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Creator Rewards Pinterest

Pinterest has rolled out a new program that directly benefits the Content Creator Community.

Beyond brand visibility and awareness, Creator Rewards Pinterest is affecting your bottom line, literally, with a monetization program.

You can make money directly through content created on Pinterest.

Creator Rewards Pinterest is a favorable shift for Content Creators who choose to create original content on Pinterest.

In this post I dive into:

  • What is Creator Rewards Pinterest
  • How to get into the Creator Rewards Program
  • Eligibility requirements for Creator Rewards
  • Does Pinterest pay Creators
  • How much does Pinterest pay Creators
  • How to access Creator Rewards Pinterest
  • What to expect with Creator Rewards Pinterest
  • Best practices for maximum earnings

Pinterest: A brief history

Pinterest has been around for longer than a minute with their origin story beginning in March 2010. The platform has evolved, changing shape, pivoting to adjust to changing technologies, and the social media consumption behaviors across their global user base.

The challenge with technology companies is that their lifeline depends on staying relevant and serving a unique purpose that continues to drive users to their platform overtime.

Since 2019 of becoming a publicly traded company, Pinterest now answers to their constituents, shareholders and stockholders that are invested in the financial health and wealth of the company.

To remain profitable and relevant in the fast-paced technology space, Pinterest wins when their users or more specifically, their Monthly Active Users (MUA’s) are happy and served well.

What is Creator Rewards Pinterest?

One way that Pinterest is heavily investing in the growth of their MUA’s is through the rollout of their new Creator Rewards Program.  This new program, not to be confused with the Creator Fund, allows for creators on the Pinterest platform to earn monetary rewards for specifically creating original content when certain content goals are met.

The Creator Rewards program started in the fall of 2021.  Since the start of the program, the rewards goals have changed and evolved as Pinterest has learned more about the effects of the program and whether their investment has driven fruitful results for the company.

The rewards goals outline the criteria for content and are essentially the rules that a creator must follow in order to have a shot at earning the reward.

Some goals include creating an idea pin that showcases a recipe using a banana that isn’t banana bread.

Other goals require a predetermined number of engagements in comments, such as three comments.

Recent goal challenges require idea pins to have a minimum of 100 saves in order to be eligible for rewards.

How to get into the Creator Rewards Program?

How Pinterest selects creators for the Creator Rewards program is unknown, however, there is a page on their website that allows a creator to apply.  The option to apply is not always available and visible on the page, and Pinterest directs creators to check back at a later.

Eligibility requirements for Creator Rewards?

There are a number of requirements to qualify for the Creator Rewards program.  These qualifications have changed and shifted from the onset of the program and therefore it’s reasonable to expect that as the program evolves, further changes will take place.

At the writing of this post, the Creator Rewards program is open through invitation only for those creators that have met the following criteria:

  • Use the Pinterest app on a mobile device – Creator Rewards is accessible through mobile devices only at this time
  • Be aged 18 years or older – age verification is a step in the application process on the mobile app
  • Be a legal resident of, and located in, the 50 United States or the District of Columbia
  • Have at least a 250-follower count – this requirement has been lowered from the initial 1,000 follower count requirement (likely due to Pinterest expanding the program to a broad range of Creators)
  • Have created at least three idea pins in the last 30 days
  • Have 150 saves of your published pins in the last 30 days
  • Create original content – Content is ineligible if watermarks from other platforms are in the idea pins

Additionally, requirements once accepted into the program will also include setting up and verifying banking details as well as verification of your identity.

Promotional image for Creator Rewards Pinterest for tidy with spark blog

How much does Pinterest pay creators?

The potential earnings on goals have changed since the beginning of the program.

Initial payout amounts for reaching a goal were higher such as $600 for creating one idea pin without any save requirements.

 As of April, and May 2022, the potential earnings on a goal have decreased significantly while the requirements for a save have increased.

Creators that have benefits from the low bar previously set by the goals requirements have commented that the rewards are not as beneficial or lucrative.

Content creators on TikTok and YouTube (@demarcusbsean and @yasi) have made videos specifically calling out this dramatic shift.

As of July 2022, the maximum amount of eligible Creator Rewards is $2,650 USD and this is also met with a participant cap as well.  A maximum of 7,000 creators can access these rewards.

