Here’s everything you need to know about “How to Make Money with Amazon Affiliate Program”. Discover how to get started, post your recommendations, and make money with Amazon Associates program.
Before the pandemic, people searched ways to increase their earnings. Having a side business allows for this, with some capable of generating passive income, like affiliate marketing. Among affiliate marketing programs, Amazon Associates stands out as the best option.
Also check out my comprehensive guides on make money with Amazon, Etsy, Airbnb & eBay.
Let’s dive right in!
What is Amazon Associates program?
The largest online retailer, Amazon generated $524.89 Billion in revenue in 2022. About 45% of their market share comes from affiliate marketers, making it one of the world’s biggest affiliate networks.
The Amazon Affiliate program, also called “Amazon Associates” is the company’s affiliate program, allows content creators, bloggers, and marketers to earn money by promoting Amazon products. It’s free to join, and you can earn commissions ranging from 1% to 20% when someone purchases items through your website.
This program is suitable for both experienced and new affiliate marketers, offering a wide range of products to choose from.
How Does Amazon Associates Work?
Amazon’s affiliate program allows you to promote Amazon products to your target audience using a special link. When people click the link and buy within 24 hours, you earn a commission based on the product’s price. If they don’t make a purchase but return later using your link, you have a new 24-hour earning opportunity.
It’s important to know that if they order from another affiliate or place an order, the window ends. If someone adds an item to their cart using your link but doesn’t buy it, you can still earn a referral fee if they purchase it within 90 days.
How much do Amazon affiliates make?
Affiliate earnings depend on audience size, engagement, niche, and effort in digital marketing. Amazon affiliates can earn from $100 per month to six figures annually. The average salary for an Amazon affiliate is $55,434 per year. The top 1% earn between $111,500 and $121,000, while the lowest 10% earn between $16,500 and $26,000, as per ZipRecruiter.
Your earnings are also defined by commission rates. For Amazon affiliates, those rates differ between product categories:
Amazon also has fixed rates ranging between $0.50 and $25 for “special commission income” relating to service (rather than product) offers.
Amazon affiliate program requirements
To earn money from the Amazon Associates program, you must apply to join. To be eligible for the program, there are some requirements you must meet:
Enrollment and eligibility requirements:
- Site must have original content and be publicly available.
- Prohibited content includes sexually explicit, violent, or obscene material.
- Site should not promote illegal activity or collect data from children under 13.
- Amazon trademarks should not be used, and intellectual property rights should not be violated.
Special links and cookies:
- Special links are used for tracking and reporting income.
- A robust cookies policy is required.
Responsibility for the site:
- You are responsible for site development, operation, and maintenance.
Promotional limitations:
- Certain promotional activities are not permitted, such as using special links in printed material, ebooks, email, or private messages.
Distribution of special links:
- Special links cannot be used in client-side software or devices, including plug-ins, toolbars, widgets, television set-top boxes, or smart TVs.
Content guidelines:
- Restrictions on buying Amazon’s trademark or bidding on its keywords.
- Prohibition on hiding affiliate links or making it unclear that you are linking to Amazon.
- Offering rewards for purchasing is not allowed.
- Fake product reviews and generating fake traffic are prohibited.
These are the important Amazon’s associate program policies. Though there are many legal clauses, they mostly reflect common sense. Honest affiliate site owners should familiarize themselves with these policies for good practice.
Amazon Influencer vs. Amazon affiliate: What’s the difference?
Amazon offers different affiliate programs under Amazon Associates. Choose the standard program if you run a blog or website and plan to refer through articles or emails. For social media creators, Amazon Influencer is ideal, allowing them to build their own Amazon Storefront.
The follower requirement for becoming an Influencer isn’t specified, but even creators with fewer than 200 followers have been accepted. Give it a try and sign up, as there’s nothing to lose. Influencers can showcase products through shoppable lists, photos, videos, and live streams on their dedicated Amazon Storefront.
Who is Eligible to be an Amazon Affiliate?
Amazon welcomes affiliates globally. No registration fee or quota is required to earn commissions. Once approved, affiliates can immediately promote Amazon’s products. All you need is an appropriate platform for advertising their goods and services.
