can begin with a personal account and later switch it to a business account if desired.
If you are serious about making money, Pinterest for business is the ideal platform as it provides extensive brand exposure and advanced analytics and reporting tools.
2. Make a Pinterest profile
Once you have established an account, the subsequent task involves constructing a profile.
Include a picture, disclose your whereabouts, and provide any details that you wish to communicate to the general audience.
It is important to ensure that your Pinterest brand aligns with the brand you are promoting. Your Pinterest page reflects the image of the organization you represent, whether it is your own company or a client’s company.
By using Pinterest profiles, brands can seize a distinctive chance to widen their scope and convey their personality in ways that go beyond conventional marketing approaches. The tone of your brand is established by the content you share.
Take a look at Tilly and Patagonia, for example, as a means of illustration. Feel free to think outside the box and expand your focus beyond the products you aim to sell.
3. Get to know Pinterest
In order to achieve success in selling products on Pinterest, it is crucial to gain a deep understanding of the platform and strive to become proficient in utilizing it.
Key terms to know about
If you intend to make money on Pinterest, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with these crucial definitions.
Boards
Similar to its name, a board resembles a bulletin board, serving as a platform where you gather ideas to be shared with the general audience.
Group boards
Using group boards on Pinterest enables users to create a board and invite others to contribute. Additionally, it is possible to request joining public boards created by others.
Pins
A Pinterest Pin refers to any content you share on Pinterest. If you come across something interesting or plan to sell it, you can Pin it to a board for others to view.
On Pinterest, it is also possible for users to repin. This occurs when a user saves an existing Pin to a different Pinterest board.
Rich Pin
A Rich Pin is a Pin variant that displays metadata within the Pin itself, offering a more complete user experience and enhancing engagement.
Pinners
To be recognized as a Pinner by Pinterest, all you have to do is create an account.
Exploring Pinterest
When you start exploring Pinterest, the home page will be the first thing you encounter. It showcases recommended Pins that align with your chosen interests. In addition, you will come across content from other accounts, boards, and topics that you decide to follow.
In order to explore fresh Pinterest concepts, simply depart from the website and begin exploring the internet for content that appeals to you. For instance, you could come across an image of handcrafted candle holders or stumble upon a guide detailing the process of baking festive cookies.
While browsing a website, search for a social banner and choose the Pinterest logo to store media onto one of your boards.
4. Claim your site
By now, you should possess a functional understanding of Pinterest and a broad comprehension of its suitability for you and your brand.
Before getting started, it is essential to comprehend that managing a social media platform like Pinterest is a significant commitment that necessitates consistent maintenance, particularly if you are engaged with a vibrant community or collaborating with a popular brand. Therefore, it is advisable to ensure that you have the capacity to sustain a Pinterest page.
If you’re still interested and have a website, finalize your commitment by claiming it.
By claiming your site, you gain the ability to view analytics for both the Pins you share from your website and Pins generated by other users using your content.
By claiming a website, you can have your profile picture displayed alongside any Pins originating from your website. Moreover, you will have a “follow” button on your Pinterest account, which will be located next to your website URL on your profile.
Account verification is also provided on the website. A blue checkmark is obtained by verified merchants, while creators and verified accounts receive red checkmarks. These indicators play a crucial role in establishing trust among viewers and validating the authenticity of your account.
5. Create Pins
At this stage, it is expected that you have established a operational business account and connected it to a website.
Now, it is time to begin earning money through the creation of Pins to share your products.
Types of Pins
Standard
Images are the accepted format for standard Pins. It is possible to upload several images simultaneously and include descriptions for each pin.
Keep in mind that the quality of the pictures is important. The objective should be to post visually stunning images that capture people’s attention and generate excitement for what you are offering.
Videos
Including videos along with photos is highly recommended as they have the potential to become viral.
In order to accumulate shares, your videos must possess a high level of quality.
Products
Pinterest not only allows users to post regular images but also supports the showcasing of tangible products.
If you want to sell a product, such as clothes or accessories, posting it enables you to display live information regarding pricing and availability. This is the recommended method to go about it.
Ideas
Ideas are presented as short video clips that Pinners can browse by tapping. The website allows a maximum of 20 frames, each lasting no more than 60 seconds.
