Affiliate Marketing with Pinterest: The Guide

Why Pinterest for affiliate marketing?

Pinterest is often counted among the social networks, but works more like a search engine. People do not come here to follow friends, but to find ideas and plan purchases: the new living room furnishings, the outfit for the wedding, the equipment for the hiking holiday. For Publisher this offers four advantages:

What niches work on Pinterest

Pinterest is a visual medium. Topics work best where images carry the purchase decision and people seek inspiration:

More difficult are topics without a visual component, such as insurance or software. This is where infographics and checklists are most likely to work, leading to a detailed article.

Link directly or via the blog?

Pinterest allows affiliate links directly in the pin. You can start without your own website. Many successful publishers still direct pins to their own article first. Both paths are justified:

A good rule of thumb: For individual products with a strong image, the direct link is suitable. For products or comparisons in need of explanation, it is worthwhile to go through an article in which you present several options. In any case, check the allowed advertising forms of the program – in the Partner Program Directory they are on each program page.

Step by Step: How to Start

1. Create business account. A free company account gives you access to statistics and allows you to confirm your website.
2. Optimize your profile. Choose a name and description that clearly identifies your topic, such as "Ideas for small apartments".
3. Create walls.Create 5 to 10 thematic boards with searchable names such as “Create a small bathroom” instead of “My favourites”.
4. Select Partner programs.Apply for programs that fit your topics and allow Pinterest as a form of advertising.
5. Create first pins. Start with 10 to 20 pins on your most important products or articles.
6. Install and mark links. Set the affiliate link as the target URL of the pin and mark the advertisement (more on this below).
7. Pin regularly. Better one to three new pins every day than twenty at once. Pinterest rewards continuous activity.

Design pins that are clicked

On Pinterest, the picture decides in fractions of a second whether someone stops. These basic rules help:

• Use portrait format: The 2:3 aspect ratio, for example 1000 × 1500 pixels, takes up the most space in the feed.
• Short text in the picture: A concise headline like “7 ideas for the small balcony” makes the benefit immediately clear.
• Prefer your own photos: Real application images are more credible than pure product photos. Use images of the advertiser only if the program allows it.
• Test multiple variants: Create multiple pins with different images and headings for the same link.
• Try the video: Short videos stand out in the feed and are good for instructions and before-after effects.

Pinterest SEO: Being Found

Because Pinterest is a search engine, search terms determine who your pins are displayed to. How to find and use the right keywords:

• Use search suggestions: Type your topic into the Pinterest search and record the suggestions. They show what users are actually looking for.
• Watch trends: With Pinterest Trends, you can see when topics rise seasonally.
• Title and Description: Use the most important keyword in the pin title and formulate a natural description with related terms.
• Name walls: Board names and descriptions are also included in the search.
• Supplement old text: Describe what is on the picture. This helps accessibility and findability.

An example of a pin description:

Kleines Bad einrichten: 9 platzsparende Ideen für Stauraum,
Spiegelschränke und helle Farben. Mit Produktempfehlungen
für Mietwohnungen. Werbung / Affiliate-Link

Label affiliate links on Pinterest

On Pinterest, the labelling requirement also applies: Users must recognize that you earn on a pin. In practice:

• A clear indication such as “advertising” or “ad/affiliate link” in the pin description, clearly visible and not hidden.
• For brand collaborations, the paid partnership labeling feature if it is available for your account.
• For pins that lead to your blog, the usual labeling of affiliate links in the article itself.

In addition, refrain from short-link services that obscure the actual goal. Pinterest fights spam and hidden redirects, and some pins with such links are not played. More about the correct labeling explains the guides Affiliate links.

This section provides a general overview and does not replace legal advice. In addition, check the current guidelines of Pinterest.

Seasonality: Pinning early is worthwhile

Pinterest users plan early. Those looking for Christmas decorations in October often do not buy until November. In order for your pins to be visible in time, you should post seasonal content in advance:

1. January
   Spring and garden

   Publish pins on garden planning, spring cleaning and Easter.

2. April
   Summer and holidays

   Destinations, packing lists, summer fashion and balcony ideas.

3. July
   Autumn and school start

   Autumn decoration, school supplies and comfortable living.

4. September
   Black Friday and Christmas

   Gift ideas, decorations and offers – the highest sales time of the year.

As a rule of thumb: Publish seasonal pins about 45 days before the actual event. So Pinterest has enough time to classify them in the search.

Measure success

Pinterest Analytics shows you for each pin how many times it was displayed and saved and how many users clicked on the link. Decisive for you are the outgoing clicks – only they can lead to commissions.

To see which pins actually bring sales, see the affiliate links with Sub-IDs, such as pinterest-bad-ideen-v1 and pinterest-bad-ideen-v2. In the reporting of your network, you can see which motif generates not only clicks, but also revenue. Create new variants of successful pins and pause themes that do not bring clicks permanently.

Frequent errors

• Treat Pinterest like Instagram. Hashtags and selfies are of little use. Crucial are searchable titles, descriptions and helpful pictures.
• ignore program rules. Not every partner program allows direct links on social media or the use of its product images.
• Pin product photos only. Pure catalogue images go under. Show application, result or idea.
• Too little patience. Pins often take weeks to arrive in the search. Evaluate the results at the earliest after two to three months.
• Misplaced marking. Also on Pinterest affiliate links must be recognizable as advertising.

Conclusion

Pinterest is one of the most underrated channels for affiliate marketing: users search for ideas and products, pins remain visible for a long time, and links can be integrated directly. Successful is those who choose a visual niche, optimize pins for search, plan ahead seasonally and measure what really deserves with sub-IDs. If you are still at the beginning, our guide Start affiliate marketing will help you.