Website
Your blog needs a minimum of ten unique content entries, with the most recent one being within the past two months. It’s crucial that your content does not violate intellectual property rights, include explicit material, encourage violence or crime, or exhibit discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or age.
Social media
Active social media accounts with a minimum of 500 organic followers are eligible for the Amazon affiliate marketing program. Accepted platforms include Facebook (business or public group page), Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.
Apps
For mobile app applications, Amazon has specific criteria to consider. Your app must be free and accessible on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play stores. It should offer original content, be distinct from Amazon’s shopping app, and not include price tracking features.
How to Become an Amazon Affiliate
1. Create a Blog or YouTube Channel.
To be an Amazon Associate, you need an active website, blog, app, or YouTube channel. It’s helpful to have pre-filled content on your platform to make it look active and genuine to users and Amazon.
Remember, you should describe your website’s purpose during the application process. Have a clear idea of why you’re creating your site, who your audience is, and how you’ll attract traffic.
If you’re still figuring it out, these resources can help you make these important decisions:
2. Navigate to the Amazon Associates homepage and click “Sign Up.”
To become an Amazon affiliate, follow these steps: Go to the Amazon Associates homepage and click “Sign Up.” You’ll then be asked to log in to your existing Amazon account or create a new one.
3. Enter your account information.
Provide your account information, including the payee’s name, address, and phone number.
4. Enter your website address.
Provide the addresses of your website(s), apps, YouTube channels, and more.
5. Enter your preferred store ID.
Provide your preferred store ID (usually the same as your primary website name), describe the goals of your websites, and choose relevant Amazon topics for your links.
6. Explain how you drive traffic to your site.
Describe how you attract visitors to your websites, how you generate income through your website or apps, your usual approach for creating links, and the average monthly visitor count of your site.
7. Choose your payment method.
Decide if you want to provide your payment (credit card) and tax ID details now or later. Afterward, go to your dashboard.
8. Create Amazon Affiliate links.
After setting up your account, you’ll be directed to your personal Associate homepage. There, you can access your performance dashboard, which provides an overview of your earnings, monthly summary, and total clicks.
How To Create Amazon Affiliate Links
Amazon has strict affiliate link policies in place. To make it easier for affiliates, the site offers product linking tools to choose from.
Product Link Tool
You can create text or image links using this tool.
- Access the Product Linking tab on your Associates Central dashboard.
- Select “Product Links” from the menu.
- Assign an ASID (Amazon Standard Identification Number) to each item.
- Generate a new affiliate link by clicking the “Go” button.
- Create an image-only URL and explore additional options by clicking “Get link.”
Banner Creation Tool
This tool is specifically for making eye-catching banners to promote Amazon products and special deals.
- Access the Product Linking drop-down menu.
- Click on the “Banner Creation Tool” button.
- Select banners from a wide variety organized by size and genre.
Site Stripe
Most Amazon affiliates find the Site Stripe tool to be user-friendly because it allows them to create links directly from an Amazon page.
- Visit Associates Central.
- Select “Site Stripe” under Tools.
- Review the brief description and click “Learn More” to open the display settings window.
- Enable the feature by toggling the switch.
Amazon has a helpful FAQ page for link building. Once you have the affiliate links and images, you can use them in your marketing strategies.
How to Make Money with Amazon Affiliate Program
Applying for the Amazon Affiliate program and becoming an associate is relatively easy. The real challenge lies in generating sufficient sales to transform your passion project into a profitable income stream.
Here are a few tips on how to make money from the Amazon Affiliate program.
1. Choose a niche for your website.
If your website covers multiple topics like home improvement, beauty products, and novel writing, it’s not recommended to become an Amazon Associate. To maximize your affiliate partnership, select a single niche that you’re genuinely interested in and can consistently write about. This allows you to naturally incorporate product links without being overly promotional.
By focusing on a specific niche, your website gains authority and expertise in that area, making it more appealing to visitors. Additionally, targeting a niche with less competition gives you an advantage and avoids content that feels forced or unrelated.
2. Create TikTok and Reels
Static content is still valuable, but don’t overlook the power of Instagram Reels and TikTok. These platforms use smart algorithms to show users the most relevant content, leading to more clicks for you. To earn more referral cash, create videos on Instagram Reels and TikTok featuring the products you recommend. Demo videos and try-on hauls generate a lot of traffic when you showcase your favorite products.