To do some simple math, for the month of June, Pinterest could be on the hook for $18.5 million.

The shift in the reduction of payout amounts and capping the number of rewards is two-fold.

As a publicly traded company, Pinterest is reducing their liabilities so that they can better manage the program as well as manage the expenses in each given period.

How to access Creator Rewards (on mobile)

If selected, the option to apply to the program will be available on the Pinterest mobile app. Note, the Creator Rewards program is not accessible on the desktop version of Pinterest. It is only viewable on mobile phones.

Within your mobile device, the Creator will see two options within the Creator Hub, Hub and Earn.  The Earn tab will reveal a set of goals that once met, the Creator will be eligible for potential earnings.

What to expect with the creator rewards program?

The creation of the Creator Rewards program is a large investment that Pinterest is putting their energy into.

This is also a long-term strategy that Pinterest is using to win market share of the watch time and social media consumption across their user base.

Remember, this is no different than the programs that rolled out from other social networks to pay the creator economy.

Meta (formally Facebook) has a creator type rewards program for both Facebook and Instagram.  Youtube has their own program that allows a YouTuber to monetize and access ad revenue. Tiktok also has the TikTok Creator Fund.

I expect that the program will continue to change and the monetization caps will continue as the Creator Rewards are opened up and become more accessible to Creators outside of the United States.

Best practices for maximum earnings

The only pin type that is currently part of the Creator Rewards goal challenges is Idea Pins.

If you’ve been on Pinterest for a minute, you would notice that Idea Pins are heavily promoted and distributed on the platform, especially Idea Pins that post video content.  Short form video is queen and it’s here to stay.

In order to have the highest likelihood of earning the full payout for Creator Rewards there are several guidelines that must be adhered to.

Listed below are the five best practices to consider when creating content for the program.

Best Practice #1: Published Original Content

Content originality is critical especially since the purpose of this program is to entice viewers to stay on the platform as long as possible. If users see content they have already seen before, there is a higher chance that you lose that viewer’s attention.

Best Practice #2: Copyright Considerations

You must own the copyright on the published idea pin content. This means that the video content must be created and/or owned by you.  Any music connected to the video must also be owned by you. Otherwise, Pinterest will not grant any rewards earnings for your idea pin

Best Practice #3: Publish video content over static images

Short form video is the number one preferred way that social platforms see users want to engage with.  This means that a visually enticing image is not enough to grab the user’s attention as it once was in years past.

This shift is driving the challenge requirements on Creator Rewards content. Idea pins are required to include video content and often times a single frame of video is also not enough to successfully earn the rewards.

While a combination of video and static image content is acceptable, video content is the minimum bar you must cross to ensure the highest chances of securing the earnings.

Best Practice #4: Create savable content

The number one indicator of high quality, high engagement, and high probability for viral content is pin saves.

When a user saves a pin, this engagement signals to Pinterest that the content is something that is valuable, 

  • whether useful in solving a problem, 
  • offering advice, 
  • or giving the audience a step-by-step guide or roadmap to take on a future project.

Overall, when a Creator publishes valuable and savable content that inspires their audience and community to take some type of action, Pinterest is more likely to grant the challenge rewards. 

Best Practice #5: Create visually inspiring content

Even with all the best practices shared above, it is important to keep the fundamentals of Pinterest at the forefront of your mind.

Pinterest remains a visual discovery engine.

This means that creating visually inspiring content is the key to engaging with your audience and community.

Your ability to visually “hook” the viewer increases the chances of reaching the challenge goals to get maximum payouts. 

Conclusion

The boom in the creator economy is affecting how social networks are choosing to invest in their platforms.

If you’re one of the lucky few to be invited to the Creator Rewards program, I highly encourage participating especially if you already have a content creation strategy on Pinterest that would continue with or without gaining access to the program.

It’s a nice bonus to get paid amounts for doing something that you already do.

Plus, there is no guarantee of when this investment will cease by Pinterest.

We’ve already seen a major shift with the program favoring earnings limits and eligibility caps so start earning before it is gone!

Want to learn more about getting started with Pinterest so that you can start monetizing on Pinterest?

I created a free mini-course called Pinterest: A Beginner’s Guide with you in mind. Click on the button below to take a look.