How to Become an Amazon Affiliate in 7 Easy Steps 👟

Introduction

Are you looking to earn money through affiliate marketing on the most popular online marketplace? Maybe you don’t even know where to start. Affiliate marketing provides a relatively low-risk entry point for beginners due to its low cost, minimal financial commitment, and flexibility. With the right approach, dedication, and continuous learning, beginners can gradually build a profitable and successful affiliate sales and marketing business with the potential for long-term success and passive income.

In this guide, we will explore the ins and outs of affiliate marketing for beginners on Amazon and provide you with essential tips and strategies on how to make money as an affiliate. Whether you’re a beginner at affiliate networks or looking to enhance your existing affiliate networks and marketing efforts, this article will equip you with valuable insights to help you succeed in the world of Amazon affiliate marketing.

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What Is the Amazon Affiliate Program?

The Amazon Affiliate Program, also known as Amazon Associates, is an affiliate marketing program offered by Amazon. It allows individuals or businesses to earn a commission through digital marketing by promoting products available on Amazon. Affiliates sign up and receive unique affiliate links for the products they choose to promote. When someone clicks on a generated link and makes a purchase on Amazon within a specified timeframe, the affiliate earns a commission on that sale. The program provides a way for individuals and businesses to monetize their online platforms by leveraging Amazon’s extensive product catalog and earning a commission for generating sales.

What Is Amazon Affiliate Marketing?

Amazon affiliate marketing is a program where individuals or businesses earn a commission by promoting products from Amazon. Affiliates sign up for the program and select products to promote using unique affiliate links. They promote these products on their websites, blogs, or social media channels, and when someone clicks on their Amazon affiliate link and makes a purchase, the affiliate earns a commission. Amazon tracks the sales and calculates the earnings for each affiliate, who can then receive payouts once a certain threshold is reached. Amazon’s Affiliate Marketing Program is a popular way to monetize online platforms by leveraging Amazon’s vast product selection and earning a commission for generating sales.

How Does the Amazon Affiliate Program Work?

The Amazon Affiliate Program works through a straightforward process:

1. Sign Up

Those interested can sign up for the Amazon Affiliate Program on the Amazon Associates website. The sign-up process typically involves providing basic information about the applicant and the online retailer and platforms where they intend to promote Amazon products.

2. Product Selection

Once approved, affiliates can choose from millions of products available on Amazon to promote. They can search for specific products, browse through categories, build links, or use various tools such as Cerebro to do keyword research and find products that align with their niche or target audience.

3. Get Affiliate Links

Affiliates receive unique Amazon affiliate links, also known as tracking IDs or affiliate tags, for their products. These Amazon links contain a unique code that doubles as an associates ID and tracks the sales generated through their own affiliate product links only.

4. Promotion

Affiliates promote the products using their affiliate links on their websites, blogs mobile apps, social media platforms, email newsletters, or any other online channels they have. They can create content such as product reviews, recommendations, comparisons, or tutorials to attract potential buyers to the affiliate network.

5. Generate Sales

When a website visitor first clicks on an affiliate link, they are redirected to the corresponding product page on Amazon. If the visitor makes a purchase within a specific timeframe (usually 24 hours, but varies depending user’s location), the affiliate is credited with that sale.

6. Commission Earning

Amazon tracks the sales and calculates the commission earned by each affiliate. The commission percentage varies depending on the product category and the number of sales generated. Amazon provides detailed reports and analytics to help affiliates track their earnings and performance.

7. Payout!

Once an affiliate’s accumulated earnings reach a certain threshold (e.g., $10), they can request a payout. Amazon offers various payout options, such as direct deposit, Amazon gift cards, or checks, depending on the affiliate for payment and tax information location.

How Much Do Amazon Affiliates Make?

Amazon affiliate income can vary significantly. Factors such as the size and engagement of their audience, niche and product selection, content quality, conversion rate, and commission rates offered by Amazon play a role in determining how much a beginner affiliate can earn. Since beginners typically have a smaller audience and are still refining their strategies, initial earnings may be modest. While it is challenging to provide an exact figure, beginners can work towards optimizing their strategies to maximize their first affiliate income as Amazon affiliates.

