How to Make Money on Pinterest: 7 Proven Strategies to Boost Your Income. Pinterest isn’t just for finding cute outfits, home decor inspiration, or DIY projects anymore. It’s a powerhouse for driving traffic, generating sales, and yes—making money. Whether you’re a blogger, small business owner, or content creator, Pinterest has tons of potential to help you build a sustainable income. In this post, I’ll walk you through how to monetize Pinterest with seven proven strategies that are easy to implement.
Why Pinterest is a Goldmine for Making Money
Before we dive into the strategies, let’s take a quick look at why Pinterest is such a great platform for monetization. With over 450 million active users worldwide, Pinterest is a visual search engine, meaning people use it to discover new products, ideas, and services. This is especially powerful if you’re in the eCommerce space or have a blog. The key? People come to Pinterest looking for inspiration and solutions, which creates a perfect opportunity for you to get in front of them.
Now, let’s break down how you can start turning those pins into cash.
1. Set Up a Pinterest Business Account
First things first: You need a Pinterest business account. If you don’t have one yet, it’s easy to switch your personal account to a business account. Doing so unlocks a ton of tools, including Pinterest Analytics and Pinterest Ads, which are crucial for growing your presence and monetizing effectively.
To set up your business account:
- Go to Pinterest and click “Create Account.”
- Select “Business” and fill in your business details.
- Add a descriptive bio and website link (this helps you get discovered).
With a business account, you’ll also get access to Pinterest Analytics, which shows how your pins are performing and what your audience is engaging with.
2. Create Pins that Drive Traffic & Sales
Designing eye-catching pins is key to getting attention. Think of your pins as mini-advertisements. If they don’t stand out in the feed, no one will click on them. The best pins are clear, visually appealing, and call attention to a specific product, service, or idea.
Tips for creating effective pins:
- Use high-quality images: Sharp, clean photos work best.
- Include bold text overlays: Make sure your pins are clear at a glance, even on mobile.
- Create multiple pin designs: Test different images and styles to see what works best.
You can use tools like Canva or Tailwind to create and schedule your pins in advance. These tools are super user-friendly and perfect for beginners.
3. Promote Your Products or Services
If you have products or services to sell, Pinterest is a goldmine. Pinterest allows you to set up Rich Pins, which provide more detailed information about your product, like pricing and availability.
Here’s how to use Pinterest to promote your products:
- Set up a Pinterest Shop: This allows users to shop directly from your pins.
- Use product-based pins: Highlight your products with beautiful images and a direct link to purchase.
- Showcase your bestsellers: Feature your top products on dedicated boards.
I’ve personally seen businesses double their sales after consistently pinning their products with clear calls to action and links to shop.
4. Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest
Affiliate marketing is another great way to make money on Pinterest. If you promote other people’s products and earn a commission, Pinterest can be an excellent platform for driving affiliate sales.
Steps for affiliate marketing on Pinterest:
- Find affiliate programs that align with your audience (e.g., Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or niche-specific programs).
- Create pins with affiliate links: Use your affiliate link in the pin description or through a linked landing page.
- Be transparent: It’s important to disclose that your pins are affiliate links, either in the pin description or as part of the image text.
This strategy works especially well for bloggers, content creators, and influencers who review products or share recommendations.
5. Sponsored Content & Brand Partnerships
If you have a decent following or engagement on Pinterest, you might start attracting brand deals. Sponsored pins allow companies to pay you to feature their products on your Pinterest profile.
To attract brands:
- Build a solid profile: Focus on niche content, and make sure your boards are targeted and organized.
- Reach out: Don’t be afraid to pitch brands. Email them with a pitch that outlines your Pinterest stats (like impressions, engagement rates, and audience demographics).
- Collaborate with influencers: Partnering with others in your niche can also help you expand your reach.
Sponsored content on Pinterest works similarly to Instagram and other platforms, but because of Pinterest’s long-tail nature, the content continues to work for you over time.
6. Sell Digital Products
Selling digital products is a great way to monetize Pinterest without needing inventory. Whether you’re offering eBooks, printables, templates, or online courses, Pinterest can drive traffic to your website, where users can purchase your products.
Ideas for digital products to sell:
- EBooks: Share valuable insights or guides in your niche.
- Printables: These are super popular in niches like organization, planners, or home decor.
- Online Courses: If you have knowledge in a particular field, create a course and promote it via Pinterest.
Digital products have a low cost to create and can be sold indefinitely, making them a perfect fit for Pinterest.
7. Pinterest Ads for Business Growth
If you want to speed up the process and reach a wider audience, Pinterest Ads are a great investment. Pinterest’s ad platform is user-friendly and can help you target specific interests, keywords, and demographics.
How to run successful Pinterest ads:
- Create Promoted Pins: These are just like regular pins but are paid for to reach a broader audience.
- Use targeting options: Pinpoint your audience by interest, keywords, and even location.
- Monitor and adjust: Track your ad performance using Pinterest Analytics and adjust your campaigns for optimal results.
Pinterest ads work especially well if you’re looking to drive traffic to a landing page or promote a sale.
Final Thoughts: Staying Consistent and Creative
To really see success on Pinterest, you need to stay consistent and creative. Keep creating new pins, test different strategies, and always monitor your performance. Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust your approach. The more you post, the more opportunities you’ll have to make money.
Pinterest is an amazing platform with huge potential, and if you put in the effort, you can start making money today. So, what are you waiting for? Set up your business account, start pinning, and watch your income grow!