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Last updated on May 17th, 2023

So, you think you may want to become a Pinterest manager? You’re in good company: I’m a Pinterest manager, myself, and it has changed my life! But this post probably isn’t what you’re expecting it to be. 

This post isn’t selling a course, ebook or anything promising you that I can show you how to become a Pinterest manager. This is just one Pinterest manager sharing their story on how they got into this work so you can learn how to become a Pinterest manager, too. 

If becoming a Pinterest manager is just one of the ideas floating that are currently around, check out these tips to help you develop your online business idea.

However, I do offer Pinterest coaching and often teach virtual assistants how to manage their client’s accounts. If that interests you, check out my services page to learn more! 

woman working at kitchen table on laptop. Text atop the photo reads "how to become a Pinterest manager, save for later"

Have a question, comment or thought to add? Leave a comment at the bottom and I’ll reply right away 🙂

3 Common Misconceptions About Being A Pinterest Manager 

Before you spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to become a Pinterest manager, let me first dispel any confusion about what a Pinterest manager actually is. 

Misconception #1: Pinterest Is A Social Media Platform 

A Pinterest manager is also known as a Pinterest virtual assistant (PVA), and some people will mistakenly put this type of work under the umbrella of social media management (SMM), which is newbie mistake #1. Pinterest is a search engine, not a social media platform! 

It feels social because everyone’s account has a profile picture and bio, similar to Instagram, but the similarities stop there. Pinterest is a traffic-driven machine, not a place to catch up with friends. Pinterest is more like Google than Instagram.

You may also like: Pinterest SEO Explained

Misconception #2: You’re Actually Employed By Pinterest 

Another important tidbit that you should know is that Pinterest managers are not employed by Pinterest. If you’re looking for how to become a Pinterest manager from Pinterest themselves, you’re barking up the wrong tree. Pinterest management is a service, just like writing content or designing a logo for an online business owner. 

Business owners hire you directly, and you log into their Pinterest account and manage it for them. 

By the way, if you’re a business owner curious about *hiring* a Pinterest manager, I tell you everything you need to know here! 

Misconception #3: Pinterest Management Isn’t A Viable Online Business Idea

If you want to learn how to become a Pinterest manager because you’re looking for a steady, stable job that you can do from anywhere, you’re right on the money. Pinterest management is an in-demand service that, frankly, will only have more and more demand as the algorithm continues to befuddle creators, making them want to outsource.

That being said, this is an online job that you will do remotely (translation: no coworkers), and that can be extremely challenging. This is very lucrative but you must careful to avoid remote work burnout so that you can sustain yourself as a Pinterest manager.

3 Signs Pinterest Management Could Be For You 

Now that we’ve cleared up common misconceptions about being a Pinterest manager, let’s see if this online biz could be your answer to everything!

1. You Enjoy The Platform And Like SEO 

Do algorithms and SEO get your heart racing? That’s kind of a prerequisite to be a good Pinterest manager. Or at the very least, you have to give a hoot. 

Algorithms are a constantly changing game.

You may also like: True Disadvantages Of Pinterest 

Nothing illuminated that more clearly than the 2020 algorithm changes on Pinterest. The way creators pinned had to change drastically, from the frequency, to the method to the pins themselves. It was a major shake-up, and it happened at the very beginning of my Pinterest manager career. I was completely panicked and thought about quitting daily because I was suddenly not getting my clients are results.

I had to toughen up and accept that changing algorithms and having to rework a previously perfect strategy is just a part of the Pinterest package.

Simply put, if having to change your strategy will bother you, then you should not become a Pinterest manager.

2. You Already Use Pinterest To Drive Traffic For Yourself 

The best “first client” to score is yourself! Do you have a blog, an Etsy shop, or a presence on YouTube or Instagram? Learn how to use Pinterest to optimize and grow those platforms for you and then use your own account as a portfolio piece. 

I really feel this touches on the biggest opportunity that Pinterest management offers for creative digital entrepreneurs: you can be paid to do something that benefits you. It benefits you to stay on top of the changing algorithm, learn how to become a Pinterest pro and get a better sense of what pinners want and what great content gets the most traction. 

Need some new templates for your account? Borrow my most successful ones!

