1. Start with the Right Products & Topics
Success begins with relevance.
Promote products that align with what Pinterest users are already searching for.
Validate demand using Tailwind's keyword research tool to find good topics to cover with high search demand on Pinterest: https://www.tailwindapp.com/dashboard/v2/keywords/pinterest
Save the keywords you want to focus on. Tailwind will remind you to use them in your Pins, or even write the Pins for you with the keywords already embedded
If people aren’t actively searching for it on Pinterest, it will be difficult to gain traction.
One other note: Try to target evergreen products. Successful Pins will generate traffic for months or even years, so you want products that will still be available in the future - or companies that do a good job redirecting people to their new products as older ones phase out.
2. Build a Website (This Is Essential)
To see long-term success, you’ll need your own website.
Create helpful content (blog posts, product roundups, tutorials, comparisons, etc.).
Add your affiliate links inside your website content.
Create Pins that link back to those articles — not directly to affiliate products.
Pinterest rewards valuable content, not direct affiliate link drops.
3. Focus on Value First
Pinterest users come for:
Inspiration
Ideas
Solutions
Information
Your content should genuinely help the reader. The more useful your article is, the more likely it is to rank, get saved, and drive clicks.
4. Create Fresh Pins Consistently
Pinterest favors fresh content.
Start small: a few new Pins per day.
Gradually build toward 10–20 fresh Pins per day over time.
Create multiple Pins linking to the same article with different designs and text fields (Pin titles, descriptions, alt text).
The more quality URLs you have on your site, the more opportunities you have to create Pins.
Tailwind's SmartPin feature can automate drafting Pin images and filling in title/description fields for you using your target keywords — speeding up the process.
5. Be Patient (Pinterest Is a Long Game)
Pinterest takes time.
Your site must build trust.
Pins may take weeks or months to gain momentum.
The upside:
Once a Pin gains traction, it can drive traffic for months or even years.
Winning Pins get a lion share of the traffic - and big winners win big
Affiliate marketing on Pinterest compounds over time.
6. Boost Early Momentum with Turbo
Engagement signals matter A LOT to which content Pinterest decides to show users.
Using Tailwind Turbo (https://www.tailwindapp.com/dashboard/v2/turbo) can help you build momentum faster.
Save and comment on others' Pins in the Turbo Feed.
Visit the websites linked from those Pins and browse their content.
Add your strongest Pins to Turbo; the community will not boost weaker content.
The goal is to help your best content gain early traction.
Final Thoughts
Pinterest affiliate marketing works — but it’s not overnight.
Focus on:
Relevance
Valuable content
Consistency
Patience
Momentum
Do that, and you can build a sustainable, long-term traffic engine without paid ads.