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2023 is anyone making money?

blochdance
Just visiting
Labels (2)

I continue to create content and keep my audience updated. I send business partnership but no one accepts. I think Pinterest has left the monetization thing behind. 😕

3 Kudos
23 Replies
elizabethashleykelsey
Loves to help

Great points @fabeveryday ! I agree totally: blogging is a long-term strategy for money generation, and requires hard work. I started blogging back in I think 2010 and went on to create maybe 4 blogs in total. I'm now in the process of re-branding my main site. 

I initially made my income from sponsored posts that I got via referrals. I was really lucky with that, although eventually, the companies that were courting bloggers in my niche started paying less. I then pivoted to using my blogs to promote my freelance writing & consulting services. If I ever get back into doing sponsored blog posts, I'm def going the pitching route I think.

Where I think most bloggers go wrong is that they may not pick the most profitable niche, or one that has growth potential. I made this mistake myself when I started out and noticed many other bloggers were/are in the same boat. In this case, it's like running around in circles when it comes to growth or making money because there needs to be that sweetspot for creating a product that people want to buy. One of the reasons I like Blog To Profit so much is that the book goes into the basics, which I think are the make-break point for any blogger. That plus consistency. 

Re changes to algs on platforms, I took a huge hit on Facebook actually. I managed to grow my Fanpage ( from images that went viral) to over 110K in a few years, and all of a sudden, the alg changed on there years ago so while I still got shares on posts, it was nothing compared to the good old days. However, I get most of my affiliate income from that platform.

*One of the reasons I brought up Instagram as a focal point for people to start pitching paid deals for is not only it's much easier and more likely for them to land deals, but also because of the fact that I know of people who have landed paid deals with relatively not that many followers, and being new to Instagram. That means the barrier to entry so to speak is much lower, and more people can ( in theory) start making money that way, IF they are consistent, target their pitch, network, follow up, pick the right brands, and all that jazz. I'm in private courses where content creators are getting paid deals and only started with maybe 1K followers. Some are making thousands a month.*

You're totally right that the best way to get a paid deal for brands on Pinterest is if you happen to have a working relationship with them, and they see what you do and 'get it'. The problem is most brands don't get it. I really don't know why as honestly I have better engagement on here than other platforms! I could see it being a fantastic place for interior design brands, food companies, clothing stores, etc etc. So much potential. And I prefer Pinterest. 

I personally am going to focus on product creation, which I've put off for waaaaaay too long. I've also got to start pitching again regularly for Instagram. Those are going to be my two focuses for this year. Hopefully more brands will want to work with Pinterest Creators in the near future!

 

0 Kudos
elizabethashleykelsey
Loves to help

@ssurrae I'm so glad you found it helpful! I wanted to try my best to address the pros and cons to each monetization method that people talk about. The truth is that content creation can be a very hard way to generate an income UNLESS a number of factors are taken into consideration, namely niche, traffic/click throughs, consistency, target market, Ideal Follower, etc If one thing is off ( like someone promoting an affiliate product their followers aren't into), it doesn't work.

Pitching is a fantastic way to success, especially on the platforms I mentioned. Pitching is much higher paying than going on Influencer networks too. It's just hard work and one has to get used to not hearing back from brands, and having to do follow up emails. Also, Fiverr is a place to promote content creation work and services. I've gotten several gigs on there. 

2 Kudos
elizabethashleykelsey
Loves to help

@blochdance I know how frustrating it can be to not get pitches accepted, or to not hear back.

A few questions for you:

How often are you pitching the brands? Are they responding to your emails, or do you not hear back?

Also, are you pitching for just content creation on Pinterest, or on other SM networks too, like Instagram, Tik Tok, etc? I've found that if you lead with Instagram as the focal point for the pitch, and then mention you can create content for them on Pinterest too, that can get a better response. 

I'm by no means an expert at pitching, but the influencer courses I've done ( I am a bit of a course fanatic lol) talk a lot about specific ways pitches should be tailored. Julie Soloman says to make the first email not a pitch but an acknowledgement of how much you like and appreciate the brand. Here is an example:

Hi Amazing Shoe Brand,

My name is Elizabeth and I'm a content creator and travel writer that has been an avid fan of your shoes for years. I have several pairs of style X that I bring with me around the world; they are so comfortable, and yet look amazing! I regularly tell my friends and family about them.

I wanted to get in touch to let you know that I would love to connect with you, and if there is anything I can do to help support your brand or spread the word about your amazing shoes, let me know!

-Elizabeth

So this is just something I made up quickly and I know I could do a much better job, but it's 11:37PM and I'm a bit out of it. But what I wanted to show is that per Julie, we should make that first email an introduction. It should all be about the brand, and it should be genuine. 

Others I have studied under do not do that, and instead they go for the pitch. However, they make that first email again very, very tailored, and NOT a generic pitch. 

So I guess the take away is to make sure each pitch you send is really in support of the brand, and how you can benefit them.

Another issue is frequency and follow ups. If you don't hear from a brand, then I would consider making a point to follow up 2 more times. Wait maybe 3 days in between. Also, it's best to not pitch on Fridays. Along the same lines: make sure you have the right email for the right person at the brand. This can be tricky to find. Some people use Linkedin to get emails. 

3 Kudos
ssurrae
Just visiting

Thank you so much! I’ll definitely look into it! You helped me so much 🙂 

1 Kudo
thekidlitmama
Just visiting

I just came here to ask the same thing. No $$ here, unfortunately. I don't see much in the way of opportunities for me on Pinterest anymore 😞 It is such a bummer!

