Oh, Pinterest. A virtual refuge for mood boards, aesthetically pleasing meal prep guides, and sufficient home decor inspirations to convince you that you truly need a rustic bookshelf, although you do not possess a single book. But there is one thing that transforms Pinterest from an ever-intermittently-styled website to a cash cauldron—a lot more than you would have perceived at first glance.

Unlike Instagram, whose content seems to vanish into the forgotten void of the digital landscape after 24 hours, Pinterest is modeled like an infinite search engine. A good pin? It might continue getting clicks for years.

Imagine if your 2021 "How to Stay Motivated in School" post still drove traffic to this day - that's Pinterest. People aren't just mindlessly browsing; they're searching for things to buy, read and try. This is where the money is, my friend!

Image Credits: Alexander Grey from Unsplash

Overall, there are several different methods of making money on Pinterest:

1. Affiliate marketing: The lazy genius method.

This is like getting paid for simply telling a friend where to get that cute new sweater. All you do is post a pin directing someone to the product, and if they purchase through your pin, yay-the commission is yours. Amazon Associates, RewardStyle, and ShareASale are a few good places to start.

Tip: Have a board named "Things I Swear By" and stuff it with affiliate links. Pinterest users just love recommendations.

2. Selling digital products: Who doesn't dream of passive income?

Etsy and Gumroad are great places to sell digital products, such as:

• Aesthetic phone wallpapers (yes, people actually buy them).
• Budgeting or meal-planning templates.
• E-books (like a "college survival guide").
• Printable planners and study guides.
• Resume and cover letter templates for job seekers.

Make a few of these products, list them, and let Pinterest bring traffic to your shop while you do anything besides having to sell.

3. Blogging and Pinterest are Two Peas in a Pod.

If you can think and type them out, then start a blog. Inform about Pinterest-friendly topics (think study hacks, money-saving recommendations, travel guides), creating multiple pins linking to each post.

How to profit with a blog? Ads, affiliate links, sponsored posts - more clicks mean more dollars.

Pro tip: Properly researched and long-form posts will perform better. Write things that are truly useful for the reader; instead of "Best Study Tips," you could go for "10 Proven Study Techniques That Help You Pass Exams."

4. Pinterest Management-The Brainy Friend Paid for It

Those little businesses that haven't yet figured out Pinterest? Offer to manage it for them. They seem to need keyword optimization, pin scheduling, and original content.

Things you can learn from watching a couple of YouTube videos. Put yourself on Fiverr or Upwork and start freelancing.

Start off by contacting local businesses, bloggers, or online stores that could use help gaining traction. Build a portfolio, and soon you will have a steady stream of customers.

5. Brand Deals: Get Paid to Pin

Some brands will indeed pay you for getting their product featured in pins. And unlike Instagram, you will need only a few stable followers and engagement. Keep track of the clicks and saves of your pins and use them for making your pitch to brands.

Brands related more to home decor, fashion, self-improvement, and productivity thrive on Pinterest. Search for the brands that fall in line with your content and shoot them a bit well-placed pitch. Bring your Pinterest analytics into the game - numbers speak louder than "Hey, I like your brand."

Image Credits: charlesdeluvio from Unsplash

Making Pins That People Actually Click

Done with making money! Now let's talk about how to create pins that will actually get clicks.

• Think Google, Not Instagram - Pinterest is a search engine. So, use keywords in your descriptions. No one's searching "so cute omg," but they are searching "best dorm room organization hacks."
• Size Matters - Taller pins (1000 x 1500 pixels) stand out much more in feeds. Use Canva if you are not a wizard of the arts.
• Post Like You Mean It - Consistent updates are easy. Use Tailwind to schedule your pinning instead of doing it every blue moon.
• Call to Action = Clicks - "Click here for the full list," "shop now," "save for later." It isn't rocket science, tell people what to do, or they won't.
• Eye-Catching Design Wins - Bright colors, bold fonts, and easy-to-read text. A blurry, overcomplicated pin is a scroll-past disaster.
• Test & Optimize - Try different styles of pins, track the best performers and adjust accordingly. A/B testing isn't just for scientists, it also works for Pinterest.

The Pinterest Algorithm Hack

Pinterest rewards those who spend more time on the platform. You have to figure out how this works:

• Pin at least 5-10 times a day; include a mix of your content plus re-pinning other people's content.
• Use Pinterest Trends to determine what's trending; create pins around trending topics.
• Group boards = More exposure. Join other boards within your niche and share your work.

Is Pinterest a Golden Goose?

Nah. If it were, we would have all been billionaires by now. But sure, it is a fantastic way to build a passive income. Be it a side hustle or a career move, Pinterest has the potential to pay much more than this summer's average job.

So, when you're wasting hours mindlessly pinning aesthetic desk setups and motivational quotes, just keep this in mind: You could also make some money with this experiment. Or at least make your pinning habit a little more productive. Just a baby step.

Oh, and in case this article inspires you to launch an empire on Pinterest, don't forget to pin it for later. See what I just did?