Make Money With Pinterest Affiliate Marketing (2023)

A lot of us have used Pinterest in the past to get creative ideas for home decor, learn new recipes, and many other things. 

But is it a viable way to drive traffic and promote your affiliate links?

Maybe you’re just getting started with affiliate marketing and you heard that you can use Pinterest to avoid getting on camera and showing your face.

Or maybe you’ve been in the affiliate marketing game for a while but haven’t tried your hand on this platform yet, and now that it’s time to scale you want to see what it’s all about.

Or like many, you’ve been posting on Pinterest for quite some time and you still have nothing to show for it. 

Either way, in this post, we’re going to unveil exactly what you need to do to see success with Pinterest affiliate marketing, including:

• What type of account you should be using on Pinterest.

• How SEO on Pinterest works, and why it matters.

• How to make your pins stand out, so you can turn impressions into commissions.

• And how to use all of the analytics features to yield the best results. 

So forget about that lazy Tiktoker who told you to just grab an Amazon affiliate link and an image from the product listing to make some ridiculous amount of money passively. 

Let’s uncover what REALLY works on Pinterest and how you can use it to put some money in your bank account.

Setting Up for Success: Pinterest Basics

Being successful with Pinterest affiliate marketing doesn’t just rely on promoting the right products or crafting compelling pins. 

It starts with understanding the foundational elements of Pinterest and setting up your account properly. 

Here’s a breakdown of the essentials:

The Importance of a Pinterest Business Account

Using Pinterest for business purposes is distinctly different from using it for personal leisure. 

A Pinterest Business Account offers a plethora of features that aren’t accessible with a personal Pinterest account. These include detailed analytics, rich pins, and advertising options.

Switching to, or starting with, a business profile ensures that you’re equipped with all the necessary tools to not only track your affiliate performance but also to engage with a broader audience effectively. 

Additionally, a business profile shows professionalism, instilling more trust in Pinterest visitors who come across your pins.

Leverage Pinterest SEO

Much like traditional search engines, Pinterest relies heavily on search engine optimization (SEO) to serve the most relevant content to its users. 

Pinterest SEO revolves around the strategic use of relevant keywords, pin descriptions, and board titles to increase the visibility of your pins.

Understanding and implementing Pinterest SEO is crucial. 

Using tools like SEMRush or Ahrefs to find high-quality keywords to use in your pins is essential for high discoverability and getting in front of the right audience based on their searches on the platform.

Integrating relevant keywords ensures your pins are discoverable. 

Also, categorizing your pins under specific, SEO-friendly Pinterest boards and group boards can amplify their reach, connecting you with audiences actively searching for the content you offer.

Mastering Pinterest affiliate marketing starts with a firm grasp of these basics. 

Once established, you can begin putting together a strategy that will actually get some money moving.

Crafting a Winning Pinterest Affiliate Marketing Strategy

Jumping into Pinterest affiliate marketing without a strategy is akin to sailing the seas without a compass.

You can’t expect to just post a bunch of stuff and for it to actually work. You want to be posting and creating content with specific intentions and goals.

Here’s a guide to developing an effective Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy:

Choosing the Right Affiliate Program

There is a myriad of affiliate programs that cater to various niches. It’s not about affiliating with every program available but selecting those that resonate with your Pinterest audience.

1. Popular Affiliate Networks & High Paying Programs: Platforms like CJ Affiliate, ShareASale, and ClickBank house numerous affiliate programs, some of which provide lucrative commissions. 
   Research and choose those that align with your niche and have a reputation for reliability.

2. Understanding Your Audience: Before jumping on an affiliate program, gauge its relevance to your target audience. Promoting a mismatched product can lead to low engagement and might dilute your brand’s credibility.

Making Affiliate Pins Stand Out

Pinterest is flooded with visually appealing pins. For your affiliate pins to capture attention and incite action, they need to be unique.

1. Create Affiliate Pins with Flair: Design plays a crucial role. Use high-quality images, cohesive color schemes, and clear fonts. Ensure that your pin description is rich with relevant keywords, making them discoverable and enticing.

2. Pin Description Prowess: A compelling pin description serves dual purposes. It informs the viewer and is optimized for Pinterest’s search algorithm. Craft descriptions that speak directly to the benefits of the affiliate product, sparking curiosity and a desire to learn more.

