How to Become a Pinterest Virtual Assistant

Pinterest is a visual social media platform where people can search for images and videos to discover new ideas, learn new skills (e.g., how to decorate a room or complete a craft project), and browse products.

The images, posts, and links that people add to Pinterest are called “Pins.” A collection of Pins is a “Pinterest board.”

What businesses use Pinterest for

Brands and businesses can publish content about their products and services or even upload their entire catalogs on Pinterest as a marketing strategy. If customers like their products, Pinterest will direct them to the business’s website for checkout.

By creating a Pinterest “business account,” companies can also access useful marketing features, such as tools that let them run ads and get insights into who their audience is.

Essentially, Pinterest can function as an extension of a business’s website, driving traffic to it and reinforcing its online brand.

Virtual assistants (VAs) handle tasks for businesses and individuals remotely, taking some of the workload off their clients’ shoulders so they can focus on other, more urgent tasks.

VAs have many niches (e.g., healthcare, marketing, etc.). Pinterest is one of the more specific specialties that they can take on.

As their job title suggests, Pinterest VAs are experts in using Pinterest, and their primary responsibilities revolve around managing their clients’ accounts.

What does a Pinterest virtual assistant do?

A Pinterest virtual assistant’s exact day-to-day responsibilities will vary depending on their preferences and their client’s needs.

That said, the most common tasks that they have to handle include:

• Setting up business Pinterest accounts
• Managing Pinterest boards
• Designing new Pin graphics
• Writing Pin descriptions
• Publishing and scheduling Pins
• Searching for and joining relevant group boards
• Analyzing performance metrics (sales and engagement data, etc.)
• Conducting competitor and audience research
• Keeping up with new Pinterest updates and trends

Who can become a Pinterest virtual assistant?

There aren’t any special degrees or certifications you need to obtain to become a Pinterest virtual assistant, nor is it necessary to take extensive paid courses to succeed in this field.

Your actual skills are much more important than your formal credentials, along with your portfolio of past work, if you have one.

To become a virtual assistant of any type, you need to master a set of skills to do the job successfully.

The general must-have skills for virtual assistants include:

• Calendar management
• Digital communication (emailing, etc.)
• Research
• Multitasking
• Creativity and critical thinking
• Attention to detail
• Organization
• Adaptability

Pinterest-related VA skills

As a Pinterest virtual assistant, you’ll also need several specialized skills:

Search engine optimization (SEO)

In order to increase your Pinterest board’s visibility, you must apply search engine optimization (SEO) best practices to the account.

This starts with picking a memorable name for the account that captures your client’s brand identity. When you write the account’s About section, as well as the title and description for each Pin, you need to know how to include relevant keywords to boost its searchability both in Pinterest’s own interface and on Google.

You can also boost the account’s visibility by publishing high-quality, optimally sized images and videos. Be sure to add descriptive titles and alt texts to each image.

Graphic design

Many Pinterest virtual assistants are tasked with designing and creating graphics for Pins.

You can use any graphic design platform you prefer for this. However, Canva is a go-to for many VAs, and it’s arguably the most accessible tool for creating professional Pinterest graphics.

In addition to ensuring your graphics are visually appealing, it’s crucial to maintain your client’s brand through each design. You can do this by using the same fonts, defaulting to their signature colors, and using a consistent tone when you write the copy on images.

Content schedule creation

Publishing content consistently is key to building an audience on any type of social network, including Pinterest. Creating a content schedule will provide a structure for you to follow and help you stay organized.

Consider using scheduling tools like Tailwind, Hootsuite, and Buffer to create and manage your content schedules. Some of these platforms, such as Tailwind, even offer automated publishing options, which can save you time.

Analytics and analysis

If you want to grow a Pinterest account, it’s crucial to be able to monitor your content’s performance and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.

You can use Pinterest’s built-in tool, Pinterest Analytics, to source data, including:

• Engagement rates
• Impressions
• Save rates
• Pin clicks
• Profile visits
• Video views

These metrics will help you better understand your audience’s preferences and make more informed decisions going forward.

However, Pinterest Analytics can’t track how many visitors to your website are coming from your Pinterest account. To get this data, you can use third-party analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, which offers a free version.

Outreach

One way to reach a wider audience and gain followers on Pinterest is to join group boards, which are places where members (or collaborators) can share Pins and ideas.

Search for group boards that are relevant to your client’s business. Unless you were previously invited, you’ll need to submit a request and wait for approval from the board owner.

If you have trouble getting into group boards (a risk with commercial accounts, since not everyone welcomes them), you can create your own board and invite other accounts in your niche to join.

How to hone your skills as a Pinterest virtual assistant

If you’ve never used Pinterest before, the first step to acquire the skills listed above is to register for the platform and spend a few days browsing it intensively.

Before you go looking for paid clients, you should be extremely well-versed in how its key features work (e.g., the different types of Pins and boards), as well as what kind of content seems to do well on the platform.