The earnings of the top Amazon affiliates can vary greatly and reach substantial amounts. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the average yearly compensation for an Amazon affiliate marketer is $55,434. Although recent studies indicate that affiliate marketers can earn less than $20,000 per year, top affiliates tend to have a large and engaged audience, often with established online platforms, such as popular websites or influential blogs. As a result, their earnings can range from thousands to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars per month.

Eligibility Guidelines for the Amazon Affiliate Program

Open to affiliates from across the entire globe, Amazon will not require you to pay a registration fee when joining. You will also not be required to maintain a stressful quota to earn sizable commissions consistently. Rather, you can easily become an Amazon affiliate and start advertising your unique goods just as soon as Amazon approves your affiliate application.

The only thing you really need to become an Amazon affiliate is either a website, social media platform, or app.

Website

Advertising your products through a website, such as a blog, is the most common out of all the three practices. To ensure you qualify for this advertising strategy, your existing blog must have a sufficient number of entries full of unique content (try to aim for at least 10). Additionally, the most recent entry of your blog should have been created—at the very latest—two months prior to your application. However, the most important things to remember concerning your blog are:

• That your blog post does not, in any way, infringe on intellectual property rights
• That your blog post refrains from containing sexually explicit materials
• That it does not attempt to incite violence or criminal activities of any sort
• That it does not display the slightest discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, nationality, gender, or age.

Social Media

If you choose to become an Amazon affiliate using a social media account, you must be consistently active on the platform and be fairly popular as well with 500 or more followers. The social media sites that the Amazon affiliate marketing program will allow you to use are:

• Facebook (although it has to be a public group or business page)
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Twitter
• TikTok
• Twitch.tv

Apps

The final medium through which you can join the Amazon affiliates program is via your phone. By using an app, you can join this program and start advertising your products with Amazon. However, your app must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

• It must be readily available for free on the Amazon, Apple, and Google Play stores
• Your app must contain wholly original content
• It must differ in distinct ways from Amazon’s own shopping app
• The app cannot contain price-tracking features

Requirements & Rules for The Amazon Affiliate Program

As an Amazon Associate, you can earn money that’ll help fuel projects you’re passionate about while making a good source of income at the same time. Keep in mind, though, that Amazon does have requirements that associates both new and old will have to follow while in the affiliate program. With that being said, it’s important to understand what these requirements are before you take the time to apply.

If you’re serious about becoming an Amazon Associate, you’ll need to thoroughly consider the requirements for the application review process after you sign up. A large requirement that new affiliates should be aware of is that Amazon requires all new members to make an absolute minimum of three sales during their first few months (specifically, you’ll need to make three sales in 180 days).

Additionally, the Amazon Associates team will also review the advertising medium (website, social media profile, or app) of your choice. Generally, when looking at these three mediums, Amazon is searching specifically for content that is consistent, new, and wholly original that they believe will bring value to Amazon customers.

Besides these content guidelines, other requirements that prevent bad actor associates from taking advantage of the system are in place. While it’s a safe bet that you do not have any intentions to ‘game the system’, you should still take a look at the other big requirements, as noncompliance (even accidental) can result in a ban from the program.

• Do not make either false or deceptive claims in any of your recommendations.
• Your site must not contain content that is deemed unsuitable, explicit, or harmful.
• You must disclose that you may be eligible to earn money off your recommendations somewhere on your site, social media profile, or app.
• You must avoid stating or referring to prices (with a few exceptions) since they are likely to vary and change.
• Never use your Amazon affiliate link in offline promotions, eBooks, or email.
• Avoid using link shorteners on affiliate links.
• Never use unapproved Amazon trademarked materials as this may seem to misrepresent your actual relationship with Amazon.

It’s also a good idea to check out Amazon’s full affiliate policies, as well as the operating agreement designed for both new and old associates, to learn about every requirement.

A final word: While the Amazon affiliate program is highly popular, it’s not the only one you can choose from. Be sure to research the handful of other affiliate programs to discover which one works best for you.

How to Become an Amazon Affiliate

1. Design a website or blog

To become an Amazon affiliate, you’ll need to have a website, blog, app, TikTok account, or YouTube channel that is active.

As part of the application process, you’ll also be required to describe the specific purpose of your website. For this reason, it pays to have a good, solid understanding of your website’s purpose, the audience you are currently/hope to attract, and your plan for bringing in consistent traffic.

