Should I Hire A Pinterest Manager? Do I Need a Pinterest VA?

Admit it…

At some point, you’ve thought about outsourcing Pinterest management to a Pinterest VA to save time. We’ve all thought about it (and I’ve done it).

But, should you hire a Pinterest manager?

Most bloggers shouldn’t hire Pinterest managers because they lose control over their Pinterest marketing efforts and insight into what design trends users are engaging with. Bloggers also learn of algorithm changes too late when they don’t monitor their accounts. Only hire one if you have repeatable systems. 

Of course, that’s just a broad-sweeping answer, so you’ll need to read the article to really find out why.

But, this is a question I’ve seen asked in MULTIPLE blogging Facebook groups I’ve been in, so I figured I would tackle it in this blog post so you could gain insight into whether or not you should hire a Pinterest manager.

In this article we’ll discuss:

• Why most bloggers should NOT hire a Pinterest manager
• Why very few bloggers should hire a Pinterest manager
• Where to find a reliable Pinterest VA

Let’s get started!

Why Most Bloggers Should NOT Hire a Pinterest Manager

You’ll notice that I’m leading with why you shouldn’t hire a Pinterest manager.

I did that intentionally.

You can pretty much leave after this section if you want to because you’ll likely fall into this category.

Outsourcing Pinterest management can be a terrible decision because you:

1. Lose control of your Pinterest marketing efforts
2. Miss out on insight into what design trends users are engaging with
3. Learn of algorithm changes too late
4. Hire the wrong Pinterest VA

Let’s explore these a little more!

1. Lose Control of Your Pinterest Marketing Efforts

Be prepared…

You may receive a weekly update, but you won’t know what’s really happening with your Pinterest marketing strategy.

Unless you’re actively monitoring what your account is pinning (which can be VERY time-consuming as Tailwind is always glitchy and you’d have to have eagle eyes to catch every pin in group boards), chances are, you’re left out of the loop.

This is one of the reasons why I think my relationship with a Pinterest VA went sour after a few months.

I had a strategy and that kind of adapted, but it did not adapt to something that worked.

We were going off my Pinterest manager’s spidey sense and it just did NOT pay off. 

You need to have a really solid Pinterest marketing strategy if you want to outsource this and I did not. I suspect most other bloggers don’t have one, either.

And, you NEVER really know the full picture.

There’s no way for you to know it. So, you can’t be sure that you’re maintaining best practices on Pinterest.

Especially with the infamous “Pinterest flagging your account as spam” dilemma, this is NOT something you want to risk.

2. Miss Out on Insight Into What Design Trends Users Are Engaging With

This kind of piggybacks off my last point.

You don’t know what’s doing well and what’s NOT doing well on Pinterest.

You may get notifications on your app, but let’s be real…

Who actively goes through ALL of them if they’re not managing their account?

Surely not me.

That was the whole reason why I hired a Pinterest VA. I wanted to get freed from the time investment.

You need to be completely aware of what designs users are engaging with so that you can go and replicate them for future posts.

And, if designs aren’t working, you need to know that now before you unintentionally plummet your traffic. 

If you do want help with pin design that stands the test of time, then I recommend Pins Made Happy.

3. Learn of Algorithm Changes Too Late

If you hear about algorithm changes from a Facebook group, you’re too late!

That’s how you know you’re missing out.

This is ALWAYS me!

I take note and I follow the thread to see what’s happening, but because I hadn’t been monitoring my account when I contracted a Pinterest VA, I wasn’t learning of these changes when I needed to take action on them.

I’m sorry to say, but most Pinterest managers aren’t managing enough Pinterest accounts simultaneously to notice algorithm changes, mainly because they can be specific to certain niches.

Kind of like how YMYL sites need special treatment on Google.

Pinterest Managers have the best intentions, but they can’t always relay this information to you.

If you want a Pinterest strategy that will still perform well despite algorithm changes, then you need to take Carly Campbell’s Pinteresting Strategies.

4. Hire the Wrong Pinterest VA

Unfortunately, Pinterest VAs seem to be a dime a dozen nowadays.

Here are some characteristics of poor Pinterest VAs:

• Uncommunicative
• Have only ever managed personal accounts
• Don’t manage at least 3 accounts
• Aren’t willing to try new strategies
• Apply “their” signature strategy to “your” account
• Label themselves as an all-in-one social media marketing unicorn

The sad thing is that many people hire the wrong Pinterest VA!

I did this and I don’t want you to do the same.

This is treacherous territory and you should know of the common outsourcing risks before you try and do this on your own.

Why Very Few Bloggers Should Hire a Pinterest Manager

If you’ve read the section above, acknowledge it, and still want to hire a Pinterest manager, then kudos to you! You’re gutsy and a risk-taker.

I admire that.

You should outsource Pinterest management if you:

1. Have a repeatable system that consistently brings you traffic
2. Commit to actively monitoring your account and analytics
3. Aren’t afraid to fire a Pinterest VA
4. Realize you can’t give your Pinterest account enough love

Let’s explore these a little more!

1. Have a Repeatable System That Consistently Brings You Traffic

Do you have a repeatable system that brings you consistent traffic?

If you do, great!

Now, you can find someone I like to call a routine employee or someone that can perform tasks to a tee based on your system.

