DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.
Gift guides are an effective way to drive traffic and increase revenue by listing product recommendations and framing them in a highly desirable way, usually in the form of a blog post.
Gift guides have the potential to tap into emotions, trigger desire, and, most importantly, earn passive income. As a visual platform with search functionality, Pinterest provides the ideal place to share your gift guides with an engaged audience.
As an expert Pinterest coach, I’ve put together the ultimate guide on how to use gift guides to create passive income on Pinterest.
Table of Contents
Types of Gift Guides
A gift guide is a list of recommended products to buy for a loved one — either as a holiday gift, a birthday present, or even a memento to celebrate an anniversary.
Gift guides help shoppers discover new products and give consumers ideas on what to buy for a special occasion.
The use of gift guides has evolved over time. The term doesn’t only refer to recommendations for gift-giving but also suggestions and reviews for various products. Bloggers can leverage the concept of gift guides to promote products within their niche, while e-commerce marketers can punt items in a way that makes them seem exclusive.
Consider the following examples;
- Fashion blogger – share a list of must-have seasonal clothing items
- Food blogger – share a selection of essential vegan pantry items
- Health and wellness blogger – share a collection of books for self-improvement
- Amazon affiliate – share a regular list of products of the week
- Lifestyle blogger – share a traditional gift guide with recommendations for gifts
Bloggers earn passive income when consumers buy these products using an affiliate link.
Passive income describes earnings from work that has already been completed, with the little-to-no effort needed to maintain the work. By recommending products and earning a kickback per recommendation, you can earn passive income.
Where to Share Your Gift Guide
Bloggers use various platforms to share their curated product recommendations. Consider where your target audience spends their time and pursue that avenue.
For example, bloggers can share their gift guide inside their blog posts (and share the link on various social media platforms).
Some bloggers even create a dedicated landing page on their website to list recommended products, such as a resources page. This option helps bloggers keep their recommendations updated and relevant.
Creating a downloadable PDF is another option, making it easy for readers to access your resources on a whim and click through to the relevant product site in their own time.
Whether you create a specific blog post with featured products or you choose to create a dedicated landing page, it’s important to share your gift guides on all relevant channels.
Considering that 433 million people use Pinterest each month to inspire their next purchase, it’s key to share your gift guide on the creative platform!
Earning Passive Income with Gift Guides
For many bloggers, earning passive income is the ultimate goal. By earning money for completed work, you free up time to focus on other projects. Let’s explore the relationship between passive income and gift guides.
Why create Gift Guides?
It may take a little bit of work to create valuable gift guides, but the effort is worth it. Curating gift guides offers various benefits, such as;
- Earn a passive income
- Offer valuable content to your audience
- Build authority within a specific niche
- Engage with your audience
- Increase conversion by meeting the needs of your audience
- Improve the value of promotional mailings
- Simplify decision-making for your audience
- Boost website SEO ranking and traffic
The role of Gift Guides in B2B
Gift guides are most commonly associated with B2C businesses, but they can also be used to drive a profit for B2B owners.
Simply consider the needs of your B2B consumer and create a list of product recommendations that will make their job easier. You can also create a list of gifts that are work-appropriate and relevant.
Top tip: Add your commentary to offer details on the items and make the purchase more personal.
The foundations of a Gift Guide
Where do you begin when creating a conversion-worthy gift guide? If you want the gift guide to encourage purchases, then you need to consider the following aspects.
- Who is your target audience?
- What does your target audience want or need?
- What expertise can you offer?
Note these details and keep coming back to the answers when choosing products.
When are Gift Guides most popular?
The holiday season is undoubtedly the most popular month for gift shopping.
However, gift guides are used throughout the year. Consider that Google searches for “gift guides” spike in October and hit their peak in December, with 18% of early bird shoppers starting in September (or earlier).
Making your gift guides as evergreen as possible boosts the relevance of your product recommendations, making them appropriate throughout the year.