Collections
You can also improve your posts by presenting collections, which involves combining multiple images that harmonize with each other.
An instance of this would be a vintage clothing provider showcasing a range comprising a vintage watch, an elegant hat, a bow tie, and a tweed jacket.
Collections are a widely-used strategy for holiday themes. For instance, you can provide a variety of items that customers can combine and customize, enabling them to create their ideal Sherlock Holmes Halloween costume.
6. Let shoppers purchase directly on Pinterest
Pinterest presents a compelling opportunity for brands with an e-commerce presence to boost website traffic and increase sales.
You can employ pins to display your products and guide followers to your website for shopping, or conveniently utilize Pinterest’s shopping feature to make direct purchases within the app.
If you meet the requirements, you’ll be delighted to know that the in-app checkout is exclusively open to a select few merchants.
The streamlined customer journey and simplified purchasing process on Pinterest enable Pinners to explore and purchase products directly on the platform, without needing to navigate away from it.
What are the qualifications for in-app checkout? To be eligible, you must satisfy the following requirements.
- You use the Shopify app
- Shopify store has a U.S. billing address
- Only has Shopify feeds (Meaning you don’t have active non-Shopify feeds uploaded to Pinterest)
- Accepts returns
- Has an email address for customer support inquiries
- Exceeds monthly checkout conversions threshold
- Meets Merchant guidelines
After being approved for the in-app checkout feature, the product pins will exhibit a “Buy” button beneath them.
After clicking on it, users will have the option to choose product details such as size or color, and will then be directed to a checkout page within the Pinterest app.
You can still create attention-grabbing pins and guide viewers to visit your website for purchasing the product, even if you do not have access to the in-app checkout feature at the moment.
7. Become an affiliate marketer
Affiliate marketing is not limited to blogs alone. By utilizing your direct affiliate links, you can also establish connections with pins.
If Pinners make a purchase, you can receive a commission on sales by sharing your affiliate links on Pinterest.
Naturally, you have the option of guiding individuals towards affiliate-related material such as your blog articles or videos as a way to familiarize your audience before their purchase.
@veggiekins linked her pin to a YouTube video that includes an affiliate link, and that is what she did.
Becoming a successful affiliate involves following specific tips and tricks.
1. Establish themes for boards.
If you expect results, it is not sufficient to simply gather numerous unrelated affiliate links and randomly place them on one platform.
When creating pins, it is most beneficial to carefully select them based on a central theme. This assists Pinners in discovering a cohesive vision and determining whether they desire to replicate the aesthetics or ideas of the pinned items.
Compose meaningful explanations
It is essential to convey the significance of these affiliate links or pins while incorporating relevant keywords and hashtags to optimize visibility in Pinterest search results.
3. Stay true to yourself.
It is disliked by everyone when your sole focus is on promoting affiliate links. Authenticity is crucial when it comes to designing pins and boards that truly reflect your brand.
Make use of media of superior quality.
Later on, we will delve further into the components that constitute an ideal pin. However, it is crucial to prioritize the creation of captivating and thought-provoking images or videos for your pins and avoid cutting corners in this aspect.
Adhere to the appropriate guidelines concerning affiliate marketing.
To avoid being blocked by Pinterest, it is advisable to stay informed about their Affiliate Guidelines and adhere to relevant local regulations such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guidelines.
Implement Pinterest SEO
Keywords play the role of an intermediary cupid, facilitating the union between content and users for a harmonious connection.
Utilizing appropriate keywords to depict your content fosters the discovery of your pins by users, both through direct searches and Pinterest’s recommendation algorithm.
Places such as where you’ll want to include your keywords are:
- Pin description
- Text overlay
- Board title
- Board description
- Profile description
Pinterest SEO sounds promising, but where can you locate the keywords employed by Pinners?
Begin by entering a broad term related to your business into the Pinterest search bar to determine the most effective keywords.
By clicking on the keywords, you can discover a wider range of niche suggestions. For instance, if you choose the keyword “Tips”, you will find search results related to “Mexico travel tips”.
Other creators may not heavily target these specific keywords, but they are still relevant to Pinners.
