Last Updated July 4, 2024 by Davina Kelly
Do you want to learn how to make money online and be your own boss? In this post, I will show you how to make money on Pinterest for beginners.
Pinterest is a very popular social media platform with millions of users. Most people use it to create mood boards.
But a lot of people utilise it to make money. You might be confused about how that is possible, but don’t worry I’ll explain.
Whether you’re looking for ways to make extra money or want to monetise your passions and skills you can utilise Pinterest to help you.
In this post, you are going to learn how to make money on Pinterest for beginners along with the best ways to monetise your Pinterest.
After reading this post, you will know how to make money on Pinterest with or without a blog and the best tools and resources to set you up for success.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we will receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
This post is all about how to make money on Pinterest for beginners.
How To Make Money On Pinterest For Beginners (The Secret)
The secret to how to make money on Pinterest for beginners is to get a lot of traffic and drive that traffic to your blog or business. Sounds simple right, but let me break it down.
Pinterest is a visual search engine that allows users to discover ideas. When you go to Google and search for something you will see articles and blog posts. But on Pinterest, your results will be pins.
These pins are like a marketing billboard and they contain links that will direct the user somewhere. That destination could be a blog, website or an eCommerce store.
People come to Pinterest to look for inspiration and solutions to their problems. If you can give them ideas or provide solutions to their problems you can make money on Pinterest.
I first started using Pinterest to find recipes and home decor ideas. Fast forward a few years later I started a blog and everyone kept telling me I needed to use Pinterest to get traffic to my blog.
So I purchased a course and applied the strategies and it helped me get some traffic. But after a few months, my traffic was still super low and I felt like I was missing something. I eventually invested in this eBook about how to get Pinterest traffic and it changed everything for me.
It helped me go from being stuck at around 2.5k impressions and less than 100 pageviews to reaching over 100k! This is huge for me because my niche is the least searched on Pinterest but the strategies still worked.
If you want to make money on Pinterest I highly recommend this eBook The Golden Compass To Pinterest Traffic. It’s a comprehensive guide that’ll teach you everything you need to know to get explosive traffic on Pinterest.
How To Make Money On Pinterest For Beginners (Step By Step):
Step 1. Start a Profitable Blog
The best way to make money on Pinterest is by starting a blog. Your blog serves as the hub for your content and allows you to share your passions and experiences and attract an audience.
Starting a blog is also a great way to build a brand and become known as an authority figure in your niche.
Once your blog is set up you can start creating content and use Pinterest to drive traffic and start making money. I will get into this in more detail later.
There are many ways to start a blog. I know a popular choice is to start a blog for free on WordPress.com. But if you want to make money on Pinterest that is not a good option. It will be very hard to monetise it and that defeats the purpose of starting a blog because the goal is to make money.
Instead, you want to start a self-hosted blog on WordPress.org. I know this can sound confusing trust me I was confused in the beginning too. But it is very important to get this step right.
If you are a brand new blogger and want some help getting started I recommend this eBook The Treasure Map To Blogging Success In 30 Days. It will teach you how to start your blog step by step in just a few weeks.
If you’re a complete beginner with no tech experience this eBook will help you build a profitable blog and avoid making costly mistakes.
You will learn everything from how to secure your website to how to write your first blog post. And it includes a chapter about how to utilise Chat GPT to save you time.
You can get a copy of the eBook here and start your money-making blog in just a few weeks.
Step 2. Write Helpful Content For Pinterest
Once you have set up your blog you need to start writing content. Aim to write 1 – 2 blog posts a week, if you can write more even better.
The main thing is to write and publish content consistently, so if you can only commit to writing one post a week that is fine. Just be consistent.
Your content should be helpful so don’t just write any blog post. It needs to be high-quality content that provides value to your readers and helps them solve a problem.
One of the things that was drilled into my head when I started my blog was “No one cares about you, they only care about themselves”. And this is true when it comes to blogging because the reader is searching for an answer to their problem. So they don’t want to hear about your problems if it isn’t going to help them.
For example, if you used to struggle with dressing for your body type don’t word vomit about it on your blog. Instead, talk about your struggle and how you overcame it and share tips to help your readers who may have the same problem.
Before you start writing content you need to choose a topic to write about. This step is very important so take your time and choose wisely.
When making this decision think about the things you are passionate about and have skills or experience in. What are you good at? Do you have a hobby that you enjoy doing in your spare time?
If you choose a topic that aligns with your interests and experience it will make the writing process enjoyable. And that is important because you will be writing a lot.
I know this part can be challenging because you will either have a million ideas or none at all. But if you set aside time to brainstorm you will eventually come up with a good idea.
