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Struggling?

The E-commerce world is changing almost by the minute lately. From Merchants having to pause programs because they cannot ship anything, to panic over budgets, commission rates slashed or set to zero.

While this is a very unusual set of circumstances we are all dealing with; there are some bright notes.

  • Some Merchants are stepping up and adding in bonuses
  • There are very profitable sectors with healthy affiliate programs
  • Now is a good time diversify your affiliate earning platforms
  • As a community, we are helping each other
  • Consumers are discovering this shopping from home thing is pretty cool.
  • Oh, and in about 7 months you better have a Baby site in place.. just saying

Commission Junction is making Network Consumer Trends Reports available – These are updated every Wednesday.
https://junction.cj.com/covid-19-network-consumer-trends-report

FMTC has partnered with Trackonomics to give daily updates on commissions changes in Affiliate Networks. You can sign up to subscribe to their email updates here: http://fmtc-7325025.hs-sites.com/affiliate-program-covid-19-updates

Rakuten Center has insights on current commerce and consumer behavior with specific global and category trends. this is updated weekly: https://rakutenadvertising.com/covid19/

Featured

Working from Home, A new reality for some of you :)

I have worked from home for 27 years..so after being thoroughly entertained by posts of those new to working from home I thought I would give you some tips and giggles.

  • The worst thing that can happen during your new office commute is you blow out a slipper in the hallway.
  • Loungewear..is the new uniform. Don’t call them jammies.
  • PC Gaming Headphones with their own mute function are your best friend!
  • Wireless headsets are MUST! especially if you have children. ( the look of shock when your sweet cherubs who are coloring on the wall see you get up from your desk to deal with them is priceless)
  • It is way too easy to just stay in your jammies..for days. Get dressed and prepared for home office work like you would for normal work..just skip the dress shoes and stick to slippers.
  • Team meetings fails on Zoom are a trending search lately. Don’t be one of those examples. Always mute yourself upon entering  ( both from your mic and the button in your conference screen to be safe. )No one wants to hear you arguing with your housemates.
  • Video IS optional place a sticky note over your camera, or disable it when entering a conference. If you are using your phone for conferencing disable the camera in the meeting settings. We really do not need to see video of you in the bathroom…please noooo. ( see Zoom meeting fails search)
  • Multiple Monitors are a must. If you are using a laptop you can add a monitor to your set up with a HDMI cable on most Macs and PC’s..you know that extra TV sitting around ..it works as a monitor too! 
  • Screen sharing meetings are pretty common now. For these make sure you are turning off all other applications so you can get the best frame rates on the video screen shares.
  • If you are the Presenter in a screen share – move any other applications to the opposite screen you are sharing- no one needs to see that private Skype pop into the screen share.
  • Working at home is a complete disruption of your schedule..specifically your eating schedule. Set timers for your breaks and lunch or you will find yourself skipping these and by the time we get back to going in the office you might have snacked yourself into a new
    size.
     
  • Get the best comfy chair you can- your body will thank you. When shopping for that new comfy office chair for home look at the ratings for both weight and hours of use. I love the Serta chairs – they are one of the few brands that have chairs designed for big and tall people.
  • Know your function keys..why you ask?..in case your new furry supervisor walks on your keyboard and suddenly your screen size has changed or you are typing in a different language. ( most common F11 pops you in full screen view  and the toolbar disappears)
  • Hydration is your friend, but it isn’t friendly with laptops and keyboards. Those travel cups are now your desktop coffee cup and all around drink cup. Think sippy cups for adults. I admit I or my furry supervisor cat- Shadow has helped to kill off several expensive mechanical keyboards and two laptops over the years.  

Got something to add?

Shadow, My supervisor
Shadow- supervising

Why Pinterest Still Wins for Affiliate Traffic and Conversions 

Social media is a popular traffic source for affiliate marketing but many people overlook the unique strengths and nuances that each platform has. 

Pinterest was founded in 2010 and has steadily built a diverse user base over time. In 2026, Pinterest continues to be a strong and relevant platform for affiliate marketing thanks to its large and active user base. 

Pinterest has around 550 million monthly active users and 275 million weekly active users, making up more than half of its overall audience. This is a big increase from 100 million active monthly users in 2015. Like the CEO claimed in 2024, people are coming to Pinterest more often and the lower funnel focus is driving strong results for advertisers. In 2025, their revenue totaled $4.2 million, increasing 16% year over year.

What Sets Pinterest Apart

Where Pinterest stands out for affiliates is how it functions differently from traditional social media. Unlike most social platforms where content can disappear within hours, Pinterest content can continue driving clicks and conversions for months. It also focuses more on keywords and search relevance compared to followers, which means even new accounts can gain traction if their pins match what people are searching for.

Most importantly, while other social media platforms primarily function as entertainment, people on Pinterest usually aren’t just casually scrolling. Instead they’re actually looking for products and inspiration, which is why the traffic often converts better than traditional social media. In fact, 85% of weekly active users make purchases based on pins. 

Understanding Pinterest as a Platform

Users search keywords for content related to what they want to learn, plan or buy. That changes how traffic behaves.

On Instagram or TikTok, content usually depends on engagement. Once a post loses momentum (which can happen quickly) traffic can disappear. Pinterest content tends to have a much longer life cycle because pins continue appearing in search results over time.

Pinterest users also tend to search with intent. Common searches are:

  • Product recommendations
  • Gift ideas
  • Budgeting tips
  • Home improvement ideas 
  • Beauty routines
  • Meal planning
  • Fitness programs
  • Money making opportunities

Is Pinterest Valuable for Affiliate Marketing?