3. You’re Willing To Invest In This As A Business

If neither of these first two indicators apply to you but you’re still here eager to learn how to become a Pinterest manager, than door #3 is for you! Pinterest management could be for you if you treat it like a business: invest, learn and be in it for the long-run. 

Open your own Pinterest business account to get acquainted with the interface and start learning the Pinterest basics right away.

Treat this as any other business and it will turn into one. 

How To Become A Pinterest Manager

If you want to give Pinterest manager a try, there are actually only 2 steps! But, hold onto your hat: they’re biggies.

Step 1: Learn Pinterest 

Before you learn how to become a Pinterest manager, you need to learn Pinterest. You’re not ready to take the reins on a client’s account if you don’t know what to do once you’re inside! Take a course, let me teach you Pinterest (via Pinterest coaching).

You may also like: Troubleshooting Tips For Pinterest 

This is an ideal remote job for bloggers who are already using Pinterest for themselves. You are your first best client, but if you’re not a creator, then you’ll have to go looking for client #1. 

Step 2: Find Your First Client 

Besides yourself, your next best first client is someone that you already know. Are there any entrepreneurs in your family or friend circle? Offer to set up their account for them and see if you can build a working relationship. 

Being hired by a stranger with no work experience as a Pinterest manager will be a more difficult task, but Facebook groups are a great place to start. Many people go fishing in those groups looking for help. Become knowledgeable about Pinterest and start answering people’s questions for free. 

Offer your help like this: “[answer question]… I’m a Pinterest manager, so feel free to ask questions if you have them 🙂 I can talk Pinterest all day!” 

This is a friendly, open, value-driven meet-cute with potential clients. Even if the person asking the question doesn’t hire you, you’re marketing to everyone who sees your response. Never be overly-promotional when you do this, but simply help and let them know that you are specialized in Pinterest. 

How To Become A Pinterest Manager: My Story 

A woman (the owner of this blog) sits on a moving bus working on her laptop
Becoming a remote worker is the best decision I ever made. Caught here doing some Pinterest work on a bus ride to Paris.

My first Pinterest client was (drumroll), myself! I learned how to use Pinterest to drive traffic for this blog, Writing From Nowhere, and loved it. 

My first real client was someone that I met in a Facebook group. I did some freelance graphic design work for her, and we chatted about all things online business. I told her that Pinterest was my favorite platform online, and asked to see her account so that I could follow her (this is a great tip for when you have your own account and it’s doing well). 

You may also like: 18 Ways To Grow Your Pinterest Followers

At this point, I had been on Pinterest as a creator for about 1.5 years and my account was reaching 3 million viewers monthly. Despite the fact that I wasn’t getting anywhere near that kind of actual traffic to my site, it was still an impressive number and showed that I knew how to use the platform well. 

She told me that she didn’t enjoy Pinterest and would happily outsource it if she could afford someone, but that when she looked into it, prices were too high. 

At this point of my journey as a digital entrepreneur, I had been nannying part-time to pay the bills while still growing my blog, but childcare had just been benched due to covid-19. I hadn’t figured out how I was going to pay my bills yet, and I saw the opportunity at hand.

I asked her how much she was quoted previously, and her answer was $400. I remember pacing around in my studio apartment telling Bert-Jan that this was it! The moment where I finally made substantial income online. I was slightly panicked trying to come up with a number on the spot; I wanted to seal this deal. 

“Let me do it for $200, and I’ll manage your account with as much care as I manage my own.” 

That was it! 

For that first client, I made custom pins, and no 2 were alike – ouch. Now I’m all about using well-developed Pinterest templates to make the workload easier, but I was eager and experimental with my first client! 

I think my story of how I became a Pinterest manager is similar to many people online: one day you realize that the skills you already have are valuable and ought to be monetized as an online business.  

Should You Become A Pinterest Manager? 

Pinterest management is a great online business to start, and there’s never been a better time to do so. Remember to go into it with a hunger to learn and improve, and keep improving with every pin and every new client. 

The entrepreneur lifestyle isn’t always sexy and comfortable, but the income, location and personal opportunities that it allows can’t be matched by any form of employment. 

I hope this explanation of how to become a Pinterest manager and my personal story have offered some guidance. This is truly a fantastic remote job that can give you the ability to work from anywhere in the world. Where will you go first?