Can you really put an affiliate link on Pinterest and earn a commission when somebody buys something? Affiliate content can be used on Pinterest, but that simple answer hides the part that matters.
You cannot assume every affiliate programme allows every type of Pinterest promotion. You should not repeatedly plaster Pinterest with affiliate links. In the UK, affiliate advertising also needs to be clearly identifiable as advertising.
What Is Pinterest Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is an arrangement where you recommend somebody else’s product or service using a trackable link. If someone follows that link and completes the action required by the programme, you may receive a commission.
The journey might be Pinterest → permitted affiliate destination, or Pinterest → useful blog article → affiliate recommendation → merchant.
Does Pinterest Allow Affiliate Content?
Pinterest’s current commercial-content guidelines allow affiliate content but require original, useful content, transparency about commercial links and moderation rather than repetitive high-volume affiliate posting. Do not try to manipulate Pinterest traffic or its algorithms.
The Second Rule People Forget: Check Your Affiliate Programme
Pinterest’s rules are only half of the equation. The affiliate programme may have its own requirements covering approved promotional properties, social accounts, link formats, images and trademarks, paid advertising, email marketing, discount codes and link shortening.
Check both: does Pinterest permit what I am doing, and does my affiliate programme permit what I am doing?
Do I Need a Blog for Pinterest Affiliate Marketing?
Not necessarily. Direct linking may be possible in some circumstances, while a blog route gives you more room to explain, compare, demonstrate and build trust. For MoneySavvyUK, the blog route is particularly useful because the website already exists.
How UK Affiliate Disclosure Works
Affiliate marketing is advertising. UK ASA/CAP guidance says affiliate advertising should be obviously identifiable before people engage with it. A vague or buried disclosure is not enough; labels such as “affiliate” alone may not be sufficiently clear to consumers. Check current guidance for the exact context and make the advertising nature clear upfront.
How I Would Start Pinterest Affiliate Marketing for £0
- Pinterest Business — start with the free platform.
- Pinterest search and Pinterest Trends — free research tools.
- Canva Free — enough for basic Pin graphics.
- Pinterest’s native tools — enough to test before buying scheduling software.
- Affiliate programmes — many are free to apply to, although acceptance and eligibility vary.
Step 1: Choose a Topic Before Choosing Products
Start with the reader, not the commission. For MoneySavvyUK that might mean saving money, household bills, budget travel, cashback, budgeting or legitimate side hustles. Then find relevant products or services only where they genuinely help.
Step 2: Research Pinterest Search Intent
Do not simply make a Pin saying “BUY THIS PLANNER”. Research what people are looking for and create content around the problem or intention. Our Pinterest SEO UK guide explains the process.
Step 3: Create a Useful Pin
Give the person a reason to notice your Pin. The point is useful content around a problem, not merely shouting the product name.
Step 4: Design the Pin
Use a clear vertical layout, large readable headline, simple image and good contrast. Fancy design comes second to clarity.
Step 5: Write the Pin Title and Description
The title should describe what the person is actually going to get. Use relevant keywords naturally and make the advertising disclosure clear rather than hiding it.
Step 6: Send People Somewhere Relevant
If the Pin promises one thing, the destination should genuinely deliver it. Misleading clicks are bad for readers and bad for a sustainable content strategy.
Step 7: Don’t Spam the Same Affiliate Link
Do not turn “test multiple creatives” into blasting the same affiliate URL everywhere. Test genuinely different useful ideas over time.
Should I Use Link Shorteners?
Do not assume every shortened link works. Pinterest says some shortener services are not currently supported; if a Pin link is blocked, it can be edited. Also follow the affiliate programme’s own link requirements.
Which Affiliate Networks Can UK Beginners Investigate?
Examples surfaced during research included Awin, Amazon Associates and Skimlinks, but these are examples to investigate, not automatic recommendations. Check availability to UK publishers, whether your site or social account is eligible, whether Pinterest/social promotion is permitted, how and when it pays, and the current disclosure and link requirements.
What About Amazon Associates + Pinterest?
Amazon has its own programme rules, so check the current UK operating agreement and social-network requirements directly before publishing links. Pinterest permitting affiliate content does not override Amazon’s terms.
Direct Affiliate Pin or Blog Article?
This is not necessarily either/or. A direct Pin can be useful where the programme permits it and the product is straightforward. Pinterest → Blog → Affiliate can be better where the reader needs explanation, comparison, instructions, personal experience, several options or pros and cons.
How Much Can You Make?
There is no responsible universal number. Earnings depend on traffic, outbound-click rate, merchant conversion rate, commission structure, product price, tracking rules, refunds, seasonality and the relevance of the content. Do not publish promises based on somebody else’s results.
My Beginner Affiliate Workflow
- Choose one niche or problem.
- Research Pinterest searches around it.
- Find an appropriate affiliate programme and read its current terms.
- Check that your intended Pinterest promotion method is permitted.
- Choose a genuinely useful product or service.
- Create one original Pin.
- Write a search-relevant title and description.
- Use a clear advertising disclosure where required.
- Link only to a relevant permitted destination.
- Measure outbound clicks and affiliate conversions separately.
- Test another genuinely different Pin.
Pinterest Affiliate Marketing Mistakes I’d Avoid
- Assuming Pinterest permitting affiliates means every affiliate programme permits Pinterest.
- Hiding the fact that a Pin is advertising.
- Spamming the same affiliate link repeatedly.
- Creating Pins with little original value.
- Trying to manipulate traffic.
- Promoting products purely because the commission is high.
- Making income promises based on somebody else’s results.
Continue the Pinterest series
Start with the How to Make Money on Pinterest UK pillar. For search visibility, use our Pinterest SEO UK guide.
Disclosure: This guide is general information based on my research and experience and is not a guarantee of income. Pinterest, affiliate programmes and advertising requirements can change. Always check current programme terms and applicable rules before publishing affiliate content.