But, here’s the catch…

When Pinterest’s algorithm changes, then your system may not work and you’ll have to redesign it because the VA doesn’t really know what they’re doing. 

And, if you have a Pinterest VA that is knowledgeable, then your strategy will change at their plea because they want to try and bring in the best results, but then you lose insight as to what your current Pinterest strategy is.

But, if you have a framework that can be followed, it can be worth attempting, especially in small batches.

You may not enjoy certain aspects and you can advise on how to do them without risking your entire account.

2. Commit to Actively Monitoring Your Account and Analytics

This is a given if you want to outsource Pinterest management.

You NEED to monitor your Pinterest analytics and Google Analytics.

This is how you know if:

• Tailwind Tribes are working
• Smartloop is working
• Promoted pins are working

This is SO important that I don’t want you to skip past this section.

Data speak! Loud and clear. Use data to inform your hiring decisions, not friendship.

If your analytics show something different than what your Pinterest VA is purporting, then it’s time for a conversation.

Conversely, monitoring your analytics can lead to very fruitful strategy conversations on what IS working and that can be valuable. But, don’t assume they monitor this for you!

3. Aren’t Afraid to Fire a Pinterest VA

Hire based on track record and fire based on performance.

That’s how you need to operate as a business manager.

If your Pinterest account is the source of your ad income, affiliate income, and email marketing leads, then you literally cannot afford to keep the wrong contractor engaged in services. 

This is why I recommend contracts that are month-to-month.

Don’t get locked into a contract period with a sucky Pinterest VA.

You stay in CONTROL of your Pinterest account and that means firing your account manager if you have to. 

It’s business, at the end of the day. It’s nothing personal.

4. Realize You Can’t Give Your Pinterest Account Enough Love

I traditionally wouldn’t recommend outsourcing Pinterest marketing because you don’t have enough time for it, but this is how I started, so I figured it’s worth mentioning.

If managing your account is a major time hog, then you may want to outsource Pinterest management.

This includes things like:

• Reciprocity in group boards and Tribes
• Nurturing new boards before pinning to them

Pinterest CAN take a lot of time! I understand that.

But, you really need to have a solid grasp on Pinterest first. 

And, if you understand Pinterest but recognize that you simply need someone more dedicated to the role and who can bring experience and strategy to the position, then I understand hiring a Pinterest VA.

Try and make time first, though, before you pull the trigger.

Especially if you’re a new blogger…

Where to Find a Reliable Pinterest VA

So, you’ve decided that you want to hire a Pinterest VA.

I admire your audacity.

Here’s the thing…

There are A LOT of people who claim to know what they’re doing with Pinterest, but they really DO NOT.

Seriously.

It’s scandalous how many service providers should NOT be in business.

If you really want to outsource Pinterest management, then I want you to hop right now into my advanced blogging Facebook group and create a thread.

There are some quality Pinterest managers in there that know what they are doing and they can help you.

They’re people I TRUST.

Where I wouldn’t go:

• Fiverr
• Upwork

It’s too challenging to verify the credibility of freelancers on those platforms for something SO critical.

Conversely, don’t rely on a “fancy-schmancy agency” to take care of this for you. They ALWAYS run the risk of not training their account managers properly. 

Just because the founder knows what they’re doing does NOT mean all the contractors are.

How Much Does a Pinterest Manager Cost?

Great question!

Based on my experience and other bloggers’ experiences that I know, the cost for a Pinterest manager is going to be in the range of $250 to $800 per month. 

Now, this is largely dependent on a few variables:

• Manual pinning vs. Tailwind scheduled pinning
• If pin design is included or not
• If analytics, reporting, and strategy are involved or not

You might find that agencies charge more monthly than solo service providers.

And, if you want to do promoted pins, that’s not including the cost of managing promoted pins or the actual ad spend.

If You Want to Hire a Pin Designer

Now, if you all you need are pin designs, then you can probably find some good designers on Fiverr and Upwork! Look for the ones with a lot of stars and many reviews.

If they have graphics in their portfolio you can imagine with your branding and headlines, then do a small batch as a trial and go from there. Around $5 – $10 per pin is a pretty standard rate. 

But, for performance sake, I would stay away from paying for templates.

You want original pins to attract new viewers.

If you just need help with your designs, I would recommend Audrey and Matt Marshall’s Pins Made Happy course.

It’s cheap and my designs have greatly improved as a result, which is improving my engagement after taking over from the Pinterest manager that didn’t prove her worth.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve made the right decision on whether or not you should outsource Pinterest management.

For me, personally, it has NOT worked out. 

And, I’ve heard horror stories from fellow bloggers whose accounts have tanked after getting allegedly expert account managers to the point where they have to restart.

So, please, if you’re trying to find time in your day, you should probably make time from other areas instead of through Pinterest. Use Tailwind if you need to save time as long as you manually pin occasionally on the platform.

To quickly recap, we discussed:

• Why most bloggers should NOT hire a Pinterest manager
• Why very few bloggers should hire a Pinterest manager
• Where to find a reliable Pinterest VA

What questions do you still have about hiring a Pinterest manager? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

And, if you need help vetting a service provider, I’m all ears.

Cheers to your Pinterest success!