When you hear of affiliate marketing, You mostly think of Amazon. That’s right. Amazon affiliate marketing is by far the most popular program and many people are earning a decent income from it.
If you are interested in joining the program, herein is everything that you need to know about Amazon affiliate marketing.
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The Evolution Of Amazon Affiliate Program
When it comes to affiliate marketing programs, It is a pioneer in selling eBooks and an excellent platform for authors to expand their reader base.
Apart from eBooks,
Amazon also facilitates other retailer businesses.
Back in 1996, Amazon was mainly a small online book store run from the owner’s garage.
Jeff Bezos, the founder, had a low marketing budget and did not have money to pay for advertising.
Instead, Jeff maximized the potential of the readers to spread the word. Amazon paid a commission to anyone who referred buying clients to the platform.
The payment was sent out after a purchase was made, removing upfront marketing expenses.
The Amazon Associates Program was launched in 1998.
By then, there were no straightforward and affordable ways for online entrepreneurs to make cash online, and this program changed the game.
However, the main problem was that making a sufficient amount of money required that affiliates sell many books.
Luckily, things got better as Amazon expanded the product line, and members could make income easily.
Today,
Amazon is a credible name in the retail industry, and the future is bright. The company has thousands of physical and digital products from more than 1.5 million sellers around the world.
In the United States only, it is responsible for about 40% of all online sales.
The good news is that anybody can access a share of the profits. You only need to have a social media presence or a website to sign up as an affiliate.
How Amazon Affiliate Program Works
Amazon Associates allows members to monetize their blogs, websites, or social media.
The program uses a pay-per-sale approach. Here, affiliates usually place links on products on their websites, and they earn a commission when a purchase is made via these links.
When you direct a buyer to Amazon through a link on your site, you receive a percentage of the sales over the next 24 hours.
The commission rates vary depending on the type of product. For instance, you can get a 10% commission from premium beauty products, 8% from furnishings, and 7% for jewelry and fashion shoes.
The following chart shows Amazon’s commission rates for different product categories.
It is critical to understand that the percentage you receive from Amazon affiliate marketing is not the only element in your commission.
Your conversion rate counts as well. It shows the number of people that click your affiliate links and buy a product after visiting your site.
Let’s say that your site receives 10,000 visitors in May, and 100 of them purchase a product after clicking your affiliate links.
The conversion rate is 1%. The average conversion rate is between 0.5% and 1% though some affiliates have higher conversion rates.
Ideally,
you earn a percentage of all a client purchases from Amazon within 24 hours after arriving at Amazon.com from affiliate links.
Hence, there is a chance of making more profits from products that you do not specifically promote.
For example, you might be running a blog that has affiliate links to luxury beauty products that attract a 10% commission.
You might get 10% for purchasing a high-end moisturizer and 8% of the price of a box of dog treats if the client buys biscuits as well.
However,
a buyer must place an order within 24 hours of getting to Amazon.com upon clicking your affiliate link.
If the 24-hour period expires or if a buyer reaches Amazon via a different affiliate link, you will not earn any commission from subsequent purchases.
Nonetheless, if the buyer returns to Amazon through one of your links, a new 24-hour period opens, and you are again eligible to earn fees depending on the customer orders.
You can still get a commission if a customer visits Amazon by clicking your affiliate link, adds a product in their shopping cart, and leaves without completing the order.
That is as long as the item was placed in the cart within 24 hours. Also, the order should be completed and closed before 90 days, when the shopping cart expires.
The Pros And Cons Of The Amazon Affiliate Program
Earning income by linking to Amazon products seems easy. However, you need to know the pros and cons involved before joining Amazon affiliate marketing program.
Pros Of Amazon Affiliate Marketing
- Amazon’s product catalog is extensive, with over three billion products for sale. Hence, there is no shortage of items to promote.
- Becoming an Amazon affiliate is free and straightforward. You simply need to have an active site or social media presence.
- Amazon is a dominant brand with eCommerce authority. It is trusted and reputable, and affiliates need not convince visitors about the credibility of the website.
- There is an excellent reporting system, and you can identify what is selling and what is not.
