Mastering Amazon Associates

It’s easy to make money with Amazon Associates! If you are a website owner or blogger, you came to the right place.

If you’re already selling on Amazon, there’s another way you can earn money: through Amazon Associates. This is a free, Amazon affiliate marketing program for website owners and bloggers.

allows you to add some income to your business by promoting Amazon products on your website, blog, or social media. But how does it work, and how can you get started?

Below, we will let you know who can apply to become an Amazon affiliate, and how the program works.

What is Amazon Associates?

Amazon Associates allows you to earn commissions by promoting products on your website or social media by creating Amazon affiliate links. When your readers click on the links and buy those products from Amazon, you earn referral fees.

Starting an affiliate business is a simple way to either monetize your online presence, or to add an extra source of income without selling.

If you are a product-based store, you can find niche-aligned Amazon associates products and include it in your store. Or if you are a micro-influencer, you can find something your audience cares about and wants to buy and start promoting it.

How Much Do Amazon Associates Get Paid?

One of the first questions you might have is, “How much can I actually make?” Well, Amazon pays affiliates based on the products they promote and sell through their unique affiliate links.

The Amazon Associates commission rates vary depending on the product category. Here are some examples of what you can expect:

Luxury Beauty Products – Up to 10% commission
Home and Garden Products – Around 5% commission
Video Game Consoles – About 1% commission

These rates might seem low, but remember that Amazon has millions of products. Plus, if someone clicks your affiliate link and buys anything within 24 hours (not just the product you linked to), you’ll earn a commission on that sale.

So, even small commissions can add up quickly, especially if you have a strategy to attract people to click on your links.

Amazon Associates vs Amazon Influencers

The Amazon Associates program is for anyone who wants to earn a commission by sharing Amazon product links on a website, blog or social media. In contrast, the Amazon Influencer program is best suited for people with a big social media following.

Amazon influencers can set up custom Amazon pages with products they recommend. They can share these pages with their followers, and if customers follow their endorsements, they get a referral fee from Amazon.

One key benefit of Amazon Associates, however, is that you can monetize your online presence with little effort. You don’t necessarily need to invest in a partnership to make it work. You can promote products through your own channels and still earn commission rates.

How Does Amazon Associates Work?

Amazon associates is a relatively easy affiliate program, all you need to do is:

Follow the Guidelines

Read the rules of the Amazon Associate Program carefully. Here are some crucial rules to keep in mind:

You must be eligible to earn from your recommendations.
You must state on your channels that you earn referrals from purchases.
Don’t make false claims in your recommendations.
Avoid referring to prices.
Do not use Amazon Affiliate links in offline promotions, eBooks, and emails.
Do not use link shorteners.
Make sure that you suggest products according to the topic of each of the channels that you use. For example, if your website is about cooking for busy people, you should promote kitchen appliances that help make cooking easy.

Last but not least, recommend products carefully. Don’t endorse any random product just to earn money. Don’t promote something you wouldn’t buy as a consumer. You’ll lose credibility with your visitors and your website traffic will drop if you do.

If you don’t have experience with the particular product, at least check some reviews to know others’ experience with it.

Sign Up

To get started, head over to the Amazon Associates website and sign up for a free account. You must have a website, blog, or YouTube channel to become an Associate.

You’ll also need to provide some information about your channel. For instance:

Name, address and contact details
The purpose of your website
Your preferred store ID for the channel
Your target audience
How you drive traffic to your channel

Get Approved

Amazon reviews all applications to make sure your platform follows their guidelines. You don’t need a fancy website, but it should have some content and be active.

Once you submit your details, wait for the call from Amazon. They will ask you to input a four-digit code, then your account will be approved.

Choose a payment method and enter your credit card and tax information. You also need to choose whether you want to pay immediately or later..

After that, you’ll get access to your personal Associate homepage. Here you’ll find your performance dashboard, including earning overview, monthly summary, and total clicks

Get Affiliate Links

Once you’re approved, you can browse millions of products on Amazon and generate your unique affiliate links to share.

Make sure to log in to your Amazon Associate Program account to ensure that the product links match your account and channels.
Click on “Product Linking” on the top navigation bar of your Associates account and select “Product Links”. This will take you to a page where you’ll create your links.
Enter the ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) of a product or Search Amazon’s catalog for a product using a keyword.
Verify that you have the correct product; then click the “Go” button.
Click the “Get Link” button on the right side to copy the Amazon Affiliate link of that product to your clipboard. You can now use that link across your channels to promote the product, and you will earn referrals when people buy through that link.

Add these links to your blog posts, social media pages, YouTube descriptions, or email newsletters. The more places you promote them, the better.

You can also add multiple links and linkable photos in your promotional content. Readers prefer to click on contextual links and linked photos rather than on ads.

Earn Commissions

When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase on Amazon within 24 hours, you earn a commission on that sale. Even if they don’t buy the exact product you linked to, you’ll still earn a commission on anything they purchase during that session.

Affiliate income depends on how many visitors you can convert. So, make sure you build traffic and a good funnel to earn more money.

Amazon provides some ad scripts that you can use on your channels to promote the products you choose. You can use these or create your own. And remember to include an affiliate, per the FTC blog disclosure and guidelines and GDPR.

