How to Make Money on Pinterest: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creators

Monika Ivanauskaite

2 days ago

Pinterest isn’t just for inspiration—it’s a powerful tool to make money and grow your brand. With its unique blend of search engine functionality and social media interaction, Pinterest lets creators and businesses monetize content, sell products, and promote affiliate programs to a global audience. Ready to explore how to make money on Pinterest? Let’s dive into proven strategies to turn your pins into profit.

8 proven strategies to make money on Pinterest

Making money on Pinterest requires a blend of creativity, strategy, and the right tools. Let’s explore eight proven ways you can monetize your Pinterest account and turn your efforts into a reliable income stream.

1. Monetize Pinterest with microtasks

One of the easiest ways to make money on Pinterest is by ordering microtasks on platforms like JumpTask. As Pinterest users engage with your content—whether it’s saving pins, following boards, or clicking affiliate links—you can drive traffic to your campaigns and earn income.

For example, you can use Pinterest to share visually appealing pins that direct visitor traffic to your JumpTask campaigns. This approach combines the platform’s search engine power with direct affiliate links, allowing you to reach a larger audience and monetize effectively.

2. Drive traffic with Pinterest ads

Pinterest ads are a powerful way to increase visibility and attract more followers to your account. By running targeted campaigns, you can promote pins to reach specific audiences, whether you’re offering products, sharing affiliate links, or building your brand presence.

To maximize your results, focus on engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Combine Pinterest ads with rich pins to provide additional context and drive conversions. Whether you're new to Pinterest or looking to scale your efforts, using the Pinterest app for easy access to your ads and insights will make it even more efficient.

3. Create engaging pins with affiliate links

Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective ways to learn how to make money on Pinterest. As an affiliate marketer, you can create content in the form of engaging pins and link them to affiliate products. By creating high-quality pin images with compelling visuals and optimized descriptions, you can drive sales with minimal investment.

To stand out, focus on crafting high-quality Pinterest pins with compelling visuals and optimized descriptions. Tools like Canva can help you design graphics that capture attention, while keyword-rich descriptions improve visibility in the Pinterest search bar.

Pro tip: Direct affiliate links work best when you align them with your audience’s interests and provide genuine value.

4. Grow your reach with group boards

Group boards are a fantastic way to collaborate with other Pinterest users and expand your content’s visibility. By joining or creating group boards related to your niche, you can share your pins with a larger audience and attract more followers.

To get started, search for active group boards in your niche using the Pinterest search bar or tools like PinGroupie. When contributing to group boards, ensure your pins are engaging and provide value to the board’s theme. This strategy not only helps you grow your Pinterest profile but also helps you reach a wider audience across social media platforms, driving more traffic to your website or affiliate program links.

To further boost your overall social media presence, consider enhancing your follower base on other platforms as well. For instance, buying Twitter followers can help you create a more engaged audience across multiple channels, increasing your chances of driving more traffic to your Pinterest content.

5. Monetize your content with sponsored posts

Sponsored content is a great way to collaborate with brands and earn money on Pinterest. As your Pinterest profile grows and attracts more followers, brands may approach you for paid partnerships to promote their products or services.

To get started, create a media kit that highlights your Pinterest metrics, audience insights, and engagement rates. Use the paid partnership label to maintain transparency with your followers. Focus on creating sponsored content that aligns with your niche and genuinely resonates with your audience. This not only helps build trust but also ensures long-term partnerships.

6. Sell products directly through Pinterest shopping

Pinterest shopping enables businesses and creators to showcase products directly on their Pinterest page, making it easy for users to discover and purchase items. By setting up a business account and using product pins, you can turn your profile into a sales hub.

Optimize your product pins with clear descriptions, pricing, and high-quality images to attract buyers. You can also use promoted pins to reach a larger audience. If you offer products, creating pins that showcase your items and include product tags can drive traffic directly to your online store, turning Pinterest into a sales channel.

7. Boost engagement with idea pins

Idea pins are an excellent tool for creators who want to explore how to make money on Pinterest. These multi-page, story-like pins allow you to share tutorials, product showcases, or engaging narratives that captivate your audience and drive interaction.

To maximize their potential, focus on creating content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your target audience. Include call-to-actions (CTAs) that encourage users to visit your website, affiliate sites, or online store. Regularly posting idea pins can help increase engagement, attract more followers, and ultimately monetize your Pinterest efforts effectively.

8. Use brand partnerships for consistent income

Collaborating with brands is one of the most effective ways to make money on Pinterest. Many companies are looking for creators to help promote their products to Pinterest’s highly engaged user base.

Start by identifying brands that align with your niche and audience. Reach out with a professional pitch highlighting your Pinterest metrics, such as followers, engagement rates, and audience demographics. Use tools like the Pinterest creator fund and the paid partnership tool to manage collaborations and ensure transparency.

By building strong brand relationships, you can secure long-term partnerships and create a reliable income stream.

