How To Become A Pinterest Manager – The Ultimate Guide
For most users, Pinterest is a quick and visually-appealing way to save their favorite brownie recipe or home decor idea.
But, if you know how to grow a Pinterest account and create content that goes viral on the platform, you can also make serious money as a Pinterest manager.
Yes: it's possible to make some serious money by becoming a freelance Pinterest manager and working to grow Pinterest followings for your clients.
So, if you want to make money with Pinterest and think you know how to create eye-catching pins and nurture a following, this is the guide for you.
In this post, we're covering everything you need to know on how to become a Pinterest manager to start making money online.
Let's get to it!
What Is A Pinterest Manager?
Before we dive into how to make money as a Pinterest manager, let's define what this role even means.
In a nutshell, a Pinterest manager is responsible for managing every aspect of a client's Pinterest presence.
Broadly, this means growing the account, talking with clients about their goals and brand requirements, and creating a marketing plan to reach those goals.
Let's take a look at the more day-to-day tasks a Pinterest manager is responsible for.
What Does A Pinterest Manager Do?
Generally, Pinterest manager jobs involve:
- Profile Audit: Auditing a client's Pinterest account, boards, and pins to figure out why it isn't getting followers or driving traffic.
- Board Optimization: Create new board covers and write more robust board descriptions to help with Pinterest ranking.
- Pin Design: Create eye-catching pins for your client to use.
- Pinterest Hashtag & Description Research: Write pin descriptions or help your client in creating pins that can rank more consistently on Pinterest's search results.
- Pinterest Scheduling: Ensure pins are consistently pinning for clients on a 24/7 basis and that you are consistently reaching more people (and getting more blog traffic).
- General Engagement: Follow new accounts, join group boards, respond to comments, and try to get more followers.
- Reporting: Send regular updates to clients to outline profile growth, total traffic, and what pins/boards and performing the best.
This is a fairly broad overview, but really, there's one metric that really matters: traffic.
Your job as a Pinterest manager is to get more people to see and click on pins so your client gets more website visitors.
If you can't do this, I don't think your Pinterest manager job will have a long life-span per client.
How To Become A Pinterest Manager
I've hired several Pinterest managers over the course of running WebMonkey.
I also used to run the Pinterest account myself, and I even had a weird digital marketing consultant once where part of the gig involved optimizing the client's Pinterest account.
I don't think I'm an expert at creating graphics or anything like that, but I have spent thousands of dollars hiring Pinterest managers and VAs to help WebMonkey and some other businesses for clients when I worked in digital marketing.
So, I think I know what to look for when vetting and hiring a Pinterest manager, and I've definitely met a lot of successful managers along the way.
That said, here's a blueprint you can follow to start making money as a Pinterest manager and to potentially scale this side hustle into full-time income!
1. Learn To Grow A Pinterest Account
Becoming a freelance Pinterest manager is extremely similar to becoming a freelance writer or programmer because you're essentially selling your skills online.
In other words, a Pinterest manager doesn't make anything tangible; you're delivering value because you know how to grow a Pinterest account and drive more traffic.
Unsurprisingly, this means learning the basics of how to grow a Pinterest account and how to design captivating pins people click on.
If you're brand new to this social media platform, some resources you can use to learn the basics of Pinterest marketing include:
- Pinterest's Business library, which includes a Pinterest Academy and various guides on how to excel on the platform
- Free and affordable Pinterest marketing courses on Udemy
- Various Pinterest guides on YouTube that cover the basics of how to create eye-catching pins and beat the Pinterest algorithm to get traffic
You can try a paid Pinterest course as well, but I don't usually like this approach since you can find information online for free.
Plus, Pinterest's algorithm changes all the time, so the “best practices” you hear in a paid course from last year might not apply anymore.
In any case, the first step in becoming a Pinterest manager is to learn the platform inside and out.
2. Grow Several Boards In Different Niches For Your Portfolio
The next step in how to become a Pinterest manager is to begin building your portfolio.
Any type of freelancing gig needs a portfolio; you need to show potential clients you know what you're doing before they hire you.
In the case of freelance writing, it's pretty easy…I just slap some writing samples up on a website and call it a day.