How to Make the Most of Amazon Associates

If you want to make steady money through Amazon Associates, having a strategy is key. Here are some tips to help you maximize your earnings:

Focus on SEO

Use relevant keywords in your blog posts and product reviews. This will help your content rank higher in search engines and attract more traffic.

Pick a Niche

Focus on a specific niche that you know well or that aligns with your current Amazon business. For example, if you’re selling kitchen gadgets, you can use your website to promote related products like recipe books, cooking tools, or small appliances.

Create Helpful Content

People trust recommendations when they come from a reliable source. So, if you want to build a long term strategy for your Amazon Associate efforts, you need to build authority.

Write detailed product reviews, “how-to” guides, or product comparisons to highlight the benefits of various items. This not only adds value to your readers but also increases the chances of them clicking on your affiliate links.

Promote High-Commission Products

While you can promote anything on Amazon, choosing items with higher commission rates, like luxury beauty products or home goods, can maximize your earnings.

You can also promote Amazon offers. In that way, you and your customers will both benefit from the Amazon Associates Program.

Share on Multiple Platforms

Don’t limit yourself to just your website. Share Amazon Affiliate links on your blog, in YouTube videos, or across social media channels to reach a wider audience. However, make sure you keep in mind each platforms’ policies regarding affiliate links.

Use Product Comparison Posts

People often look for comparisons before making a purchase. Create posts that compare similar products, listing the pros and cons of each. Include affiliate links for each product, so readers can choose the one that suits them best.

You can also discuss and promote accessories. Many products work best with or are enhanced by accessories and other products. You can promote those related items on your site alongside the main ones to increase your income.

Include Clear Calls-to-Action

Encourage your readers to click on your affiliate links by including strong calls-to-action, such as “Check the latest price on Amazon” or “See customer reviews on Amazon.”

Track Your Performance

Always check on what’s getting clicked on your website, what’s being sold, and what your market wants and is paying for.

Amazon Associates provides detailed analytics that show which links are generating clicks and sales. Use this data to see which products are performing well and which content strategies are most effective.

Experiment with Different Types of Content

Don’t just stick to one type of post. Write product reviews, create gift guides, and even make how-to videos. The variety will keep your audience engaged and increase your chances of making sales.

Program Setbacks

In the interest of full disclosure, here are some negatives that you should know about Amazon Associates:

Affiliate cookies only last 24-hours. so if your referral doesn’t buy within that time frame, you won’t get credit for the purchase. They need to add the product to their cart to extend the validity of the cookie to 90 days.
You can’t send Amazon affiliate links in emails, which includes blog posts that get sent as emails. This means that your options for sending out offers is limited.
You can only get credit for purchases made on the marketplace where your store is registered. For example, if you have a site promoting products on Amazon US, you won’t get credit for purchases you referred to if they buy the product through another Amazon marketplace.
You can get paid only through direct bank deposit, check, or Amazon gift card. There’s no PayPal option.
The minimum payout for you to be able to withdraw is $100, so you need to make lots of sales before you can touch the referral money.

Some of these may be deal-breakers for you, but there are also a lot of workarounds. You should consider how you can make it work for you since the Amazon Associates Program has a lot more benefits than disadvantages.

Amazon Associates FAQs

Is Amazon Associates Free?

Yes, there are no membership fees or monthly costs to be part of the program. You’ll just need a platform where you can share your affiliate links. All you need to do is sign up, get approved, and start promoting products.

Can I Make Money With Amazon Associates?

Yes, you can make money with Amazon associates. However, it is important to understand that Amazon is not a get-rich-quick option. If you want to make money as an Amazon associate, you will need to put in some effort and learn how to make the most out of it.

Is It Hard to Get Accepted to Amazon Associates?

Not really! Getting accepted is relatively easy, but there are a few things you should keep in mind to make sure you get approved:

Have an active platform. Make sure your blog, website, or social media page has some content on it before you apply. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but it should show that you’re serious about promoting products.
Be honest about your site. When you apply, Amazon will ask for details about your platform. Make sure you provide accurate information and explain how you plan to use affiliate links.
Avoid restricted content. Your content must comply with Amazon’s rules, so steer clear of anything inappropriate or illegal.

Amazon usually reviews applications within a few days. If you meet the basic requirements, you should have no trouble getting approved.

Final Thoughts

Amazon Associates is a great way to earn passive income and supplement your business. You can sign up for free to start promoting products, and earn commissions on a wide range of items.

Anyone who owns a website, blog or YouTube channel can easily grab this chance to tap into an effective source of income.

The best thing about it is that you can receive payments by direct deposit into your bank account. All you need to do is set it up and get paid without working on it every day.

You don’t even have to provide customer service. Amazon takes care of that for you so you don’t have to deal with any issues related to the actual product.

Ready to give it a try? Head over to the program page to create your Amazon Associates account. With some effort and a well-thought-out strategy, you can turn your website, blog, or social media presence into a steady stream of passive income.

Authors

Antonella Fleitas is highly adept at creating fact-based, evergreen content about science, language learning, and culture. Her main goal is to build a strong content foundation for her clients, based on meaningful stories that people can learn from.

Duline Theogene is a content writer and strategist with several years’ experience blogging on topics related to ecommerce, marketing, education, travel, and finance. Duline is passionate about traveling, learning languages, and discovering new cultures.

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