Can you make money on Pinterest? YES.
Can you make money on Pinterest without a blog? YESSSS!
This blog post is all about how you can begin earning money through your Pinterest as soon as today! With years of Pinterest affiliate marketing experience BEFORE my blog even existed, I’m ready to share exactly what I do to earn money through simply pinning.
How to monetize your Pinterest
(without a blog)
Hey, it’s been a minute since I’ve written a blog. Life has been insane lately and frankly, it just feels wrong looking at a computer all day when the weather is picture-perfect.
Nonetheless, I am back at it again with a post worth reading if you’re even remotely thinking about turning your Pinterest into a side hustle (or a full-time gig!).
I didn’t always have a blog. I actually started hey sweet style in 2020 but I’ve been making money through my Pinterest for years.
Back in 2015, I downloaded Pinterest onto my iPhone and began curating boards full of specific outfit ideas, deliciously easy recipes, and my favorite thing of all time: interior design ideas. I was an avid pinner and I truly did it (and STILL do it) because I love looking at other people’s work and getting ideas for myself.
Little did I know, while I was busy pinning whenever I had a break in the day, my Pinterest would go viral. Yep, my actual account somehow went absolutely viral and I was racking up hundreds of followers a day. It was a shock, to say the least.
While I cannot pinpoint the exact post that made my account storm the Pinterest sphere, I believe it was an account linked to Martha Stewart (lol) that repinned one of MY REPINNED images. It wasn’t even my personal uploaded pin which proves how powerful pinning is!
I have some notes deep in my iCloud where I kept a daily chart of the followers I had because it was just so surreal to me. For at least 3 years, my account was consistently gaining a following. It’s still wild to me.
During the height of my Pinterest growth, I definitely ran ideas through my head constantly on how I could make money with all of the interaction I was receiving. I had no idea where to start or where to even look for guidance. NOTE: you DO NOT need a large following to make money on Pinterest.
There was a period of trial and error while I was figuring out how to make money but when it finally happened, I WAS HYPED! Looking back on the time and effort I put into it, I am SO happy I put in the work.
If you’re interested in monetizing your Pinterest, trust me:
IT’S WORTH THE EFFORT!
let’s get to the good stuff;
How to Make Money on Pinterest
The first step is to have your Pinterest account up and running. Create boards that are easy to navigate and clearly labeled.
Check out how I have some of my boards organized.
As you can see, I have A LOT of boards and this isn’t even all of them! I have my boards organized by seasonal outfits, interior & exterior design, and specific boards like airport outfits and what to wear on college game day.
Why is that so important?
People respond way better when everything has a place and looks good. You seem more trustworthy and approachable when you have your space tidy (it’s all a part of the Pinterest science). This is your first key to success. Get those boards aligned with your niche or aesthetic.
The next step, convert your account over to a business account if you have not done so already. It’s hands down THEEE best feature EVER on Pinterest and IT’S FREE. I wish this was a feature when I was new to making money on Pinterest, it helps so much. Analytics are powerful when you’re navigating your best performing pins.
Now let’s talk about money!
There is no magic formula to making money on Pinterest — it’s very common and all of our favorite bloggers do it. It’s called affiliate marketing!
Affiliate marketing is a large block of my income. Years before I even created this blog, I was cashing in on my affiliate posts on Pinterest. I remember making my first commission and LOSING MY MIND with excitement. It was a feeling of success and even though it was small, it was something worth celebrating.
What exactly is affiliate marketing?!
It’s pretty simple. Per the dictionary: affiliate marketing is a marketing arrangement by which an online retailer pays commission to an external website for traffic or sales generated from its referrals.
Pin of the product + referral code = commission in your pocket.
If you put in the effort, you will see dollar signs! Just remember, like everything in life, consistency is key.
My favorite affiliate marketing partners:
LikeToKnowIt (LTK)
I researched for a while when I was fresh into affiliate marketing. I found my fit almost immediately and after a couple of years of pinning with them, I can confidently recommend them to my readers!
LikeToKnowIt is also known as rewardStyle but collectively they merged as LTK.
Things to know about LTK.
- You have to be accepted into the affiliate program in order to get your affiliate links. *see image below for requirements*
- The Link Ninja extension is a must-have if you don’t want to spend time copying + pasting links back to LTK.
- The commission varies by product & seller.
- Amazon products are not trackable through LTK.
- They open payout at $100.
Overall, I really do enjoy LTK and highly recommend everyone interested in affiliate marketing to apply! It took about two weeks to get my “welcome letter” but I was posting and earning money within a couple of days of being an LTK member. I cashed out in my first week.
This was my first “Oooo wow!” moment when I finally felt like I was making progress with making money on Pinterest. It was no longer just a far-out thought, it was actually happening!