Tools and resources to monetize your Pinterest account

If you’re still asking can you make money off Pinterest without running ads or having a blog, the answer is yes. Using the right tools can help you start earning:

Canva: Design professional-looking pins with customizable templates, fonts, and graphics. Perfect for creating pin images that attract clicks and stand out in the Pinterest feed.
Tailwind: Schedule and automate your pin posting to keep your Pinterest page active and consistent. Tailwind also offers insights into trending topics and best posting times, helping you stay aligned with other social media sites.
Pinterest Analytics: Track performance metrics like impressions, clicks, and saves to understand what works and refine your strategy. Pinterest Analytics will help you improve your search engine optimization efforts on Pinterest.
Hootsuite or Buffer: Manage multiple social media platforms, including Pinterest, to ensure your content aligns across channels, including any sponsored content that you plan to promote.

Pro tip: To enhance your efforts and understand how to make money on Pinterest, consider creating a blog post that links to your Pinterest account, affiliate products, or Pinterest-based business. This can help you drive more traffic from your blog to Pinterest and vice versa, amplifying your earnings potential.

How to make money on Pinterest without being a creator

You don’t need a blog post to start making money on Pinterest. The platform offers multiple ways to earn without having your own blog, such as completing social media tasks or promoting affiliate program links. If you’re a beginner and wondering how to make money on Pinterest for beginners, there are multiple ways to earn without creating your own content. Here are a few ideas:

Complete social media tasks: You can easily earn money by engaging with social media or Pinterest content, such as saving pins, following boards, or clicking links. It’s a simple way to generate income without managing your own Pinterest profile.
Promote affiliate links: Share affiliate program links in Pinterest comments or direct messages. This approach doesn’t require a personal profile with followers or a blog but can still drive affiliate sales, showing you how to make money on Pinterest without a blog.
Curate and sell Pinterest boards: Create niche-specific Pinterest boards and sell them to businesses looking to grow their profiles quickly.

Real-life examples of Pinterest monetization success

Exploring real-life success stories provides valuable insights into how individuals effectively monetize their Pinterest presence. Here are some examples, including direct quotes from users:

Growing a Pinterest profile to drive traffic
A Reddit user shared their experience:
"I had about 1700 followers and the monthly views, at its peak, reached about 1.7 million."
They emphasized the importance of focusing on high-quality content that resonates with the target audience, creating visually appealing pins and boards relevant to their niche, and engaging with the audience by responding to comments and sharing other users' content.
Affiliate marketing through Pinterest
Another user advised:
"For now, I’d say focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. Create visually appealing pins and boards that are relevant to the niche."
They highlighted the importance of creating engaging pins that lead to affiliate program links, optimizing pin descriptions with relevant keywords, and consistently posting content to maintain audience engagement.

Key takeaways

Understanding how to make money on Pinterest becomes simple with the right strategies, tools, and a consistent approach. Here are the most important points to remember from this guide:

Pinterest is a versatile platform that combines the power of a search engine and social media, making it ideal for monetization.
Engaging pins with optimized descriptions and high-quality visuals are essential for attracting your ideal customers.
Proven strategies to make money on Pinterest include using group boards, affiliate marketing, selling products through Pinterest’s e-commerce tools, and leveraging brand partnerships.
Tools like Canva, Tailwind, and Pinterest Analytics help streamline content creation and performance tracking.
You can also earn money on Pinterest without being a creator by completing social media tasks or promoting affiliate program links.
Real-life examples highlight the importance of consistency, niche-specific content, and engaging with your audience to achieve success.
Platforms like JumpTask make it easier to make money on Pinterest and explore creative earning opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make money on Pinterest without running Pinterest ads?

Yes, you can make money on Pinterest without using ads by focusing on organic growth strategies. These include affiliate marketing, offering products via Pinterest shopping, or completing social media tasks through platforms like JumpTask.

How much can I earn on Pinterest?

Your earnings depend on your monetization strategy, audience size, and niche. Some users report earning a few hundred dollars monthly through affiliate marketing, while others make thousands by leveraging brand partnerships or offering products.

Do I need a Pinterest business account to monetize Pinterest?

While it’s not mandatory, having a Pinterest business account is highly recommended. It gives you access to analytics, rich pins, and promotional tools, which are crucial for optimizing your monetization efforts.

What type of content performs best on Pinterest?

Content that is visually appealing, informative, and tailored to your ideal customers performs best. Tutorials, infographics, and product showcases tend to attract high engagement.

How do I track the performance of my pins?

Pinterest Analytics is the best tool to track your pins’ performance. It provides insights into impressions, clicks, saves, and audience demographics, helping you refine your strategy.

Are there any upfront costs to make money on Pinterest?

Most strategies, like affiliate marketing or completing tasks, don’t require upfront costs. However, running Pinterest ads or creating professional graphics using paid tools like Canva Pro may involve some expenses.

Monika Ivanauskaite

Content manager

The mind behind JumpTask updates is also a nature enthusiast, balancing announcements with hikes and capturing serene moments. Dive into the blog for a scenic journey through JumpTask's ever-evolving landscape.