Affiliate marketing is increasingly becoming popular because of the ease through which you can make money from home. This opportunity presents itself through a simple business model. To be able to make money you need to know all elements associated with this process. First, let’s define the key concepts. Affiliate marketing is the process through which you, an affiliate, earn a commission by advertising products or services of a company. Sounds easy right? All you have to do is get the right traffic which will convert to your product. In the past most people used to use Facebook and Twitter to advertise their affiliate links. However, people are increasingly finding ways to which they can reach other audiences.

Pinterest presents a platform where you can target a fresh and relatively exploited audience. as discussed in my article on 100-plus ways of making money online in 2020, affiliate marketing is one of the ways through which you can make money on Pinterest. Pinterest affiliate marketing is a process through which you create content and attach your affiliate links for your followers. When your followers click through your link and purchase or sign up for the program you will get paid the commission. In 2015 Pinterest had burnt Pinterest affiliate marketing because of spam marketers. However, this business model has been introduced as the platform has improved their technology to combat spammers.

The best thing about Pinterest is that your content grows by itself. For those who don’t know about this social Media platform let me give you a brief overview of how it works. When you sign up for an account, you are allowed to upload content directly on your page. This content is often referred to as pins. The pins can be original content created through an editing software or can be curated from third-party websites. When you upload the pins you’ll be asked to provide a description and a link if possible. This is where you can add your affiliate link. 

Pinterest allows you to organize your pins according to niche into sections known as boards. Once you pin your content, people using the platform are able to see and repin your content. This is similar to the reposting function on Instagram. The only difference is they do not need your permission to repin your content. The advantage of this process is that you are able to easily access followers out of your immediate circle. For example let’s say you have 10 followers. Once you pin your content your followers are able to see it. Let’s assume that each of your followers has 100 followers. If five of your followers decide to repin your content, then you have access to 500 followers. See where I’m going with this?

Make money on Pinterest without a blog

This step-by-step is for those looking to make money on Pinterest through affiliate marketing without a blog or website. 

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s Begin discussing how you can make money through this process.

You will need:

• An affiliate network account
• A Pinterest account
• Editing software
• Internet connection
• Laptop

Affiliate Marketing Programs for Pinterest 

How to get an affiliate network account.

The fastest and simplest ways of getting an affiliate network account is signing up on an affiliate network. These networks are websites that have individual affiliate programs. Once you sign up on one of these websites you will get access to a variety of individual programs which you can choose to advertise. Think of these websites like an affiliate marketing database. These databases have extensive and relevant programs that target a variety of audience. 

Each of these platforms have different terms and conditions. Make sure you read through the fine print and understand what you expected to do. Some networks prohibit their affiliate marketers from advertising on social media platforms. When others encouraged the use of these platforms. As such it is important to know which resources you as an affiliate can be able to use to advertise your links.

There are hundreds of affiliate networks out there but my favorite include:

• Maxbounty
• Share a sale
• Impact radius
• Flexoffers
• Shop style collective

You might be wondering if it’s possible to use Amazon associate links on Pinterest. There is a lot of conflicting information regarding this network. Here is my opinion… Do not risk your Amazon account advertising on Pinterest. This is because the platform is known for strict enforcement of rules. affiliates are easily banned if you go against the platforms terms and conditions. There are better ways of advertising Amazon things. I have created an in-depth tutorial on Amazon associates and advertisements. Check it out if you’re interested.

Now let’s get back to Pinterest affiliate marketing.

Once you have signed up on these platforms, you will need to create content that will help you reach your targeted audience. Before you begin advertising on this platform here are 10 interesting things you should know:

• As of 2020 March, Pinterest had 367 million monthly active users worldwide.
• 71% of these Pinterest users are female. 40% of new sign-ups are male, while 60% of new sign-ups are female. 
• 40% of American dads use Pinterest
• Male users account for only 7% of total pins on Pinterest.
• A significant percentage of Pinterest users are between the age of 30 and 49.
• Some of the main reasons people use this platform include following brands and companies, looking for visual motivation and entertainment, creating awareness about products and services, and improving their creative sides.
• On average there are over 200 billion pins saved on Pinterest. This is an average of 667 pins per user.
• 60% of millennials on Pinterest use it to discover new products and services.
• There are over 2 billion text based and guided searches on Pinterest every month.
• More than half of Pinterest users are located in the US.
• Pinterest is quite popular amongst marketers as approximately 30% use the platform.
• Approximately 80% of Pinterest users have bought products based on brand content on Pinterest.

