You can absolutely make money on Pinterest, but the part people skip is: Pinterest is just traffic. The money happens off Pinterest.
Since @himmelsjager already laid out the standard playbook, I’ll hit things from a slightly different angle and poke a couple of holes in the usual advice.
1. Pick the offer first, not the “path”
I slightly disagree with “pick a money path first.”
I’d say: pick one specific offer first.
Examples:
- “$17 Notion template for freelancers”
- “30-minute wardrobe audit call”
- “Beginner crochet course”
- “Amazon picks: everything you need for your first apartment”
THEN decide if that offer should live:
- on a blog
- on Etsy/Gumroad
- as a simple checkout page
- as a lead magnet → email funnel → product
Most people spin forever on “blog vs Pinterest vs Etsy.” The only real question is: what are you selling and why should anyone care right now?
2. Think in “Pinterest funnels,” not random pins
Instead of “post consistently,” build one tiny funnel at a time:
Example funnel:
- Pin: “Free 7‑day meal plan for busy beginners”
- Landing page: collects email, delivers free PDF
- Email sequence:
- Day 1: send meal plan + story
- Day 2: teach something useful
- Day 3: soft pitch $9 printable bundle
- Day 5: stronger pitch with bonus expiring
Your goal: get cold Pinterest traffic into a warm email list where you can actually sell, instead of relying on the random person buying on first click. Most will not.
You only need one funnel working to start earning. Then clone the idea into more niches / topics.
3. Stop “posting” and start A/B testing
What almost no one does: deliberate testing.
Grab one offer and:
-
Create 5 to 10 different angles for the same thing:
- “For beginners”
- “For busy moms”
- “For students”
- “For over 40”
- “On a budget”
-
Watch which angle gets the most outbound clicks, not just impressions.
-
Then rebuild your landing page so it matches the angle that wins.
You don’t need more pins. You need pins that match intent.
4. What actually works right now by model
Affiliate links
Real talk:
- Direct‑to‑affiliate from Pinterest still works in some niches (home decor, fashion, Amazon stuff).
- Your odds go way up if:
- You focus on “best X for Y” type content.
- You build trust with a short review or comparison, not just “shop this.”
Underrated trick:
Use Pinterest to push to comparison pages you control:
- “I tested 5 budget blenders under $50”
That style sells better than a lonely affiliate link in a pin description.
Blogs
Blog is worth it only if:
- You’re OK with this being a 6 to 12 month game.
- You’re willing to learn basic formatting, internal links, and make your posts skimmable for mobile.
Don’t start a blog full of random lifestyle posts. Start with:
- 10 to 20 posts tightly focused on one outcome.
- Each post solves one clear problem that is pin-able:
- “how to start…”
- “checklist for…”
- “mistakes to avoid when…”
Digital products
This is where Pinterest shines right now:
- Printables
- Planners
- Trackers
- Templates
- Simple mini-courses
But: expecting cold Pinterest traffic to a product page to convert well is optimistic. If you’re seeing under 1 percent conversion, that’s normal, not a failure.
So:
- Use freebie → email → product.
- Or bundle small products and make the perceived value huge compared to price.
Services
Underrated and faster to money than everything else if you have a skill:
- Pinterest → portfolio / booking page is a simple route.
- Example niches:
- Pinterest manager
- Brand design
- Social media templates
- Virtual assistant
- Meal planning coach
- Budgeting coach
Create pins like:
- “Done‑for‑you Pinterest setup in 7 days”
- “I’ll organize your kitchen so you stop wasting money on groceries”
You don’t need thousands of clicks for services. You need a tiny number of the right people.
5. Fix your “money page” with brutal honesty
Before worrying about 10 more pin designs, ask:
- When someone lands, is it instantly obvious:
- what this is
- who it’s for
- what they should do next
If your page has:
- 9 things to click
- no strong headline
- no urgency
- stock photos that scream “generic”
You’re leaking every click Pinterest gives you.
Simplify:
- One big hook
- One main button
- Minimal distractions
6. Simple 30‑day plan to stop spinning your wheels
Here’s a realistic starter plan that doesn’t rely on heroic daily output:
Week 1
- Decide 1 offer.
- Build 1 landing page or product page that you’re not completely embarrassed by.
- Write a 3‑email sequence if you’re collecting emails.
Week 2
- Research 20 to 40 Pinterest keyword phrases related to your offer.
- Create 15 to 20 pins for that one offer, with different hooks and angles.
Week 3
- Post 2 to 5 pins per day from that set.
- Start tracking:
- outbound clicks
- saves
- Ignore impressions.
Week 4
- Double down on the hooks that got clicks.
- Make 10 more pins using the winning style and angle.
- Tweak your landing page copy to match the angle that’s winning.
Then repeat the cycle with either:
- a second offer in the same niche
or - a better, improved version of your first offer.
If you share:
- what niche you’re in
- what you’re currently sending traffic to
- whether you’re trying to make $100/month or $1k+
people can sanity‑check whether you have a traffic problem, an offer problem, or a conversion problem. Right now you might be trying all the structures (blog, affiliates, digital products) without one clear “Pinterest → page → money” flow.