Let’s be honest—most of us spend more time on Pinterest than we’d like to admit. From dreamy home decor to easy recipes, it’s our go-to visual search engine for inspiration. But what if I told you that you can actually get paid to pin?
Yes, really.
No, you don’t need to be a full-blown influencer or have a million followers. In fact, the idea that Pinterest is only for big brands or bloggers is long gone. Today, there are real, practical ways for everyday users (just like you and me) to turn Pinterest into a source of income.
Here’s a breakdown of how this works—and a few smart Pinterest income ideas you can try today.
1. Affiliate Marketing Through Pins
This is one of the easiest ways to get started. You can create pins that link directly to affiliate products (think Amazon, Etsy, or ShareASale). When someone clicks your pin and buys something—you get a commission.
💡 Pro tip: Create visually appealing pins that solve a problem. For example, “10 Best Budget-Friendly Desk Lamps” can do really well if you’re targeting a home office niche.
2. Pinterest Virtual Assistant (VA)
Yep, people actually hire Pinterest-savvy freelancers to manage their accounts. As a Pinterest VA, you could get paid to create pins, schedule posts, grow traffic, and even write pin descriptions for bloggers or businesses.
You don’t need a fancy degree—just a good understanding of how Pinterest works and some basic design skills using Canva.
3. Selling Digital Products
Pinterest is amazing for traffic. If you have a digital product—like a printable, template, planner, or ebook—you can promote it through pins and drive people to your online store (Gumroad, Etsy, or your own site).
Many creators quietly earn passive income each month just by linking their pins to digital product pages.
4. Pinterest Creator Hub (Idea Pins Monetization)
Pinterest is slowly rolling out ways for creators to monetize Idea Pins (short, TikTok-style content). While it’s still limited to certain regions, it’s worth watching because Pinterest has started rewarding creators with performance-based bonuses.
If you already love making visual content, this could become a new income stream as the program expands.
5. Promoting Your Freelance Services
If you’re a designer, writer, coach, or virtual assistant, you can use Pinterest to attract clients. Your pins act like mini-billboards for your business.
For example: a freelance social media manager could post “10 Instagram Post Ideas for Real Estate Agents” with a pin that leads to their service page or portfolio.
6. Start a Blog & Drive Pinterest Traffic to It
This one’s a classic: use Pinterest to grow blog traffic, then earn money through ads, affiliate links, or sponsored posts. If your blog content is highly visual (home decor, fashion, DIY, recipes), Pinterest can become your #1 traffic source.
It takes time, yes—but the results can snowball if you’re consistent.
Final Thoughts
So, can you really get paid to pin? 100% yes—but it’s not about spamming the platform or going viral overnight. It’s about smart strategy, knowing what your audience wants, and offering value through content, products, or services.
Pinterest is more than just a mood board app. It’s a powerful, underrated tool that can help you build an income stream—whether you’re a student, stay-at-home parent, or someone just looking for a creative side hustle.
So next time you’re scrolling through Pinterest, maybe start seeing it differently. Not just a source of inspiration—but a platform full of income potential waiting for you to tap into it.