Fundamental Steps When Creating Your Gift Guide
The first step to creating a successful gift guide is to lay a solid foundation with the following details.
Choose a theme
Selecting a niche helps to target your audience and increase conversions. Consider your blog’s niche and expertise when choosing the theme for your gift guide.
One option is to choose a time-sensitive theme and narrow it down further. For example, when compiling a gift guide for the holiday season, you can choose a niche to focus on, such as “Christmas gifts for foodies.” After Christmas, you can then adjust the title to make the post evergreen.
Another option is to choose a general-purpose gift guide that can be referenced throughout the year, such as “Gifts for new parents.”
Compile a product list
After choosing a theme, start searching for unique products to recommend. Take the time to source useful and unique gift ideas that offer value to your audience.
We recommend using Pinterest boards and collections when promoting these themed gifts on Pinterest!
Determine the type and format of the Gift Guide
Study your website analytics and audience behavior when choosing the best type of gift guide to promote as well as the best format.
Consider creating a resource page, a blog post, or a downloadable catalog. The most effective option will depend on your goals and audience behavior.
Sign up as an Affiliate
To make money from a gift guide, you need to sign up as an affiliate.
Affiliate marketing involves promoting products using a unique link that references you as a source. If the link becomes a lead and contributes to a successful purchase, then the affiliate (you) will earn a small commission (passive income).
Once you’ve decided on which products to include in your gift guide, you need to source a provider. Identify brands that have affiliate programs and apply to be one. Without an affiliate link, your gift guide won’t earn passive income via affiliate marketing.
Source Product Images
If selling physical products (as opposed to digital products), then you’ll need a quality image to promote it. When procuring images, you need to avoid copyright infringements, which could have financial repercussions.
There are two main ways to (legally) source product images.
- Use affiliate resources or contact the company for permission to use the images
- If you already own the product yourself, you can take photographs yourself
When promoting your gift guide on Pinterest, ensure that your product images are appropriate in size and quality for the platform!
Finalize Details
The more information that you offer in your gift guide, the better equipped the consumer is to make a purchase. When sourcing your products and their images, make sure that you also gather the following information;
- Product name
- Brand name
- Affiliate link
- Product image
- Price
- Description
You may not share all of this information in your post, but it’s useful to have on file.
Affiliate Marketing Like a Pro
Now that you’ve prepared properly, you can start sharing your gift guide with your audience.
Write your Gift Guide
It’s time to put all of the information together in a post that is easy to digest and navigate. Keep your user in mind and include all relevant information to help them decide on a gift.
Use quality product images with short and effective product descriptions. Make it easy for the reader to purchase by including a clear call-to-action.
Consider user experience when laying out your gift guide. For example, you can group items according to price or gather multiple options for the same gift.
Top tip: You must disclose affiliate link information inside a blog post or web page, informing the reader that you could earn a commission.
Ensure the Gift Guide is Evergreen
Make the most of your gift guide by keeping it relevant throughout the year.
While it’s useful adding “Christmas” to your title around the holiday season, it’s smart to drop this description once the season has passed, encouraging readers to buy the gifts even after the tinsel has been packed away. Avoid putting holiday-specific terms in your URL, as well.
Create Pinterest-Friendly Images
If the affiliate program permits the use of images on social media platforms, then you can create powerful, click-worthy Pins to promote your gift guide.
There are a few design tricks to creating Pinterest images for gift guides, making the graphic more click-worthy and attractive.
- Use multiple images in your pin to demonstrate a selection of options
- Avoid large images
- Limit text to one or two easy-to-read fonts
- Use as much white space as possible
- Choose images that reveal the niche
- Be selective in your wording
- Use relevant images that draw the individual in
- Be strategic with your title and description
Need a little bit of extra help? Check out our Pinterest design tools!
The pin design is not the only area in which we can help. We’re experienced in creating Pinterest affiliate marketing strategies that drive success. It’s never too early to start marketing your gift guides and creating passive income — so what are you waiting for?
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