How to make money on Pinterest: 10 Ways to try in 2025

1. Become an affiliate marketer

If you’ve ever recommended your favorite coffee mug or cozy hoodie to a friend, you’re already halfway to being an affiliate marketer. The difference? With affiliate marketing on Pinterest, you get paid when users click your Pins and make a purchase.

Here’s how it works: 

• Pick a niche you love. Think home decor, beauty, tech gadgets, or eco-friendly finds.
• Sign up for affiliate programs. Try Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or Printify Affiliates.
• Grab your unique affiliate link. Add it to your Pin descriptions or directly link the Pins to the product. Add the paid partnership label to keep things transparent.
• Set up Pins. Use eye-catching images, helpful tips, and fun captions.

When someone clicks your Pin and buys, you earn a commission.

2. Open a print-on-demand store

If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing your quirky designs on mugs, tote bags, or even dog bandanas, Print on Demand is your ticket. It’s one of the easiest ways to make money on Pinterest – no warehouse, inventory, design skills, or upfront costs required.

Here’s how to do it:

• Choose a niche. The more specific (and fun) your niche, the better. Think retro astrology merch, funny plant-parent designs, or gaming-themed quotes.
• Set up a Printify account. Register for free and browse over 1,300 customizable products – from apparel and home decor to games, mugs, and more.
• Design something epic. Use free tools like Printify’s Product Creator to bring your vision to life. No design degree needed – just your creativity.
• Open your store. Set up shop on platforms like Shopify or Etsy, and connect it to your Printify account to enable automatic order fulfillment.
• Pin it to win it. Create Pinterest boards and Pins that show off your products. Use relevant keywords, write clever Pin descriptions, and link directly to your store.

Once someone buys, Printify handles all the printing, packing, and shipping. You collect the profits – no boxes, no stress.

3. Create sponsored content

Sponsored content is like getting paid to pin your favorite things. Once your Pinterest account gains traction, brands may pay you to recommend products and feature them in your Pins, just like influencers on Instagram or TikTok.

• How to get started? Build a compelling bio, post quality content, and interact with your community to grow your Pinterest profile. 

It’s all about audience engagement – when your audience trusts your taste, brands will want in.

Add the paid partnership label to keep things legit, but beyond that, it’s simple – you create the content, post it, and get paid. Popular niches for sponsored content include beauty, travel, food, home decor, and wellness.

4. Run Pinterest Ads

If you want to supercharge your reach, Pinterest ads will help boost your Pins. Instead of waiting for organic traffic, you can pay to get your content in front of the right audience fast.

• Start by setting up a free business account to unlock Pinterest Ads Manager.
• Choose your goals, like more clicks, more website traffic, or more sales. 
• Create eye-catching Pins, target by keywords, interests, or demographics, and launch your ad campaign.

You can promote anything – eCommerce products, blog posts, services, affiliate links, or even digital downloads. Bonus? Pinterest’s shopping ads let you tag products directly so followers can click and buy instantly.

5. Join group boards

Think of Pinterest group boards as collaborative mood boards where multiple creators share Pins around a similar niche. 

Joining group boards is like getting a fast pass to a larger audience – you get to share your content with people beyond those who follow your personal account.

Here’s how to do it:

• Search for group boards on Pinterest.
• Look for boards that match your brand or niche, like home decor, food, travel, or side hustles.
• Request to join by messaging the board owner (usually in the board description).

Once you’re in, create scroll-stopping Pins that link back to your site, products, or services. The more people see and click your Pins, the more traffic, sales, or affiliate income you’ll make – without spending a dime on ads.

6. Drive traffic to your website

With millions of weekly users searching for ideas, Pinterest is one of the easiest ways to send traffic straight to your website, blog, or online store.

How does that make you money? Simple – when you send people from Pinterest to your site, you can monetize that traffic. For example:

• If you have a blog, you can make money with ads or affiliate links.
• If you sell products or services, you can link to your eCommerce platform.
• If you want email signups, you can offer free downloads as lead magnets, then sell through email later.

Here’s how to do it:

• Create Pins and boards that link directly to your website pages or blog posts.
• Use relevant keywords in your Pin descriptions so you show up in Pinterest search results.
• Pin consistently to your Pinterest profile and share on group boards to reach a larger audience.

Once users land on your site through your Pins, your content, products, or offers do the rest – and that’s how you turn Pinterest traffic into real income.

7. List on the Pinterest catalog

Want your products to show up directly in Pinterest search results? Use the Pinterest catalog – the fast track to product tagging and shopping ads. It’s ideal for online brands wanting passive monetization opportunities and sales.

Here’s how it works: 

• Connect your online store to Pinterest by uploading your product feed (works best with Shopify and other eCommerce platforms). 
• Pinterest turns your products into shoppable Pins automatically.

This lets potential customers discover your products while searching or scrolling. They click, they shop, and you make money – simple.

8. Participate in the Pinterest Inclusion Fund

Pinterest values diversity in its creator community, and that’s where the Inclusion Fund comes in. It’s a program supporting underrepresented creators, giving them access to resources, cash grants, and even one-on-one coaching.

How do you join?

