- September 13, 2023
- Kaitlyn
How To Optimize
Your Pinterest
Affiliate Marketing Strategy
What good is affiliate marketing if you don’t have a strategy? And if you’re not optimizing, you may as well spend your time doing something else. If you want to step up your affiliate marketing strategy, I’m here to help! I am a social media manager and have helped many bloggers and side hustlers optimize their Pinterest for their affiliate marketing. Here are 13 steps to help you optimize your Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy!
Table of Contents
Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate your support! You can read my full disclaimer here.
Pick Your Niche
Deciding on your niche is the best way to make the most of affiliate marketing. While getting affiliate links to your favorite Amazon and store products might be tempting, it’s usually not the best way to make money long-term.
The fastest way to make money with affiliate marketing is by choosing a niche. This could be a specific type of audience (college students, working moms, people aged 55+), a particular topic, or a combination of both.
My niche is side hustles, specifically for women around the age of 20-40. So, while the topic of side hustles is pretty general, narrowing the audience makes it easier for me to get a higher conversion rate on my affiliate links.
Choose The Right Affiliate Programs
Just like I mentioned above, choosing the right programs is so vital for your Pinterest affiliate marketing success. Make sure you select programs that align with your niche.
If your niche is design, a link to 10% off of workout equipment most likely won’t perform very well. Look for programs that offer competitive commissions and have a good reputation!
Create a Pinterest Business Account
If you don’t have a Pinterest business account, go change that right now! Without a business account, you won’t have access to analytics, trend research tools, and other business-related features needed for your success as an affiliate marketer.
Execute Keyword Research
Doing keyword research is crucial for any success on Pinterest. Did you know that Pinterest isn’t a social media platform? Technically, it’s a search engine. So, the algorithm finds and categorizes your content based on the keywords in your pin and description. If you want your pins in front of your ideal audience, you need to do keyword research.
My favorite tool to execute keyword research for Pinterest is Ahrefs. But it’s pretty pricey. Coming in at $99/month for the basic plan. There are lots of other cheaper and free ways to do keyword research, though!
You can use Keywords Everywhere for as little as $1.25/month (it used to be free several months ago. Que rolling eye emoji). You can also use tools within Pinterest, like using the search bar. If the keyword pops up and has content similar to yours under it, that keyword is good to use!
Pin High-Quality Content
Pinterest really favors loud and colorful pins. The more it pops, the better! Create visually appealing pins that pop in Pinterest’s feed. Use high-resolution images, catchy headlines, and make sure you add your keywords in the description and pin!
I use Unsplash or Pexels to find my images. Even the images in this blog post I got from them! They’re free to download and use throughout your content.
I love using Canva for designing my pins. I can use and customize Pinterest templates and create pins within minutes. And I’m not a designer, so this is a fantastic platform for me!
Pin Regularly
While it may be tempting to create pins once every couple of months and then not focus on your Pinterest affiliate marketing, it’s not ideal. Because Pinterest is a search engine, consistency is critical.
You should pin regularly to keep both the algorithm and your audience happy and engaged. You can use scheduling tools like Tailwind or the free scheduling tool through Pinterest.
Create Boards
Organize your pins into Pinterest boards. Make sure you add your keywords to these board’s titles. Each board should focus on a specific topic or niche. This helps Pinterest organize your content and improve your Pinterest SEO while also helping your audience find your affiliate links much easier and faster.
Add Disclosure and Transparency to Pins
You need to add a disclosure when you add any affiliate links to your pins. I have a disclaimer page linked in the footer and a disclosure at the beginning of this blog post. So, be transparent about your affiliate marketing activities.
Pinterest requires that you disclose your affiliate relationships. Include a clear and concise disclosure in your pin descriptions!
Track and Analyze Your Performance
What’s a Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy if you’re not analyzing how well your content is doing? Use Pinterest Analytics to track the performance of your pins and boards. Pay attention to which pins are driving the most clicks and conversions.
Adjust your strategy based on this data! This could be pinning more or less, using more or less keywords, and what affiliate links you’re promoting.
Experiment With Promoted Pins
If you’re having difficulty getting organic traffic, consider experimenting with paid pins. Use Pinterest’s advertising platform to promote your affiliate pins. This can help you reach a larger and more targeted audience, increasing your affiliate links’ conversion rate.
Diversify Your Content
Don’t limit yourself to only promoting your affiliate products. Not only does this hurt your Pinterest SEO, but it leads your audience to distrust you. They may begin to believe that all you pin is just affiliate links, so there isn’t a reason to follow you for valuable content.
Share other information-packed and relevant content that your audience will find interesting. This can help build trust and engagement with your audience!
Engage With Your Audience
Don’t just pin and leave the platform! Respond to comments on your pins, engage with your followers, and participate in Pinterest communities. Building relationships is crucial for your successful Pinterest affiliate marketing strategy.
Stay Updated & Adapt
Pinterest is everchanging. So be sure to keep track of their policies and guidelines so you adhere to their rules and avoid any issues.
And if you’re not adapting your affiliate marketing strategy, what’s the point!? Pinterest is a dynamic platform, so be prepared to adjust your strategy as trends change and new features are introduced.
Conclusion – Pinterest Affiliate Marketing
Your strategy for Pinterest affiliate marketing should include keywords, eye-catching pins, boards, and preparation to adapt and experiment!
Remember that success in affiliate marketing takes time and effort. Be patient and continually refine your strategy based on what works best for your specific audience and niche on Pinterest.
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at hello@strivehustles.com.