Now that you know this crucial information you can go ahead and select products and services that speak to this demographic.

As usual I will provide a blueprint for getting into this business model. So let’s go over the steps needed to begin affiliate marketing on Pinterest.

Signing up on an affiliate network

For this tutorial I will be using ShopStyle collective network. From the above metrics you can see that the majority of Pinterest users are female. As such if you want to make significant passive income on this platform you should focus on this demographic. ShopStyle collective provides you the tools and links that you need to create content that will attract female users. 

Let’s go over the basics.

ShopStyle collective is a premium affiliate network where content creators are allowed to monetize their content. The network has partnered with brands to allow them to have access to different kinds of influencers who can create promotional and branded content. 

As an affiliate partner in this network you are provided with a variety of products which you use to create your content. Most of the products available on this network are fashion related. They include clothes, shoes, jewelry etc. All you need to become successful at this is a unique sense of style and a proactive take on trends. The network provides you with affiliate links which are then used to create buyable pins. 

The model for the affiliate network is cost per acquisition or CPA, where you are paid a commission for every sale you drive to the partners network. This model allows you to have access to higher revenue share than other platforms. All links come with access to your earning potential. You get to know how much you will earn for each sale before you promote the content.

Let’s begin with the process of obtaining links and posting them on Pinterest.

Registering for Affiliate Network (ShopStyle)

1. Head over to Shopstyle Collective
2. Click on Get Started.  
3. Fill in the popup form according to information required as shown below.
4. The program allows applicants from all over the world. Once you are done with the application you will be redirected to a dashboard where you should complete the application to monetize your content.
5. The program needs you to identify the social platforms that you will use to monetize the content. Choose Pinterest as the first platform and you can select the secondary social media platform according to your preferences. 
6. Once this is completed, you will be prompted to connect your Pinterest account to determine how many pins you pin weekly, the traffic, and number of followers. Once submitted, your application will be reviewed and you will be notified if accepted into the program. 
7. Once accepted, you can create a number of pins using the sites dashboard that includes widgets, text links, collections, and looks. These collections can then be directly posted onto Pinterest. Whenever someone clicks on the links and purchases from the affiliated brands, you will be credited with the set commission for the sale.

This is just an example of an affiliate network that you can use to publish content and links on Pinterest. If you choose to go with another affiliate site, you can use the direct pin creation and posting process.

To begin, you have to confirm that your selected affiliate network allows traffic from social sources. This is because if they do not allow such traffic, your account will undergo disciplinary action including being banned. 

The next step is to choose a program that is aligned with Pinterest traffic. The aforementioned stats show that the majority of people who use this platform are female. As such, a significant percentage of your affiliate links should include products and services geared towards this demographic. The most popular categories include beauty and health, fashion, fitness, lifestyle, and blogging. 

Now how do you create and upload a pin on Pinterest? 

First, signup for designing software like Canva which is one of the most favored tools for pin creation. Use images from the affiliate product or service to create the pin and always make sure that you have the redirecting link required when posting the pin.

1. To upload the pin, login to your Pinterest account or create a new one. 
2. Click on Create Pin
3. You will be redirected to a secondary page where you will be prompted to upload a pin either from your computer or from a site. When trying to create affiliate links on Pinterest, it is advisable to upload pins you have created from aforementioned tools like Canva.
4. Click on drag and drop to select the pins from your computer. Pinterest allows its users to either use a video or image as standard pins. 
5. Once you have uploaded the pin, create a title pertaining to its contents, add a description on the box labeled “tell everyone what your pin is about,” add a destination link which is the affiliate link that redirects the client to the product or service. When creating the description, make sure that you use approximately 3 relevant keywords that will optimize your product for the site. These keywords should appear in your blog post title, pin title, blog post URL, and pin description, thereby enabling Pinterest to highly rank the pin on the site. This technique is defined as Pinterest Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which aligns your content with the site’s ranking algorithm. 
6. Once the pin is uploaded and properly optimized, you need to select a relevant board to attach the pin. Pinterest boards allow users to organize their pins according to niches. This helps the algorithm display relevant pins when searched by a client. The site allows you to create a board at this stage and you can name it according to the products or services you will be pinning on the site. For instance, if you are advertising a cleanser that has anti aging elements, you can attach it on a board labeled “anti aging makeup cleansers.” You can also pin the product on relevant group boards that have been created by other users once invited by the creator. 
7. Click on publish immediately to upload the pin. Pinterest allows users to bulk upload and schedule pins. Assuming you have more than two products to promote, you can create several Pinterest graphics and schedule their upload using the site’s tool. 