Step 3. Set Up a Business Pinterest Account
Now that you have set up your blog the right way and started creating valuable content to help Pinterest users, it’s time to get started on Pinterest.
The first step in how to make money on Pinterest for beginners is to sign up for a Pinterest business account. It is completely free and will give you access to analytics and audience insights which you can use to monetise Pinterest.
If you have a personal Pinterest account you can easily convert it to a business account. But I recommend starting a fresh business account under your blog’s name. This will keep everything separate and all the data you have will be related to your blog.
Once you have created your business account you will have to claim your website and create a bio.
When you create your bio It is important to include keywords that are relevant to your niche. This is important because it will allow users to find you when searching for topics in your niche.
For example, if your blog is about travel you should include keywords like travel tips, travel hacks, destinations, etc you get the point.
Step 4. Create Pinterest Boards
Your Pinterest business account is now set up properly so you can start creating boards. A Pinterest board is a virtual corkboard where you can save all your pins. They are a great way for users to bookmark content they want to come back to. And it will make it easier to find your pins.
Just like you did with your bio you need to include keywords in your Pinterest boards. You want to include your keywords conversationally and avoid keyword stuffing.
I will use a travel blog again to show you an example of keyword stuffing.
Travel aesthetic, travel outfit, travel outfit summer, travel dreams, places to travel to, travel hacks, packing tips. Don’t do this!
This is a mistake I made when I first started my Pinterest account and it stopped me from getting traffic. And without traffic, you won’t make money on Pinterest. I was able to correct this mistake using lessons learned from the Golden Compass To Pinteret Traffic.
Here is an example of a board description that includes keywords in a conversational way.
If you love travelling and are looking for the best travel tips this board has everything you need to know.
It includes the best places to travel to that will make your travel dreams come true. You’ll also find many travel hacks, packing tips and recommendations for the most comfortable travel outfits.
Step 5. Design Clickworthy Pins
The most crucial step in how to make money on Pinterest for beginners is to get traffic. And the best way to get traffic on Pinterest is to create pins. But not just any pins. They need to be beautiful clickworthy pins that stand out.
Think about it, when you’re scrolling on Pinterest you are more likely to click on a pin that has a cute design and a title that speaks to your pain points. Rather than a boring pin with a generic title.
To create your pins I recommend using Canva. It is easy to use even if you’re a beginner and it is free.
You might be thinking I can’t create pins because I am not creative nor do I have graphic design experience. But that is fine, you don’t need experience to get started.
However, if you want to create stand-out pins that drive traffic to your blog you can use these Pin Savvy templates. They come with an eBook bundle that will teach you how to design pins that will stop Pinterest users in their tracks.
I use these templates myself and they have helped me skyrocket my Pinterest traffic. They have also saved me so much time because all the design work is done for me. All I have to do is swap out the pictures, change the title and boom I have a clickworthy pin.
Click here to get your hands on these amazing Pin Savvy templates.
How To Make Money On Pinterest for Beginners With a Blog
Now, I will share the different ways you can make money on Pinterest and you can decide which method works best for you. But regardless of which method you choose, you need to have traffic on Pinterest. If you don’t have traffic on Pinterest you can’t make money.
Drive Traffic To Your Blog
When you are a brand new blogger Pinterest is your best friend. It is the fastest and easiest way to get traffic to your blog and it will increase your blog’s visibility. Getting traffic from Google will take a lot longer so I recommend focussing your efforts on Pinterest.
If you apply the lessons taught in The Golden Compass To Pinterest Traffic, you can drive a lot of traffic to your blog and make money with display ads. This is usually the first way bloggers make money.
To do this you will need to write blog posts that are helpful to the reader. I know I mentioned this earlier but I need to emphasise it because it is a huge factor in getting traffic.
Another very important factor I need to remind you about is being consistent. Just like most social media platforms, Pinterest likes it when you publish content consistently.
If you publish content and create pins regularly Pinterest will reward you by showing your pins to more readers.
Apply To An Advertising Agency
Once you are getting consistent traffic from Pinterest to your blog you can apply to an advertising agency. You can make anywhere from $10 – $100 a day depending on your traffic and which ad agency you are with.
Here are some of the most popular advertising agencies.
- Google Adsense – no minimum traffic requirement
- Ezoic – no minimum traffic requirement
- Monumetric – minimum 10,000 monthly page views
- SheMedia – minimum 20,000 monthly page views
- Mediavine – minimum 50,000 monthly page views for the top end. They now have a lower-tier program that requires 10,000 monthly page views.
Affiliate Marketing
Along with ad revenue, you can make money on Pinterest with a blog using affiliate marketing. This can be a lucrative way to monetise your Pinterest and make passive income.