3. Integration with Blog Posts: If you run a blog, synergize your pins with relevant blog posts. This can lead to deeper engagement, with users clicking through to read and potentially making a purchase through your affiliate link.

By meticulously crafting your Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy and keeping the user experience at the forefront, you’ll be on a path to consistent growth and monetization on the platform.

Here are some additional tips and tricks to make sure your pins perform at a high level:

1. Optimize for the Visual Search Engine

Vertical Format: Vertical pins (a 2:3 ratio) generally perform better on Pinterest due to their larger display size on mobile devices. 82% of Pinterest users are on mobile, so make sure you’re optimized for it.

2. Leverage Rich Pins

Rich pins are a type of enhanced pin on Pinterest that pulls additional information directly from the linked website, ensuring that the pin always contains up-to-date data. 

They are available in various formats, such as product, recipe, and article pins. 

For instance, a product-rich pin will show real-time pricing, availability, and where to purchase, while a recipe-rich pin might display ingredients and cooking instructions. 

To use rich pins, one must first validate their website with Pinterest and then apply to enable rich pins for their content. 

Once approved, any content from that domain shared on Pinterest will automatically be displayed as a rich pin, providing a more informative and interactive experience for Pinterest users.

3. Engage with Group Boards

Join Relevant Group Boards: Engaging with popular group boards can significantly expand the reach of your pins.

Contribute Valuably: Avoid being overly promotional. Share valuable content to establish yourself as a credible contributor.

4. Create a Balanced Content Mix

Diversify Your Pins: Don’t just pin affiliate products. Mix in other content to provide value and keep your audience engaged.

Educational Content: Pins that educate or solve problems for your target audience can enhance trust and drive more engagement.

5. Build Authentic Relationships

Engage with Your Followers: Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and be genuine. Building trust is paramount in your affiliate marketing campaigns.

6. Continuously Educate Yourself

Knowledge is power. Join a community of like-minded entrepreneurs who are using social media platforms, like Pinterest for their marketing efforts. Even consider hopping into an affiliate marketing course that will give you detailed breakdowns and case studies from people who have seen massive success using the platform.

7. Create Idea Pins

Idea Pins live in the “watch” feed and are very similar to Tiktok videos or Instagram Reels, allowing creators to share vibrant, multi-page content directly on Pinterest. 

These pins can consist of videos, images, voiceover narrations, and even music overlays. Ideal for step-by-step tutorials, recipes, DIY projects, or style inspirations.

As of recently, Pinterest has enabled linking on idea pins, a feature that previously was only available on regular pins.

To create an Idea Pin, go to the ‘+’ button within the Pinterest app or website, select ‘Create Idea Pin’, and then add your multimedia elements. 

Enhance your content with interactive features like tagging products or adding clickable links. 

Once published, Idea Pins will appear at the top of your profile, in the watch feed, and within the home feed of your followers, driving increased visibility and engagement.

Sharing Your Affiliate Link Ethically

Ethics play a pivotal role in Pinterest affiliate marketing. Being transparent and honest isn’t merely a reflection of your brand’s integrity; it’s a crucial element that determines your success and the trust you build with your audience. 

Here’s how to ensure you’re ethically sharing affiliate links on Pinterest:

Transparency is Key

Full Disclosure: Every time you post an affiliate pin, it’s mandatory to clearly mention that it’s an affiliate link. 

You can use phrases like “Affiliate Link”, “Partner Link”, or simply “#Affiliate” to make this clear. Disclosing affiliate links is not only ethical but in many regions, it’s also a legal requirement.

Quality Assurance

Promote Authentic Products: Only vouch for products or services you genuinely believe in. Misleading your followers with sub-par products can tarnish your credibility and trustworthiness.

Stay Updated: Affiliate products or services can evolve. It’s your responsibility to keep tabs and ensure that the products you’re promoting are still in line with what you originally endorsed.

Engage and Respond

Open Channels of Communication: Be available for your followers. If they have doubts or queries regarding a product you’ve endorsed, take the time to address their concerns genuinely.

Feedback Loop: If a follower had a less-than-pleasant experience with an affiliate product you recommended, be receptive to their feedback. This not only aids in trust-building but also helps refine your affiliate marketing strategy.

Master all of the above, and you’ll undoubtedly start earning affiliate commissions from your Pinterest pins. Once you get the ball rolling, it’s important to keep an eye on your analytics and measure the performance of your Pinterest activity.

