Pinterest affiliate marketing presents a huge opportunity for both brands and creators. With a massive user base of 631 million monthly active users, and 96% of searches being unbranded, it presents an opportunity to monetize content by sharing products that fit naturally with what people are already looking for.
This guide shares how to start affiliate marketing on Pinterest. It covers the foundations of how to create an account and start posting, with tips to maximize sales when sharing affiliate links on the platform.
What is Pinterest affiliate marketing?
Pinterest is a social media and visual search engine hybrid where users can browse content formatted as “pins,” which contain images, videos, and links to a website.
Its affiliate marketing works by leveraging this type of content. When someone buys something through an affiliate link you posted on Pinterest, you earn a commission on that purchase.
Ways to use Pinterest affiliate marketing
There are two main types of Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy:
- Working with affiliates as a brand. A 2025 Shopify survey found building social media presence is the second most common Year 1 growth strategy, at 35%.* Affiliate marketing on Pinterest allows you to grow without the pressure of creating your own content, by having others make and post pins, and you only pay out when their content brings revenue.
- Promoting another brand’s products as a creator. Pinterest affiliates can join a brand’s affiliate program and earn commission when users buy through their custom links. This can be a lucrative way to make money online: Elementor’s 2026 study found 9% of affiliate marketers earn more than $50,000 per month.
Find influencers to drive sales with Shopify Collabs
Shopify Collabs makes it easy to partner with creators, promote your products, reach new customers, grow your sales, and track affiliate performance all from Shopify admin.
Discover Shopify Collabs
Why use Pinterest for affiliate marketing?
Here’s why Pinterest is an attractive platform for affiliate marketing:
- High buyer intent. People on Pinterest are often in the discovery phase of their buying journey, actively searching for products and ideas. According to Pinterest, 80% of weekly pinners are inspired by the platform’s shopping experience. Over half of users visit the platform to shop.
- Visual platform. Pinterest’s visual nature allows you to showcase products in a visually engaging way. Some 61% of shoppers say product images and videos are the most important element when making a purchase.
- Long shelf life. Unlike other social media platforms where content disappears quickly, pins can remain visible and drive traffic for months or even years. Tailwind found 60% of saves were from pins over a year old, and one 14-year-old viral pin was still driving more than 200 clicks in the past 90 days.
- Targeted audience. Gen Z represents 42% of Pinterest’s user base. The platform also has a large proportion of high income earners, making it suitable for high-ticket affiliate programs.
How to start affiliate marketing on Pinterest
Ready to try affiliate marketing on Pinterest? Here’s how to begin, both as a creator promoting products and an ecommerce business building an affiliate program:
Choose a visual niche and validate demand
Niche Pinterest accounts grow faster than generalists, according to WebFX’s 2026 report. Although you can find content for just about any niche on Pinterest, Tailwind’s 2025 study found these top six categories account for 80% of the most viral pins:
- Fashion
- Décor
- Food
- Beauty
- DIY and crafts
- Art
“At the end of the day, Pinterest is a discovery platform,” says Kelsey Bang, co-owner of Walls Need Love, in a Shopify Masters interview. “It’s an inspirational platform, so you go there because you are looking for some sort of solution or inspiration.”
Once you’ve chosen a niche, validate demand by using Pinterest Trends. This free tool shows which topics are trending and the level of Pinterest search demand.
Find trending topics with Pinterest’s free tool. Source: Pinterest Trends.
Set up a Pinterest business account
You don’t need a business account to promote affiliate links on Pinterest, but switching from a personal account gives you access to other helpful features:
- Creator Hub
- Pinterest analytics and audience insights
- Pinterest Trends
- Promoted pins
Choose the “Create business account” option on the Pinterest sign up page. If you already have an account, convert it by going to “Settings,” then “Account management,” and click the “Convert to business account” button.
Join a compatible affiliate program or create one
If you’re a creator looking to make money on Pinterest, find affiliate programs from brands in your niche. Some brands run their own programs (like the Shopify Affiliate Program), while others join affiliate networks like Awin or Shareasale. There’s also Amazon Associates, which allows creators to build affiliate links for a wide range of products under one roof.
If you’re a brand, the affiliate program setup process looks something like this:
- Set clear goals. Is it to raise brand awareness, increase sales, or something else? This influences the commission you’ll offer and reporting cadence.
- Choose affiliate marketing software. Shopify Collabs lets you discover and recruit affiliates, giving each one a unique tracking link to see sales they’ve driven in your Shopify admin.
