Pinterest Explosion
How I Boosted My Income from
$3K to $20K per Month
💡Disclaimer: This case study illustrates a specific situation; results aren’t typical or guaranteed. Success on Pinterest or any platform requires a well-rounded strategy, with visually appealing content being just one aspect. Each situation will yield different outcomes based on numerous variables at play.
My Success Story on Pinterest
From Graphic Designer to Pinterest Success
Back when I was enjoying my career as a successful graphic designer, I found myself yearning for something more. The prospect of leveraging my design skills in the digital arena seemed an appealing challenge.
However, with no knowledge on how to scale my creative design business, I was stumped. I didn’t want to spend my hard-earned money on paid ads, or getting scammed by some fake guru that could 10x my income. I was determined to find a way to expand my online business organically though!
A turning point came when a friend introduced me to the fascinating world of SEO. The potential it held was captivating. Eager to delve in, I began doing some research, and full of hope and motivation, I jumped into the SEO bandwagon.
As a newb, I would make one of the most fatal errors of all times; choosing the wrong niche.
Long story short: I chose the health niche, and that was a big no-no!
Well, I realized that mistake a little too late!
👉 Driven by my newfound interest, I started a weight loss blog in May 2019. After writing what felt like a mountain of articles, investing my time and energy into building this new project, I came across a concept called E.A.T.
I immediately understood that I would have a hard time ranking on Google, let alone generate an income.
This became the initial hurdle on my journey. And man, did I pay a high price for not educating myself enough about this essential part of SEO!
I needed an alternative source of traffic, fast.
That’s when I stumbled upon Pinterest. I took a week to learn about the platform, its algorithm, and best practices.
👉 Armed with this knowledge, I started designing my pins and launched an aggressive pinning strategy in December 2019.
Three months of hard work began to pay off. I saw my site sessions skyrocket to 29k, thanks solely to Pinterest traffic.
Like hitting a home run, I immediately applied to Mediavine, that required a minimum of 25k sessions for approval at that time. I applied by the end of March 2020, and got approved on April 16.
Things really started to take off from there. Many of my pins went viral, leading to a surge in clicks, from 29k to 80k, then to 160k, and eventually to a whopping 350k, all in just a few months.
The Effect of a Viral Pin 🌪️
One-Pin Traffic
GA Realtime Explosion
My Best Traffic Day
From $3k to $20k Per Month
Now, here comes the juicy part. While my blog was buzzing like a hive, my wallet started to feel the love too. Remember when I mentioned applying for Mediavine? Well, buckle up folks, ’cause things are about to get real.
My first month with Mediavine, I made $626 with $29k sessions. And then things went bonkers and on my 5th month with Mediavine, I was generating $15,000 passively.
That’s right, folks! My little weight loss blog had turned into a full-blown money-making machine, all thanks to Pinterest and some strategic moves.
But I didn’t stop there. Oh no, I started dipping my toes into affiliate marketing, selling my own weight loss course, and even making some sweet dough from printables. All these hustles added another $5k to my monthly income.
Yeah, you heard it right! In total, I was pulling in a cool $20k a month. My blog went from a barren desert to a blooming oasis, all thanks to a little ingenuity, a lot of determination, and the power of Pinterest.
Now, I ain’t saying it was a walk in the park. It took a whole lot of grind, late nights, and countless cups of coffee. But when I look at the journey, from feeling defeated by Google’s E.A.T to finding gold in the land of Pinterest, I gotta say – it was totally worth it.
The Challenges 📉
Like any journey, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
Every journey has its twists and turns, and mine was no different. I faced a significant setback in March 2021, when Pinterest rolled out the ‘Pin Shuffle’ update.
Like many others, I saw my previously high-performing pins lose their prominent positions, and my traffic took a massive hit.
I lost about 75% of my traffic overnight 😖
I’m talking about losing 250,000 sessions in one night…I was devastated!
Seeing the platform I had leveraged for success change its rules was tough. I was in unfamiliar territory and wasn’t sure what my next move should be.
I turned to seasoned Pinterest marketers and they unanimously suggested continuing to pin, but it was clear that I wouldn’t regain my 15 Million monthly impressions and 350k+ clicks from the platform immediately.
The Testing Phase ⚒️
Giving up is not in my nature. I decided to roll up my sleeves and experiment with different strategies to understand what would work in this new landscape. This is what I did:
After six months of relentless effort, I began seeing light at the end of tunnel. My account impressions jumped from 3.3m to 10m+ monthly impressions in the span of 8 months.
By December 2022, I was back in the game, hitting over 380k+ clicks.
Navigating through this challenge taught me that with the right strategy and perseverance, it’s possible to turn around even the most daunting situations. 🔑
Detailed Strategies and Tactics
Behind every success story is a strategic plan. As for my Pinterest journey, I focused on Pinterest SEO, well-crafted pin design, and the right timing.
Pin Design 🖋️
As a graphic designer, I understood the importance of visual appeal. However, Pinterest required more than just aesthetic. My design strategy balanced attractive visuals with relevance and simplicity. I used bold fonts to highlight key messages, enticing visuals that related to my content, and a consistent color scheme that reflected my brand identity.
Pinning Time ⏱
Timing played a crucial role in my pinning strategy. After some experimentation, I discovered my pins performed best when posted during the late evening hours, when my audience was scrolling through Pinterest. However, I also sprinkled some pins throughout the day to ensure a constant presence and reach users in different time zones.
Content Freshness ⚡️
Pinterest’s algorithm favors fresh content. Hence, I regularly created new pins for both new and existing articles on my website. I would experiment with different designs, captions, and hashtags for the same article to see which resonated best with my audience.
Engagement 🤝
I made it a point to engage more with users who were interested in my niche. By following them, repinning their relevant pins, and showing love on their posts, I was able to gradually build a loyal follower base. As a result, each time I launch pin, it would get some love from my audience and more love from the algorithm, pushing it further to more users.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on my journey to success on Pinterest, I’ve picked up a handful of crucial lessons that shaped my experience and could be beneficial for anyone seeking to leverage the platform.
✓ Understanding the Algorithm
Grasping how the Pinterest algorithm works is fundamental. It loves freshness and user engagement. Regularly posting new pins and engaging with others on the platform is a surefire way to get noticed by the algorithm.
✓ Patience and Consistency
Success on Pinterest doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, patience, and consistent effort. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see immediate results. Just keep publishing fresh content consistently.
✓ Content is King
Your pins are a visual representation of your content. Make sure they are not only attractive but also accurately represent your content. High-quality, relevant content is the backbone of any successful Pinterest strategy.
✓ Testing and Adapting
Pinterest is a dynamic platform. What works today may not work tomorrow. Constantly test different strategies, analyze the results, and be ready to adapt your approach based on your findings. Remember, every setback is an opportunity to learn and grow.
✓ SEO Isn’t Just for Google
Keywords are as important on Pinterest as they are for Google. Using the right keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and even your board names can help you appear in search results and increase your visibility.
Want to Enhance Your Pinterest Game?
Throughout my journey on Pinterest, from the challenges and triumphs to escalating my income from $3k to $20k per month, one key element has remained constant: the importance of high-quality pin design.
The right pin design can ignite interest, drive engagement, and elevate your brand’s visibility. But creating those captivating, algorithm-friendly pins isn’t an easy task, and that’s where my expertise comes in.
With 10 years of experience in graphic design and a proven track record in Pinterest marketing, I’ve honed the art of crafting visually compelling and strategically designed pins that will entice your target audience to click-through.
