Have you ever found yourself scrolling through Pinterest, saving recipes, DIY crafts, or home décor ideas, and thought, “Can I make money from this?” Well, the answer is a resounding yes! Pinterest is more than just a place to gather inspiration—it’s also a fantastic platform for making money. Whether you’re a blogger, business owner, or just someone looking for a side hustle, Pinterest has huge potential to generate income.
But how exactly do you make money on Pinterest? This guide will walk you through the steps, strategies, and tips to monetize your Pinterest presence.
1. Understanding Pinterest as a Money-Making Platform
Pinterest is not a traditional social media platform. It’s more of a visual search engine. People come to Pinterest to find ideas, products, and inspiration, which makes it an ideal space for promoting businesses and products. Whether you’re promoting your own services or someone else’s (hello, affiliate marketing!), Pinterest’s huge audience can help you turn traffic into profit.
Why Pinterest?
- 300 million+ monthly active users.
- High engagement—people are looking to take action.
- Longer content lifespan—pins can stay relevant for months, even years.
2. Set Up a Business Account
The first step to making money on Pinterest is to set up a Pinterest Business Account. A business account gives you access to valuable tools like Pinterest Analytics, which helps you track your pins’ performance. It also enables you to use Pinterest Ads for promoting your content.
Here’s how to set it up:
- Go to Pinterest Business.
- Click “Join as a Business.”
- Fill in your business name and information.
- Start creating boards and pins with a business focus.
Tip: If you already have a personal account, you can easily convert it into a business account without losing your current boards or followers.
3. Optimize Your Profile for Search Engines
Pinterest SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial if you want people to find your pins. Your profile should be optimized with keywords related to your niche or industry. This will help Pinterest users discover your content through search.
Steps to Optimize Your Profile:
- Profile Name: Include keywords that define your niche. For example, instead of just “Sarah’s Blog,” make it “Sarah’s Blog | DIY Crafts & Home Décor.”
- Bio: Write a bio that clearly explains who you are and what your business is about, using relevant keywords.
- Board Names: Use descriptive, keyword-rich board names like “Easy Recipes for Beginners” or “Best Fitness Tips.”
- Pin Descriptions: When creating pins, use clear, keyword-focused descriptions. This helps Pinterest and Google recognize what your pin is about.
4. Start Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest
One of the easiest ways to make money on Pinterest is through affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services through your pins and earning a commission when someone makes a purchase through your unique affiliate link.
How to Get Started with Affiliate Marketing:
- Join affiliate programs: Many companies offer affiliate programs. Popular platforms include Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Rakuten.
- Create attractive pins: Design eye-catching pins that showcase the product or service you’re promoting.
- Add affiliate links: Include your affiliate link in the pin description. Make sure to disclose that it’s an affiliate link (e.g., “This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link.”).
Pro Tip: Focus on promoting products that align with your niche. If your audience is interested in health and fitness, promote workout gear or supplements. Stick to things you genuinely believe in!
5. Sell Products Directly on Pinterest
If you have an online store, Pinterest can drive traffic to your products and increase sales. With the Pinterest Shop feature, users can buy products directly from your pins.
Steps to Sell Products on Pinterest:
- Create product pins: Product pins allow users to see the price, availability, and description of your products. You can link these pins directly to your online store.
- Enable rich pins: Rich pins pull more data from your website to display on your Pinterest pins. This works especially well for e-commerce businesses.
You can also consider creating printables, digital downloads, or custom designs and selling them on platforms like Etsy. Use Pinterest to drive traffic to your Etsy store by pinning your products and optimizing your descriptions with searchable keywords.
6. Drive Traffic to Your Blog or Website
Do you have a blog or website? Pinterest is a powerhouse for driving traffic, and more traffic means more opportunities for monetization through ads, sponsored content, and selling services. Many successful bloggers credit Pinterest as their top traffic source.
Here’s how to use Pinterest to grow your blog’s traffic:
- Create multiple pins for each blog post: Each pin should have different images or titles to appeal to different audiences. The more pins you create, the better your chances of reaching new users.
- Link back to your blog: Always make sure each pin links back to a specific blog post.
- Use Pinterest Analytics: Track which pins perform best and replicate their success.
Pro Tip: Use Tailwind or another Pinterest scheduler to automate your pinning strategy. Consistent pinning is key to getting your content seen by more people.
7. Offer Pinterest Management Services
Pinterest can be overwhelming for business owners who don’t have the time to manage it themselves. That’s where you come in! You can offer Pinterest management services to businesses or influencers who need help with creating pins, managing boards, and growing their Pinterest following.
Services you could offer include:
- Pin creation and design.
- Pinterest account setup and optimization.
- Tailwind scheduling and automation.
Many Pinterest managers earn anywhere from $300 to $1,000+ per month per client. It’s a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time gig if you want to help multiple clients.
8. Monetize with Sponsored Content
As your Pinterest following grows, brands may approach you for sponsored content opportunities. Sponsored content involves creating pins that promote a brand’s products or services in exchange for payment.
How to Get Sponsored:
- Build a niche audience that trusts your recommendations.
- Keep your content high-quality and professional.
- Use platforms like Influence.co or AspireIQ to connect with brands that fit your niche.
Sponsored pins can be a great way to earn a significant income, especially if your account has a large and engaged following.
9. Promote Online Courses and Ebooks
If you have expertise in a particular area—whether it’s photography, writing, social media, or something else—why not package that knowledge into an online course or ebook? Pinterest is an ideal place to promote educational content because users are actively looking for how-to guides and tutorials.
Create visually appealing pins that promote your course or ebook, and drive traffic to a landing page where people can sign up or purchase.
10. Join Pinterest Creator Rewards
Pinterest recently introduced Creator Rewards, a program that pays creators for completing specific content goals, like making idea pins or driving engagement. You can earn bonuses based on your performance, and as the program grows, more creators will have the chance to monetize their content directly through Pinterest.
Pinterest is more than just a visual search engine—it’s a goldmine for making money online. Whether through affiliate marketing, selling products, driving traffic to your blog, or offering management services, there are multiple ways to monetize your presence. By optimizing your profile, creating engaging content, and consistently posting, you can build a profitable Pinterest strategy.
If you’re ready to take your Pinterest game to the next level, implement these tips today and watch your income grow!