Get inspired by kitchen organization videos on TikTok and crafting Reels on Instagram. These niches have experts who excel at monetizing their content with Amazon affiliate links. Remember to also share affiliate links in your Instagram and Facebook Stories, along with your regular posts.
3. Write product reviews and comparison posts.
One of the top ways to earn money as an Amazon Associate is by writing product reviews and comparison posts. This allows you to link to the products you’re reviewing. The best part? These posts usually attract people who are ready to buy or are close to making a purchase.
After all, why would someone look for a review if they didn’t plan to buy the product?
Comparison posts are especially effective because they offer multiple options. If a visitor doesn’t like one product, you provide them with alternative choices. It’s a win-win situation that drives more referrals to Amazon.
4. Blog consistently.
A key aspect of a successful Amazon Affiliate strategy is having a blog that allows you to incorporate product mentions and links. To achieve this, it’s important to maintain a consistent blogging schedule.
Aim for one high-quality blog post per week, as quality matters more than quantity. By writing two well-researched posts each month, you can potentially drive more targeted traffic to Amazon compared to writing eight poorly-written posts.
Develop a content marketing plan to create blog posts that are relevant to your niche. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the basics of SEO to optimize your website for online search.
5. Make product recommendations on YouTube
Instagram and TikTok are popular, but that doesn’t mean YouTube should be overlooked. YouTube is the second most-used social platform globally, with users spending nearly 24 hours a month on it. What makes YouTube appealing for Amazon affiliates is how people use it. Users often search for in-depth comparisons, demonstrations, and how-to videos. The platform allows for longer videos, giving creators the chance to provide detailed answers. While YouTube may be more competitive, it offers opportunities to reach users ready to make significant purchases, potentially leading to higher earnings in the long term.
6. Create a storefront on your website.
You don’t have to rely solely on editorial mentions to drive referrals to Amazon. Instead, you can create a storefront that functions as an online store, with every link directing to Amazon. Storefronts are low-maintenance and require minimal content writing. Visitors can easily browse through the products, and the links are prominently displayed. Just remember to check the links monthly to ensure your storefront is driving referrals effectively. Occasionally, product pages may change or be removed from Amazon, so it’s important to ensure all products are still available on the retailer’s website.
7. Promote your website
To drive referrals and earn commission from Amazon, you need traffic. Writing quality content, mastering SEO, and developing a content marketing strategy are important, but it’s crucial to cover all your bases.
Consider investing in paid social ads and pay-per-click ads on Google. While advertising may seem costly, it can actually be affordable, especially with the pay-per-click model. You only pay when someone clicks on your ads, and the best part is that you can set a budget to avoid excessive charges. It’s a simple way to generate traffic for your site. Just create appealing ad visuals using a tool like Canva.
8. Promote with Pinterest Pins
Users visit Pinterest for inspiration, whether it’s for fashion, crafting, or interior design. This makes it a hub for carefully curated product suggestions created by smart shoppers like yourself.
The advantage of sharing your Amazon recommendations on Pinterest is that you don’t need to create video content (although doing so might attract more clicks). Instead, create visually appealing static Pins that direct users to your website, blog, or social media accounts.
Tip: Make sure your Pinterest images are optimized for the platform. Pinterest suggests using a 2:3 aspect ratio or dimensions of 1,000 x 1,500 pixels for static Pins.
9. Write gift guides
Bloggers and journalists have always been the experts in affiliate marketing, especially as Amazon Associates. Craft blog posts featuring gift guides, and lists of your favorite items. This will increase the exposure of your product links.
Guide your followers to your website content through social media and email. Additionally, learn some basic search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to ensure your website appears in Google search results when people look for related terms. Enhance your SEO skills to maximize the impact of your non-social content.
10. Go after higher paying categories or events
Target high-commission categories on Amazon to maximize your earnings with less effort. These categories include Amazon Games, luxury goods, physical books, kitchen products, and automotive products (4.5% to 20% commission).
Consider creating gaming content for a 20% commission boost. Additionally, sign-ups for Audible and Kindle paid memberships offer the highest bounties (up to $25 per sign-up). Join the #booktok trend and explore the world of reading. Remember to check Amazon’s commission rates regularly for updates before choosing your focus.
