Plus how it differs from the Affiliate program
In 1996, Amazon launched the first online affiliate program, which grew into Amazon Affiliates. In 2017, capitalizing on the recent boom of influencers on social media, Amazon launched the Amazon Influencer Program.
In this article, you’ll learn what the Amazon Influencer Program is, how it differs from the Affiliate Program, and how you can succeed in it.
Table of Contents
How Is the Amazon Affiliate Program Different from the Amazon Influencer Program?
The Amazon Affiliate Program is available to virtually everyone and rewards you to advertise Amazon products on your platform. Once accepted into the program, you can promote the products on your platform. If people click on your advertisement or link and purchase the product, Amazon gives you a commission of up to 10% of the product’s price.
In contrast, the Amazon Influencer Program is an affiliate program that ensures that influencers who promote Amazon products gain a commission for their marketing effort.
It’s exclusive and designed for those social media users who already have a robust audience. It’s very similar to the Affiliate Program in how you earn money, but rather than a link to an item, it provides you with an entire storefront that you can curate.
The difference between the Affiliate Program and the Influencer Program is that you’re only allowed to share products on your website with the former. With the Amazon Influencer Program, you can share it anywhere you like.
How Can You Join the Amazon Influencer Program?
Influencers across any platform (mainly TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) can join. Amazon will then take some time to approve your application depending on four factors:
- Your follower count.
- Social media accounts on specific platforms (Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.).
- You have family-friendly content.
- Engagement metrics.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that you need tens of thousands of followers but that your followers should be engaged and willing to purchase products you recommend. Amazon also considers the type of content you promote and how relevant it is for their customers.
Influencers with many fake followers or those who gain attention through trolling or diverse tactics are unlikely to be accepted into the program.
How Much Can You Make With the Amazon Influencer Program?
There are two ways you can make money with the Amazon Influencer Program. The first is via commissions, and the second is through bounties.
Bounties are services or programs that Amazon provides that influencers can promote, for example, Audible. You can create a custom bounty on your storefront and advertise Audible. For every sign-up that follows from your storefront, you receive a bounty (this could be $5 per sign-up).
The average monthly earnings for influencers seem to be between $10 and $1,500. But, the amount you earn depends on several things, including the size of your audience and the type of product you’re recommending.
Commissions vary based on the type of product. For example, Amazon’s private fashion line grants a 10% commission, whereas gaming products only return a 1% commission.
How to Succeed in the Amazon Influencer Program
Succeeding in the Amazon Influencer Program depends on different factors, including:
- Building and maintaining an excellent relationship with your audience.
- Designing a good storefront.
- Recommending products or services that your audience will buy.
- Promoting your storefront effectively.
- Tracking your earnings and adjusting strategy as needed.
Let’s look at these factors in detail.
Having a Great Relationship With Your Audience
It goes without saying that as an influencer, your audience should trust your take on things.
To grow and maintain an engaged audience, listen to the needs of your followers and give back with high-quality, informative content relevant to your audiences’ interests. Once you create that trust, they will buy the products you recommend.
You should think about what your audience wants and needs and adjust your messaging to reflect this.
Create an Awesome Storefront with Relevant Products
If you’re already an influencer, you likely have a visual theme to your content. You will receive a unique URL from Amazon for your storefront. Use a style similar to your other platforms on your Amazon storefront and customize it similar to your social media profiles, which helps create a brand easily recognizable by your audience.
Next, you want to customize your recommended product lists to feature things that your followers like and are likely to buy. Take some time to think about this. You likely have a niche that you focus on with your content, so start there. What are some of the things that you use and would recommend?
Once you have a list of ideas, search Amazon using the relevant keywords to find specific products to recommend. Finally, organize these into neat lists and sections in your storefront so that your viewers can easily find things that interest them.
Promote Your Amazon Influencer Storefront
Once you’ve developed your storefront and think it will appeal to your followers, it’s time to advertise it. Unlike the Affiliate Program, the Amazon Influencer Program lets you promote your store in many places, including:
- Your website – for example, in relevant articles, on your About page, or on a specific recommendations page.
- Your social media About page – on Facebook, YouTube, or your Instagram or Twitter bio.
- In social media posts or stories
- In YouTube video descriptions
- In your emails
Track Your Earnings and Adjust Accordingly
Amazon provides you with a reporting program that helps you keep track of your sales commissions and bounties, which will tell you exactly which of your recommended products and services are performing best.
It’s essential to keep track of this and promote only the products and services people are interested in and purchasing. If you find that a few of your recommendations aren’t performing, consider switching these out with some other products. Popularity will change over time, so periodically assess and alter your product lists, and especially consider seasonal/holiday variations.
For further information, check out the Amazon Influencer Program Education Hub.
The Amazon Influencer Program is a game-changer for some influencers and can add to your yearly earnings with minimal extra work. For well-established influencers, joining the program is a no-brainer. If you’re a beginner, focus on growing your audience before signing up for the Amazon Influencer Program.
