Though Pinterest is seen by most to be a beautiful place where the best recipes are found and travel ideas are inspired, Pinterest actually has substantial potential to bring in additional revenue.

But because many coin it as another social media platform, many people write off the platform from being as relevant as larger platforms like Facebook or Instagram.

Except, if you’re looking to sell to other consumers, Pinterest is exactly where you should be.

Pinterest is a search engine. And when you see it through that lens, creating a strategy to generate revenue can seem less daunting. So if you’re looking for a new opportunity to make some extra income, here are some strategies to get started.

Switch to a business account

First and foremost, a business account will enable you to see your analytics. You’ll be able to further monitor a general overview of the traffic on your account, in addition to insights about your audience.

Your overview will give you a closer glimpse toward who’s pinning your content, how many impressions your pin made, the links clicked, in addition to who may be sharing it. You can also see your audience analytics to learn about the users following and engaging with your content.

Study your current analytics and audience

Looking at your audience insights, you can learn a lot about the people following you in addition to their preferences. Spend time analyzing what your engaged audience is pinning, and create content that is specific to your brand, but also engages them.

Look for keywords within your topic

Just like you would on Google, use the search bar to type in your topic, and similar phrases that come to mind. Then, take note of the most popular queries that appear each time you search. Use them as keywords to include in your blogs, on your website, and pin descriptions to generate more traffic. You’ll rank higher as a result if you create pins that people are actually searching for.

Create a blog

Though we touched on this briefly, write content based on these ideas and topics on a blog that you own and can monetize. Pinterest will become the primary vehicle driving traffic to your website as you create blogs that are geared toward the subjects you pin about. Consider using titles and ideas that are widely searched about based on your analytics.

Use compelling visuals

Pinterest is a photo-driven platform, so using tools like Canva, Crello, and photo websites will help you create great photo content to entice your audience to click on what you’ve created. For photos, use free websites like Pexels and other stock photo providers to have great images, or look into photo editing apps on your phone like VSCO to better edit them.

Consider affiliate links & offering products

Affiliate links essentially are URL’s containing an affiliate’s special code. By choosing products you care about that fit your brand, you can direct your audience to your blog through pins encouraging them to purchase from you. Pinterest then becomes an effective vehicle to drive more people than ever in front of you to begin purchasing from you.