But for your Pinterest manager portfolio, your best bet is to grow several Pinterest accounts in multiple niches.
This means creating a few healthy, active Pinterest accounts with beautiful pins and hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of monthly views.
You don't need to maintain these boards indefinitely, but you need to grow them and take screenshots for proof to use on your portfolio (I'd probably keep them active until you land your first clients and can then use their boards as your portfolio pieces).
I also suggest creating a few accounts in different niches.
This is because, as a blogger, I'd like to hire a Pinterest manager who already has experience growing accounts in my blogging niche.
Some popular niches you can consider include:
- Apparel and fashion
- Food
- Fitness
- Home decor
- Inspiration
- Parenting
- Personal finance
- Travel
This is also a great time to research what the top accounts in different niches are doing to grow.
To find the best accounts in different niches, search for keywords in your niche in the Pinterest search bar and start spying on the accounts that come up:
What sort of pin designs do they use? What board names and keywords do they have? How often do they publish per day?
Ask these sorts of questions and look for what the accounts in your niche of interest are doing to grow rapidly.
So, in a nutshell, just cover some popular niches where bloggers and small businesses operate since these are your two main clients.
3. Create A Pinterest Management Services Website
Alright, you'be grown several boards and you can prove to clients that you know how to grow Pinterest accounts and deliver results.
It's now time to create a Pinterest management services website. This is where potential clients can see:
- The exact services you offer
- Your pricing plans
- Your contact information to schedule a call/request more information
Now, don't let this step scare you!
It's actually incredibly easy to start your own portfolio/online freelance services website. I did this for my freelance writing business, and it costs under $10 per month to run my business (which is most of my income).
To get started, you can use SiteGround to host a WordPress website for around $8 per month.
From there, I recommend looking for various “freelancer WordPress themes” or “digital marketing agency” on theme marketplaces like Envato Market/ThemeForest.
Themes are usually $29 to $99, and installing them to your WordPress website is super easy.
Finding a theme you like should take 30 minutes to an hour. If you need help installing the theme and using WordPress, there are numerous free guides on YouTube.
It will probably take a day or two to create your pages and the pricing section for your Pinterest management services website.
The most important thing is to highlight any early client testimonials you have, link to your portfolio/examples of boards you've grown, and to have a solid sales page that encourages people to buy.
Also, make sure you have a contact page and call out to customers to contact you or schedule a demo/call so you can learn about their specific needs and how you can work together.
4. Price Your Pinterest Management Packages
Alright, time for the meat and potatoes of how to become a Pinterest manager: pricing.
Pricing your Pinterest management services is a massive decision.
And, as someone who has shopped around a lot for this service, I've stumbled across a variety of pricing models and ranges.
Time to go over a few examples to get started.
Affordable Pinterest Management Service Example
I looked through several dozen Pinterest manager websites to find various pricing structures and packages.
And, out of all of them, VA Jessica's services were definitely on the more affordable side.
Overall, her website has a super clean look and easy to understand sales page. A lack of testimonials is a downside, but here's how Jessica prices her Pinterest management services:
- Business Account Setup ($297): Create the Pinterest account; set up keyword-optimized profile; follow 50 accounts; create 10 boards; join some group boards and Tailwind Communities
- Existing Account Analytics ($157): Audit existing account and suggest improvements; optimize more boards
- Monthly Maintenance ($127 Per Month): Schedule 900 pins with Tailwind; share 10 pins per week with Tailwind Communities; create new boards; monthly reporting
- Monthly Maintenance + Blog Boost ($197 Per Month): Schedule 600 pins with Tailwind; share 25 pins per week to Tailwind Communities; create four pins per month; monthly reporting; create some new boards
This is honestly a pretty solid price for all of the Tailwind scheduling.
I'm somewhat surprised the one plan only offers four pin graphics per month; I think this is an easy area to upsell clients, but more on that later!
Medium-Pricing Pinterest Management Service Example
One of the best freelance Pinterest manager websites I came across during research belongs to Katie Harp.
Her website has a clean design, strong sales funnel, testimonials, and very easily-understandable pricing.