- Set commission tiers. Tie this back to your goals. Lizzy Masotta, a senior product lead at Shopify, recommends three tiers: “If you’re new to working with them, you can always start them at your lowest level and then promote them through the levels as you build more trust and see more continued performance from them.”
- Set a cookie window. Match this with your average sales cycle length. Thirty days might work for products bought as impulse buys, while 90 days might be better suited to big ticket items that customers spend time researching.
- Recruit and onboard affiliates. Provide a welcome pack with key product details to make sure they promote your products accurately.
Ramen brand immi uses Shopify Collabs to manage its affiliate program end to end. Its network spans more than 430 ambassadors who’ve generated over $200,000 in affiliate sales.
Create value-added pins with clear destinations
Produce pins that match what your target audience is already saving on Pinterest.
Consider creating value-added lifestyle content, which can give audiences a reason to engage beyond direct product promotion. Ally Walsh, co-founder of Canyon Coffee, takes this approach with the brand’s wider marketing strategy.
“We still do two or three newsletters a week,” Ally says in a Shopify Masters interview. “It’s content that’s not coffee related. It’s not like we’re just selling bags of coffee every day—it’s the lifestyle; people get to read these beautiful journals and travel guides. It’s so much bigger than just the coffee.”
Once you’ve created a visually appealing pin, think about where this content will direct Pinterest users. Options include:
- Direct product pages
- Landing pages
- Review pages
- Comparison pages
- Blog posts
Publish with disclosures and track results
Pinterest’s “Paid partnerships” tag follows Pinterest’s affiliate marketing rules and helps maintain FTC compliance. You can also edit your caption to include “Ad” or “This post contains affiliate links.”
Once your pins go live, regularly monitor performance. Pinterest has its own analytics tool that shows how many users viewed, liked, saved, commented on, and clicked your affiliate content.
Affiliates can supplement Pinterest’s data with their affiliate tracking platform to see which pins result in the most commission.
If you’re the brand running the program, attribute affiliate sales through affiliate-specific discount codes and UTM tracking. Shopify allows you to leverage AI for help here. You could ask Sidekick: “Who was my top-performing affiliate last month?” and have it pull sales data from Shopify Collabs for further analysis.
“I think it’s important that you monitor your top creators,” Lizzie says. “If there is a creator who’s very high-performing for you, it’s probably a good idea to retain that creator and make sure you can continue to give them the incentives they deserve, so they keep promoting your brand accordingly.”
Pinterest affiliate marketing rules
Spammy, low-effort pins will damage your reputation and put your account at risk of suspension. All affiliate marketers must follow these rules:
Disclose affiliate relationships clearly
Pinterest requires creators to use the paid partnership label on any content that’s influenced by a business for an exchange of value. This includes affiliate links where the value exchange is commission on sales.
Direct and transparent disclaimers also help with FTC compliance. Users need to be made aware of the commercial relationship with a “clear and conspicuous” disclosure.
Avoid prohibited categories
All Pinterest content must follow the platform’s merchant guidelines and advertising guidelines. These policies outline a list of products you can’t promote or sell on Pinterest, like tobacco products, firearms, and medical treatments.
There’s also restrictions on what your Pinterest content can encourage or depict. For example, while you can promote alcoholic beverages, you can’t depict excessive consumption or suggest that alcohol has therapeutic properties.
Use direct, relevant links
Pinterest asks creators to link directly to products, and ensure those links are clearly relevant to the pin itself. If you’re posting about a new kitchen dining set, for example, create an affiliate link that takes users directly to that product page.
Note: Both FTC’s guidance and Pinterest’s affiliate policies can change regularly. Consult a lawyer to make sure you’re compliant.
Pinterest affiliate marketing tips
These tactics cover everything from pin creation to performance optimization. Some you can implement immediately; others build value over time. Focus on the fundamentals first—creating quality pins, understanding SEO, and tracking what works—then layer in advanced strategies.
Create several pins per asset
The average pin has a save rate of between 0.2% and 0.5%, with roughly 0.1% to 0.2% of organic pin viewers clicking through. But the more affiliate pins you have, the more opportunities you have for users to engage with your affiliate content.
Creating several pins also gives you opportunities to test different approaches. Track pin performance to see which visuals, titles, and search angles generate the most affiliate sales.
“You can use the multiple pin strategy as an opportunity to go after a wider variety of keywords,” adds finance affiliate marketer R.J. Weiss.