If you’re new to blogging and making money online you might be wondering what is affiliate marketing? It is a monetisation strategy where you recommend products you think will help your readers.
When they make a purchase through your link you will earn a commission as a thank you for making the sale happen. This is at no extra cost to the buyer so everyone wins.
I recommend applying this strategy once you have enough data to see what your readers are interested in. You want to take your time with this and ensure you are recommending products that will add value.
If you apply this strategy just to make money your readers will be able to tell and they will lose trust in you. So only recommend products that you really believe in.
Once you have chosen the products you want to promote you can add the affiliate links to your blog posts and create eye-catching pins to drive traffic to those posts.
How To Make Money On Pinterest for Beginners Without a Blog
My personal favourite way to make money on Pinterest as a beginner is with a blog. But if you don’t want to start a blog you can still make money on Pinterest. Here are some ways you can do this.
Direct Affiliate Marketing
You can make money on Pinterest without a blog by promoting direct affiliate links. This is similar to how you would make money with a blog, the difference is that you will direct the reader to the product instead of a blog post.
For example, if you wanted to promote beauty products you would create a pin and add the link to the product. And when the reader clicks on the pin they will be taken directly to the product page. Whereas with a blog the reader will be directed to the blog post that has some information along the affiliate link.
Pinterest is probably the best social media platform for affiliate marketing so this method will work. But it is impersonal so you may have a lower conversion rate.
Also, something important to note is some companies won’t allow you to promote their products with this method. So ensure you read the terms before you start promoting a product.
Become a Pinterest Virtual Assistant
If you enjoy using Pinterest you can become a Pinterest virtual assistant. Businesses and influencers are looking for ways to increase their presence on the platform so you can use your skills to help them.
As a Pinterest virtual assistant, you can help online businesses optimise their content, create and schedule pins and do keyword research.
Becoming a Pinterest virtual assistant is a great way to leverage your skills and make money from home. And there is no limit to your earning potential.
You can take on more clients to increase your income or become a Pinterest manager. The earning potential is at least $500 a month.
Sell Your Products
Is there a particular topic you are really interested in or passionate about? Why not create an eBook or printable and promote it on Pinterest to drive sales?
For example, if you have the best home organisation tips you can create your eBook on Canva and publish pins to drive traffic to your sales page.
The same applies if you have a service to offer you can add the URL to your website with more information about your services.
Pinterest is a great platform to drive free traffic to your products or services so it would be silly not to utilise it. If it is a topic that people are interested in they will buy it.
Promote Your eCommerce Store
If you have an eCommerce store I highly recommend you utilise Pinterest to drive traffic to your store. Users on Pinterest are more likely to buy than any other social media platform so this is a gold mine for your store.
You can use Pinterest shopping to upload your products and market them. If you have an Etsy or Shopify store you can integrate it with Pinterest. They will turn all of your products into pins and you can create campaigns. This is very efficient and makes it super easy to get started.
There you have it I have now shared many ideas on how to make money on Pinterest for beginners. Here are the resources I recommend to help you get started monetising Pinterest.
The Treasure Map To Blogging Success In 30 Days – To start your profitable blog
The Golden Compass To Pinterest Traffic – To get explosive traffic on Pinterest
Premium Pin Savvy Pinterest Templates – To create eye-cathing pins
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Make Money On Pinterest For Beginners
Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about how to make money on Pinterest for beginners.
Does Pinterest Pay You?
You might be wondering does Pinterest pay you? In short, no they don’t. Pinterest doesn’t pay you directly, but you can use the platform to drive traffic to your blog or website and make money.
You can monetise your platform with display ads and affiliate marketing. Or you can drive traffic to your online store and make sales.
Can You Make Money On Pinterest Without Followers?
Yes, you absolutely can. Followers are not the most important metric when it comes to making money on Pinterest. To make money on Pinterest you need to drive traffic to your blog, products or services. You can do this by creating pins that catch the user’s attention and make them want to click on your link.
Final Thoughts
Making money on Pinterest requires a strategic approach that combines creating content, engaging your audience and designing clickworthy pins. If you follow the steps in this post you can drive traffic to your business and make money.
I hope you have found this post helpful and now know how to make money on Pinterest for beginners. Which monetisation method will you try? Let me know in the comments below.
This post was all about how to make money on Pinterest for beginners.
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Davina Kelly
Hey! I'm Davina, the owner of Davinas Finance Corner. I'm passionate about finding ways to budget, save, earn more money and improve your life. After breaking free from payday loan debt and living paycheck to paycheck I want to share my experience to help other women improve their finances.