How to Make Money with Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest (Even If You’re New)

Affiliate marketing on Pinterest isn’t just possible—it’s a total game-changer for bringing in extra income while helping your audience find products and services they’ll love.

I’ve been using Pinterest for years (since it was invite-only!) to grow my photography and marketing businesses, and let me tell you—adding affiliate links was a no-brainer once I realized how easy and effective it is. If you’re already pinning content and driving traffic to your site, why not monetize it?

In this post, I’m breaking down how you can use Pinterest to make money through affiliate links—without feeling salesy or spammy. Let’s dive in!

What is Affiliate Marketing on Pinterest?

Affiliate marketing = sharing a product or service through a unique link and earning a commission when someone makes a purchase through that link.

Pinterest is perfect for affiliate marketing because it’s not social media—it’s a search engine. People go on Pinterest to look for solutions and discover ideas. That means they’re already in the mindset to take action when they come across your content.

Pinterest also has a long shelf life. Unlike Instagram or TikTok posts that disappear after 24 hours, pins can continue driving traffic (and sales) for months or even years.

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs

Not all affiliate programs are created equal. The key is to choose products and services that align with your audience and niche.

Here are some of my go-to affiliate programs:

• Amazon Associates – Great for almost any niche because Amazon has literally everything.
• LTK (formerly RewardStyle) – Perfect for fashion, home, and lifestyle content.
• Service-Based Affiliate Programs – If you love a business tool (like Tailwind, Canva, or my Pinterest membership), see if they have an affiliate program (I do!)! It’s an easy way to earn while helping others grow their business.

✨ Pro Tip: Only recommend products or services you’ve actually used and love—your audience will trust you more when they know you’re not just selling to make a quick buck.

How to Create Pinterest Content with Affiliate Links

➡️ Option 1: Direct Pinning

This is where you link directly from your pin to an affiliate product. It’s fast and easy, but there’s a catch: Pinterest gives more reach to content that leads to your website (not directly to a product).

Best Practices:
✅ Add a clear disclosure in the pin description (e.g., “This post contains affiliate links”).
✅ Use high-quality images that match Pinterest’s vertical format (2:3 ratio).
✅ Include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) like “Click to see why I love this!”

➡️ Option 2: Indirect Linking

This is where the magic happens. Instead of linking directly to the product, you create a blog post or landing page that talks about the product.

Why this works better:
✅ You can provide context and personal insight—this builds trust.
✅ Your audience gets more value from the post itself.
✅ Pinterest prefers links that lead to helpful content (aka, your blog).

Example Strategy:

1. Write a blog post about a product you love.
2. Share why you love it, how it helped you, and what your audience will gain from using it.
3. Include the affiliate link within the blog post.
4. Create a pin that links to your blog post, not directly to the product.

This method feels more organic and converts better because people are already in the mindset to trust your recommendations.

Affiliate Marketing Compliance (Super Important!)

Affiliate marketing comes with some legal stuff you need to follow (but don’t stress—it’s easy).

✨ If you’re linking directly to an affiliate product or servicet, add a disclosure in the pin description.
✨ If you’re linking to a blog post, include an FTC disclosure in the blog (but you don’t have to disclose it on the pin).
✨ Transparency builds trust—and trust = more clicks and sales.

Track Your Results (So You Can Do More of What Works!)

Pinterest gives you all the data you need to adjust and improve your strategy. Keep an eye on these key metrics:

• Impressions: How many people see your pin.
• Clicks: How many people click through to your blog or product page.
• Saves: How many people save your pin (this increases visibility).
• Outbound Clicks: How many people click through to the actual affiliate link and potentially make a purchase.

If a certain type of pin or product is performing well—create more of it!

TIP:  You can download my Pinterest Analyzer for free to start tracking your numbers here.

Example Strategy in Action:

Let’s say you’re a photographer who loves a certain camera bag. Here’s how you could create an affiliate strategy around it:

1. Write a blog post about the camera bag—why you love it, how it’s improved your workflow, etc.
2. Create 3-5 different pins for the post, using varied headlines and designs.
3. Optimize the pin description with keywords like “best camera bag for photographers.”
4. Track the results in Pinterest Analytics.
5. If it’s working well—create similar content for other camera gear you love!

Why Pinterest + Affiliate Marketing Works So Well

Pinterest isn’t just another platform—it’s a search engine. That means your content doesn’t disappear after a day; it keeps working for you.

People on Pinterest are planners—they’re looking for products and solutions. That means they’re more likely to buy when they find helpful content through your pins.

Affiliate marketing on Pinterest is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make passive income—once you have a strategy in place, it becomes a set-it-and-forget-it system.

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Scale Big

Affiliate marketing on Pinterest doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with one or two affiliate programs, focus on creating helpful content, and track what works.

Once you start seeing results, you can scale by creating more pins, testing different designs, and expanding to new affiliate programs.

✨ If you’ve been wondering if affiliate marketing is worth it—this is your sign to start!

Don’t Forget To Pin It!