“If you have a post on making money, you could create a pin optimized for many related keywords that match the search intent of making money,” says R.J. “For example, side hustle, earning extra cash. This can all be driven back to a single page on your site.”
Creating new pins can be time consuming. Bryan Maniotakis, owner of Minimal Goods—which curates minimally designed home and office products—uses automation to speed up the process.
“I’m currently using an automation tool to generate a Pinterest banner whenever it detects a new article on my site,” Bryan says. “Overall, it saves me a ton of time every single month because I no longer have to generate these Pinterest assets manually.”
Use the right pin format
Experiment with various types of pins, such as infographics, videos, and carousel pins. For example, you might use:
- Static image pins forproduct showcases, before/after comparisons, and curated collections where one strong visual tells the story. Tailwind found this format accounts for 89% of viral pins.
- Video pins for tutorials, product demonstrations, unboxing experiences, and any content where movement adds value. Vertical videos with 2:3 aspect ratio perform best, per Tailwind’s analysis.
- Idea pins formultistep processes, styling guides, seasonal roundups, holiday gift guides, and narrative content that benefits from multiple pages.
- Carousel pins for product comparisons, feature breakdowns, and collections where users benefit from swiping through options.
Enable rich pins
Rich pins automatically pull data from your website. They’re more descriptive than standard images you’ll see on Pinterest and show extra information in the pin description.
Enable rich pins for:
- Products. Show up-to-date pricing and availability in your rich pin.
- Recipes. Show cooking time, rating, ingredients, and serving sizes in your rich pin.
- Articles. Show the headline, description, and author in your rich pin.
The process for creating and enabling rich pins only needs to be completed once. After you’re set up, all future eligible pins will become rich pins.
Rich pins show extra product specifications. Source: Pinterest.
Schedule pins consistently
Automation apps like Tailwind, Later, and Hootsuite allow you to set a custom schedule, add new content to your queue, then automatically add pins to your board. They also analyze your Pinterest analytics and create content calendars to post at the times your audience is most active.
Use group boards selectively
Group boards exist to help multiple users share content on one board. A natural byproduct of this community-style board is greater audience reach, because users promote pins to each other’s audiences.
Tools like Pingroupie help you find niche boards your affiliate products fall into. Read group Pinterest board descriptions for guidance on how to become a contributor and their policy on affiliate links.
Optimize for Pinterest SEO
The Pinterest algorithm connects pins with searchable keywords. Start by finding keywords that your target audience actively seeks out.
Keyword research tools like Ahrefs, Moz Keyword Explorer, or Keywords Everywhere display suggestions. Pinterest also has its own search tools, including Pinterest autocomplete, Pinterest Trends, and search results to find the words people use for specific niches.
Matt Lally, founder of MattyAds, shares how he discovers lucrative Pinterest keywords.
“Sign in to Pinterest Ads and find keywords that have between 10,000 and 100,000 monthly volume. You want to use the main keywords often in your Pinboard, as well as in your pin creatives.”
Matt suggests taking your keyword and searching it on Pinterest.
“Find what style of content ranks well and produce four to six separate variations,” he says.
Once you have your keywords, include them in your Pinterest SEO strategy:
- Pinterest profile. Include relevant keywords that tie into the overall theme of your content within your Pinterest account bio. If you’re promoting nutrition supplements, for example, include terms like “women’s health” in your account description.
- Pin description. Get more granular with the keywords on each individual pin. If you’re sharing a pin for a tutorial on how to tie shoelaces, for instance, use the “how to” keyword in your pin description.
- Board description. Boards are more specific than a profile, but not as targeted as a pin. You might use middle-ground keywords in your board title and description, such as “shoe tutorials” or “women’s health tips.”
Minimal Goods includes keywords in their Pinterest name and description. Source: Pinterest
Build an email list
Monica Lent, founder of Affilimate, finds Pinterest can be tough for affiliate marketers because people use the platform aspirationally.
“Most pinners aren’t looking to solve an immediate problem and make a purchase to do so,” says Monica. “They’re planning for the future—long past the expiration date of your affiliate cookie.”
Monica says the best affiliate marketing strategy for Pinterest is to capture readers’ email addresses. “That way, you can promote affiliate products through drip email campaigns that take the time to educate readers and warm them up to your offer,” she says.
Both brands and creators can build an email list by including an email opt-in form on your landing page. Consider an incentive—such as a content-centered lead magnet, discount code, or another perk or freebie. Then, build an email campaign that continues to nurture that relationship.
