Pinterest isn’t just a place for DIY crafts, recipes, or home decor ideas anymore. It has quietly become one of the most powerful platforms for making real money online. With over 450 million active users monthly, Pinterest is a visual search engine that drives massive traffic—and where there’s traffic, there’s opportunity. If you’re wondering how you can tap into Pinterest’s potential and turn pins into profit, you’re in the right place.
1. Start with Pinterest Affiliate Marketing
One of the easiest ways to make money on Pinterest is through affiliate marketing. This means you promote products using your unique affiliate link, and when someone makes a purchase, you earn a commission.
For example, if you have a Pinterest board dedicated to “Home Office Ideas,” you can share affiliate links to products like ergonomic chairs or desk lamps. Make sure to disclose your affiliate relationship (e.g., using “#ad” or “affiliate link”).
👉 Outlink suggestion: Learn more about affiliate marketing on Amazon Associates or ShareASale.
2. Drive Traffic to Your Blog or Website
Pinterest can be a goldmine for bloggers and website owners. By creating eye-catching pins that link to your blog posts, you can generate consistent traffic. More traffic = more money through display ads (e.g., Google AdSense or Mediavine) and product sales.
To succeed, focus on solving problems with your content. People often use Pinterest to search for “how-to” guides, tips, and ideas. If your blog provides value, people will click through.
👉 Outlink suggestion: Learn how to monetize blog traffic with Mediavine or Google AdSense.
3. Sell Your Own Products
If you’re running an online store or selling digital products like printables, eBooks, or online courses, Pinterest is a great place to promote them. Since users come to Pinterest looking for inspiration or solutions, product pins that lead directly to your sales page or Etsy shop can drive direct sales.
Create high-quality pins with clear images and strong calls to action like “Shop Now” or “Get the Guide.” Rich Pins (a Pinterest feature that adds extra info) can boost click-through rates too.
👉 Outlink suggestion: Open a store with Etsy or create your online shop with Shopify.
4. Offer Pinterest Management Services
Are you good at designing pins or understanding Pinterest SEO? Businesses and bloggers often struggle to maintain a strong Pinterest presence and are willing to pay experts to handle it for them.
You can start offering services such as:
- Creating pins and graphics
- Optimizing boards
- Managing and scheduling pins
- Running Pinterest ad campaigns
Freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr are a good place to find your first clients.
👉 Outlink suggestion: Check out Upwork or Fiverr to offer your Pinterest services.
5. Pinterest Ads for Clients or Yourself
If you want to scale up, learning how to run Pinterest Ads (also called Promoted Pins) can be very lucrative. Brands often look for marketers who can help them create ads that drive traffic or sales.
You can either:
- Run ads for your own affiliate products or store.
- Manage ad campaigns for clients and charge for your services.
Pinterest Ads generally have lower competition compared to Facebook or Google Ads, making it a good opportunity.
👉 Outlink suggestion: Learn Pinterest Ads basics with Pinterest Business Help Center.
6. Create and Sell Pinterest Templates
Canva templates and Pinterest pin templates are hot commodities, especially for small business owners and bloggers who want to save time designing. If you have graphic design skills, you can create Pinterest templates and sell them on platforms like Etsy, Creative Market, or Gumroad.
The best part? This can become a source of passive income since one template can sell over and over again.
👉 Outlink suggestion: Start selling on Creative Market or Gumroad.
Pro Tips to Boost Earnings on Pinterest:
- Focus on SEO: Pinterest works like a search engine. Use keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and board names.
- Stay consistent: Pin daily or use a scheduler like Tailwind to automate posting.
- Analyze performance: Keep an eye on Pinterest Analytics to see which pins perform best.
In summary, Pinterest is a hidden gem for making money online, whether you’re promoting affiliate products, driving blog traffic, selling services, or launching your own shop. Start experimenting with different strategies and see which one works best for your niche!