People use Pinterest to plan future purchases, compare options, organize ideas and research products before buying. That intent is what makes Pinterest traffic so valuable, because users are already in a decision making mindset. 

Pinterest users are also generally more willing to click outbound links compared to audiences on other social media platforms. Pinterest was designed to send users toward websites, blog posts, landing pages, product pages and resources. This creates more opportunities for affiliates to drive traffic directly to offers or landing pages.

The long term lifespan of Pinterest content is another major reason affiliates see success on the platform. Pinterest content can continue appearing in search results for months or even years after being published. A single high performing pin can consistently generate clicks, saves and affiliate commissions long after its been published. 

Building Long Term Success 

Common Mistakes That Hurt Accounts

  1. Spammy or misleading pins
    1. Pinterest prioritizes user experience, so lean away from exaggerated claims or clickbait style content that can actually hurt performance. Pins that don’t match the landing page experience often lead to lower engagement as well.
  2. Overposting affiliate links
    1. Accounts that only push affiliate offers without providing value can appear overly promotional so it’s best to be balanced with educational, inspirational or otherwise genuinely useful content.
  3. Broken landing pages
    1. Like with any offer, sending traffic to pages that load slowly or no longer exist significantly impacts engagement and can also and negatively impact long term account trust.
  4. Inconsistent posting habits
    1. Pinterest rewards accounts that stay active consistently over time. Long periods of inactivity followed by excessive posting can make growth less stable compared to maintaining a steady publishing schedule.

What Pinterest Rewards

  1. Helpful and valuable content
    1. Content that solves problems, gives inspiration or helps users perform best. 
  2. Solid pin creation
    1. Creating new pin designs, updated graphics and fresh content variations helps maintain visibility in search results. Even if you’re promoting the same offer, new creatives can help reach different audiences.
  3. Consistent activity
    1. Regular posting shows that an account is active and reliable. Consistency often helps content gain momentum gradually over time rather than relying on short bursts of traffic.
  4. High quality visuals
    1. Pinterest is a visual platform, so using high quality images is incredibly important for performance. Use clear images, readable text and visually appealing layouts.
  5. Relevant keywords
    1. Like a search engine, keyword optimization is important for visibility. Using relevant search terms in titles, descriptions and boards helps Pinterest better understand and categorize content.
  6. Trustworthy links
    1. Pinterest values reliable destinations that provide a good user experience. Secure websites, quality content and relevant landing pages help build stronger account credibility.

Using Affiliate Links Effectively

The goal with promoting offers on Pinterest is not to force offers into content but to create content that genuinely helps users discover useful products or services that fit what they are already searching for.

High Converting Verticals

Several verticals already perform well on Pinterest, like finance, beauty, health and wellness, home products, fashion, digital tools, productivity, online education, and DIY content. 

Offers That Naturally Fit Searches

The closer the offer matches what the user is searching for, the higher the chance of converting. Stronger conversion rates usually occur when the content feels relevant and useful.

For example, budget templates fit naturally within finance content, skincare products work well with beauty searches, kitchen tools align with recipe content, and productivity software fits business focused searches.

Direct Linking vs Landing Pages

Affiliates commonly choose between direct linking and sending users to landing pages before the final offer. Direct linking can work well when the offer is relevant and the promoted brand already has strong recognition. In some cases, removing extra steps can improve conversions. 

Direct links can also create challenges, which is why some affiliates choose to link to landing pages, blog posts or videos.  There is also less control over the user experience, which is why many affiliates prefer using landing pages. They can allow for better tracking, email collection and higher conversion rates when used correctly. 

Quick Tips

  1. Batch create pins
    1. Instead of trying to design pins every single day, set aside focused time blocks to create them in bulk.
  2. Use templates
    1. Once you’ve got a few strong layouts, you can swap text, images, and colours for different visuals.
  3. Schedule daily content
    1. Scheduling helps you stay consistent so your content keeps going out without you having to manually post every day. There are several third party platform tools that allow you to do this. 
  4. Repurpose content across platforms
    1. If you have a high performing Youtube video, creating a visual and linking to it can drive new traffic and reach a new audience. 
  5. Leverage seasonal trends
    1. Seasonal content performs especially well on Pinterest. You can reuse strong ideas and keep benefiting from recurring search spikes.

Interested in trying out Pinterest as a traffic source? Sign up as a MaxBounty affiliate, enable the Performance Bonus in your dashboard, and start building campaigns that could qualify you for up to $10,000 in bonus rewards.

The post Why Pinterest Still Wins for Affiliate Traffic and Conversions  appeared first on MaxBounty+.

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Why DSW and other brands are pivoting back to ‘old’ marketing tactics

The phrase “what’s old is new again” doesn’t just apply to cyclical trends like low-rise jeans and flip phones, but marketing budgets as well.

Marketers are increasingly reconsidering more traditional and offline ad channels. Call it a pendulum swing in response to the rise of AI and digital saturation. As ad platforms roll out more blackbox, AI-powered ad solutions and the rise of so-called AI slop makes it harder to decipher human from machine-made content, some marketers are revamping their ad strategies.

Case in point: about 41% of U.S. ad buyers report they expect to increase their investments in in-person and experiential marketing, according to the 2026 IAB outlook study.

Continue reading this article on digiday.com. Sign up for Digiday newsletters to get the latest on media, marketing and the future of TV.

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