Using Pinterest Analytics and Google Analytics

Leveraging analytical tools can provide invaluable insights into how your affiliate pins and boards perform, thereby helping you refine your strategy. 

There are two primary analytical tools you should be leveraging for your Pinterest affiliate marketing efforts: Pinterest Analytics and Google Analytics.

Pinterest Analytics

Know Your Audience: Pinterest Analytics provides comprehensive data about your audience, like age, gender, and interests. Understanding your audience better allows you to tailor your affiliate content more effectively.

Pin Performance Metrics: Track the impressions, clicks, and saves for each pin. This provides insight into what content resonates most with Pinterest users and which to add affiliate links when products are catching their attention.

Board Analysis: Don’t just focus on individual pins; analyzing the performance of entire boards can help determine which themes or product categories are more popular.

Integrating Google Analytics for Added Insights

Customized Tracking: By integrating Google Analytics with your Pinterest business profile, you can set up custom tracking for your affiliate pins. This can help you understand the user journey, from viewing your pin to making a purchase.

Bounce Rate Insights: High traffic is great, but if users are leaving quickly without engaging or purchasing, it’s crucial to know. Google Analytics provides insights into bounce rates, letting you adjust your strategy or landing pages accordingly.

Conversions and Goals: Set up specific goals, such as affiliate sales conversions, to track how many Pinterest visitors are turning into customers. This gives you a clear ROI for your efforts.

Synthesizing Data from Both Platforms

Holistic Strategy Refinement: By correlating data from both Pinterest Analytics and Google Analytics, you can get a 360-degree view of your performance. This empowers you to refine your strategy from both a content and a technical perspective.

A/B Testing: Use insights from both platforms to perform A/B tests on pin designs, descriptions, and call-to-actions. Determine which variants drive more traffic and conversions.

Once you’ve really dialed in your strategy, it’s time to start looking into how to improve the engagement of your audience.

Engaging with Pinterest Users

When you actively engage with Pinterest users, you build rapport, trust, and a dedicated following that can convert to sales. 

Here’s how to effectively interact and nurture relationships with your audience on Pinterest:

1. Create Engaging Content

Interactive Pins: Use interactive elements like quizzes, polls, or ‘before and after’ slides. These types of pins capture attention and encourage users to interact with your content.

Value-Driven Pins: Provide solutions to common problems, share DIY ideas, or curate product lists. When you consistently offer value, you become a go-to source for your audience.

2. Personalize Pin Descriptions

Craft Descriptive Texts: A well-written pin description can spark interest and drive users to click through. Ensure that it resonates with your target audience and includes relevant keywords for better discoverability.

3. Respond to Comments

Timely Interactions: When Pinterest users leave comments on your pins, make it a point to reply promptly. This shows you value their input and creates community.

Maintain Positivity: Keep your interactions positive and respectful. Even when addressing negative comments, remain professional and solution-oriented.

4. Collaborate with Other Pinterest Users

Guest Pinning: Occasionally, you can guest pin on other popular boards or invite influencers in your niche to pin on your boards. This can provide fresh perspectives and increase the reach of your affiliate content.

Share User-Generated Content: If a Pinterest user shares a positive review or experience with a product you’ve promoted, consider repinning or showcasing it. This serves as a testimonial and reinforces trust.

5. Organize Giveaways or Contests

Promotional Activities: Organizing contests or giveaways can significantly boost engagement. Ensure the rules are clear, and the prizes are related to your niche or the products you promote.

6. Curate Thematic Boards

Diverse Interests: Create boards around various interests of your target audience. For example, if you’re promoting kitchen appliances, you might have separate boards for recipes, kitchen design ideas, and product reviews.

7. Join Group Boards

Expand Reach: By joining and actively participating in group boards, you tap into a broader audience. Share valuable content and engage with both the board’s members and followers.

8. Encourage Shares and Saves

Call-to-Action: Occasionally, remind your followers to save your pins for later or share them with their network. This amplifies your reach and can drive organic growth.

Engaging with Pinterest users is an ongoing process. Continuous interaction, combined with genuine interest in your audience’s needs and feedback, will not only boost your Pinterest affiliate marketing success but also establish you as a trustworthy and valuable presence on the platform.

Staying Compliant with Pinterest’s Community Guidelines

Affiliate marketing compliance is crucial when leveraging any platform for business growth, especially on Pinterest. 