2. Sign Up on the Amazon Associates Homepage

During the process of becoming an Amazon affiliate, one of the earliest things you should do is create your Amazon Associates account by visiting the Amazon Associates homage. Once there, you’ll want to click the Sign Up button, which will then take you to the login page for your existing Amazon account.

Note: If you don’t have an existing Amazon account, clicking on the Sign Up button will prompt you to create on.

3. Enter Your Account Info

The next step is to simply enter your account information which includes your name, address, and phone number.

4. Enter Your Website, Social Media, or App Information

Now, you’ll want to quickly and easily enter your website’s address (if you’re using a website), app, YouTube, TikTok shop account, or other medium you wish to advertise through.

5. Input Your Store ID

The next step in becoming an Amazon affiliate is to enter your preferred store ID. This is usually the same as the primary website name you’re using. Then, you’ll be required to explain your website’s purpose, what it hopes to accomplish, and the Amazon topics your links will target.

6. Explain How Your Site Will Get Views

Continuing on from the last step, you’ll now need to fully explain how you’re planning to drive traffic to your website, social media profile, or app. You’ll also need to provide the ways you use your preferred platform to generate income, how you currently build your links, and the number of visitors to your platform each month.

7. Choosing a Payment Method

This a relatively easy step, since all you’ll need to do is choose whether you’d like to enter your payment information and tax ID number now or later on. Once this fast step is done, you can move on to the next step.

8. Create Your Amazon Affiliate Links

The final step in becoming an Amazon affiliate is to create your unique links. After you create your account, you’ll then be taken to your own personal Associate homepage. Here, you can find and monitor your performance dashboard which will let you know your earnings overview, monthly summary, and total amount of clicks.

Please note that the performance dashboard will be the primary way you search for relevant products that you can link to from your unique content.

How to Get an Affiliate Link for Amazon

While Amazon has ultra-strict policies for affiliate links in place, you can make your life easier by using Amazon’s product linking tools.

Product Link Tool

This first tool is used to create text or image links. To access and use this tool:

1. Simply locate the Product Linking tab on the Associates Central dashboard.
2. Then, select Product Links from the menu.
3. Once this is done, you’ll then want to assign each individual item an ASID (Amazon Standard Identification Number).
4. After this is done, click on the Go button to receive a new affiliate link for Amazon.
5. The final step is to click the Get Link button to create a unique image-only URL (or choose one of the other available options).

Banner Creation Tool

While the above tool was used to create links, this tool is all about creating banners that help draw the eye to Amazon products and special, limited-time deals. Here are the quick steps to use this tool:

1. Open the Product Linking drop-down menu.
2. Once there, click the Banner Creation Tool button.
3. Choose one of the many available banners that vary in both size and genre.

Site Stripe

Often considered the most-user friendly tool, the Site Stripe easily enables affiliates to build their links directly from any Amazon page. Here’s how to use this powerful tool:

1. Head to Associates Central.
2. Click on Site Stripe in the Tools section.
3. Select the Learn More button after reading the small description to display the settings window.
4. Now, all you have to do is toggle the switch by simply hitting Enable.

For more information on link-building best practices, check out Amazon’s detailed link-building FAQ page. After you have gathered all your affiliate links and images, you can then easily incorporate them into your overall Amazon marketing strategy.

How to Promote Amazon Products Online

1. Comply with Amazon’s Affiliate Rules

Because Amazon is one of the top corporations in the world, the affiliate rules put in place by them are stricter than other, similar programs. When first starting out as an Amazon affiliate, you’ll be required to make a minimum number of sales within the first 180 days (or size months) to ensure that your account does not get deactivated.

Another thing to note is that Amazon requires all its associates to prominently display their affiliation with the platform. Because of this, Amazon also does not allow affiliates to ‘link-cloak’ their links. New affiliates will also have to take great care in how they display their products since Amazon is very strict in this regard; they commonly ban those who display listing prices and images directly from the product pages on their site.

2. Choose High-Performing Products

By carefully selecting high demand products on Amazon that perform very well and that also nicely align with your brand, you can find great success as an Amazon affiliate. Additionally, by limiting yourself to aligned products, you can help ensure that your readers—who come to you to learn more about a specific genre—will want to buy those products.

