How To Make Money On Pinterest in 2023: 15 Innovative Ideas

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If you’ve ever wondered how to make money on Pinterest, this is the blog post for you! With its visual search engine capabilities and a dedicated audience that loves discovering new ideas,

Pinterest offers multiple avenues for earning money. Whether you’re an online business owner looking to drive traffic to your ecommerce site, or a blogger aiming to boost your blogging income through affiliate sales, there’s a strategy to suit your blog niche.

A quick tip: setting up a Pinterest business account is a free tool that opens the door to essential features like Pinterest marketing and analytics, giving you valuable insights into your audience and pinning strategy.

Stick around as we dive into 15 proven ways to transform your Pinterest activities into a reliable income stream, leveraging everything from sponsored posts to virtual assistant services.

15 Innovative Ways On How To Make Money on Pinterest

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing on Pinterest is a fantastic way to monetize your influence while providing valuable content to your Pinterest followers.

By creating pins with embedded affiliate links, you can earn commissions on products you genuinely recommend. But remember—transparency is crucial.

Always include a “paid partnership label” or mention your affiliate relationship in the pin descriptions to maintain trust.

Strategies for Affiliate Marketing:

• Curated Boards: Create Pinterest boards for specific niches or categories, and fill them with pins containing your affiliate links.
• Keyword Research: Use keyword research tools to find relevant keywords in your niche and incorporate them into your pin descriptions for better visibility.
• Regular Pinning: Consistency is key in affiliate marketing. Regularly create pins to keep your audience engaged and to attract new followers.

Product Recommendations:

• Canva: A free tool to create eye-catching pins that resonate with your target audience.
• Ahrefs: A robust keyword research tool to find relevant keywords to include in your pin descriptions.
• Tailwind: A Pinterest-approved tool that allows you to schedule pins, making it easier to maintain a consistent pinning strategy.

2. Drive Traffic to Your Blog

If you’re into blogging, Pinterest is your best friend. It’s not just a social media platform; it’s a visual search engine that can skyrocket your blog’s traffic.

By creating pins that link directly to your blog posts, you introduce a new channel for driving traffic. This increased visibility translates into more ad revenue and even potential product sales.

Keep your pins relevant to your blog niche for maximum impact.

Strategies for Driving Traffic To Your Blog:

• Promoted Pins: Invest a bit in Pinterest’s ad network to give your blog-related pins an extra push.
• Pin Templates: Use templates to quickly generate multiple pins for a single blog post, each aimed at different Pinterest users.
• Engage with Other Pinners: Comment on or re-pin posts from others in your blog niche to increase your Pinterest profile’s visibility.

Product Recommendations:

• Google Analytics: A must-have free tool to track how much traffic Pinterest is driving to your blog.
• PicMonkey: A tool that provides pre-made templates specifically for Pinterest, making pin creation a breeze.
• Yoast SEO Plugin: It helps you optimize your blog posts for search engines, making them more easily discoverable through Pinterest as well.

3. Ecommerce Sales

If you’re an ecommerce business owner, consider Pinterest as an extension of your storefront. The platform’s highly engaged user base is eager to discover new products, making it a goldmine for generating sales.

From pin images to pin descriptions, make sure everything is finely tuned to captivate your audience and direct them straight to your ecommerce site.

Strategies for Ecommerce Sales:

• High-Quality Images: Ensure you use high-quality product images to capture the Pinterest audience’s attention.
• Group Boards: Join Pinterest group boards related to your ecommerce business to showcase your products to a wider, yet targeted, audience.
• Seasonal Boards: Capitalize on holidays and seasons by creating dedicated boards filled with your products.

Product Recommendations:

• Shopify: An ecommerce platform that seamlessly integrates with Pinterest, making it easier to list your products.
• Pinterest Business Account: A must-have to get valuable insights on your Pinterest audience and pin performance.
• Snappa: A graphics tool to quickly create captivating product pins for your Pinterest boards.