Try creating a business account for yourself to learn first-hand about the ins and outs of managing one. Simultaneously, look for free online resources (e.g., blogs, YouTube videos, Reddit threads, and eBooks) with tips and tricks for using Pinterest for business purposes.

Once you’ve started working for real clients, keep your brain turned on and learn from your own experience—retain tactics that perform well and avoid those that fail. Even once your VA business is up and running, it’s important to continue to hone your skills to keep yourself competitive in the industry.

Here’s what you need to do to find clients and start making money as a Pinterest virtual assistant:

1. Outline your services

Clearly outlining the services you offer is a prerequisite for getting clients as a virtual assistant of any type.

For instance, you could offer an all-inclusive package that includes setting up and managing Pinterest accounts, as well as creating and publishing content.

Alternatively, you could specialize in just one or two aspects of Pinterest management, such as designing Pin graphics, writing descriptions, or analyzing monthly analytics.

Make sure to only offer services you’re confident you can perform well.

2. Create a portfolio

Create a portfolio that’s tailored to the services you offer.

If you have past experience as a Pinterest VA, include snippets of your actual work (e.g., the best-converting copy you created, along with hard numbers documenting how well it performed).

If you’re completely new to this side hustle, then you can still at least create a few samples, such as Pins for a hypothetical business that doesn’t actually exist. Host these online and direct clients to them when you apply for jobs.

3. Expand your web presence

Create social media profiles and a website for your VA business so that potential clients can discover and reach you.

Social media is also a great way to market your services. You can do so by posting about your work, sharing expert tips, and engaging with followers.

Consider also joining online communities for virtual assistants (e.g., Facebook groups or subreddits) and attending local, in-person VA events to network with other professionals. You can support and help each other thrive by exchanging tips and referring work to each other.

4. Actively look for clients in multiple places

Having a strong online presence and personal network can certainly lead to job opportunities, but you must also actively seek out clients yourself, especially when you’re just starting out. Work probably won’t just fall in your lap from day one.

Here are a few different places to look for clients:

• Facebook groups: Again, search for and join Facebook groups that connect Pinterest VAs with clients who need their services.
• Freelancing platforms: Pinterest virtual assistants commonly work on a freelance basis. This means you can find clients on freelancing platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer.
• Online job boards: You can also try searching for Pinterest virtual assistant jobs on general online job boards like Indeed or ZipRecruiter or remote online job boards like FlexJobs and Remote.co.
• Direct outreach: Also known as cold pitching, this method requires you to research prospective clients and send them personalized emails, explaining your services, outlining how they’ll benefit from them, and proposing to start a working relationship.
• Referrals: This is an option once you’ve managed to land your first few jobs. Clients may voluntarily refer you to other people if they’re satisfied with your work, but it doesn’t hurt to ask them politely to increase your chances of landing new clients.

We’ve talked to a number of virtual assistants, who have told us that VAs typically make $15–$30 per hour when they’re starting out.

If you have a significant amount of previous marketing experience (or you’re especially good at negotiating!), you might be able to earn a bit more than that as a Pinterest VA, but it’s roughly what you can expect in the beginning.

Experienced Pinterest VAs often make at least $30–$50 per hour. If you (and your client) live in an expensive city, then it’s reasonable to set your rates a bit higher.

To set a fair rate, research how much other Pinterest virtual assistants at your experience level are charging in your area. Once you gain more expertise and have a more robust portfolio to show for it, you can increase your rates.

Being a Pinterest virtual assistant is a worthwhile side hustle for people who value flexibility and have an entrepreneurial spirit.

Perks of being a Pinterest VA

Here are the main benefits of becoming a Pinterest virtual assistant:

• Remote work: You can work from anywhere you like and set your own working hours as long as you can get the job done. (Note that you may need to sometimes be available during set hours for Zoom calls, etc.)
• Low barrier to entry: Again, this job requires no degrees or certifications. Additionally, its startup cost is low. You just need a computer, a stable internet connection, and access to design software like Canva.
• Chance to boost your skills: As a Pinterest VA, you’ll develop several transferable skills (e.g., SEO, project management, marketing, and multitasking) that are relevant to many other jobs.
• Expanding market: More and more businesses are using Pinterest to market their products and services, creating job opportunities for new and experienced Pinterest VAs alike.

Challenges of being a Pinterest VA

With all of that said, just like any job, being a Pinterest virtual assistant will come with challenges.

Most significantly, you need to be willing to put yourself out there and market yourself to find clients. In addition, you must be disciplined to juggle multiple projects at once and deliver solid results.

The bottom line is that working as a freelance VA of any type can take every bit as much effort as holding down a “real” job, despite being remote and usually having flexible hours.

Still, if you’re a responsible person who’s willing to learn new things, then becoming a Pinterest virtual assistant can be a great side project to take on. If things go well, you could even turn it into a lucrative full-time job a few months or years down the line.