Analyze pin performance
Use Pinterest’s built-in data tool, Pinterest Analytics, to review your monthly performance. Assess your best pins, user interactions, and topics of interest to your primary audience to gain insights about how to improve.
Follow these affiliate metrics to monitor your content:
Engagement metrics
Pinterest Analytics shows four key metrics that matter for affiliates, all of which help you understand what content resonates—or doesn’t—with your target audience:
- Impressions. The number of times Pinterest showed your pin.
- Saves. How many users bookmarked your pin to their own boards.
- Clicks. The quantity of users who clicked through to your destination URL.
- Outbound clicks. Specifically tracks clicks that leave Pinterest (most relevant for affiliate tracking).
Click-through rate
Monitor the click-through rates (CTR) of your pins. This metric indicates how many users saw your content and then took your desired action (visiting your affiliate partner).
You may find some of your pins are great at attracting attention, while others do a better job of persuading users to click. What percentage of people see your pin and click it? Do specific pins get more clicks? Do pins with an endorsement from a well-known blogger or influencer drive more traffic than those without?
Conversions
Use the dashboard provided by your affiliate partner or platform to track conversions from your Pinterest traffic. Some use UTM links to attribute sales to affiliates, while others use discount codes to track which creator influenced which order.
Adjust your Pinterest strategy to focus on what works best. Experiment with different types of content, keywords, and posting times to improve your results.
Promote high-performing pins
On Pinterest, you can run sponsored pins to promote an affiliate link directly or drive users back to your affiliate marketing content. Shopify’s 2025 survey found 31% of high-revenue merchants (more than $1 million) cite paid advertising as most effective.*
Pinterest says the best-performing ads on the platform share similar traits:
- Images. 2:3 aspect ratio with a clear logo and centered product.
- Video. 6 to 15 seconds in length, understandable with sound off, and showing the product immediately with a clear and visible logo.
- Text. Use inclusive language, display a clear CTA, and write a descriptive pin title and description. Keep any overlay text purposeful and check for mobile readability.
Tag your products
Pinterest has built-in shopping features that let you tag up to 24 products in your pins. Instead of sending users off to a random blog post and hoping they find your affiliate link, you can put the product right in front of them.
The Pinterest app for Shopify makes your entire product catalog available to pin on Pinterest. It syncs daily to always show updated product information, and lets you attribute sales to Pinterest inside Shopify Analytics.
Here’s how to tag products in your pins
To tag products on Pinterest:
- Use a business account. You’ll need a Pinterest business account to access product tagging features; if needed, switch your personal Pinterest account in settings.
- Create a pin. Upload your images or videos as usual. If you’re adding affiliate links to an existing pin, press the Edit icon.
- Choose “Add products.”
- Select the right product. Search for the product directly or select “Use a link” and paste your affiliate link.
- Publish and disclose. Be sure to stay compliant with Pinterest’s rules and FTC policies by including a short disclosure like: “This post contains affiliate links.”
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Choosing the right affiliate programs for Pinterest
Select Pinterest affiliate programs based on these factors:
- Visual appeal. The top Pinterest niches—fashion, décor, food, beauty, DIY, and art—have products that photograph well. Research top pins in your affiliate niche and find which images customers pin most, then find affiliate programs that include similar products.
- Price point alignment. Pinterest’s high-income demographic responds well to premium products. The platform’s own data shows shoppers on Pinterest spend 80% more per month than users on other platforms.
- Cookie duration. Pinterest ads have a 21- to 30-day purchase window, on average. Longer cookie windows accommodate this planning-oriented user behavior better than 24-hour cookies.
- Commission structure. The average affiliate commission ranges from 8% to 18%, depending on your niche. Also, keep product replenishment cycles or subscriptions in mind. Recurring commission can drive passive income if a customer you referred makes repeat purchases.
- Brand asset availability. Does the brand offer product photography, videos, or brand style guides for you to reference when sharing affiliate links on Pinterest? The Shopify Affiliate Program, for example, has creative banners in multiple languages.
- Direct links and landing pages. Some affiliate programs link shortening tools or redirect chains before the customer lands on their website. These links may be blocked, so opt for programs that post the destination containing your affiliate tracking code.
Popular affiliate networks for Pinterest
An affiliate network provides access to thousands of merchants across different categories, with commission rates varying by individual merchant agreements.
Pinterest works with four official affiliate network partners: Rakuten, LTK, Shop Style, and Amazon Associates US. You can also get affiliate links from other networks—including ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, Impact, and Rakuten—to post on Pinterest.