4. Sell Digital Products

If you’re an online business owner looking for passive income, Pinterest is a virtual treasure trove.

With pins that are primed for action, Pinterest users are more likely to engage and purchase.

Whether it’s e-books, planners, or online courses, using effective keyword research, you can put your digital products in front of the right audience.

You can even promote your 90-day goal-setting planner with idea pins that offer a sneak peek of the value inside.

Strategies for Selling Digital Products:

• Pin Series: Create a series of interconnected pins that give small previews of what your digital product offers.
• Relevant Keywords: Use keyword research to sprinkle relevant terms into your pin descriptions, helping your digital product pins rank higher.
• Leverage Idea Pins: Use Idea Pins to offer a mini-tutorial or insights that relate to your digital product, creating a sense of value before purchase.

Product Recommendations:

• Gumroad: An excellent platform for hosting and selling your digital products.
• Semrush: Use this for in-depth keyword research to target the right audience for your digital products.
• Trello: Great for planning your pinning strategy and keeping track of what you’ve posted.

5. Leverage Pinterest Ads

Ads on Pinterest can offer incredible ROI, especially if you’re keen on precise targeting.

With Pinterest Ads Manager, you can customize every detail of your campaigns, from audiences to spending caps.

If you have an eye-catching pin that’s already performing well, consider promoting it through the platform’s ad network for even greater reach and results.

Strategies for Leveraging Pinterest Ads:

• A/B Testing: Use the Pinterest Ads Manager to run A/B tests on different pins to see which ones generate the most traffic or conversions.
• Audience Targeting: Be specific with your target demographics to make the most of your advertising spend.
• Scheduled Campaigns: Time your ad campaigns around high-traffic periods on Pinterest or seasonality in your niche.

Product Recommendations:

• Facebook Pixel: Integrate this to track conversions from your Pinterest ads.
• Canva Pro: Use this to create professional-looking pins that are ad-worthy.
• Hootsuite: Allows you to manage your Pinterest ads alongside other social media platforms, providing comprehensive analytics.

6. Offer Pinterest Management Services

You’ve nailed Pinterest for your business; why not leverage that expertise? Offer Pinterest management services to other online business owners or influencers.

Help them optimize their Pinterest accounts, implement an effective pinning strategy, and manage their sponsored posts.

This way, you make money doing what you love and already know.

Strategies for Offering Pinterest Management Services:

• Networking: Join group boards or Pinterest networking groups where business owners are looking for such services.
• Custom Packages: Offer custom solutions that include creating pins, managing paid ads, and developing a long-term pinning strategy.
• Showcase Success: Use your Pinterest account as a case study to show prospective clients the results you can achieve.

Product Recommendations:

• Asana: Keep track of your client’s work and deliverables.
• Media Kit: Create a robust media kit showcasing your Pinterest expertise, past performance, and services offered.
• Later: This scheduling tool is another Pinterest-approved app that can help manage multiple accounts efficiently.

7. Create and Sell Templates

Calling all design-savvy Pinners! Creating and selling templates on Pinterest is a lucrative venture.

You can design eye-catching pins or Pinterest templates that other users can buy and customize.

Thanks to Pinterest’s visual search engine capabilities, your templates can quickly gain visibility and drive traffic to your ecommerce site.

Imagine that—making money by helping other people make better pins!

Strategies for Creating and Selling Templates:

• Pinning Strategy: Set up a business account and create pins that showcase your templates in action, using direct links to your ecommerce site.
• Keyword Research: Optimize your pin descriptions with relevant keywords to help users find your templates easily.
• Promoted Pins: Use promoted pins to give your template sales an extra boost.

Product Recommendations:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: A comprehensive tool for designing professional-grade templates.
• Shopify: Use this ecommerce platform to set up a digital store specifically for your templates.
• Tailwind: This Pinterest-approved scheduling tool can help you automate the pinning process and analyze performance.

