How to Make Money on Pinterest: A Beginner's Guide to Earning with Pins

Pinterest has come a long way since its days as a simple platform for saving and sharing inspiration. Today, it stands as a dynamic social media powerhouse, connecting over 570 million active users worldwide and serving as a launchpad for digital entrepreneurs, content creators, and innovative brands. In 2025, Pinterest continues to break records, with advertising revenue projected to surpass $4.2 billion—a testament to its growing influence in the online marketplace. (Adgully) 

But what truly sets Pinterest apart is its ability to drive real results for those who know how to leverage its unique features. Unlike platforms that reward viral content or fleeting trends, Pinterest prioritizes evergreen discovery, meaning your pins can generate traffic and sales for months—even years—after they’re published. This long-term value makes Pinterest an ideal space for building sustainable income streams, whether you’re promoting your own products, sharing affiliate links, or offering services.

Naturally, newcomers often wonder: can you get paid from Pinterest? Or, does Pinterest pay you directly? While Pinterest doesn’t offer direct payouts for views or engagement (like YouTube or TikTok), it opens the door to countless indirect monetization opportunities. 

From affiliate marketing and e-commerce sales to brand partnerships and sponsored content, there are numerous ways to make money with Pinterest—if you know where to look and how to optimize your strategy.

This guide will walk you through the most effective methods for earning money on Pinterest in 2025, sharing actionable tips, insider tools, and real-world examples to help you turn your pins into profit. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your existing efforts, you’ll discover how to harness the full potential of Pinterest business and creator features to grow your audience, boost your income, and achieve your financial goals.

Can You Make Money on Pinterest?

Pinterest is more than just a visual discovery engine—it’s a thriving ecosystem where creators, marketers, and business owners can unlock significant income opportunities. The platform’s unique blend of evergreen content and search-driven discovery means your pins can generate traffic and revenue long after they’re published, making it a standout choice for those aiming to build sustainable online income.

Does Pinterest Pay You Directly?

No, Pinterest does not pay users directly for pinning or views. Unlike platforms such as YouTube or Twitch, where creators can earn money directly from ad revenue based on views or watch time, Pinterest’s monetization works differently. You won’t receive a paycheck from Pinterest simply for posting pins or gaining followers.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t earn money on Pinterest. In fact, Pinterest is an incredibly valuable tool for driving targeted traffic, generating sales, and earning affiliate revenue when you use it strategically. By leveraging features like shoppable pins, affiliate marketing, and brand partnerships, you can turn your Pinterest presence into a powerful income stream.

Can You Earn Money on Pinterest?

Yes, it is possible to earn money using Pinterest, even though the platform does not pay you directly for your activity or content. Instead, Pinterest acts as a valuable tool for connecting with potential customers and clients. By sharing engaging pins that lead to your website, online store, or affiliate links, you can attract visitors who are interested in your products, services, or recommendations. At the same time, getting likes and reactions on your pins can also boost your chances of generating income through Pinterest.

As your audience grows, opportunities for brand partnerships and sponsored content may also arise. Ultimately, while Pinterest itself does not offer direct payouts, it provides a range of effective ways to generate income by helping you reach and convert new audiences.

How to Make Money with Pinterest: Top Strategies

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing stands out as one of the most popular and effective ways to make money on Pinterest. By sharing products through pins that include your affiliate links, you can earn a commission every time a user makes a purchase via your link. Leading affiliate programs such as Amazon Associates and ShareASale are widely used by Pinterest creators.

Pinterest’s vast and engaged audience—over 553 million monthly active users globally—provides a strong foundation for affiliate success. Notably, 85% of Pinterest users use the platform to plan purchases, and over half view it as a shopping site, making it an ideal environment for driving sales. In fact, 40% of affiliate marketers in 2025 report that Pinterest delivers their highest-converting traffic. (Google report)

Pins on Pinterest have a much longer shelf life than posts on other platforms—up to four times longer than Instagram posts—which means your content can keep generating clicks and commissions for months or even years. 

