How I Use Pinterest to Make Money from Kenya (Even Without a Huge Following)


 I used to think Pinterest was just for recipes, fashion ideas, and home décor inspo. Until one day, while doing my usual “how to make money online” rabbit hole scroll, I stumbled on someone casually saying they make passive income from Pinterest. From Kenya. With no followers. That caught my attention.

At first, I was skeptical. I mean, we already have TikTok, YouTube, Fiverr — how does Pinterest, of all platforms, pay? But out of curiosity, I tried. And now I’m making small but consistent money monthly. Not millions yet, but it’s real — and it grows with time.

Let me break it down, in simple steps, just like I wish someone had explained it to me.

Pinterest is Not a Social Media App — It’s a Search Engine.

That was the biggest mindset shift. While platforms like Instagram or TikTok depend on trends and followers, Pinterest works like Google. People go there to search for ideas.

So instead of worrying about growing followers, you focus on creating content that shows up when people search for things like:

“Side hustles in Kenya”, “Budgeting tips”, “How to make money online in Kenya”, “Digital marketing tips”, “Simple recipes” — literally anything.

How I Make Money Using Pinterest in Kenya:

  1. Affiliate Links
    This is the easiest way to start. I signed up for affiliate programs like Jumia KOL, Amazon Associates, and Creative Market (for digital products). Then I’d create Pinterest pins that led to blog posts or product pages.
    For example:
    I wrote a blog titled “5 Cheap Gadgets Every Kenyan Content Creator Should Own”, added my affiliate links, and created a Pinterest pin for it. When people clicked the pin and bought, I earned a commission.

  2. Driving Traffic to My Blog
    Pinterest is now one of my top referrers. I take a blog post, break it into 1–2 catchy visuals using Canva, and pin it with a keyword-rich caption. For example, my post on “How I Budgeted My 10K Salary in Nairobi” got 3,000+ views on Pinterest and brought 400+ clicks to my blog. That’s 400 extra eyes on my blog — which later helped me apply for monetization.

  3. Selling Digital Products
    You don’t need to be a designer or a guru. I started by creating simple budget templates on Google Sheets and selling them via Gumroad. Pinterest became my free ad board. Every pin is like a small billboard working 24/7. People search, they click, they buy — even while I sleep.
    Yes, a Nairobian earning while sleeping — imagine!

Tools I Use That Cost Zero or Less Than 300 Bob:

  • Canva Free – For designing Pinterest pins (I use the 1000x1500px format)

  • Bitly – To shorten links so they look clean

  • Google Trends (set to Kenya) – To see what people are searching

  • Pinterest Business Account – Free to create, and lets you track stats

My Tips for Kenyans Starting Out:

  • Pick a niche you actually like. I tried blogging about forex and flopped. When I started writing about side hustles and real Nairobi budgeting, people connected more.

  • Use Kenyan context. Don’t just post “Best savings tips” — write “How I Saved Ksh 50 a Day in Kenya.” Make it real.

  • Be patient. Pinterest takes time. But your pins can go viral months after posting.

  • Join affiliate programs that work in Kenya – Like Jumia KOL, Payhip, SendOwl, or Digistore24 (they allow M-Pesa withdrawals via Payoneer or Wise).

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Starting a Successful Taxi Business In Kenya

Image
 How To Start A Successful Taxi Business In Kenya The Kenya's transportation industry has truly undergone a remarkable transformation. There is a transition in the modes of transport in Kenya as far as technology is concerned. There is the introduction of the digital ride that has gained great popularity in major cities around the state. The rise of Apps have made it possible for Kenyan drivers to get linked to potential clients without much of a hustle. However, one thing that i have found quite unclear in most sites is the requirements that one needs to meet in order to set the ball rolling. In this article I will dive into detailed aspects of getting your business rolling. I will detail the legal requirements as well as the strategies you could use to get yourself out on a more successful road.  Capital Required to Start In any business set up it is important to understand that you are going to need money to make money. During my research I noted that the breakdown of the t...
Read more

How I Stopped Being Broke Every Month — Without Earning More Money

  There was a time I hated looking at my phone after the 20th of every month. Not because I didn’t have bundles — but because I didn’t want to see my bank balance. I was tired of being broke. Every month felt the same. Payday would come, and for a few days, I'd feel like life was looking up — till that silent anxiety crept in again. Transport, a few mpesa fulizas, eating out, that “small” loan to a friend I couldn’t ask back… and just like that, I’d be back to zero. Sometimes negative. But here’s the kicker: my income didn’t change. What changed was my thinking. One random evening, I sat in traffic in Nairobi West, just staring out the window, calculating how much money I had wasted that week. Ksh 180 on a daily snack. Ksh 400 on random rides when I could walk. Subscriptions I didn’t even use. The numbers were adding up — just in the wrong direction. So I tried an experiment. No budgeting apps, no motivational finance quotes. I just told myself: Spend like someone who earns hal...
Read more