Here's a clear, engaging breakdown for "How Does Pinterest Pay You? A Brief History of Earning Money on Pinterest", ideal for a blog, video, or carousel post:

💰 How Does Pinterest Pay You?
(A Brief History of Making Money on Pinterest)
Pinterest isn't like YouTube or TikTok—it doesn't directly pay users per view. But that doesn't mean you can't earn real money. Let's break it down:

📆 A Quick Timeline: Monetizing Pinterest Over the Years
🕰� 2015–2019: Affiliate Links & Blog Traffic Dominate
Bloggers and creators embedded affiliate links in Pins

Traffic from Pinterest = monetized via ads, email opt-ins, or product sales

📌 Pinterest banned affiliate links briefly in 2015 but reinstated them in 2016 with stricter rules.

🚀 2020–2022: Creator Economy Rises
Pinterest launched Idea Pins and began beta monetization tools

Some creators joined the Pinterest Creator Fund (paid bonuses for engagement)

Still mostly indirect income (e.g., via affiliate or brand deals)

📈 2023–2025: Influencer Collaborations & Product Tagging
Paid partnerships became more common

Creators now tag affiliate products in Idea Pins

Pinterest integrated Shopify and eCommerce tools, helping creators monetize directly

🛒 Users could click on tagged products → drive sales → earn commissions

💼 How Pinterest Pays You in 2025:
Affiliate Marketing

Tag products from platforms like Amazon, LTK, or RewardStyle

Earn commission when people click through and buy

Pinterest Creator Rewards (limited availability)

Bonuses for high-performing creators (invitation-only or niche-specific)

Sponsored Content / Brand Deals

Brands pay creators to feature their products in Pins or Idea Pins

E-Commerce Sales

Sell your own products via integrated Shopify or WooCommerce stores

💡 Pro Tip for Creators:
Use a separate virtual card from Exocards (https://exocards.com) to manage spend on Pinterest ads, content creation tools, or to segment business expenses cleanly.