• Check the Pinterest Creator Hub or Fund page for open applications (they usually run in cycles).
• Submit your Pinterest account, story, and niche.
• If your application is successful, you’ll receive exclusive tools, mentorship, and sometimes paid opportunities to collaborate with brands.

This can lead to sponsored posts, brand deals, or product tagging gigs, where you earn by creating content for a larger audience. It’s an excellent growth opportunity and a great way to get paid for your ideas.

9. Sell Pinterest templates

Not everyone’s a design wizard, but everyone on Pinterest wants visually appealing Pins. That’s why selling Pinterest templates is big business.

Here’s how to do it:

• Use design tools like Canva or Adobe Express to create Pin templates people can customize. Think bold text overlays, product mockups, or viral quote layouts.
• Sell your templates on Etsy or your own website.
• Use your own Pinterest account to create Pins that promote your templates.

Your target buyers can include bloggers, coaches, small businesses, and eCommerce platforms looking to level up their Pinterest profiles. Make money every time someone buys your template pack – no shipping or inventory needed.

10. Become a Pinterest virtual assistant

Yes, being a Pinterest VA is an actual job – and it’s in high demand. Many brands, bloggers, and influencers want to grow their Pinterest account but don’t have time to create Pins, manage boards, or run ads.

Here’s how you can help (and get paid):

• Design visually appealing Pins.
• Write relevant Pin descriptions.
• Schedule posts with tools like Tailwind and Later.
• Manage business accounts and group boards.
• Analyze Pinterest analytics to track success.

Find gigs on sites like Fiverr, Upwork, or Facebook groups, or offer your services directly to creators and brands. Most Pinterest VAs charge monthly retainers – so you’re not just making one-time cash, you’re building recurring income.

1. Switch to a business account

Setting up a Pinterest business account gives you serious benefits. Access advanced analytics, run ads, and use product tagging to promote your brand. 

Plus, you can join the Verified Merchant Program, which makes your products easier to find in search. 

2. Optimize your profile

Treat your Pinterest profile like a storefront. Use your brand logo or high-quality photo, write a bio with relevant keywords, and add a link to your website or eCommerce platform. Make it clear what value you offer to visitors. 

3. Use rich Pins

Rich Pins automatically pull in extra details from your site – like prices, availability, or article headlines. This makes your Pins look more polished and improves shoppers’ trust by keeping them credible and up-to-date.

4. Master Pinterest SEO

Pinterest isn’t just a social media platform – it’s a visual search engine. That means you need to think like a customer and understand intent.  

• Use keywords in your Pin titles, descriptions, and board names to improve visibility.

Sites like Semrush, Google Trends, or Pinterest’s own Trends tool can help you pinpoint exactly what your audience is searching for.

5. Post Pins consistently

Pinterest loves creators who show up regularly. Post fresh Pins daily or weekly, not in random bursts, and use scheduling tools like Tailwind to stay consistent. The more you post, the more the Pinterest algorithm will reward you by pushing your content to more people.

6. Add Save buttons to your website

When you add Pinterest Save buttons to your site, you turn every visitor into a potential brand promoter. These buttons let people save your content directly to their boards. More saves mean more exposure and eventually, more sales.

7. Track your analytics

Don’t just pin and hope for the best – check your Pinterest Analytics to see what’s working. Here’s a simple guide:

Impressions – How many people saw your Pin

• High? It means Pinterest is showing your content.
• Low? Try better keywords or visuals.

Saves – How many people saved your Pin to a board

• Many? Excellent. Saves equal free promotion.
• Few? Make your Pins more useful or inspiring.

Clicks – How many people visited your website or shop

• High? That’s the goal! Clicks mean traffic, which leads to more money.
• Low? Make sure your Pin links to the right page and has a clear call to action.

Engagement rate – How people interacted overall

• High? Nice. High engagement means Pinterest likes your content, too.
• Low? Try new formats or test different Pin ideas.

Track, tweak, and repeat for the best results.

8. Tap into seasonal trends

Pinterest users plan ahead – sometimes months before a holiday or event. Use the Pinterest Trends tool to discover what’s popular in your niche and schedule your Pins early. 

• For example, start posting Halloween ideas in August or holiday gift guides in October. Seasonal planning helps you stay relevant and drive more traffic.

9. Test different Pin formats

Don’t put all your Pins in one basket. Try static images, videos, Idea Pins, and carousels to see what your audience loves. 

Videos work great for tutorials or product recommendations, while Idea Pins are awesome for storytelling. Testing formats helps you discover new ways to engage and convert.

10. Cross-promote your Pins

Think beyond Pinterest. Share your Pins on Instagram Stories, Facebook groups, or in your email newsletter. And don’t forget to add Pinterest links to your website footer or blog posts. 

The more places you promote your Pinterest content, the more chances people have to find, share, and click – bringing more traffic back to you.

11. Stay authentic and helpful

Pinterest users are there for inspiration, not ads. Publish Pins that solve problems, teach something new, or spark ideas. When your content is genuinely helpful, it builds trust and leads to more clicks, saves, and ultimately, sales. 

Being real beats being pushy – think connection first, promotion second.