Pinterest has rolled out a feature to reward all of your creativity and amazing content, the Creator Rewards Program! Check out all the info on how to get access plus any other questions you might have.
I’m not going to lie, I did a little happy dance when I recently noticed that my Pinterest business account had “unlocked” the ability to monetize Idea Pins!
What I’m referring to is the Creator Rewards Program. The program is what Pinterest created as a way to reward creators for their amazing content, ideas, products, and inspiration they’re sharing with their audience.
This program is newer and a really great way for businesses to monetize their Pinterest efforts!
What is the Creator Rewards Program
The Creator Rewards is a program created by Pinterest and they’re paying content creators specifically for the creation of their original Idea Pins.
Pinterest provides different monthly reward goals and then if you’re eligible, you can submit your original content. If you meet the goals, you get paid directly by Pinterest!
Pretty cool, right?
Why Pinterest Created this Program
It’s no big secret that some business owners were less than thrilled when Idea Pins, formerly Story Pins, were announced by Pinterest.
This was mainly due to the fact that Idea Pins don’t have the traditional way of linking like Standard Pins or Video Pins.
This honestly is the whole point of Pinterest; to drive traffic to our website! So the real question became, why did Pinterest create this Pin format?
Well, people LOVE to be entertained and engaged, and Pinterest found that the best way to do that is through short-form videos. They didn’t discover anything new though – TikTok and Instagram have already been leading the pack with their video content. Instagram even went so far as to say they’re no longer a “picture platform”!
So it was probably pretty obvious to Pinterest that they needed to jump on the short-form video bandwagon!
Plus, Pinterest is public and businesses are using it to advertise. Therefore, Idea Pins are a brilliant way to keep people on the platform since they AREN’T linkable!
Pinterest is in this position where they not only need people to stay on the platform, but they also need to keep their content creators happy. So queue the monetization of Idea Pins!
This program, hence the name, is to reward creators! But is this enough for content creators and business owners?
Maybe not, which is probably why you can also tag products and affiliates in Idea Pins now. This is still not the direct link that everybody was probably hoping for, but it will have to do for now!
Who’s Eligible for the Creator Rewards Program
Want to hear some good news? I’ve noticed that Pinterest has actually altered its criteria for who’s eligible for the Creator Rewards Program!
Pinterest originally stated that you needed at least 1K followers in order to be eligible, but it’s been bumped down to 250 followers now.
Here’s exactly what Pinterest lists in regards to the requirements for eligibility:
- Use the Pinterest app on your mobile phone
- 18 years or over
- Be a legal resident of, and located in, the 50 United States or the District of Columbia
- Have at least 250 followers
- Have created at least 3 Idea Pins in the past 30 days
- Have 150 saves of your published Pins in the last 30 days
- Create original content
Bonus tip: if you don’t yet have 250 followers on Pinterest, be sure to still create Idea Pins, and make sure that your call-to-action is to follow you! Idea Pins are a great way to build your following on the platform!
Learn more about how to create amazing Idea Pins here!
How Do I Know If I Have Access to Creator Rewards?
As Pinterest has made clear, you’ll need to make your Idea Pins on your mobile device within the Pinterest app. The Pinterest app is also where you’ll be able to see if you have access to Creator Rewards.
The first thing you’ll want to do is open up your Pinterest app on your phone, go to your profile, and click on the “Creator Hub”.
Once you’ve clicked on the Creator Hub, if you have access, you’ll see the “Earn” tab.
I was also given a few different notifications as you can see below when I first received access, and then also a prompt about “new reward goals”.
How Do I Set Up My Creator Rewards If I Have Access?
If you do have the “Earn” tab, you’ll need to do two things before you can officially get started. You’ll need to:
- Confirm your identity
- Setup your payment method
I’m sure at least one of the reasons Pinterest needs you to confirm your identity is because there is an age requirement for the Rewards Program.
They’ll give you a few different options of what you can upload to confirm your identity. I personally uploaded pictures of my driver’s license.
Then, you’ll need to add a bank account, which is where they’ll deposit the money. I did have to upload an image that had my name, the account number, routing number, and also the name of my bank/logo.
This only took me about 10 minutes to do, and it only took that long because I needed my bank documents and driver’s license!
It was very simple and it gave very clear directions.
How Do I Submit My First Idea Pin?
There are monthly goals and bonuses and you’ll see that there are specific dates associated with each.
For my first submission, it had to be submitted between May 31st and June 30th. I could not submit an Idea Pin that I had created prior to May 31st.
Since I was excited, I created an Idea Pin right away and submitted it. As I speak, that was about 24+ hours ago and I can see that my submission is still “under review”.
You can learn more about the payouts and other stipulations here.
How Do I Make Great Idea Pins?
If you’d like more support with creating inspiring Idea Pins, well, I’ve got you covered!
I created a course all about Idea Pins! My Idea Pin Starter Kit is a streamlined mini-course workshop series with digital assets that will simplify the creation, strategy, and implementation.
This will not only help you make profit from your Idea Pins but also increase engagement and traffic for your overall Pinterest account.
Sounds like a win-win to me!
That’s a Wrap
Idea Pins are here to stay. I’ve said time and time again, that in order to have an effective Pinterest strategy, you need to be creating Idea Pins!
If you’re already creating Idea Pins, you need to take advantage of the Creator Rewards Program. Why not get paid for your hard work and amazing content?!
If you have access to the program, go get started today! If you don’t have access yet, keep publishing Idea Pins that are inspiring and engaging. This is a best practice for your Pinterest account and growth anyway!
If you need more support, be sure to check out my Idea Pin Starter Kit for a one-stop shop for Idea Pin success!