8. Sponsored Posts

Ever dreamed of getting paid just for pinning? Well, once you have a solid following and a media kit to showcase your Pinterest prowess, brands might just pay you to pin their products.

Sponsored posts are a great way to monetize your Pinterest account, especially if you already have a blog niche and a business account.

This is an ideal route for those who are already online influencers or aiming to be one.

Strategies for Sponsored Posts:

• Media Kit: Prepare a comprehensive media kit that shows off your reach, audience demographics, and success stories.
• Pitch Brands: Don’t wait for brands to find you. Use your business account to reach out proactively.
• Disclosures: Always use a “paid partnership label” on your sponsored pins to maintain transparency.

Product Recommendations:

• Canva: Create a visually stunning media kit easily.
• Influenz: A platform that connects influencers with brands looking for sponsored content.
• Curalate: This tool helps you manage and measure the impact of your sponsored pins.

9. Utilize Group Boards

Pinterest isn’t just about solo pinning; there’s power in numbers. Group boards are fantastic for expanding your reach within a targeted audience.

By joining group boards, you can showcase your pins to a broader yet still laser-focused group of Pinterest users.

If you’re an online business owner trying to make money on Pinterest, group boards are like your virtual trade shows.

Strategies for Utilizing Group Boards:

• Join Group Boards: Research and request to join group boards that are relevant to your blog niche or business.
• Engage: Don’t just pin your stuff. Interact with other pinners to build a community around your pins.
• Track Performance: Use Pinterest’s analytics tools to track how your pins are performing on group boards.

Product Recommendations:

• BoardBooster: Though no longer Pinterest-approved, third-party tools like BoardBooster can still offer insights into your group board performance.
• Ninja Outreach: Find the most relevant group boards and their owners with this influencer marketing tool.
• Google Analytics: To understand how much traffic is coming from your group board efforts.

10. Idea Pins for Branding

Get ready to show off your brand’s personality through Idea Pins! Unlike regular pins, Idea Pins allow you to create multi-page stories that are perfect for more extensive content.

These pins can be instrumental in driving engagement and helping your Pinterest audience get to know your brand better.

They’re not just eye-catching; they’re conversation starters that direct traffic right where you want it—your ecommerce site or blog post.

Strategies for Creating Idea Pins for Branding::

• Content Calendar: Plan out a consistent posting schedule for Idea Pins to keep your audience engaged.
• Promoted Idea Pins: Leverage Pinterest’s ad network to amplify the reach of your Idea Pins.
• Pin Descriptions: Add keyword-rich descriptions to your Idea Pins to make them easily searchable.

Product Recommendations:

• ContentCal: Helps you plan and schedule Idea Pins.
• Visme: Great for creating the visual content that goes into your Idea Pins.
• Semrush: For thorough keyword research, ensure your Idea Pins are easily discoverable.

11. Personal Finance Tips

If personal finance is your blog niche, you’ve hit a gold mine on Pinterest. Pins about budgeting, saving, and investing get tons of traction.

By posting actionable tips and linking directly to your profitable blog or ecommerce site, you can earn money while helping others get their finances in order. Talk about a win-win!

Strategies for providing Personal Finance Tips:

• Affiliate Sales: Use your pins to recommend personal finance products, establishing an affiliate relationship with vendors.
• Free Tools: Offer free budgeting templates or calculators as a gateway to your paid content.
• Virtual Workshops: Host online webinars and promote them on Pinterest to drive traffic and sales.

Product Recommendations:

• Bluehost: If you don’t already have a blog, Bluehost is an excellent place to start one.
• Mint: Recommend this budgeting tool as part of your affiliate sales strategy.
• Zoom: For hosting virtual workshops and webinars.

12. Use Pinterest Analytics

Knowing your numbers is crucial in any business. With Pinterest Analytics, you get real-time data on how many followers you have, what pins are performing well, and how much traffic you’re directing to your ecommerce business.

It’s not just about pinning; it’s about pinning smartly. The analytics tools let you adjust your Pinterest strategy to maximize your earning potential.

