How to Make Money with Pinterest Affiliate Marketing
Have you ever thought about turning your Pinterest scrolling habit into a real source of income?
If you’re already spending time pinning dreamy homes, outfits, or recipes, why not start making money from it too?
In this blog, I will walk you through how you can make money on Pinterest through affiliate marketing -- even if you’re a total beginner. Think of it like recommending your favorite finds to a friend... and getting paid when they love it too! Let’s dive in.
Heads up: a few links are affiliate links, and some include special offers you won’t want to miss.
Step 1: Choose Your Niche (And Make It Fun!)
The first step is choosing a niche you’re truly passionate about.
When you love the topic, it shows -- and trust me, your audience will feel it.
It’s kind of like having a fun night chatting with friends, recommending brands and products you’re already obsessed with.
If you have a keen eye for interior styling, for example, you could create beautiful catalog-style pins featuring minimalist furniture collections or cozy home decor setups. ✨
Or a outfit of the day pin showcasing a variety of clothing, shoes and accessories they should get to complete a look.
These "catalog" pins don’t just inspire -- they make it so much easier for people to visualize buying the whole set, which means bigger purchases... and bigger commissions. 🎯
Just imagine: 10% commission on a $1,200 sofa and coffee table set? That’s $120 from one sale alone.
Before you get too excited, though, it’s better to do a little research and validate your ideas -- we’ll get into that next.
Step 2: Know Your Audience (And Speak Their Language)
To truly connect with your audience, you need to know who they are.
Are they students looking for dormitory decor?
Young professionals styling their first apartment?
Maybe parents are looking for cozy but kid friendly furniture?
Example:
If your audience is mostly 20–30 year-olds, they might prefer affordable finds rather than luxury splurges. So, one idea for a pin could be a collection titled “Affordable Minimalist Home Finds Under $100.”
[Insert image of demographics breakdown]
The better you understand their budget, tastes, and shopping habits, the more you can tailor your pins to things they’ll actually want to buy.
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Step 3: Research What's Already Working
Start by understanding what’s already been successful in your niche, and then figure out how to make it your own.
Hop onto Pinterest and check out the top-performing pins in your niche:
What types of images catch your eye?
Are they using bright colors? Minimalist fonts? Mood boards?
Is the pin a simple product photo, or a curated set?
Create a little spreadsheet or Pinterest board to save pins that inspire you. 📝
Analyze what you like -- maybe it's their clean layout, their font choices, or their easy-to-read text.
👉 Important: You’re not copying. You’re learning the patterns of what works, then putting your own spin on it. Over time, you’ll develop your own style that stands out from the crowd!
Step 4: Find the Right Affiliate Programs
Once you’ve picked your niche and have a few ideas brewing, it’s time to find brands you can actually partner with!
Some affiliate programs I recommend for beginners:
PartnerStack (great for a wide range of SaaS and e-commerce brands)
Amazon Associates (easy approval + massive product selection)
[Insert image: Screenshots of affiliate platforms]
Affiliate platforms like Awin and ShareASale are also awesome because they group hundreds of brands together so you don’t have to apply one by one.
(Pro tip: Stick to promoting brands you genuinely like — it builds way more trust with your audience.)
Save this post or subscribe to our newsletter, because soon I’ll be sharing a bonus list of high-paying affiliate programs you don’t want to miss!
Step 5: Set Up a Pinterest Business Account
Now for the fun part: setting up your Pinterest!
I recommend starting fresh with a new Pinterest Business Account rather than converting an old personal one. It gives you a clean, focused brand presence.
Choose a username and profile title that's SEO-friendly and matches your niche.
Example: If you’re targeting minimalist home design, a name like "Simply Styled Spaces" is clear and attractive.
(Don't worry too much if it’s not perfect at first -- you can always tweak it later!)
How to write a strong " About" Section on Pinterest
Your “About” section is where you:
Describe your business and services
Tell users what kind of content they’ll see if they follow you
Include relevant keywords so Pinterest knows how to categorize your content (which helps with visibility)
What to Include:
Who you are / what your business does
What value you provide
What followers can expect to see (e.g., tips, products, inspiration)
Use keywords naturally (related to your niche, products, or services)
Example (for a digital product business):
Helping small business owners grow with printable planners, social media templates, and branding kits.
Follow for Etsy shop tips, Canva design ideas, and passive income inspiration.
Digital tools that save time & help you stand out.
Tips:
Keep it under 160 characters (Pinterest's limit).