Furthermore, discovering these high-performing products may be easier than you think. To begin, check out the best selling products on Amazon in the categories that contain your aligned products. From there, you should be able to find great products that your audience will love.

3. Optimize Your Products with Keywords

Search engine optimization (SEO) is key to helping people find your brand and click on your affiliate links no matter your website. Effective SEO strategies are key if you want to improve your Amazon affiliate homepage, but they also play an extremely important part in your keyword research journey.

To quickly discover great keyword tips for one of your products, you’ll need to seriously think about the customer and what they may be searching for. While taking some time to think about what keywords your audience is searching for may work, it can often be hit or miss. That is why it’s crucial that you have a powerful tool like Helium 10’s Magnet to discover top keywords that you may have missed.

4. Create Product Specific Content

Since you have access to the nearly endless amount of products on Amazon, you can, theoretically, promote anything. This is great because it allows you to focus on choosing a few of the many products and creating content geared specifically towards that product which will drive traffic to your website and boost your affiliate sales.

Examples of product-specific content include roundups, listicles, gift guides, and more. However, some content types can work better for particular products than others.

Additionally, if you have a plan to produce a large quantity of content as part of your marketing plan, it’s a good idea to write very specific product guides or reviews that will garner lots of attention.

5. Promote Your Products Across Multiple Channels

Some of the best Amazon affiliates don’t just limit themselves to one promotional channel, regardless of how well it’s doing. Instead, they often use their website plus social media and other apps to get as much visibility as possible.

However, when using multiple channels to promote your products, you should keep in mind that Amazon has rules in place to prevent you from promoting your affiliate links through your email.

A good tactic to employ is to use your social media profile to directly advertise the content of your main website. If done right, this approach helps guide new users to your website and, ultimately, earns you money.

6. Use Multiple Tracking IDs

After you’re approved and become an Amazon affiliate, you will receive a tracking ID that is closely associated with every one of your affiliate links. This tracking ID applies no matter if you market your products on a website, social media profile, or app.

Keep in mind, though, that Amazon will allow you to create up to 100 tracking IDs, which can be extremely useful when analyzing your sales and performance numbers for each of your separate marketing channels.

By carefully and meticulously analyzing all the gathered data using the above ID and the Sales Tracker tool, you can make an informed decision as to which of your marketing channels you should focus on the most (which one brings in the most sales).

Conclusion

To wrap up, the Amazon Associates Program offers an exciting opportunity for individuals from all walks of life to embark on a rewarding journey of earning income while sharing their passions. By becoming a successful Amazon affiliate marketer, you become your own boss but also join a diverse community of sellers. Through dedication, creativity, and a genuine desire to provide value to your audience, you can learn how to make money on Amazon and enjoy the freedom that comes with being an affiliate marketer on the platform.

Remember, in this inclusive space, everyone has a chance to thrive and succeed. Take the leap! Become an Amazon affiliate and earn money! Let your unique voice and perspective guide you toward success in the Amazon Associates Program. The possibilities are endless.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amazon Affiliate Marketing Legit?

Yes, Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program is a legitimate program offered by the reputable E-commerce company Amazon. It allows individuals and businesses to earn commissions by promoting Amazon products through unique affiliate links. The program operates under clear guidelines and offers new affiliate marketers a transparent way to monetize online platforms.

Do You Need Many Followers to Qualify for Amazon's Affiliate Program?

No, having a large number of followers is not a strict requirement to qualify for Amazon’s Affiliate Program. While a substantial following can be beneficial, Amazon primarily evaluates the quality and relevance of your website or platform, content, and ability to drive traffic and generate sales.

Can I Post Affiliate Links on Social Media?

Yes, Amazon’s Affiliate Program currently accepts the following social networks for Amazon Associates: Facebook (including open group/fan pages, excluding personal pages), Instagram, Twitter, YouTube channel, TikTok, and Twitch.tv. When applying to the Amazon Associates Program, be sure to provide the exact URL of your social media page.

Is It Free to Be an Amazon Affiliate?

Yes, it is completely free to apply to be an Amazon affiliate. Additionally, there is no minimum referral requirement or quota that you’ll need to meet before earning referral fees.

What Pays Most on Amazon Affiliate?

Categories that pay the most include Amazon games, physical books, kitchen products, luxury goods, and automotive products. These categories make up between 4.5 and 20% of all Amazon affiliate sales.