In June 2026, Pinterest launched the Amazon Storefront linking tool, which allows creators to link their storefronts and tag products in their Pinterest content. The platform will automatically apply their affiliate tracking codes to get credit for any sales they influence.
For Shopify merchants: recruit affiliates with Shopify Collabs
Shopify Collabs lets you run an affiliate program without any third-party affiliate software. Online store owners can:
- Find creators or send direct invitations to affiliates you already know
- Issue free samples and create orders in your Shopify admin for fulfillment
- Create affiliate links and discount codes for each creator
- Attribute sales to each affiliate to award commission
- Pay commission through the Shopify Billing system
- Automate your affiliate program with Shopify Flow
Moonboon is just one ecommerce brand using Shopify Collabs to manage its affiliate program. Some 90% of all new members apply through the registration page on its online store. It’s selective with who it accepts, working only with affiliates who align with its brand mission.
This strategy paid off: Moonboon’s creator network has helped drive more than $1 million in affiliate sales. Its program has an average return on investment (ROI) of 6.5 times.
“Shopify Collabs has simplified profiling and signing of new creators,” says brand director Robert V. S. Preuss. “The intuitive dashboard gives us a seamless overview of the affiliate program and general sales tracking.”
He adds that he loves the simplicity of the tool, which “helps us grow and scale our tactical lower funnel work with creators who are passionate about our brand and products.”
Setting realistic earning expectations
Your monthly affiliate income on Pinterest depends on four variables:
- Monthly pin impressions
- Click-through rate (CTR) from impression to your landing page
- Conversion rate from visitor to sale
- Average commission per sale
Here’s a calculation framework to help you manage expectations for potential affiliate earnings on Pinterest.
These numbers are not guaranteed results—they’re to illustrate how potential performance metrics could translate into earnings.
Scenario 1: new Pinterest account (0 to six months)
- Monthly impressions: 50,000
- CTR to landing page: 0.5% = 250 clicks
- Conversion rate: 1% = 2.5 sales
- Average commission: $15
- Potential monthly earnings: $37.50
Scenario 2: established account (6 to 18 months)
- Monthly impressions: 500,000
- CTR to landing page: 1% = 5,000 clicks
- Conversion rate: 2% = 100 sales
- Average commission: $20
- Potential monthly earnings: $2,000
Scenario 3: mature account (18 or more months)
- Monthly impressions: 2,000,000
- CTR to landing page: 1.5% = 30,000 clicks
- Conversion rate: 2.5% = 750 sales
- Average commission: $25
- Potential monthly earnings: $18,750
Find influencers to drive sales with Shopify Collabs
Shopify Collabs makes it easy to partner with creators, promote your products, reach new customers, grow your sales, and track affiliate performance all from Shopify admin.
Discover Shopify Collabs
*Based on a 2025 survey of 500 Shopify merchants conducted in English across Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States. Respondents were established merchants with two or more years on the platform. Results reflect the experiences of this specific sample and may not be representative of all merchants.
Pinterest affiliate marketing FAQ
Is affiliate marketing on Pinterest worth it?
Pinterest affiliate marketing is effective because more than half of users visit Pinterest to shop, and 80% of weekly pinners are inspired by its shopping experience. Pins also have longevity—60% of saves in Tailwind’s study were from pins over a year old—allowing affiliates to earn passive income on Pinterest.
Can you use affiliate links on Pinterest?
To share an affiliate link, make a Pinterest business account, create a new pin, and enter a direct affiliate link as the source URL. You can also direct people to affiliate-related content, such as blog posts or videos, to prime users before they purchase. Affiliate pins and other content should disclose affiliate links where it is required by law.
Can you make money on Pinterest with affiliate marketing?
It’s possible to make money online through Pinterest by sharing affiliate links on the platform. You’ll earn commission—the percentage varies by brand—when users purchase products through your affiliate link. To get started, create a Pinterest account, join an affiliate marketing program, and share your affiliate products and links in your pins.
Can you do Amazon affiliate marketing on Pinterest?
Pinterest allows users to share Amazon affiliate links. In June 2026, Pinterest extended its partnership with Amazon through storefront linking. Creators can connect their Amazon account and automatically apply affiliate links to Amazon products they pin.
How do you track Pinterest affiliate marketing results?
Use the analytics dashboard inside a Pinterest business account to see which pins are driving your traffic and earning you affiliate commission.
