How to Make Money on Pinterest: The Complete Guide
Pinterest is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 400 million monthly active users. It’s also a great place to generate income from your creative content. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share the top proven methods you can use to start monetizing your Pinterest account and drive affiliate sales, promote products, and build an audience that will bring in a stream of passive revenue.
Smart Pin and Affiliate Link Strategies
Affiliate marketing should be your top focus when trying to profit from Pinterest. By sharing affiliate links, you earn a commission every time someone clicks your link and makes a qualifying purchase. Let’s explore some effective affiliate tactics:
Add Products as Smart Pins
Smart Pins are buyable pins with a blue price tag icon. They allow readers to shop directly on Pinterest, without clicking a link, streamlining the buying process.
It only takes a few clicks to add a product link to your pin and turn it into a Smart Pin. Here is a guide to creating Smart Pins. Start pinning popular buyable products from various affiliate programs to earn commissions when they sell.
Use Affiliate Links Strategically
Smart Pins are not always an option. In that case, add your affiliate link directly into the pin description:
- URLs should go at the bottom, after your main content or message
- Add context around your link so it flows naturally with the rest of the text, without looking spammy or out of place
- Testing different link placement and messaging can increase clicks
- Clearly state what visitors can expect after clicking, eg. “Read reviews here” or “Check current price”
Here is an example from one of my pins that effectively incorporates affiliate links:
Rather than a standalone URL at the end that readers may ignore, I have added several calls to action over the text to encourage clicks. In addition to testing link placement, keep track of which affiliate programs drive the most Pinterest traffic to fine tune your approach.
Promote Your Blog or Business
Pinterest is a promising stage for developing your brand. There are now more bloggers earning over $50k per year than any other platform, as Pinterest sends huge volumes of referral traffic to websites. Let’s go over how to convert those new visitors into leads, sales, or email subscribers.
Create Visual, Valuable Content
Build a following with visually appealing pins that also solve a need, answer a question, or entertain viewers. Some of my most engaging posts tackle topics like:
- Simple vegan recipes under 30 minutes
- Easy 5 minute mindfulness exercises
- Cleaning tips for busy moms
Include shots of your finished product or process pictures to make it more attention grabbing. I use Canva to design my pin images. Check out these tips for creating Pinterest pins that get clicks.
Strategically Link to Your Site
- Link to your blog posts or product pages directly to drive traffic
- Vary your anchor text so it doesn’t sound overly promotional, for example:
- “See the recipe”
- “Check out the tutorial”
- “Shop this look”
- Place links prominently at the top of the description
- Reiterate the destination with context like “Head to this blog post for the step-by-step…”
Add Clickable Profile and Website Links
Another must-do is adding links in your Pinterest profile.
Edit your profile to include:
- A clickable link and brief site description under your name and bio
- A “Visit my website” or “Follow me” call to action button pointing visitors to your site or best opt-in landing page
This makes it easy for new followers exploring your profile to easily access your website or offers.
Selling Products Through Pinterest
In addition to digital offerings and affiliate sales, Pinterest now allows merchants to upload and sell physical products directly through Shopify or Pinterest shops.
Set Up Your Pinterest Shop
Pinterest shopping catalogs enable approved sellers to upload catalogs that site visitors can browse and buy from.
Products from your Shopify or other e-commerce store will appear alongside regular Pinterest pins. Interested buyers can click to view price and sizing, then checkout seamlessly without leaving Pinterest.
Follow this step-by-step guide to setting up your Pinterest shop.
Create Shoppable Pins
Individual product Pins are now shoppable as well, even without a complete catalog.
To create a shoppable Pin:
- Upload a visually engaging product photo
- Click “Add a price” under the image
- Input item details – price, size, etc
- The Pin will now have a “See price” tag that users can select to view and buy
Check sales and metrics for shoppable Pins in your Pinterest analytics. Track which are performing best to refine your ecommerce approach.
Turn Your Passion into Income With Pinterest
Pinterest is not merely for planning weddings or decorating ideas. In fact, it is full of potential to transform your creative passion or knowledge into income streams.
Become an Influencer
If you have an engaged, loyal following in your niche, you can monetize your audience through:
- Affiliate marketing – Curate and share products relevant to your followers
- Sponsored posts – Get hired by brands that resonate with your audience
- Pinterest tips for influencers
Top influencers report earning over $15k per sponsored pin from major advertisers.
License Your Own Pins
With your gorgeous photos, illustrations or designs, you can generate passive revenue when they get re-pinned.
Simply upload your visual assets to a site like Creative Market, where other Pinterest users can browse images by theme then purchase a license to share them.
You’ll earn royalties whenever your pins spread across Pinterest. Read this guide on making money by selling printables and graphics.
Become a Pinterest Virtual Assistant
Help overwhelmed bloggers or small business owners manage their Pinterest accounts. Services you can offer include:
- Creating aesthetically engaging pin graphics and layouts
- Researching and curating content tailored to their niche and audience
- Scheduling a steady stream of pins
- Tracking analytics and running Pinterest ads
Many successful Pinterest managers charge over $50 per hour. Get started as a Pinterest VA without prior clients by joining online small business communities and Facebook groups.
Start Maximizing Your Earning Potential on Pinterest
As I have shown, Pinterest offers diverse money-making avenues far beyond just affiliate sales.
Implement some of the selling tactics and traffic-driving strategies outlined here. With consistent effort, you can build an audience and income tailored to your unique interests and abilities.
The key is posting captivating content that resonates with users’ visual discovery feed. Simultaneously, incorporate strategic links and calls to action to convert viewers into email subscribers, paying customers or loyal brand advocates.
Soon you’ll be on your way to establishing an automated revenue stream from this powerful platform. Comment any questions below and I’m happy to offer guidance!
Disclaimer: The information provided on MoneyBert.com is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the information. Investments carry risks, including potential loss of principal. For detailed information, please read our full disclaimer here.