For example, successful Pinterest affiliate marketers like By Mable Grace have achieved over 800,000 monthly views on their accounts, translating to significant earnings even with modest conversion rates. With a buyer base that includes a high percentage of high-income shoppers—one in three users earns over $100,000 per year—Pinterest is particularly attractive for promoting premium and luxury products. (Metricool)

Pinterest Business and Blogging

Running a Pinterest business account opens up powerful opportunities to drive targeted, high-intent traffic to your blog or website. With features like Pinterest Analytics, Promoted Pins, and Rich Pins, you can track performance, boost visibility, and showcase your content more effectively. This targeted approach helps attract visitors who are actively searching for inspiration, advice, or products—making it easier to monetize your blog through ads, sponsored posts, and product sales.

Pinterest’s evergreen content model is a key advantage: your pins can continue to generate clicks, engagement, and revenue months or even years after they’re posted. This long shelf life means you can build a steady stream of passive income, especially if you optimize your pins with keywords, high-quality visuals, and clear calls to action. By consistently pinning fresh content and leveraging Pinterest’s business tools, your blog can reach new audiences and grow its earning potential over time.

Sell Proeducts and Offer Services Through Pinterest

Selling products on Pinterest offers a proven way to connect with a large, purchase-ready audience. With over 553 million monthly active users worldwide—many actively planning their next purchase—Pinterest is a prime destination for e-commerce brands.

Shoppable pins and rich pins allow you to display real-time prices, availability, and detailed product descriptions directly within your pins, making it easy for shoppers to click through and buy.

Integrating your online store with platforms like Shopify or Etsy streamlines the process, enabling seamless product syncing and checkout experiences. This integration helps drive more sales by reducing friction for potential buyers. Brands that use Pinterest’s shopping features—such as Pinterest Catalogs—see up to 5x more impressions on their products, and shoppers on Pinterest spend twice as much per month compared to those on other social platforms.

How to Earn Money With Pinterest as a Creator

Brand Partnerships and Sponsored Pins

Brand partnerships and sponsored pins are a major opportunity for Pinterest creators looking to increase their earnings. As your audience expands, brands—especially those in visually driven sectors like fashion, home decor, and beauty—often seek out influencers to collaborate on authentic, engaging content. When you partner with a brand, you can promote their products through branded pins, which may appear in users’ feeds, search results, or curated collections.

Sponsored content campaigns typically pay creators for each collaboration, depending on factors like your audience size, engagement rate, and the campaign’s goals. These partnerships not only provide direct income but can also help you build relationships with leading brands, gain exposure, and further grow your following. With Pinterest’s user base increasingly viewing the platform as a shopping destination, sponsored pins are a powerful way to monetize your influence and boost your income as a creator.

Idea Pins and Creator Rewards

Idea Pins are Pinterest’s dynamic, multi-page content format that lets creators share step-by-step guides, tutorials, or visual stories using a mix of up to 20 images or videos, text, stickers, and music. Unlike standard pins, Idea Pins are designed for high engagement and lasting visibility, helping your content stand out and remain discoverable for months. 

Users can share or in Pinterest language, repin your pins which will gradually attract traffic to your business efforts. So getting more organic repins on your posts is always a plus. 

In select regions, Pinterest also offers Creator Rewards programs, which provide eligible creators with opportunities to earn money for producing high-quality, original content. While Creator Rewards are not available everywhere, they represent a growing effort by Pinterest to support and monetize creator talent directly on the platform. By leveraging Idea Pins and staying updated on creator monetization features, you can build a stronger presence and potentially unlock new income streams.

How to Get Started with Pinterest Business

Set Up a Pinterest Business Account

To start making money on Pinterest, the first step is setting up a Pinterest business account. This gives you access to essential features like analytics to track your performance, advertising tools to promote your pins, and rich pins that display extra product or article information.