2 Kudos
elizabethashleykelsey
Loves to help

Glad to help! @ssurrae If you have any other questions, let me know and I'll do my best to help. 

 

@thekidlitmama Yeah the program closing is a huge, huge let down. I know there are alot of fellow creators on here that devoted alot of time and effort to the Creator Rewards program, and that felt it was a perfect fit for them. It allowed us to focus on creating content as opposed to constantly be trying to find ways to monetize.

It's so sad the program ended. Many are struggling to now replace that income. And who knows: some may have quit their 'day jobs' to do it fulltime, esp when it was paying well in the beginning. 

I think imho the best way for most Creators is to try and create online products and then promote them through blog posts or direct links/pins. For some, affiliate products are a good fit, depending on the niche. It's still a challenge to find what will work for one's audience. And since the alg isn't getting us as much traffic and engagement as it used to ( my Idea Pins were getting HUGE numbers in the beginning...then dropped off to a few hundred or thousand), it's going to be tricky. Even with the tagging featuring on Idea Pins, if they aren't getting much engagement, it's tough to make affiliate sales that way. 

Sidenote: I would love some people who have had success with using ads on Pinterest (that linked to products or blog posts with products) share their tips and experiences. I know people have had great luck with FB ads (because of the targeting features) and have seen some people post about using Pinterest ads, and I'd love to know how it's working for them. 

1 Kudo
michaelbliss
Pinterest Pioneer
Pinterest Pioneer

Great info @elizabethashleykelsey !

1 Kudo
KaileysMonogramShop
Loves to help

Major companies are word removed per Community Guidelines back, lay-offs,  etc you will see less and less opportunities as the companies are word removed per Community Guidelines budgets. And with so many basically creating content for free - companies find no need to pay anymore 🤷🏻‍♀️

0 Kudos
yenorypouncil
Posts regularly

Here are some things to consider from a content creator who has taken her business from $2,500 in year 1 (2018) to $276,000 ($276,000) in year 5 through content creation.

The first thing I've learned is that life is a game, and content creation is no different.

What's the best strategy for pitching? 

I’ve learned, it depends on 2 things.

  1. Your end goal.
  2. What matters to you most.

Let's start with #1:

Why are you focused on pitching?

I’ve learned that pitching works best when it’s part of a bigger strategy!

Yes, you can make money,

Then what?

Are you looking to pitch to support other projects?

Maybe writing a book, creating a paid community, hosting masterminds, building physical products, doing in-person retreats?

If you’re only pitching to make money, it will always feel more stressful and disappointing than when you KNOW it is one of the tools that helps you build your dreams,

Not the ONLY tool.

If you’re prioritizing ease, this will put you on the fast track!

When it comes to pitching most people play the numbers game, which works.

For the record,

Everything you do will work! As long as you do it long enough.

Write these questions down:

Is it working with the ease you want? 

Are you making the money you desire?

Is it sustainable for you, so you can buy back your time, while still living your life with joy?

If the answer is no,

Before you amplify pitching, re-evaluate your strategy.

Because if you don’t you’ll continue to get the same results.

And you’ll think the issue is the pitch, when it might be something else.

Let’s go to #2:

Are your pitches aligned with what matters to you the most?

When I started blogging back in 2013, I was pitching everyone and their momma.

Brands would ask for a whole dissertation in exchange for the SAME products I needed to write such Dissertation LOL.

Looking back, it was a swindle.

At the time I happily participated, I was so happy people not only noticed me, they wanted me.

So I worked very hard, because I thought I needed to prove my worth.

Did those companies every pay me?

NO.

Because I was always willing to do it for free, in hopes that next time, they would pay me.

They Didn’t.

Pitching for survival is exhausting.

I know you’re wondering,

Ok, so how did you make the money?

Simple, I zoomed out and created a bigger strategy.

I don’t just see myself as a content creator,

I have a BRAND.

I have a Business.

I am an Expert.

I am an Authority.

I am also committed to my business moving w/o me.

To me,

Pitching is not just about getting paid,

Is about creating long-term partnerships with companies, brands, businesses that are aligned with me!

For 2022, partnerships accounted for $68,000 of my business revenue and $50,000 of which I’ve already collected in cash.

…. For those of you wondering, I am an Army ONE.

Write this down:

Pitching is an action, and partnership is a relationship.

What matters to me is relationships that are long-term and make sense.

I stopped doing one-off stuff, with people I never intend on working with again.

Which brings me to Pinterest,

Where does Pinterest fit in your strategy?

When seeing yourself as a Brand, it’s easier to answer this question.

What is Pinterest helping you amplify?

What’s Pinterest’s role in building and nurturing your audience?

When you shift from pitching Pinterest as a platform to leveraging the access to the audience you’ve created,

You’ll get paid.

By either your audience, because they love your value.

The brands because they want access to your audience and you’re the gatekeeper.

Or Pinterest, because they are always partnering with creators who understand this.

That’s enough for now!

Let me know if this supported you in the comments!

Remember:

You Are A Vibe!

Hasta Luego,

Yenory

7 Kudos
JanaOMedia
Marvel

@yenorypouncil - Gold as always! My favorite part: 

What is Pinterest helping you amplify?

What’s Pinterest’s role in building and nurturing your audience?

When you shift from pitching Pinterest as a platform to leveraging the access to the audience you’ve created,

You’ll get paid.

1 Kudo