Disclosing Affiliate Promotions

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) articulates that affiliate marketers should disclose that they are getting paid to advertise the product. There are also a number of global regulatory boards that require independent advertisers to disclose their brand partnerships. This is done to ensure that the consumer is protected and only purchases a product with full knowledge on the endorsements. 

Social media platforms like Instagram allow users to tag posts like advertisements. However, in Pinterest you can only disclose this information by including hashtags such as “

#affiliatelink”

“#sponsored”

Remember that this process is not optional but mandatory! You might be held liable by these regulatory boards if you fail to disclose such information. 

How to Create Optimized Pins. 

Affiliate marketing on Pinterest can only be lucrative if you get people to click on the links and engage with the advertisement. 

The first step in optimizing your pins is creating long and vertical pins. Long and vertical pins standout and are more likely to be engaged with by users than short and square pins. Think about these pins as the point of contact with the potential clients. They can be perceived as the packaging for the pin.  Remember the last time you went shopping in a department store and bought a product because of the attractive packaging? Well, Pinterest is quite similar. Once your pin is displayed on the homepage, a user will most likely click on it if it stands out and is more appealing. 

1. Define the value proposition. In the aforementioned example, the makeup product’s value proposition is the dual purpose of cleansing and anti aging. Defining this value proposition informs the client what you are trying to sell and will result in higher conversions. This is because a significant percentage of the people clicking on the pins will already know what you are trying to sell and will be potential clients.
2. Choose appealing color schemes. Just as product is important, color is more important. There are a number of studies that have demonstrated most people are attracted to warm and bright colors such as red and orange. When creating your pin use these color schemes to ensure that you stand out from your competitors.
3. Always use legible fonts. You need the potential client to be able to read any information regarding the product or service without having to strain. The Pinterest homepage is similar to a department store shelf. Potential clients often are attracted to products that have legible information regarding their ingredients and any cautions. Similarly, Pinterest users will more likely click on your pins if the information is legible. 
4. Use high-quality stock images. When you are beginning this journey you may have a limited budget and be unable to spend on paid stock photos. You can supplement these paid stock photos by using free stock photos from sites like Pexels and Vexels. There are a number of other sites that provide free stock photos and videos. To retrieve these photos, do a Google search on “free stock photos” and click on sites that have such items listed. Always make sure that you can use these pictures for commercial purposes with attribution. This means that at the bottom of the pin, you can attach disclaimers that give proper attribution to the artist who created the picture. Examples of this disclaimer include “picture attributed to artist x on pexels.”
5. Use optimized keywords! If colors are your packaging then keywords are your brand. Pinterest users are able to retrieve content regarding specific niches by conducting searches using keywords related to the product or service. The Pinterest algorithm is then able to return results based on the pins that include these keywords. For instance, if you are trying to provide the aforementioned cleaner, including the brand name, product niche, and category can be significant keywords which will enable Pinterest rank your content. 

Tip: You can retrieve these keywords by using the search button on Pinterest. Use any keywords that describe the product or service and see the autocomplete options on Pinterest to determine how potential clients and other users search for the product on the site. 

Create a main target keyword and supplement it with other niche-specific keywords that will optimize these posts. 

There are a number of tools that will help you create attractive pins and define relevant keywords. These tools include:

Canva: A graphic design tool that has a number of Pinterest and other social media templates that can help you create highly appealing pins without having experience in graphic design. This tool includes drag and drop features that simplify the process of pin creation. This tool has free and paid options.

Pinterest Primer: A free Pinterest course on how to drive traffic from Pinterest to secondary pages like blogs and affiliate landing pages. This course will teach you how to create perfectly optimized Pinterest profiles, learn techniques on creating viral pins, learn how to always be present on the site throughout the day, demystify myths regarding Pinterest products and pins, and learn some of the most common mistakes that may limit your reach on the site.

PicMonkey: This is a site similar to canva that has optimized Pinterest templates that simplifies the process of creating optimized and appealing pins.

Pinterest offers a plethora of opportunities for an individual seeking for a work at home opportunity with passive income. These opportunities are not only limited to affiliate marketing and encompass a range of other methods which will be discussed in other posts. The key to crushing affiliate marketing on Pinterest and continuously earning passive income is to ensure that you create highly optimized and attractive pins and select relevant products that apply to the demographic. This is because if you choose products that do not apply to the demographic, then you will see little to no engagement with your pin. As such, put an emphasis on the product/service selection process and you will excel at affiliate marketing on Pinterest!