Add industry-specific keywords like “digital downloads,” “Etsy SEO,” or “wedding templates” if they apply.
Keep the tone aligned with your brand (professional, fun, creative, etc.).
Step 6: Start Pinning Like a Pro
Time to start creating and posting pins!
You can use product photos from stores (if allowed) or create your own original content.
Canva is an awesome free tool to design beautiful pins, with templates ready to go.
When uploading your pin, use a catchy SEO-optimized title and a well-written description that feels natural (not just keyword-stuffing).
Example for description:
Instead of writing: minimalist sofa, grey couch, modern furniture,
Say: “Discover the perfect minimalist sofa that brings clean, modern vibes to your living room without breaking the bank.”
Pinterest rewards authentic descriptions -- and so does your audience.
Fill in every detail of the pin and link it to your blog. Under More option you can fill in the alt text so that people using screen readers or with visual impairments can understand what the image is about.
It helps improve accessibility for users with screen readers and gives Pinterest’s algorithm more context for better reach.
Be descriptive and concise – explain what’s in the image (1–2 short sentences).
Example: “Woman holding a handmade ceramic mug.”> color of mug, design etc.
Don’t say “image of” or “picture of” – screen readers already announce it’s an image.
Include keywords naturally (if relevant for SEO), but don’t keyword-stuff. > it should be a readable paragraph
Avoid vague terms like “nice view” or “beautiful photo.”
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Step 7: Drive Traffic and Make Money
Once you have your first 5-10 pins and blog posts ready, it’s time to start driving traffic. 🚗💨
Joining group boards can help you reach new audiences fast, although they’re not as powerful as they used to be. I still recommend joining a mix of 10 group boards and creating 10 of your own boards to start.
> joining group board can be hard when your account is new with no following, so I recommend focusing on posting first and joining group board eventually
Tip:
Smaller group boards (with fewer contributors) often get better engagement, mixed them with larger groups to optimize your reach
Keep pinning consistently -- Pinterest loves fresh content.
Aim to post at least 3-5 pins per day to maintain a steady stream of visibility.
This consistency not only keeps your profile active but also signals to Pinterest’s algorithm that you're an engaged creator, helping you reach a wider audience over time.
To simplify this step; you can sign up for Tailwind to schedule post at preferred timing and boost your searches.
Upon creating Pin you can assign the board you want the pin to appear in > For example: Inspiring Quote for income freedom<
Subsequently, you can add pins from other creator through clicking on more ideas.
Here's How to create Pin Boards
To allow others to join your board, you can click on Board request function >
you can find this function through clicking on the add collaborator button beside your Pinterest profile pic.
Here's How to Allow Others to Join your Pinterest Board
Monetize Your Blog with Adsense (and Beyond)
If you’re also building a blog (which I highly recommend for long-term success), you can start earning from display ads too!
Google Adsense is beginner-friendly (no traffic requirement) but pays quite low
typically around $0.20–$1.00 per 1,000 views.
Ezoic and SHE Media are great upgrades once you start getting a bit of traffic.
Mediavine is the gold standard -- you’ll need 50,000 monthly sessions (around 65,000 pageviews)
and a 3–4 month old blog to apply.
Having a blog means even if someone doesn’t buy your affiliate product, you still make money from ad impressions. Passive income for the win!
Can You Make Money on Pinterest Without a Blog?
Yes, you can link pins directly to your affiliate links.
However, Pinterest is strict about spammy practices, so always disclose with #affiliate in your description and check Pinterest’s guidelines first.
Personally, I recommend funneling traffic through a blog or email list first.
Through blog and email list You’ll have a chance to build trust, nurture relationships, and earn more from multiple streams like ads, upsells, and newsletters.
Pinterest Paid Partnerships & Creator Inclusion Fund
Pinterest Paid Partnership Tools:
Once you grow your following, you can tag brands for paid sponsorships.
Brands can boost your content to even bigger audiences! Plus, you’ll gain access to detailed analytics like watch times and click-through rates.
Pinterest Creator Inclusion Fund:
Pinterest offers a 6-week training program for underrepresented creators, where you can receive grants, ad credits, and even brand sponsorship opportunities.
It’s free to apply (though spots are limited), and those who join often see major follower growth after graduating.
(Stay tuned to Pinterest’s announcements to know when applications open!)
Final Thoughts
Affiliate marketing with Pinterest is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to start earning online -- and it doesn’t require a massive audience or expensive investments.
If you stay consistent, keep learning, and create value-packed content your audience genuinely loves the sky’s the limit.
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