Some of the top social media platforms for influencer marketing have turned to paying influencers directly from the platform. TikTok and Snapchat have each added their own Creator Marketplace platforms, and Instagram has already had its own through Facebook. Pinterest has followed suit with Pinterest Creator Rewards.
Pinterest has always put an emphasis on creating a community through exploring your own and others’ interests. The platform introduced a new way to share content with an eye toward creators who use their own personality and knowledge to build an audience on Pinterest and other platforms, too.
The idea evolved from Story Pins, which were similar to Stories on Instagram or Snapchat. What makes Idea Pins different from other social media offerings is that they don’t expire after a certain amount of time, and Idea Pins on Pinterest are often geared toward sharing a creation such as a recipe or crafting technique, instead of a peek into the creator’s personal life.
Pinterest Creator Rewards is a program that rewards creators for Idea Pins, or posts with which a creator presents a short video complete with text, audio and other features like stickers. Idea Pins can be used to tell a story in many unique ways.
You can get started with Pinterest Creator Rewards if you have a Pinterest business account, have over 250 followers, have created at least three Idea Pins in the last 30 days and have had at least 150 saves of your published Pins in the last 30 days.
Reward Goals
Pinterest posts new prompts for influencers to try, called Reward Goals. These Reward Goals are typically posted at the beginning of each month, and they challenge Pinterest’s influencers to show their creativity with the video tools to create an interesting Idea Pin. One Idea Pin can be submitted per Reward Goal, and each Reward Goal specifies its own requirements, payout amount and description.
Posts that meet the Reward Goals end up being used by Pinterest or other brands. This one, for example, features a user, @cynthiadhimdishair, sharing instructions on filming a video using features like the video timer and ghost mode. She also shows how easy it is to film each clip while creating an Idea Pin.
How to apply for Creator Rewards
Creator Rewards is only available on mobile devices. The program can be applied to by logging into your Pinterest business account.
Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner. Then, tap “Creator Hub” and “Earn” at the top of the screen. If you are using an Android device, tap “Apply.”
If you meet the criteria for Creator Rewards and verified your email, tap “Agree and Submit” to complete your application for Creator Rewards. From there, you can link your bank account and get ready to profit from your work as an influencer.
Competition for influencers heats up
Pinterest’s new feature is an innovative way to harness the power of influencers and the content they create, and it is a step that positions Pinterest to showcase the type of content that makes Instagram and TikTok popular. Pinterest keeps its own offering for influencers original by emphasizing content that focuses on techniques and information.
Pinterest began setting up for influencers with the 2021 debut of its Creator Fund, a $500,000 commitment that included new features for influencers, content guidelines and moderation tools. Pinterest added to that commitment a year later, putting $1.2 million toward creator resources for underrepresented groups. That announcement included the news that Pinterest would invest in creators in specific categories of content, such as fashion and beauty, in which Pinterest partnered with L’Oreal.