Tell me you’re seeing it, too—all the women on Instagram posting about how much money they’re making with their side hustle. Selling e-books, creating digital products, reselling MLR/PLR products, becoming an Amazon Affiliate… it seems like everyone’s jumping on the bandwagon. I was determined to do the same, hoping for a little extra spending cash to make my kids’ summer more memorable this year. Remember my blog post about courses? After taking a few of them, Amazon seemed like the easiest entry point. But, oh, Pinterest, how you failed me.
My Journey into the Pinterest Side Hustle
Pinterest is deceptively easy to use. The premise is simple: upload photos of Amazon products, write a straightforward title and a simple description, and then add your Amazon Affiliate link. Voila! You have an easy-to-find pin on Pinterest, potentially discoverable by millions of users who will hopefully click and buy.
I dove in headfirst, searching for products that made perfect sense for my target market: busy working moms. From clothes, shoes, and jewelry to kitchen essentials, tech gadgets, and even yard enhancements, I pinned eye-appealing items that I genuinely felt would resonate with the Pinterest audience.
As with any digital platform, it’s a numbers game, and Pinterest is no different. Whenever I found myself with an hour of free time, I’d either source and save items on Amazon or create pins on Pinterest. I got quite good at it, able to upload about 30-40 items in an hour. I was building momentum, gaining followers, and seeing people re-pin my content and even click my links. It felt like my little side hustle was finally taking off.
The Unexpected Suspension: A True Side Hustle Fail
Here’s what they don’t tell you: Pinterest doesn’t seem to like it when you upload 30-40 pins in an hour. A few months ago, my first account (pinterest.com/beyondkimshorizon) was suspended for “suspicious activity.” Despite sending a plea to Pinterest through their own system, I was unable to recover it, even though I had invested in advertising within their platform. Frustrated, but still hopeful, I created a new account (pinterest.com/kimshorizon) and started over.
Then, just today, Pinterest suspended my new account, again claiming “suspicious activity.” I can only guess the issue is the sheer number of pins I loaded within a short timeframe. I’ve already requested to be reinstated, but honestly, I’m not hopeful. To add insult to injury, my personal Pinterest account was also suspended, likely for the same reason although I wasn’t posting affiliate links there. This is a true side hustle fail.
While it’s easy enough to create a new account, it’s incredibly disheartening to lose all the work I’ve put in. Each time I was suspended, I had been building momentum, gaining followers, and seeing genuine engagement. Now, I’m left trying to decide if it’s even worth starting over. Would the third time truly be the charm, or would I just be setting myself up for more disappointment? It leaves you feeling pretty defeated.
My Hard-Earned Lessons from This Side Hustle Setback
This experience has been tough, but it’s also offered some powerful, albeit painful, lessons. If you’re considering a similar side hustle, especially one involving affiliate links on platforms like Pinterest, please learn from my mistakes:
- Limit Your Daily Pins: If you’re going to post affiliate links to Pinterest, it seems critical to limit your uploads to under 20 a day. My rapid-fire pinning was clearly a red flag for their automated systems.
- Account Recovery Is Unlikely: If Pinterest has suspended your account, be prepared for the likelihood that you’re unlikely to get it back. Don’t count on appeals.
- Diversify! This is perhaps the biggest takeaway. Never put all your eggs in one basket! If your one platform disappears, you’re left with absolutely nothing. This is especially true for income-generating activities.
Where Else Can Busy Moms Share and Discover?
So, where do we go from here? The good news is, Pinterest isn’t the only game in town! For sharing visual content and affiliate links, or for discovering amazing resources as busy working moms, consider these alternatives:
- Instagram: While primarily focused on photos and short videos, Instagram‘s shoppable posts and bio links can be excellent for sharing products and resources. Stories with swipe-up links (if you have enough followers) are also powerful.
- Facebook Groups: Niche Facebook groups focused on working moms, parenting, or specific product categories can be fantastic for direct engagement and sharing valuable content. Just be sure to adhere to the group’s specific rules about promotion.
- Your Own Blog/Website: This is the ultimate control center. A personal blog or website gives you complete autonomy over your content and how you monetize it. You can create in-depth reviews, resource guides, and directly embed your affiliate links without worrying about platform suspensions.
- Email List: Building an email list is invaluable. It’s a direct line to your audience that no platform can take away. You can share exclusive content, recommendations, and affiliate links directly to their inbox.
This experience with Pinterest has been a painful lesson, but it’s also been a powerful reminder about the importance of building a resilient online presence. While I’m still disappointed and defeated by this side hustle fail, I’m not giving up on connecting with all of you amazing moms. We’ll just have to find new, even better ways to do it!
Have you ever had a similar experience with a platform, or found a great alternative for your side hustle? Share your thoughts and any platforms you love in the comments below!