Strategies for using Pinterest Analytics:

• Regular Checks: Make it a habit to review your Pinterest Analytics at least once a week.
• A/B Testing: Use the data to perform A/B tests on different pin images, descriptions, and posting times.
• Audience Insights: Understand your audience’s behavior to tailor your content accordingly.

Product Recommendations:

• Google Data Studio: For more advanced analytics and reporting.
• Tailwind Analytics: Gives you a deep dive into your Pinterest performance.
• Hootsuite: Another tool that offers Pinterest analytics as part of its social media management features.

13. Virtual Assistant Services

If you’re savvy with Pinterest, why not monetize that skill? Offering virtual assistant services specifically for Pinterest is a booming business.

From setting up Pinterest accounts to managing existing ones, you can become an indispensable asset to bloggers, ecommerce sites, and online business owners who need to focus on other aspects of their work.

Think of yourself as the go-to person for everything Pinterest, driving traffic and ultimately earning money for your clients and yourself.

Strategies for offering Virtual Assistant Services:

• Create Packages: Offer different service packages (from pin creation to complete account management) tailored to different needs.
• Showcase Portfolio: Use your own Pinterest business account as a showcase of what you can do.
• Networking: Leverage other social media platforms to advertise your Pinterest VA services.

Product Recommendations:

• Canva: A must-have for creating eye-catching pins.
• Tailwind: For advanced pin scheduling and analytics.
• FreshBooks: For invoicing and managing client payments.

14. Pinterest Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Contrary to popular belief, Pinterest is not just a social media platform; it’s also a visual search engine.

If you want to attract free traffic, you have to think about Pinterest SEO. This means optimizing your pins and boards with relevant keywords.

Use the Pinterest search bar for keyword research and include those in your pin descriptions, making your content easily discoverable and increasing the chances of earning money.

Strategies for Pinterest SEO:

• Keyword Research: Use Pinterest’s search bar to identify keywords in your niche.
• Optimize Pin Descriptions: Include those keywords in your pin descriptions.
• Monitor and Adapt: Use Pinterest Analytics to track which keywords are driving the most traffic.

Product Recommendations:

• SEMrush: For extended keyword and competition research.
• Yoast SEO: Plugin to optimize your blog posts before you pin them.
• Google Analytics: For in-depth analysis of the traffic that Pinterest is driving to your ecommerce site.

15. Sell Your Photography

Are you a photographer looking to make money on Pinterest? This platform can be a visual portfolio where potential clients can browse and purchase your images.

With its visual-centric layout, Pinterest is ideal for photographers to showcase their work, drive traffic to their ecommerce site, and earn money. High-quality, eye-catching images are Pinterest gold.

Strategies for Selling Your Photographs:

• Watermarking: Add a subtle watermark to your images to prevent unauthorized use.
• Use Idea Pins: Create Idea Pins to tell the story behind your photos and make your portfolio more engaging.
• Collaborate: Partner with bloggers and online influencers to feature your images on their pins.

Product Recommendations:

• Adobe Lightroom: For editing your photos before pinning.
• SmugMug: As a platform to sell your photographs online.
• Etsy: Another potential platform to monetize your photography.

How To Make Money On Pinterest: Summary

In the ever-evolving landscape of online entrepreneurship, Pinterest stands out as more than just a social media platform; it’s a visual search engine offering multiple channels to earn money.

Whether your focus is on affiliate sales, ad networks, or sponsored posts, this platform allows you to leverage Pinterest to its full potential.

One of the pivotal aspects of getting this right is setting up a Pinterest business account. It not only legitimizes your online presence but also provides a suite of free tools, including Pinterest Analytics, that are essential for growing your business.

Equally crucial are affiliate relationships and direct affiliate links. These can serve as a robust engine for your blogging income, enabling you to earn money even when you’re not actively pinning.

Content creators shouldn’t overlook niches like personal finance and ecommerce business; Pinterest offers fertile ground to generate earnings in these areas.

Lastly, understanding your Pinterest audience is key. Pinterest Analytics allows you to tailor your content to maximize your reach and engagement, thereby enhancing your earning potential.

Interested in expanding your entrepreneurial horizons further? We have an array of money-making ideas and strategies on our blog that could serve as your next step to financial freedom, such as;

• How to Make Money on TikTok: 8 Surefire Ways to Earn $1,000+ a Month
• How to Make Money Podcasting and Build a Lifestyle Business
• How to Make 1000 a Day Online; 54 Action Packed Ways

As you navigate your path toward making money on Pinterest, remember that the principles of online business apply here too—consistency, quality, and engagement are key. Dive in and keep the momentum going!

How To Make Money On Pinterest: FAQs

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

The number of followers is less critical than you might think when it comes to making money on Pinterest. Even with a modest follower count, you can start earning money through affiliate sales, ad networks, or sponsored posts.

The key is to leverage Pinterest to drive traffic to your blog or ecommerce site. As you gain more followers, your earning potential can significantly increase.

How much does Pinterest pay?

Pinterest itself doesn’t pay users directly unless you are part of the Pinterest Creator Fund. However, your earning potential on Pinterest can vary based on your approach.

Whether it’s through a Pinterest business account or affiliate relationships, your earnings can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands, depending on your niche and engagement rate.

How do I become a Pinterest content creator?

To become a Pinterest content creator, start by setting up a Pinterest business account. This allows you to access essential free tools like Pinterest Analytics.

Focus on a specific blog niche and create eye-catching pins that drive traffic to your blog posts or ecommerce site. Don’t forget to optimize pin descriptions and images with relevant keywords.

Can you make money on Pinterest without a blog?

Yes, you can make money on Pinterest even without a blog. Many online business owners leverage Pinterest for affiliate sales or to sell products directly from their ecommerce site.

You can also earn money by managing Pinterest accounts for other online influencers as a virtual assistant.

What is the best strategy for Pinterest affiliate marketing?

To succeed in Pinterest affiliate marketing, create pins that naturally incorporate your affiliate links. Also, it’s essential to disclose your affiliate relationship by using a paid partnership label. Opt for affiliate products that are aligned with your blog niche to attract your target audience.

How do you drive more traffic to your Pinterest page?

One effective way to drive more traffic is by joining group boards that align with your niche. Create pins that are visually appealing and use pinning strategy tools to schedule them for optimal times.

More followers often equate to more traffic, so engage with other pinners to expand your Pinterest audience.

Is a media kit necessary for Pinterest?

Having a media kit is beneficial but not mandatory for Pinterest. A media kit can make you more attractive to sponsors and give a professional touch to your online business, especially if you’re interested in sponsored posts or collaborations.

How do I manage multiple Pinterest accounts?

If you’re looking to manage multiple Pinterest accounts, perhaps as a virtual assistant, you can switch between different business accounts from your Pinterest profile. Utilize Pinterest’s built-in tools or third-party management software to streamline your tasks.

Can you sell products directly on Pinterest?

Yes, Pinterest is not just for driving traffic to your ecommerce site; you can also sell products directly through Pinterest by linking your ecommerce business account. Pins can act as direct links to the product pages, making the shopping experience seamless for users.

How do I measure success on Pinterest?

Success on Pinterest is often measured through Pinterest Analytics, which comes with every business account. Keep an eye on metrics like how many followers you have, the level of engagement your pins are getting, and the traffic you’re driving to external sites.

What are the most profitable niches on Pinterest?

Some of the most profitable blog niches on Pinterest include personal finance, home decor, and health & wellness. Given Pinterest’s visual nature, niches that offer ample opportunities for eye-catching pins tend to be more profitable.

Is Pinterest good for passive income?

Absolutely! Pinterest is excellent for generating passive income, especially through affiliate links and promoted pins. Once you set up a robust pinning strategy, you can continue to earn money even when you’re not actively managing your Pinterest account.