The publisher inserted QR codes by section, rather than by product to prevent the experience from feeling too transactional. Because the QR codes link to Pinterest rather than, say Amazon, the experience feels more like an extension of the editorial, more akin to browsing than buying, according to Ianotti.

“People want a print magazine to be a print magazine,” Ianotti said. “With this, you still get that. The QR codes are present but quiet.”

Related video

Proving attribution

The Pinterest partnership aims to solve a key challenge for publishers in the affiliate space: people infrequently want to purchase in an editorial setting.

Real Simple gets no credit, or budget, if someone discovers a product on its platform but then buys it on Amazon weeks later.

Real Simple readers can pin products that catch their attention, according to Pinterest chief content officer Malik Ducard.

If they later choose to buy one of those products, Real Simple can prove its value as the original source of inspiration. 

“Publishers often leverage Pinterest to drive traffic to their brands and publications,” Ducard said. “This is a great example of a publication leveraging—in this case its print magazine—to drive to their presence on Pinterest.”

The tie-up is the latest in a series of partnerships Pinterest has inked with publishers. Last March, it signed deals with Tastemade, Condé Nast and Dotdash Meredith to produce hundreds of pieces of original short-form video.

And last June, Pinterest launched its Red Standard program to expand how publishers can monetize their audiences on the platform. 

Through the initiative, publishers can make money by funneling Pinterest users back to their websites, but they can also sell sponsorships directly on Pinterest and—as is the case with the Real Simple partnership— bring in affiliate revenue.

“The partnership makes the inspiration-to-purchase flow much more seamless than before,” Ducard said. “We think it benefits our Pinners and Real Simple’s readers.”