The main Pinterest manager services Katie provides include:
- Starter Management ($399 Per Month): Create 5 pins; schedule 10-15 daily pins; follow 30 accounts; manage 2 Tailwind Communities; monthly reporting
- Basic Management ($499 Per Month): Create 10 pins; schedule 20-30 daily pins; follow 50 accounts; clean up boards; manage three Tailwind Communities; can add on Pinterest advertising; monthly reporting
- Premium Management ($599 Per Month): Create 20 pins; schedule 20-30 daily pins; follow 75 accounts; manage five Tailwind Communities; monthly reporting
I also like that Katie offers pin design packages for upsells where she creates additional pins per month for anywhere from $40 to $120 extra.
This is definitely a nice pricing model to consider, and I think a low-, mid-, and high-pricing structure is what a lot of Pinterest managers use.
Expensive Pinterest Management Service Example
Alright, one more example to inspire you to become a Pinterest manager yourself.
This one comes from Simple Pin Media, and boy, do plans get premium.
Here's how the services break down:
- Essential Management ($600 Per Month): 600 Tailwind pin schedules; weekly email report from account specialist; monthly reporting; some resources and group boards for Simple Pin Media clients
- Elite Management ($950 Per Month): 900 Tailwind pin schedules; create 10 pins per month; same account and reporting perks from Essential plus a 30 minute call with your account manager; quarterly review
- VIP Management ($2,000 Per Month): 900 Tailwind pin schedules; create 20 pins per month; everything else from Elite; some paid Pinterest ads stuff; more support
Let me just say, a $2,000 Pinterest plan that only creates 20 pins per month is pretty funny if you ask me.
But hey, these guys have testimonials and clients, so the market pays what it's willing to pay!
One thing that's clear is that making your Pinterest management business look more professional probably helps with selling clients…schedule calls, analytics, audits, account specialist…quite salesy but probably helping to convert customers!
5. Promote Your Services – Where To Find Pinterest Manager Jobs?
Alright, once you decide on how to price your Pinterest manager side hustle, it's time to promote your business!
There are several ways to do this, including:
- Pitching your services on blogging Facebook groups
- Writing blog posts on your website about how to grow on Pinterest
- Looking for job postings online
- Networking
Honestly, pitching bloggers directly or in Facebook groups would be my go to since bloggers are largely your target audience.
The more you network with bloggers, virtual assistants, and other Pinterest managers, the better as well.
The two people I've hired for helping with WebMonkey's Pinterest at different times came from word of mouth referrals, so make sure you make a good impression with your first clients!
My only tip here is to offer intro calls with potential clients to help them go over their current strategies and goals.
A lot of Pinterest manager websites I see offer a free 30 minute strategy call or account audit or something like that, so don't be afraid to get your foot in the door with some free work.
6. Land Clients & Grow!
Alright: you've pitched clients, scheduled some intro calls, and clients are ready to onboard!
Your main decision here is really if you require fixed contracts/commitments or not.
I know a lot of managers who ask for three or six months in a commitment, while others run month-to-month.
I think six months is pushing it, but I'd consider some three month commitments or at least test out different plans in the early stages to see what works best for your business.
Tips For Making Money As A Pinterest Manager
Those are the steps on how to make money as a Pinterest manager from a fairly broad overview.
But, like any service-based business, there's a lot of room for ongoing optimizations and some tricks you can use to boost your revenue.
1. Upsell Extra Services
I mentioned a few examples of this in the pricing section above, but I wanted to highlight this idea here as well.
Upsells are an amazing way to drive more revenue for your freelance Pinterest manager business.
I mean, think about it: if someone is willing to spend $500 a month on Pinterest marketing, why wouldn't they spend another $50 on more pin designs or $125 on an account audit?
You never know what someone is willing to pay unless you ask.
Some common upsells you can try include:
- Account setups
- More pin designs
- Board and profile optimization
- More Tailwind management options
- Paid advertising on Pinterest
- Creating X number of pins for new blogs and publishing them the same day
You get the idea: list upsells under your main offerings and increase the average value per client!
2. Become A Pro With Tailwind
Almost every Pinterest manager job requires Tailwind.
This is because Tailwind is the go-to scheduling tool for Pinterest, so you can set up a client's account to operate smoothly for the month without having to worry about it.
Tailwind also lets you repin and pin new content consistently throughout the day, so time zones are never an issue.