How to Choose Amazon affiliate products to promote
- People buy a wide range of products on Amazon, so you can find relevant products to promote for your website’s niche.
- Start by checking the Best Sellers page and selecting a product category that aligns with your website’s theme.
- Focus on products closely related to your niche to target visitors who are specifically interested in those items.
- Choose middle-priced items to promote for a balance between commission and sales potential.
- Aim for products in the price range of $50 to $200 for better commissions and higher chances of selling.
- Ensure you promote high-quality products by paying attention to customer reviews and ratings.
Amazon affiliate tips and tricks
- Include multiple affiliate links in your posts and articles to increase the chances of people clicking on them.
- Make product images clickable to enhance user experience and boost click-through rates.
- Refer as many people as possible to Amazon through your affiliate links to increase potential sales and earnings.
- Prepare and focus on the holiday season, which tends to have higher search traffic and conversion rates.
- Pay attention to your website layout, ensuring mobile compatibility, easy access to affiliate links, and a clean design.
- Consider using a custom WordPress theme and plugins like EadsyAzon to streamline the process of finding and posting affiliate links and images.
What Are the Amazon Associates Guidelines?
Adhere to the Associates Program Policies to maintain your associate status. Familiarize yourself with the guidelines to prevent policy violations that could result in account termination.
There are many rules to follow, but here are the basics to keep in mind:
avoid account deactivation.
Apply as an Amazon affiliate when your website has steady traffic to increase your chances. If your first attempt fails, you can reapply later. Avoid ordering with your affiliate link to prevent account suspension.
Use Amazon affiliate disclosure.
Amazon Associates mandates that affiliates disclose their partnership on their websites, in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s regulations. It is essential to include a clear and easily understandable disclaimer. For the convenience of associates, Amazon approves the following concise statement as an acceptable disclaimer: “I earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate.”
Avoid masking Amazon affiliate links.
Amazon doesn’t allow link cloaking because transparency is important to the company. Using a URL shortener just for readability is not beneficial. If you’re using an affiliate plugin to automatically insert affiliate links into your content, make sure to disable cloaking in the plugin settings.
Avoid specifying prices for promotional products.
Amazon prohibits affiliates from specifying pricing on promotional products to prevent the spread of false information. Instead, you can use a price reference system ($, $$, $$$) to indicate the cost level. Another option is to utilize the Amazon Associates API, which automatically updates the price in real-time if changes occur on Amazon.
Avoid downloading Self-Hosted Product Images from Amazon.
If you download a product image from Amazon, you can’t host it on your server. However, if you create an image-and-link from the site or API, you can use the image on your marketing platforms as long as it loads from Amazon’s servers.
You can also use your own photos, but you can’t directly add an affiliate link to them. Instead, you can include a custom button with your Amazon affiliate link next to the image.
Be Careful When Promoting affiliate links.
Amazon prohibits using their affiliate links on certain promotional materials such as offline marketing supplies, emails, eBooks, PDFs, and private Facebook groups.
Amazon affiliate marketing FAQs
How much do Amazon affiliates make?
Amazon affiliates get paid $100 to $20,000 in the Amazon affiliates program on average. The payments will depend on how many referrals you generate for Amazon. The Amazon affiliates program runs on a commission basis, which means you make a percentage of every sale you commission.
What percent do you get with Amazon affiliate?
Amazon has fixed standard commission income rates for specific products. The percent you get as an Amazon affiliate will depend on the product. For example, shoes, handbags and accessories will get you a 4% commission, while Amazon games will get you a 20% commission.
How do Amazon Associates get paid?
Amazon Associates get paid by direct deposit. You’ll automatically receive the funds in your bank account. Alternatively, you can opt to receive an Amazon gift card or a check by mail.
When do Amazon Associates get paid?
Amazon Associates get paid monthly, but there’s a catch: you get paid 60 days after the end of the month you’re getting paid for. For instance, you’ll get paid at the end of March for the commission you earned in January.
Start making Money Amazon Affiliate Program Today
The Amazon Affiliate program offers a great opportunity to generate passive income by turning your hobby into a money-making venture. Select a specific topic, create content focused on products, and incorporate relevant affiliate links. By following these steps, you can significantly increase your earnings through the Amazon Affiliate program.
