How to make money on Pinterest

Turning Pinners into Customers: A Pinterest Sales Funnel for Smll Businesses

In this lesson you'll learn:

  • How to create a interest sales funnel for your small business
  • Strategies for each stage of funnel, from awareness to action
  • Practical tips and solutions to common challenges in Pinterest marketings

Did you know that Pinterest users are 2.2 times more likely to make a purchase than users on other platforms? For small business owners, this isn't just a fun fact—it's a game-changer. Pinterest isn't just a platform for inspiration; it's a potent tool for driving sales and growing your business.In a world where visual content reigns supreme, Pinterest stands out as a platform where users actively seek ideas, products, and solutions.

With over 450 million monthly active users, many of whom are ready to buy, the opportunity is immense.This guide will walk you through how to make money with Pinterest with a well-designed Pinterest marketing sales funnel tailored for small businesses. We'll delve into each stage of the funnel, from attracting your ideal customer to converting them into loyal patrons. By the end, you'll have a clear roadmap to turn Pins into profits.

Stage 1: Awareness — Get discovered by your ideal customer

Attract your audience with eye-catching Pins

The first step in any sales funnel is making potential customers aware of your brand. On Pinterest, this means creating visually stunning Pins that resonate with your target audience.

Define your target audience

Before you create content, you need to know who you're speaking to. Ask yourself:

  • Who are my ideal customers?
  • What are their interests, pain points, and desires?
  • How does my product or service solve their problems?

Useful tools for audience research:

  • Tailwind Keyword Research Tool: Get curated keyword recommendations for growing keyword opportunities related to your business.
  • Tailwind and Pinterest Analytics: Gain insights into the demographics and interests of your current audience.
  • Google Trends: See what topics are trending in your industry.
  • Buyer personas: Create detailed profiles of your ideal customers.

Create high-quality, optimized Pins

Pinterest is a visual search engine. To stand out:

  • Use vertical images: Recommended aspect ratio is 2:3 (e.g., 1000 x 1500 pixels).
  • High-resolution photos: Clear, professional images grab attention.
  • Compelling text overlays: Use concise, catchy text to convey your message quickly.

Incorporate relevant keywords

Optimize your Pins for search:

  • Pin titles and descriptions: Include keywords your audience is searching for.
  • Hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to increase discoverability.
  • Image alt text: Use Pinterest’s alt text field to clearly and accurately describe your Pin image.
A vertical funnel diagram with five steps on colored backgrounds. From the bottom to the top:     1) "Define Audience" with an icon of a person surrounded by arrows.    2) "Create high-quality Pins" with a checkmark badge icon.    3) "Optimize with keywords" with a magnifying glass icon.    4) "Diversify Content" with an icon of geometric shapes.    5) "Leverage Tailwind Communities" with a handshake icon. The title reads "Building Pinterest Awareness."

Stage 2: Interest — Drive traffic to your website

Spark curiosity and encourage clicks

Now that you've captured your audience's attention, it's time to pique their interest and drive users to your site.

Craft compelling Pin descriptions

Your Pin's description should:

  • Highlight benefits: Focus on what the user gains.
  • Include a Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage users to click through (e.g., "Discover more tips on our blog!").
  • Incorporate keywords naturally: Maintain readability while optimizing for search.

Here's a quick example showing the difference between a weak description that's unlikely to motivate anyone to clickthrough to your site and an engaging description that's likely to get clicks:

  • Weak: "Check out our new products."
  • Strong: "Transform your home office with our handcrafted wooden desks. Click to see the full collection

Utilize Rich Pins

Enhance your Pins with additional details:

  • Product Rich Pins: Automatically sync information like pricing and availability from your website.
  • Recipe and article Rich Pins: Provide extra context to encourage clicks.
A series of four connected hexagonal shapes in different colors with icons and text:     1) "Build Trust and Showcase Value" accompanied by a handshake icon.    2) "Showcase Social Proof" with thumbs-up and heart icons.    3) "Create Lifestyle Imagery" with a person and camera icon.    4) "Offer Exclusive Promotions" with a megaphone icon. The title states "Enhancing Product Interest."

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Stage 3: Desire — Make your products irresistible

Build trust and showcase value

At this stage, your audience is interested. Your content has caught their eye and they've engaged with it. Now, you need to deepen their desire for your products or services while demonstrating that your company is reputable and you're offering a good value.

Showcase social proof

  • Testimonials: Share customer success stories.
  • Reviews and ratings: Highlight positive feedback.
  • User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage customers to share photos with your products.

Create lifestyle imagery

Help customers envision your product in their lives:

  • Contextual photos: Show products in real-life settings.
  • Storytelling: Craft narratives around your products.

Offer exclusive promotions

Reward your Pinterest audience with:

  • Discount codes: Provide a special offer for Pinterest users.
  • Limited-time offers: Create urgency to encourage immediate action.
  • Contests and giveaways: Boost engagement and excitement.

Stage 4: Action — Convert interest into sales

Turn engagement into transactions

With desire built, guide your potential customers to take the final step.

Optimize your landing pages for conversions

  • Clear calls-to-action: Use persuasive language (e.g., "Buy Now," "Get Yours Today").
  • Simple navigation: Make it easy for your customers to buy by reducing the number ofclicks needed to complete a purchase.
  • Mobile-friendly design: Ensure pages load quickly and display correctly on all devices.

Implement retargeting strategies

  • Pinterest retargeting ads: Show ads to users who've interacted with your content.
  • Email marketing: Capture emails with lead magnets and follow up with personalized offers.

Key differentiators:

  • Intent-driven: Users come to Pinterest with a purpose, often in a planning or shopping mindset.
  • Longevity: Content remains discoverable and relevant for much longer periods compared to other platforms.
  • Search-centric: Pinterest functions more like a visual search engine than a traditional social network.
  • Action-oriented: Users are often closer to making decisions or purchases when engaging with content.
An arrangement of five interlocking gears, each with an icon and text:     "Retargeting Strategies" with a target icon, "Exceptional Customer Service" with a headset icon, "Mobile-Friendly Design" with a mobile phone icon, "Clear Calls-to-Action" with a button-click icon, and "Simple Navigation" with a series of lines icon. The title reads "Convert Interest Into Sales."

Hopefully you now have some clarity on how your business can make money on Pinterest. With this simple framework you can build a powerful sales engine that creates free traffic, leads, and revenue for your business. Pinterest marketing is your alternative to popular social media sites that have become "pay to play" by limiting organic reaching — forcing you to buy advertising to reach your customers.

Pinterest offers a unique opportunity to connect with users who are actively seeking solutions and ready to make purchases. With the right strategy, tools, and a bit of creativity, you can turn Pins into profits.

Key takeaways:

  • Pinterest users are 2.2 times more likely to make a purchase than users on other platforms, making it an extremely valuable and underrating marketing opportunity for small businesses
  • A successful Pinterest sales funnel includes creating eye-catching Pins, driving traffic to your website, showcasing product value, and optimizing for conversions
  • Consistency, engagement, and data analysis are crucial for long-term success on Pinterest. To create the amount of traffic necessary to drive conversions and create a significant amount of customers, you should Pin between 5-25 times a day. Adopting a tool like Tailwind that enables bulk pinning is critical.

Turn on "Easy Mode" for
Your Marketing

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