Why Pinterest Management didnt work for your Business?
While cold emailing potential clients, I often encounter a common concern: clients wonder whether Pinterest management will work for their business.
I could share some examples to help explain how Pinterest works for businesses, how to set the right expectations for your Pinterest account, and how to achieve the best results from it.
Example 1: Unrealistic Expectations
One client I worked with had already hired two Pinterest management agencies, each for six months, but wasn’t satisfied with the results.
I was the third Pinterest manager(not a VA but a Pinterest Manager) they approached. While I didn’t say this to them about the situation(because I don’t like to discuss a client’s previous experiences with them), there’s an important point to learn here:
Pinterest strategies vary from manager to manager, so changing managers means adopting a new strategy. Every strategy typically takes 3–4 months to set in and have some effect on the account.
What works for one business might not work for another.
Before hiring a Pinterest manager, it’s crucial to ask questions like:
- What strategy will you implement for my account?
- What has been working on Pinterest lately?
Also, as someone hiring a Pinterest Manager for Monthly Management, take the time to research Pinterest’s best practices. Hiring a Pinterest manager without a basic understanding of what works or what you think would be a good Pinterest Strategy for your account can lead to hiring the wrong manager, which is why some businesses end up feeling frustrated with no results to show.
Example 2: Budget Constraints and Misplaced Expectations
Another client shared that they had worked with a Pinterest manager for a year but weren’t seeing enough ROI to justify continuing.
Because of this, they had an extremely tight budget for hiring another manager. Unfortunately, the budget they offered was so low that I couldn’t justify taking on the project.
Here’s the issue: while feeling disappointed after a bad experience is natural, it’s unfair to project that onto a new manager.
Pinterest management requires time, effort, and strategic planning. If the previous manager’s strategy didn’t work, it doesn’t mean the next manager should be underpaid for their efforts.
If your budget is limited, most Pinterest managers (myself included) can create a custom package with fewer pins and less content(but a minimum price is set by every manager).
There is a minimum package amount because with any smaller package(like one pin a day), results will be slower(which was their case)—often taking a year or more of consistent effort to see noticeable performance improvements. It’s essential to understand that your investment directly affects the speed of your results.
Blaming a Pinterest manager(even when not done directly) for slow growth when the budget doesn’t allow adequate resources is unfair. Growth takes time, especially with minimal investment.
Read the next 5 points where I sum up everything so you can understand Pinterest better.
5 Reasons Pinterest Management Didn’t Work for your Business
1. Unrealistic Expectations About Timelines on Pinterest
Pinterest is a long-term game, and results need months of consistent effort. Sometimes, it can even take a year before you see significant growth. While Pinterest is easier to succeed on compared to some platforms, it’s important to understand that publishing just one or two pins a day(read more on how many pins I post per day to see results) will take time to see noticeable results.
From my experience, I see positive growth within 2 to 3 months after implementing a new strategy. However, larger accounts with lots of categories can take longer to gain traction.
This is why it’s essential to have an honest discussion with your Pinterest manager about when you can realistically expect to see positive changes.
Set a timeline for yourself—six months is usually a good benchmark. If you don’t feel satisfied with the progress at that point, it’s reasonable to evaluate your options or even consider switching managers.
Keep in mind, though, that a new manager will bring a completely different strategy, which may reset the timeline for results. Pinterest is a search engine that takes time to rank your content.
2. The Importance of Understanding Your Manager’s Strategy
It’s important to ask your Pinterest manager about their strategy before hiring them. Discuss how they plan on using keywords, how they would pin your content, and how many pins would be published daily(and how this would impact your results).
This conversation will give you an idea of their approach and help you decide if their strategy aligns with your goals.
That said, don’t expect your manager to share every detail of their process—this is their expertise. What’s important is that you feel confident about their approach and trust their ability to deliver results.
3. Switching Managers Too Frequently
Switching managers too frequently can stop your growth(it wont negatively impact your account as long as you take time between the switch). Different managers bring different strategies, and Pinterest takes time to adapt to those changes, especially since the platform is always evolving.
It’s important to give your manager the time they need to implement their strategy and see the results.
Pinterest is a long-term game, so it’s best to avoid desperately waiting for instant results. It’s like watching milk boil—it won’t happen faster by staring at it. Give your account the time it needs to build momentum, and you’ll start to see the results in due time. Patience is key.
4. Budget Constraints and Their Impact on Quality
If you’re working with a limited budget, be realistic about what to expect. For instance, paying $200 a month likely won’t cover a high volume of custom-designed pins or extensive strategy work.
Designing unique, eye-catching pins and optimizing them for SEO takes time, effort, and expertise.
With a budget of $200 a month, it’s important to understand that significant growth may take closer to a year, not six months.
A smaller budget means fewer resources to create and promote fresh content, which can slow down your growth. That’s not to say progress won’t happen, but it’ll likely be a gradual upward climb.
I know it’s tempting to want a big return on a small investment, but that doesn’t happen. The key is to communicate openly with your manager about your budget and manage your expectations.
5. Expecting ROI (Return on Investment)
It’s important to understand that while a Pinterest manager can have the best strategy, no one can guarantee results. Pinterest is a search platform, and getting traffic from it depends on many factors: the algorithm, the content you create, and even user intent.
It also depends on the content on your website—whether you have evergreen content that performs year-round or if your focus is seasonal, as Pinterest is highly seasonal.
If your content isn’t aligned with what your audience is searching for or optimized for the platform, it can be tough to see significant returns.
Pinterest loves both consistent, evergreen content that resonates with users and seasonal content. If you’re ONLY relying on seasonal topics, results might vary throughout the year.
So, having realistic expectations and a solid strategy is key. You can’t expect immediate high returns without a clear, well-executed plan.
Patience is important for a Pinterest account as results take time, but with the right approach, results happen. First month of my monthly Pinterest Management is account optimization and people sometimes can get frustrated just with this, so do have patience!
Final Thoughts
This post might sound brutally honest, but I’d rather share the reality than let anyone walk into Pinterest management with unrealistic expectations. It’s a slow-burn platform that requires patience, consistency, and trust in the process.
If you have any questions or feel I missed something, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d love to help! And if you’ve worked with a Pinterest manager or agency before, I’d genuinely like to hear about your experience.
