Kelsey Shares What Remote Work as a Pinterest Manager & Graphic Designer is Like
Today on the blog, Kelsey from Sights Better Seen is sharing about her remote work journey. If you’ve ever been curious about becoming a Pinterest Manager, Graphic Designer, or Freelance Writer, this is the post for you! Kelsey truly does a little bit of everything and has some amazing resources if you’re looking to get into similar kinds of work.
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You’re currently a Pinterest Manager, Graphic Designer, and do a bit of Freelance Writing. Can you explain a bit about your various roles? Do you work for different companies or freelance all of your work?
I’m currently 100% freelance! I’ve found most of my Pinterest clients via Instagram, referrals, and Facebook. I also just joined Upwork and landed a gig writing articles about the outdoors for a publication, as well as a new Pinterest account setup. I love that there are so many different places to find work nowadays!
For Pinterest, my main goal is to ensure that traffic is flowing to the client’s website. This consists of keyword research, writing pin titles and descriptions, creating eye-catching pins, and determining the best scheduling strategy. I also work with other Pinterest managers that outsource pin design to me (since pin design is my favorite part!), as well as other one-off design projects. I write for my own travel blog, and occasionally for others when I have an article idea I’m excited about that wouldn’t fit on my own site.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I love that each day is different! I’m a person that really thrives on variety, so I love having many different tasks to complete. I’ll usually either work from home or a coffee shop, and when the weather’s nice I’ll go to a park and use my hotspot for WiFi. Any given day I may be setting up a new Pinterest account, monitoring a current one, pitching my services, following up with potential clients, working on an article for my blog or another site, and/or creating designs – the list goes on!
What’s your favorite type of work to do?
Design and writing are definitely my favorites, but I think I would hate it if those were the only two things I ever did. I love creative work, but I also need to give my brain a break and focus on other mundane tasks too. I honestly love doing a little bit of everything!
How did you get started becoming a Pinterest Manager and Graphic Designer? Did you take a course or are you self-taught?
I actually started college as a design major, and took several classes before switching to something else because I was worried design wasn’t ‘practical’ enough for me. Drawing is not my forte, and I was really intimidated by all the other designers that were also amazing illustrators and felt that I wouldn’t measure up. I really regret that now, and wish I’d kept going with it! I’ve since realized you don’t have to be a great artist in order to be a successful designer, and programs like Canva make this even easier today.
I’ve taken 3 Pinterest courses – ‘Pinterest for Creatives’ by Molly Ho Studio, ‘Scheduling Shortcuts’ by Amy LeBlanc, and ‘The Pinterest Manager Course’ by Taylor Bonham. I’m also in paid Facebook groups with other Pinterest managers, which help answer any questions I may have. Molly no longer offers her course, but I’d highly recommend Taylor’s ‘The Pinterest Manager Course,’ which teaches you the basics of Pinterest and how to run your business as a Pinterest manager. Amy’s ‘Scheduling Shortcuts’ is fantastic but a little more advanced, and delves even deeper into the Pinterest algorithm, and teaches you hacks to help get more traffic faster, as well as a strategy called “interest targeting” that’s really working for myself and my clients!
How did you get started with Freelance Writing?
I realized how much I loved writing articles for my own blog, so I started pitching to other publications. I haven’t given it as much attention as Pinterest management, but it’s still something I really enjoy doing.
I found my first paid writing gig on another travel blog I already read when they posted about a call for travel writers. Now, I usually find jobs in Facebook groups, via word of mouth, cold emailing, and Upwork.
Where would you recommend people to look for Pinterest Management or Graphic Design jobs?
I’ve been loving Upwork! Yes, there are some lowballers, but it’s still a great place to start as there are so many jobs listed. And if you do a few jobs for lower prices to get your ratings up, you can raise them after that and start working with higher paying clients!