Amazon Associates
This one was a no-brainer for me when it came to applying for affiliate programs. Pretty much everyone uses Amazon because it’s SO convenient to purchase (or add to cart) in one click. Just like LTK, you have to be “accepted” into the program in order to collect affiliate links for products you would like to post. I was accepted immediately and did not have to wait for an email confirmation!
Things to know about Amazon Associates
- In order to be paid, you must add your SSN and taxpayer information.
- Links are only rich for 24 hours — you cannot earn commission after that window!
- If someone clicks your affiliate link, doesn’t purchase the item, but they find something else while on your original link — you will make a commission for everything they buy.
- You can get “kicked out” if you are not active on your account. I have been a couple of times if I go months without posting but it takes minutes to get back.
Just like LTK, I highly recommend getting on board with the Amazon Associates program. It’s quick, simple, and conversion rates are great. One of my verrry favorite terms is “if you want something bad enough, start today!” and this is a perfect opportunity to do just that. You can see a sale TODAY if you start pinning Amazon products with your exclusive affiliate links. Do it!
You’re in. Now let’s find a product!
No matter which affiliate program you’re using, find your product of choice and grab that exclusive affiliate link.
Take a screenshot of the item.
Keep the link!
* Notice the Link Ninja extension is on the right side of my screen. It’s awesome! I access it by clicking on the bookmarked tab and it instantly gives me access to my link and the commission I will earn on it.
Next step: make a pin worth clicking on!!
We all know how Pinterest works. It’s a search engine made purely of pictures and of course, you’re going to get interaction if you have a pretty picture.
If you don’t already have Canva, PLEASE get on it! Just like the Pinterest business account feature, this is the next best thing when it comes to FREE tools. You can make incredible graphics and drag & drop your photos into a Pinterest-sized template for a super quick turnaround. The example pin I created below took me 2 minutes.
If you aren’t creative at all, have no fear because there are hundreds of Pinterest templates that are all customizable. From the font, color, and anything else you can think of – it’s all accessible to you on Canva.
Final step: Let’s post!
Now that we have our Pinterest set to a business account, a product affiliate link, and a Pinterest-worthy graphic; let’s get posting!
In your account: click “Create Pin”, choose the board that fits the image, upload the graphic, add the title & description, and most importantly, add your affiliate link.
And POST! 🙂
As you continue to pin your affiliate links and track your analytics as your content makes its way around Pinterest, you will learn your target demographic and you will pick up on trends quickly. Anyone can make money on Pinterest, it’s just a matter of staying consistent and keeping up on your affiliate links.
Six important affiliate marketing tips from a “pro”:
I have already said it but there was a streak of trial and error when I first began my affiliate marketing journey. I didn’t realize how easy it was so naturally, I was overthinking everything and the smallest bump in the road would freak me out and put my progress on pause. I know for a fact that I could’ve made way more money earlier in my Pinterest lifetime if I had known what I know now. I hope you find some value in these!
- Bookmark your affiliate partners for easy access.
– Having your program links as bookmarked pages makes everyday tracking a breeze. Fumbling around with passwords and spending time remembering who you’re getting links through is too time-consuming, at least for me! - Treat this as a job.
– If you take this seriously, the sales will come. It’s as simple as it sounds. Pinterest is fun so viewing this as a job isn’t too hard. Especially if you enjoy online shopping and browsing.
- Keep tabs on tax information.
– Assuming you cash out a couple of hundred dollars during your affiliate marketing career, you will need to obtain tax information from your affiliate program. In my experience, 1099 is usually the route taken by these companies.
- Stay consistent.
– Shocking, right? Keeping on top of sales, tracking your pin performance, and continuing to post is the only way you’ll generate money. Don’t give up! - Be mindful of copyright.
– This is important. No one wants a cease and desist letter from someone’s lawyer over a pin! I’m not savvy when it comes to legality so I don’t want to give too much advice on this topic but definitely do your research before getting too deep into uploading other’s images onto Pinterest. - Disclose the use of your affiliate links.
– Whenever you post your links, make sure you let your readers know. If you have visited any of my affiliate posts, that is always the first thing I disclose. But, if you’re simply working with Pinterest, use “shop the affiliate link” or something along those lines.
Happy pinning, friends! Stick with it and you’ll be making money on Pinterest in no time. If you have any affiliate marketing questions, send me an email and I’d be so happy to help out.
I will be creating an entire page on my blog with blogging tips and tricks that I’ve learned in my first year of blogging. Check back soon!
Cheers,
Jess.
Check out my other posts!
Patio Styling: Restoration Hardware Inspired
Short & Sweet Quotes That I LOVE!
Luxury at Home: Wet Bars
