There are so many side hustle options today. People use different social media platforms to supplement their income or earn a full-time income. One platform that is often unknown or underused is Pinterest.
Pinterest is a social media platform used by many to share ideas and find inspiration. Pinterest can also be a great platform to connect and monetize skills or ideas. The trick to finding financial success on Pinterest is to understand the options and opportunities it presents.
While Pinterest and other social media platforms are great avenues for making money, they can create uncertainty in other areas. One of those areas of uncertainty is insurance.
Your employment status and insurance can be directly linked. It’s important to understand your insurance options when it comes to full- or part-time side hustles.
What is Pinterest?
The place to start is understanding exactly what Pinterest is. Pinterest is a social media platform like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. It’s a place to share photos, ideas, and inspiration. Unlike some of these other platforms, however, Pinterest is almost exclusively visual.
Pinterest users can scroll through thousands of pin boards based on topic or item. These boards have dozens of pictures related to the umbrella topic or item. These pins can be shared or repinned, increasing their visibility.
At its most basic level, Pinterest is a site used for creatives and DIYers to find inspiration and share what makes them smile. It’s a community of people just looking to share and collect ideas.
Monetizing Pinterest
Even though it has a strong sense of community, Pinterest has been used by many people to make a full-time income. Pinterest presents a lot of unique opportunities for just about anyone to make some extra cash.
Blogging
One of the most popular ways to monetize your activity on Pinterest is through blogging. In fact, blogging is the number one way people use Pinterest to make money. This is the highest earning potential for the last few years.
Pinterest is a search engine. Anything you type into Google you can type into Pinterest and find thousands of related topics, shopping items, or blog posts. Pinterest allows bloggers to promote their blog and directly connect to thousands of people each and every year.
Virtual Assistant
Pinterest virtual assistants are used by bloggers, influencers, and business owners to optimize their Pinterest presence and reach more people. The exact description of a virtual assistant will depend on the specific job, but many assistants do similar things.
A lot of virtual assistants craft and create pins, schedule content, and handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes work for the blog, influencer, or business. The best part about being a Pinterest virtual assistant is how flexible the job is.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great passive income opportunity, and Pinterest makes it easy. Affiliate marketing is the promotion of a product or service. Companies give individuals links to the specific product or service, and people use that link to buy.
People who choose to use affiliate marketing can simply create pins or pin boards that share and promote these products. You create a pin, insert the link, and make it live. People visit the link and you get paid.
E-commerce sites
Many creatives use Pinterest to promote their Etsy, Shopify, or eBay shop. This is less about making money directly from Pinterest and more about using the searchability and reach of the site to drive more traffic to your site.
This strategy is similar to the one used by bloggers. You create a pin showcasing your work or products or shop and post it. People can find your pin through a quick search and be directed back to your e-commerce site.
Learn a Skill
Pinterest can also be used as inspiration. Pinterest is an almost endless library of how-to videos and step-by-step tutorials. Just about anyone can use this resource to learn a new skill and turn that skill into a money-making opportunity.
Curate and Promote
Pinterest users also have the opportunity to tap into the community and make money. One way to do this is to partner with a well-known brand or influencer with a large number of followers. You can offer your services to curate a pin board. The brand or influencer will pay you a flat rate, and you get a boost in views or followers.
Shop the Look Interactions
Pinterest is a great place to interact and shop. This is great for people who are inspired and passionate about fashion. Fashion influencers can use their Pinterest platform like the ThredUP and Poshmark platforms. Influencers post an outfit, link the different pieces, and earn a small commission.
Pinterest and Insurance
Turning a Pinterest account into a full-time income can be overwhelming but exciting. While you work on growing your followers and virtual reach, practical issues like insurance can crop up.
Some insurance providers check your employment status. Your employment status can have a big impact on your insurance coverage and rates. Having a less traditional job might require some additional proof before being awarded insurance coverage.
Even with a few additional steps for insurance, following your passion and creating an online space for yourself is worth it. If you find yourself scrolling through Pinterest inspiration boards, consider carving out a space for yourself.
