Okay, so this is embarrassing. I used to think Pinterest was just where my mom went to find casserole recipes and bathroom renovation ideas. Boy, was I wrong.
Two years ago I was broke as hell, working retail and barely scraping by. My friend Sarah mentioned she was making “decent money” from Pinterest, and I literally laughed at her. Pinterest? Really?
But desperate times, you know? I figured I had nothing to lose except maybe my dignity.
What Even Is This Affiliate Thing?
So basically, you know how you’re always telling your friends about stuff you bought and loved? Like that face mask that actually worked or those jeans that don’t give you a muffin top? That’s essentially what affiliate marketing is, except brands pay you when people buy the stuff you recommend.
I pin products I actually use or would buy myself. Someone sees my pin, clicks it, buys the thing, and I get a small cut – usually like 4-8% of whatever they spent.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well… sort of.
My Messy Journey (Mistakes Included)
Getting My Act Together
First thing – I had to switch to a business account. Free upgrade, but suddenly I could see which pins people actually cared about. Mind blown.
Finding My Thing
This part sucked. I tried everything – food, fashion, travel, random Amazon gadgets. I was all over the place like a Pinterest tornado.
Finally realized I should probably stick to stuff I actually know about. For me, that ended up being budget home decor and organization hacks (thanks, tiny apartment living) and travel gear (I’m obsessed with finding the perfect carry-on bag).
Signing Up for Programs
Amazon Associates was my starting point because, let’s be honest, they sell everything. Then I branched out to ShareASale and Impact. Most applications got approved pretty quickly, which was a nice ego boost.
My Pin Design Evolution (Yikes to Yes)
Oh god, my early pins. I’m talking Comic Sans font, blurry photos, colors that hurt your eyes. Pure amateur hour.
Took me way too long to figure out that Pinterest loves tall, skinny images. And text needs to be readable on a phone screen – revolutionary concept, I know.
Now I use Canva like everyone else. Their Pinterest templates saved my aesthetic life.
The SEO Thing That Actually Matters
Here’s what nobody tells you – Pinterest is basically a search engine in disguise. People type in “small apartment storage ideas” or “budget wedding dress alternatives” and your pins better match that energy.
I started writing descriptions like I was talking to a friend:
“Anyone else living in a shoebox apartment? These storage ottomans literally saved my living room from looking like a tornado hit it. Under $50 and they hold SO much stuff.”
Way better than my original “storage ottoman affiliate link click here” descriptions. Cringe.
The Link Situation
Started by linking straight to products, but conversion rates were trash. Now I usually send people to blog posts where I can actually explain why something’s worth buying. People appreciate the context, and honestly, it feels less sleazy.
Always mention the affiliate thing though. “Some links may earn me a small commission” or whatever. Just be upfront about it.
The Daily Grind
This is where most people probably quit. Pinning 10-15 times a day felt insane at first. I’d batch create pins on Sunday afternoons while watching Netflix, then schedule them throughout the week.
Some days I wanted to throw my laptop out the window. Other days I’d wake up to notification emails about sales I made while sleeping. Those days made it worth it.
What Actually Worked (After All That Trial and Error)
Seasonal stuff is gold:My “cozy fall apartment decor under $30” pins still make me money every October. Holiday gift guides? Absolute money makers from November through January.
People love lists and comparisons:”5 carry-on bags that fit under every airline seat” performs way better than just featuring one bag.
Honest reviews win. I started including both pros and cons in my descriptions. Weirdly, being honest about downsides made people trust my recommendations more.
Email list changed everything. Started collecting emails with a free apartment decorating checklist. Now I can recommend stuff directly to people who actually want to hear from me.
The Money Talk (Because That's Why You're Here)
Real talk – the first three months I made maybe $73 total. I was ready to quit.
Month six? Finally hit $400. Not amazing, but better than my previous side hustle of selling old clothes on Poshmark.
Now I’m averaging around $2,000 a month. Some months hit $3,500, others drop to $1,200. It’s not consistent enough to quit my day job, but it’s covering my car payment and then some.
The weird part is pins I made last year still randomly make sales. It’s like having tiny little salespeople working 24/7.
My Biggest Screwups (Learn From My Pain)
- Tried covering every possible topic instead of picking a lane and sticking to it
- Made pins that looked like a 12-year-old’s PowerPoint presentation
- Linked to random products I’d never actually use just because the commission was higher
- Ignored Pinterest analytics for months (stupid)
- Missed the entire holiday season because I “didn’t have time” to plan ahead
Should You Actually Try This?
Look, I’m not gonna blow sunshine up your ass and tell you this is easy money. It’s not. The first few months are honestly pretty discouraging.
But if you’re already spending time on Pinterest anyway, and you’re not afraid of some trial and error, why not give it a shot? Worst case scenario, you waste some time making pretty pins. Best case, you build yourself a nice little income stream.
Just don’t expect overnight success. This is more like planting seeds and waiting for them to grow. Some never sprout. Others turn into money trees you never expected.
The key is starting somewhere, even if your first pins look like mine did (trust me, you don’t want to see them).
If you do try it, message me – I love hearing about other people’s Pinterest adventures, especially the disaster stories. Makes me feel better about my own journey.