Pinterest’s community guidelines are in place to ensure a safe, respectful, and authentic environment for all users. 

Failing to adhere can lead to penalties, including loss of account privileges or even bans. 

Here’s how you can ensure your Pinterest affiliate marketing strategies align with the platform’s guidelines:

1. Disclose Affiliate Links

Transparency is Key: Always disclose when using an affiliate link in your pins. This is not just best practice; it’s a requirement to maintain trust and transparency with Pinterest users.

2. Avoid Misleading Clickbait

Honest Pin Descriptions: Ensure your pin descriptions accurately represent the content or products you’re linking to. Misleading users will not only harm your reputation but is also against Pinterest’s guidelines.

3. Limit the Volume of Affiliate Pins

Moderation Matters: While Pinterest doesn’t specify the maximum number of affiliate pins you can post, it’s best to balance them with other content. Excessive affiliate pinning can be viewed as spammy behavior.

4. Use Direct Affiliate Links

Avoid Link Shorteners: Pinterest prefers direct affiliate links over shortened URLs, as this offers more transparency to users about the destination or direct affiliate link they are clicking on.

5. Ensure a Positive User Experience

High-Quality Destination Links: The websites or landing pages you link to should be of high quality, user-friendly, and relevant to the pin description. Avoid linking to sites that are slow, have excessive pop-ups, or might provide a poor user experience.

6. Respect Intellectual Property

Use Original Content: Always use your own pins or ensure you have the rights to any images or content you share. Repinning without proper credits or permissions can lead to copyright issues.

7. Avoid Overly Promotional Tactics

Authentic Engagement: While promoting affiliate products is your goal, avoid being overly salesy. Provide genuine value, educate, and share stories rather than just pushing for sales.

8. Report and Address Negative Behavior

Maintain Community Integrity: If you come across users who are violating Pinterest’s community guidelines or if someone targets you with inappropriate comments, report them. It helps maintain the platform’s positive environment.

Staying compliant with Pinterest’s community guidelines while pursuing affiliate marketing will not only protect your account but also enhance your reputation on the platform. Users appreciate and trust affiliate marketers who operate transparently and ethically.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.

Wrapping Up

If you had no idea how to use Pinterest before you got here or you were just blindly throwing stuff on there hoping for the best, those days are over. 

But the journey has only just begun. Now you have to implement all of this stuff. 

You may still be thinking that Pinterest sounds like a lot of work, but what business or marketing technique isn’t?

Pinterest is an extremely lucrative way to send a lot of traffic to your blog, email list, and affiliate offers. 

It can be relatively passive too. For example, this pin has gotten me over 360,000 impressions and it has been steadily increasing since I posted it in December of 2021. 

Get one winner and it’s like a lifetime of traffic (or at least it feels that way).

What if you can get 2, 5, or 10 pins to perform at that high of a level? Would Pinterest be too much work then? A pin that you posted once just continuing to rack up views?

Here’s the thing… It took me a lot of testing and a lot of pins to figure out what I explained in this post and how to get results like that. 

So what if you could speed up that process? What if instead of having to do all of that trial and error and continued research someone could just GIVE you the answers? 

This is where getting connected with a pro comes into play. But I’m not that guy.

Let me introduce you to Girvesh.

Girvesh has truly mastered the ins and outs of Pinterest and how to use it for marketing, to collect qualified leads on your list every single day. 

He has developed the Pinterest Profit System designed to show you how to get started with Pinterest the right way, without wasting a bunch of your time and energy just trying stuff you saw on YouTube. 

If you want to grab yourself a head start, click the button below to take a look at what he put together, and let this be the end of your Pinterest strategy research journey. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be an Amazon affiliate using Pinterest?

It is against Amazon Associates terms and conditions to direct link to an affiliate URL on a Pinterest pin. If you want to promote Amazon products as an affiliate of Pinterest, then you must be redirecting to your website or a landing page with the proper disclosures where you can share your Amazon affiliate links.

Failure to do so will result in a shutdown of your Pinterest account and possibly your Amazon Associates account.

Is Pinterest affiliate marketing worth it?

Yes. Once you develop a good strategy for getting engagement on your pins, it can be a great way for your target audience to discover your brand and recommendations.

How many followers do you need on Pinterest to make money?

There is no amount of followers you need to have in order to make money on Pinterest. If your you create pins that are discovered and link to sources that can earn you revenue, then you can make money with Pinterest.