You can also tap into your own network. I always highly recommend utilizing social media and word of mouth. I found my first client just by posting on Instagram about the stats I’d achieved with my own Pinterest account. You just never know who’s listening! Figure out who you’d like to work with, and get involved with that virtual community. I was lucky as I was already a travel blogger, so I was already following and friends with other travel bloggers on Instagram. So when I posted about my Pinterest stats, a couple of them reached out to me!
I found the Pinterest managers that I currently do pin designs for in a Pinterest Virtual Assistant Facebook group. I made a post about pin design being my favorite part of Pinterest, and asked if anyone had ever successfully created a business that only involved creating the pins. Several managers that wanted to outsource pin design reached out to me, and I’m still working with them today!
I’ve also heard of people having lots of luck with cold emailing (emailing a company about your services), but I’ve only done that for freelance writing.
Where would you recommend people to look for Freelance Writing Jobs?
I found one of my current gigs writing about the outdoors on Upwork! I’ve also landed jobs from pitching (you do have to do a lot of research to do this one right, though), and in Facebook groups (people occasionally post jobs in some of the groups I’m in). I’ve also heard of people having luck with LinkedIn, although I haven’t tried that myself.
I’d recommend you learn as much as you can about crafting a good pitch, think of 5 publications you might want to write for, ensure you understand what they’re looking for, and think of a good idea for an article.
What made you decide to start looking for a remote job in these fields rather than a traditional 9-5?
I wanted to work for myself and make my own hours. I didn’t want to have to ask someone if it was alright for me to take a day off to go snowboarding or on a day trip.
How much flexibility do you have when it comes to making your schedule and taking time off?
My schedule is super flexible! As long as my work gets done, it really doesn’t matter when. Of course, I still have deadlines, but I just make sure to get everything done as far in advance as possible so I can take off if something fun pops up. This means I often work nights and weekends, but I really don’t mind. I’d rather work when I’m feeling productive instead of during set hours.
What would you say are the biggest pros and cons to working remotely in your fields?
The biggest pro for me is definitely the flexibility! I love being able to choose the projects I take on, clients I work with, and hours I put in.
The biggest con is definitely pitching – sometimes it feels like I’m constantly hustling to find work. On the flip side, there are also seasons where more work finds me. The inconsistency that this brings can be another huge con. The amount I make each month can differ greatly, and this can definitely be a little stressful! I also despise some of the tasks that come with running a business, like accounting. But for me, the pros overall outweigh the cons!
Where are some places you’ve traveled to where you have brought your work with you?
Before the Great Panini, I was traveling around Europe for the most part. My favorite places that I’ve ‘lived’ there include the German city of Hamburg, a small town in the Bulgarian mountains, the Austrian countryside, and a van in Portugal. Since then, I’ve mostly stuck to the US (mountain towns are my jam), and have been lucky enough to explore Colorado, Montana, and my home state of California. I’d love to see Wyoming, Washington, and Idaho next, and am considering heading to the East Coast for fall foliage!
Do you have any other advice for people who are hoping to work remotely in roles similar to yours?
Having a support system and surrounding yourself with likeminded people is essential (even if it’s only virtually)! Freelancing and owning a business can be lonely, and I’ve found it really helpful to connect with other remote entrepreneurs on social media. You can also collaborate and even refer each other to jobs!
I’d also recommend starting slowly, and building up your network before quitting your job. Have a plan for how you’ll handle days where you don’t feel motivated (I definitely still experience these), try to create a good morning routine, and allow yourself downtime. Self care is crucial to your productivity!
Join Facebook groups – they are great for connecting with others in similar fields, getting and giving advice, and finding work. Here are some of my favorites:
Connect with Kelsey!
Hope this helps! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to connect. I’d love to help you as I understand it can be difficult to get started!
Kelsey is a freelancer and full-time traveler usually found exploring the mountains somewhere in Europe or the USA. If you’re curious about an honest account of life without a permanent address, you can follow her on Instagram @sightsbetterseen or pop over to her travel blog at Sights Better Seen to read more about her (mis)adventures.
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