I suggest reading my Tailwind review and also using Tailwind to grow your own boards so you become a pro with this marketing software.
Get started with Tailwind today!
3. Start Outsourcing Work
How many Pinterest managers do you think schedule all of their client's work when they're charging $500 per month or more for their services?
My guess would be that many of them outsource a significant portion of this manually-intensive task to cheaper freelancers.
The bottom line is that, as you scale, more of your efforts should focus on selling your services to new clients and keeping existing clients happy.
So, don't be afraid to outsource work on freelancer websites like Fiverr to outsource work to a design team or your own virtual assistant.
4. Be Flexible With Clients…To A Point
In the early days of starting, you need positive testimonials and word of mouth to grow your business.
So, my advice is to be more flexible with clients and to cater to their needs to secure business.
This might involve creating extra pins, doing more Tailwind work, or just providing better customer service somehow.
Do the work. Even if it doesn't pay that well or makes you work late nights.
When my friend and I started a digital marketing/SEO college side hustle, we did a lot of free work and consulting to get intros to people. It ended up paying off.
You should still be reasonable and value your time, but don't be afraid to give some white glove service when starting!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're still on the fence about becoming a Pinterest manager, I hope this list of answers to common questions people have helps you make the right decision.
1. How Much Does A Pinterest Manager Make?
This is a hard number to pin down since most Pinterest managers charge a monthly retainer fee, not an hourly rate.
On average, I'd say each client is usually around $300 per month in revenue.
This means a client earns around $3,600 in revenue for your Pinterest management business in 12 months.
Of course, clients churn and stop paying you, so you have to factor this risk in. Additionally, you might charge clients less or more than $300 per month depending on your pricing.
But, I think that with 10-15 clients, you can make a very decent living as a Pinterest manager.
Interestingly, according to Indeed, Pinterest account managers earn $45,300 per year.
Makes you think: maybe freelancing is the way to go for this money-making idea!
Extra Reading – 20+ Jobs That Pay $5,000 A Month.
2. Should I Look For Work On Upwork?
Upwork is another marketplace where you can find Pinterest manager jobs much faster than creating your own website.
The catch is that Upwork jobs typically pay hourly, not monthly.
Additionally, there's an immense amount of competition, so it's pretty much as hard as finding clients with direct pitching anyway.
I wouldn't shy away from Upwork, and you can definitely use the platform when getting your start.
Just note it's still very competitive!
Extra Reading – Best Upwork Jobs For Beginners.
3. Is Becoming A Pinterest Manager Easy?
Making money as a Pinterest manager might sound like a piece of cake if you love the platform.
But, the reality is that this is a tough business to get into where word of mouth and your network matter a ton.
I think it's possible to make great money managing people's Pinterest account, but my advice is to start this as a side hustle while holding down your full-time job.
It takes time to find clients in freelancing, and clients also churn all the time.
However, the effort is worth it if you want to work for yourself and build your own freelancing business!
4. What Are The Pros & Cons
If you're still on the fence about this line of work, here are some of the pros and cons worth thinking about:
Pinterest Manager Pros:
- Highly scalable business
- Can outsource a lot of your daily tasks
- Word of mouth and networking go a long way
- Can find clients in a variety of niches
Pinterest Manager Cons:
- No guaranteed income
- Client churn is a risk
- Competitive field and tough to land your first clients
Ultimately, I think the ideal Pinterest manager has a love for the platform, in-depth Pinterest marketing knowledge, graphic design skills, and the hunger to freelance online.
If you prefer an hourly wage or want a stable paycheck when starting out, this might be a tough business to start.
Extra Reading – How To Make $50 Per Day.
Final Thoughts
I hope our guide on how to become a Pinterest manager helps you make money with this massive social media platform.
The truth is that Pinterest marketing is tough…algorithms and best practices change all the time, so you have to adapt.
But, this is why people hire Pinterest experts to help them grow.
I've spent thousands on these types of services, and honestly, bloggers and Pinterest managers are a match made in heaven.
So, don't be afraid to start your own Pinterest manager business and to begin pitching clients!
It might take time to find work, but you never know where you'll end up until you try!
Best of luck, and I'll catch you guys in the next one!
Extra Reading:
