How to use Pinterest for affiliate marketing

Did you know that with Pinterest, every eye-catching image you pin could be a potential paycheck? It’s true, and it’s rooted in the fact that Pinterest isn’t just about discovering your next DIY project; it can also be used to turn creative images into a lucrative stream of revenue. With its giant user base that's always eager to click and buy, Pinterest is more than just a social network; it could be a significant asset in your sales strategy. 

Well, it can be if you engage in Pinterest affiliate marketing (which we’re talking about today), and if you haven’t heard of that yet, our Pinterest affiliate marketing overview will help you turn pins into profit. Since Pinterest pulled in 518 million monthly active users worldwide in the first quarter of 2024 alone, it’s clear that there are a massive amount of people that you can potentially reach, folks who are ready to engage with your content and click on your links.

So, if you're ready to build up a winning approach to affiliate marketing, stick around as we explore how to make Pinterest your next best friend in business.

What is Pinterest affiliate marketing?

In a nutshell, Pinterest affiliate marketing is when you make money every time someone shops through your pin. The two main things your Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy needs to be successful are:

1. Affiliate links: These are specific URLs that track the referrals from your Pinterest account to the merchant's website
2. Pins: As your primary tool for promotion, your pins should be both visually-appealing and tailored to the interests of your target audience

Essentially, you are earning a commission every time someone purchases a product, just because they clicked on a pin you posted. Pinterest's format is well-suited to affiliate marketing because it tends to be visual-stimulating and inspiring, encouraging users to discover and act on new ideas. And by tapping into the platform’s massive, engaged audience, you can earn money by creating pins that not only look good but also lead viewers straight to affiliate products.

Related: How to use Pinterest to grow your business: Strategies to market your brand

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Benefits of using Pinterest for affiliate marketing

Using Pinterest for affiliate marketing has a ton of advantages, from tapping into a ready-made audience to making evergreen campaigns that can have a long life. Let’s take a look at a few key Pinterest affiliate marketing benefits.

High user engagement: The thing to realize is that Pinterest users aren't just passive scrollers; they're active searchers. They’re actively engaged in searching for and discovering new products, ideas, and inspirations; this makes them more likely to click on pins that interest them, including those with affiliate links. The platform's structure encourages users to explore and purchase, which can lead to higher conversion rates for marketers.

Visual appeal: Pinterest is all about visuals, and let's be honest, we all love something that’s easy on the eyes. High-quality images and well-designed pins can grab attention and drive traffic, making it easier for you to highlight the features and benefits of your affiliate products.  

Niche targeting: Since Pinterest caters to a wide range of niche markets (from fashion to recipes to home decor to fitness to travel, and everything in between), you can tailor your content and affiliate strategies to specific audience interests, enabling your pins to reach audiences who are most likely to click-through and buy.

Longevity of pins: Unlike posts on other social media platforms that quickly lose visibility, pins on Pinterest can continue to drive traffic for months or even years after they are first pinned. Pinterest functions more like a search engine, where content can be discovered repeatedly over time through searches and re-pins; this long shelf-life can provide a sustained flow of traffic and potential income from a single pin.

SEO opportunities: Pinning on Pinterest can be a great boon to your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, because pins often appear in the search results on Pinterest as well as on broader search engines like Google. So optimizing pin descriptions and profiles with relevant keywords can increase your discoverability and attract more targeted traffic.

Direct link to sales platforms: Pinterest allows you to use direct links in your pin descriptions, which offers the perfect opportunity to embed affiliate links. You can guide potential customers straight from a pin to a purchase page, making the journey from discovery to sale super easy.

Built-in analytics tools: Pinterest provides its own analytics tools, which allow you to measure the effectiveness of your pins in terms of impressions, clicks, and repins. These insights can help you understand what content works best, allowing you to refine your strategy and improve your results over time.

So as you see, using this platform offers a lot of benefits when it comes to affiliate marketing, and you’ve got several options when it comes to successfully monetizing Pinterest.

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Setting up your Pinterest business account

Okay, so, now that you’re ready to start your money-making journey in affiliate marketing, let’s take a look at the step-by-step of Pinterest business account setup.

Step 1: Set up your account 

First things first: you’ll need a business account in order to gain access to professional features like Pinterest Analytics and ad tools, which are essential for tracking your success and refining your strategies. Setting it up is a breeze; just sign in, fill out some details about your business, verify your website, and you’re good to go.

Step 2: Optimize your profile

Once your account is set up, it’s time to make it pop. Your profile should clearly state your niche and what followers can expect from your pins; this helps in attracting an audience that is genuinely interested in your offerings. Use keywords relevant to your affiliate products in your bio to improve visibility in searches.

Step 3: Enable Rich Pins

Rich Pins provide more context because they show extra information directly on the pin itself. There are several types of Rich Pins, including Product Pins, Recipe Pins, Article Pins, and more; for example, Product Rich Pins are particularly useful as they include pricing, availability, and where to buy, which can increase conversion rates. To enable Rich Pins, you'll need to apply by adding specific meta tags to your site and validating them through Pinterest’s Rich Pins Validator.

Step 4: Start pinning

Now it’s time to start creating and organizing your pins into boards! Make sure your pins and boards are optimized with descriptive, keyword-rich titles and descriptions to improve their discoverability. And don’t forget to make your pins visually-appealing to the audience you’re trying to attract. 

Step 5: Engage and analyze

Engage with other Pinterest users by following relevant accounts, re-pinning their content, and commenting on pins. Use Pinterest analytics to track the performance of your pins and boards, understand what content resonates with your audience, and refine your strategy as needed.

Related: A guide to Pinterest marketing for online courses

Creating engaging pins for affiliate marketing

Keep in mind: not all pins are created equal. When it comes to creating Pinterest pins, it’s important to design pins that look great, resonate with your audience, and are optimized for clicks and conversions.

Start with designing click-worthy pins. To be honest, creating pins that get noticed is part art, part science. Each pin should be visually-appealing, rich in color and style, and speak directly to the desires of your target audience; high-quality images, attention-grabbing titles, and a clear call-to-action (CTA) are essential. 

But it’s not just about looking good; your pins must also be strategic, including enticing descriptions that don’t sound too salesy. So don’t just pin and run; take some time to write effective descriptions that both inform and entice. Your descriptions should tell a mini-story that highlights the benefits of the affiliate product, using keywords to boost your pin’s searchability and personal touches that connect with your audience. Remember, the right words can turn curiosity into clicks. 

Use the right links. When you create a pin, include your affiliate URL in the website section of the pin's details; this ensures each pin links directly to the product page or a relevant landing page, and reduces the number of clicks required for a user to reach the affiliate product.

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Pinterest affiliate marketing tips

If you want to really rock your Pinterest affiliate marketing, you’ve got to be smart with your pinning strategy, from planning your content calendar to tapping into group boards. There are a few key Pinterest marketing strategies that’ll help position your pins for greater engagement, so let’s take a look.

• Plan your content: Consistency is key on Pinterest. Planning your content not only helps keep your feed active but also ensures that you are regularly engaging with your audience, keeping them interested and ready to click. Use a content calendar to map out when to post what, so your pins stay relevant and timely. 
• Participate in group boards: Expanding your reach on Pinterest can sometimes mean joining forces with others. Group boards are a fantastic way to get your pins in front of a larger audience because they allow multiple users to pin content on the same board. So if you choose boards that align with your niche and have an engaged community, your pins will be visible to all the board members’ followers, too. 
• Leverage Pinterest SEO: Use keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and image alt-text to increase the chances of your pins appearing in search results, both on Pinterest and in external search engines. Think about what your target audience might be searching for and integrate those terms naturally into your content, and also use relevant hashtags to further categorize your pins and improve their searchability on the platform. 
• Be ethical. Always adhere to transparency and ethical marketing by clearly disclosing affiliate links. Pinterest requires that you disclose your affiliate relationship, and this can be done within the pin description or in your profile bio. A simple statement like, “This pin contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through this link,” should suffice, but always check the latest guidelines.
• Optimize your pins: Pay attention to how your pins are performing, and use analytics data to regularly tweak them. For example, if you notice that pins with a certain style of image or type of product description perform better, you might focus on creating more pins similar to those.  
• Consistently update and test: As we all know, the digital landscape is dynamic, and what works today might not work tomorrow. So regularly update and test different aspects of your pins, such as the imagery, the call to action in descriptions, and even the landing pages you link to; you can even try A/B testing by creating two versions of the same pin with different images, descriptions, or links to see which performs better. 
• Seasonal and trend adjustments: Keep your content fresh and relevant by aligning your pins and links with current trends and seasonal demands. This approach can be particularly effective because Pinterest users often look for ideas and products that align with upcoming holidays and events.

By implementing these strategies, you can use your Pinterest account to drive traffic, conversions, and success in affiliate marketing.

Examples of Pinterest success 

Here are some strategies you can use to create your own Pinterest affiliate marketing success story:

If you’re a home decor enthusiast, you could create pins that showcase before-and-after photos of room makeovers that feature products you love. Each pin can include an affiliate link to purchase the home decor items featured. By focusing on beautiful transformations, you can tap into your audience’s desire to replicate these looks, driving sales through affiliate links.

If you specialize in outdoor gear, you could create themed boards for different outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and cycling. Each board could feature products that you personally test and review, and by embedding affiliate links in your pin descriptions and using enticing imagery, you can attract outdoor enthusiasts ready to buy goodies for their next adventure, resulting in increased affiliate sales.

If you focus on makeup and beauty tips, you could create short video pins that feature products with affiliate links. These video pins capture attention and lead to clicks on your affiliate links, because your videos not only introduce the product but also demonstrate its value, which helps in convincing your audience to make purchases.

If your niche is tech gadgets, you may find that collaborating with other pinners on group boards can boost your affiliate marketing. By sharing your content on group boards that are relevant to your niche and have a large following, you can gain access to a broader audience, which significantly increases the visibility of your affiliate pins. 

If you’re all about seasonal and event-driven campaigns, then you likely love creating pins that align with of-the-moment trends and topics. For example, during the back-to-school season, you could create pins related to school supplies, clothes, and tech gadgets, with each pin including affiliate links to products that are likely to appeal to parents and students preparing for the school year. 

So these are just a few examples of how you can align Pinterest affiliate marketing with your goals and interests!

Related: How to sell your online course on Pinterest 

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Measuring and optimizing performance

In order to learn what works and what doesn’t, make sure you’re regularly measuring your Pinterest performance. Tap in to data-driven insights to track the effectiveness of your pins and refine your strategies.

Use Pinterest Analytics

Pinterest provides analytics tools that allow you to track the performance of your pins, including how often they are saved, viewed, and lead to website clicks. If these numbers are low, consider whether your images are compelling or if your call-to-action is strong enough. 

Optimize your pinning strategy

Based on the insights gathered, tweak your approach. Perhaps certain types of images or topics resonate more with your audience. Or maybe posting at specific times of the day (or year) yields better engagement. The key is to stay nimble, adapting your strategy based on real-world data to continually refine your approach and maximize your affiliate marketing success on Pinterest.

Using third-party tools

Don’t forget, there are other tools out there that can help you dig even deeper. For instance, Tailwind is a popular choice for pro pinning because it’s like having a personal assistant for your Pinterest account. It not only helps you schedule pins but also analyzes the best times to post and tracks how your pins perform over time. Similarly, you can also use Google Analytics to track how much traffic and how many sales are coming from your Pinterest marketing. 

Measuring and optimizing your Pinterest performance is about making informed decisions, understanding your audience, and refining your approach, so that every pin you drop helps make your affiliate marketing sales get better and better. 

Challenges and considerations

While this platform offers significant opportunities for affiliate marketers, there are definitely Pinterest marketing challenges and considerations to keep in mind. Here are some common ones you might face, and a little insight on how to tackle them.

1. Staying on top of Pinterest's rules: The platform has strict guidelines on how you can use affiliate links, and if you don't keep up the current rules, you might find your pins getting less exposure or your account getting flagged. So make sure you're always up-to-date with Pinterest's guidelines, especially regarding affiliate links and promoted content.
2. Creating fresh and engaging content: Pinterest users are hungry for new and interesting content, but constantly coming up with fresh ideas can be challenging as time goes on! To overcome this, keep an eye on trends, and don't be afraid to give old ideas new twists. 
3. Link integrity issues: Sometimes affiliate links break or products become unavailable, and there’s nothing like a dead link to turn a hot lead cold. Regularly check your links to make sure none have changed, are broken, or have been swapped to another destination. 
4. Standing out in a saturated market: Whether you're in DIY crafts or gourmet cooking, chances are, there are thousands of others pinning in the same niche. To stand out, you need to define your unique angle; maybe your crafts use only recycled materials, or your recipes are all about cooking in under 10 minutes. Find your niche within the niche! Keep experimenting with different types of content to see what resonates best with your audience.
5. Driving consistent traffic: Getting a surge of traffic after a pin goes viral feels great… but the real challenge is keeping that traffic consistent over time. This requires regular pinning, engaging with other users, and maybe even a bit of paid promotion. Brainstorm strategies to keep the traffic flowing your way.
6. Converting pins into profits: Getting someone to look at your pin is one thing, but convincing them to click-through and actually buy something is a bit different! Even if your pins are getting likes and shares, the key to succeeding with Pinterest affiliate marketing is converting that engagement into sales or leads. To improve conversion, use strong calls to action and make sure your pins link directly to effective landing pages.
7. Optimizing for search: Pinterest is more search engine than social network, and figuring out the best keywords and SEO practices for your pins will do a lot of the heavy lifting in connecting with the right audience. Your content needs to be optimized to show up in searches, so keep up with SEO best practices and continuously tweak your strategy.

So these affiliate marketing considerations may be a bit tricky, but with a bit of creativity, strategic planning, and stick-to-it-tiveness, you can tackle them like a pro. 

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Pin your way to success with Pinterest affiliate marketing

With its unique advantages and built-in community, Pinterest offers a ton of opportunities for affiliate marketers. If you’re ready to dive in, then start crafting those engaging pins, regularly analyze your performance, and adjust your strategies as needed to keep your affiliate marketing fresh and effective. With the right approach, a bit of creativity, and some strategic planning, your Pinterest account can become a flowing source of affiliate revenue. 

And if you're inspired by the potential of Pinterest affiliate marketing, why not take the next step and start building your own online course? Teachable makes it easy to create, market, and sell your courses. Sign up for a free plan today and transform your knowledge into a thriving online business.

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