You can create a new business account from scratch or easily convert your existing personal account to a business profile. To get started, visit Pinterest’s business setup page, enter your business details, and follow the simple prompts to complete your profile. This process is quick and unlocks all the tools you need to grow your brand and increase your earning potential on Pinterest.

Create a Content Strategy

Creating a strong content strategy is key to making money on Pinterest. Start by organizing your boards around relevant, keyword-rich topics that align with your niche—this helps your content show up in search results and appeals to your target audience. Each pin should be visually appealing, with high-quality images or graphics that grab attention and encourage clicks.

Maintain consistent branding across your profile by using your colors, logo, and style in every pin and board. This builds recognition and trust with your audience. Regularly schedule your pins using tools like Tailwind or Pinterest’s own scheduler to keep your account active and visible. By staying consistent and focused, you’ll build authority in your niche and attract more followers who are interested in your products, services, or content.

Use Pinterest SEO to Your Advantage

Using Pinterest SEO effectively is a powerful way to boost your visibility and earning potential on the platform. Start by researching and selecting relevant keywords that your target audience is searching for. Then, include these keywords naturally in your pin titles and descriptions—this helps Pinterest’s algorithm understand and prioritize your content. Don’t forget to rename your image files with descriptive, keyword-rich names before uploading them, as this also contributes to better search rankings.

By optimizing every aspect of your pins for both users and the platform, you’ll increase your chances of appearing higher in Pinterest search results, attracting more clicks, and ultimately earning more money on Pinterest. This simple but strategic approach can make a big difference in your overall success.

Tools and Tips to Maximize Pinterest Earnings

Use Pinterest Analytics

Pinterest Analytics is a powerful tool available to business account holders, allowing you to track the performance of your pins and boards in real time. With this dashboard, you can monitor key metrics such as impressions, saves, clicks, and audience demographics, giving you a clear picture of what content resonates most with your followers.

By analyzing these insights, you can identify your top-performing pins and understand which topics, designs, or products drive the most engagement. Use this data to refine your content strategy—focusing more on what works and adjusting or retiring underperforming content. Regularly reviewing Pinterest Analytics helps you stay agile, adapt to trends, and maximize your earning potential on the platform.

Tailwind and Scheduling Tools

Using scheduling tools like Tailwind is a smart way to streamline your Pinterest marketing and boost your earning potential. Tailwind allows you to schedule and automate your pins in advance, ensuring a consistent and steady flow of content without manual effort. Its SmartSchedule feature analyzes your audience’s activity to determine the best times for posting, maximizing engagement and reach.

With Tailwind, you can also bulk schedule pins, manage multiple boards, and track performance with in-depth analytics. This automation saves you time, helps maintain a strong presence on Pinterest, and increases your chances of driving more traffic, sales, and income efficiently. For anyone serious about making money with Pinterest, Tailwind is a highly recommended tool to keep your strategy organized and effective.

Be Consistent and Niche-Focused

To establish yourself as a trusted voice and attract a loyal audience on Pinterest, it’s essential to focus on a clear, well-defined niche. By consistently creating and sharing content that aligns with your chosen topic—whether it’s home decor, fashion, digital products, or another popular category—you build authority and make it easier for users to recognize your expertise.

Regularly pinning high-quality, relevant content keeps your profile active and visible to both new and returning followers. This consistency, combined with niche focus, helps you stand out in a crowded space and increases your chances of long-term success in making money on Pinterest. Staying true to your niche also makes it easier to attract brand partnerships and sponsored opportunities, as companies look for creators with a dedicated and engaged audience.

Conclusion

While Pinterest doesn’t pay users directly like some platforms, it offers powerful opportunities to generate income through content marketing, affiliate links, and product promotion. By maintaining a consistent presence, optimizing your strategy, and leveraging the platform’s unique tools, you can build a steady stream of revenue from your Pinterest efforts. 

For additional insights and advanced tips, explore resources such as Later’s guide to making money on Pinterest and Pinterest’s official creator support materials. With dedication and smart planning, Pinterest can become a valuable part of your online income strategy.