- Affiliates also earn income from items besides those that they create affiliate links. You make a profit when a customer uses your affiliate link to buy a product from Amazon within 24 hours. A client is likely to add several products to his cart, thanks to Amazon’s top-notch conversion and upselling tool. Hence, you are likely to earn more revenue.
- Amazon has excellent customer service.
The Cons Of Amazon Affiliate Marketing
- Amazon’s commission rates are low for some categories. Some commission rates are as high as 10% for luxury beauty products. Others e like video game consoles have a scale of 1%.
- Amazon’s cookies last for only 24 hours. If your referral fails to buy within this window, you will not earn a commission unless the product was added to their cart.
- If your site is US based and you are promoting Amazon US store products, you will not earn a profit when someone outside the US (Amazon UK) purchases via your affiliate links.
- Amazon’s payment methods do not include PayPal.
- You need an active website with relevant content such as product reviews and other content that fits well with the affiliate link. If you do not have one, creating one and maintaining it can be time-consuming and expensive too.
- The Amazon affiliate marketing Program terms and conditions can be challenging to understand as they are regularly updated. Hence, members might not comply if they do not keep familiarizing themselves with the updates.
Who Can Become An Amazon Affiliate?
Having understood how the Amazon Associate program works and its pros and cons, it is clear that anyone interested can become a member.
The program is for anybody who has a website, YouTube channel, and social media presence.
If you do not have a website, social media account, or YouTube channel, you can launch them immediately and get started on the registration process.
How To Become An Amazon Affiliate
Becoming a member of the Amazon affiliate marketing program is easy. You just need to follow the following steps.
- Create a blog or website
- Create your Amazon Associate account
- Build your profile
Create A Blog Or Website
You need to have an active blog, YouTube channel, app, or website to become an Amazon affiliate.
It is even more helpful if you have relevant content on your channel so that it appears not only active but also authentic to Amazon and the users.
However,
Keep in mind that you must demonstrate the purpose of your website during the registration process.
Therefore, know why you are creating your website, the target audience, and how you will attract traffic.
Nowadays, building websites is easy thanks to easy to use website builders that you can find online.
These tools and affordable, and some are free. Fortunately, most of the website builders can be used by less tech-savvy individuals and experts as well.
Ensure that you use a website builder that suits your needs. Alternatively, you can hire professionals to do the job for you.
Create Your Amazon Associate Account
Go to the Amazons Associate Homepage and click on ‘Join now for free.’ You will be prompted to log in or register a new account.
Build Your Profile
Begin by creating your profile once you register an account. Sign in and click ‘New customer’ and adhere to the prompts given to build your account profile. After that, you will be required to do the following.
- Fill your account details.
- Enter your website address
- Fill your preferred store ID
- Explain how you will direct traffic to your website
- Provide your phone number
- Select your payment method
Fill Your Account Details
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
Enter Your Website Address
In this step, you should ensure that you enter your website address, YouTube channels, apps, etc.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
Fill Your Preferred Store ID
Your preferred store ID is the same as the name of your primary website. Enter the name and explain the objectives of your website.
You can enter 50 mobile app URLs and sites combined.
Also, you are required to choose Amazon topics that your links will target or the products that you aim to promote.
Explain How You Will Direct Traffic To Your Website
You will need to explain how you will attract website traffic and how you will use your apps or websites will generate income.
You must also account for how you build links and how many unique site visitors you get every month.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
Provide Your Phone Number
You need to provide your phone number, click on ‘Call Me Now’ and wait for an immediate call from Amazon.
They will request you to enter the four-digit code provided, and once done, your account is created and approved.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
Select Your Payment Method
You can select the payment method or tax information immediately or later. At this point, you can proceed to your dashboard.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
It is vital to note that it takes 180 days to approve your account. If you do not refer qualified sales 180 days after your account is set up, your account will be disabled.
Therefore, you need to have a strategy that will help you record those sales fast.
If your account is deactivated, you will be given reasons. You can still make the required adjustments and reapply.
How To Build Amazon Affiliate Links
Once you create an Amazon Associates account, proceed to your dashboard where you can view different analytics, including revenue, and generate affiliate links as well.
You can build the links in two ways: Using SiteStripe and the Product Link Tool.
Building Affiliate Links Using Amazon’s Product Link Tool
The Product Link Tool is preferred by many users. Click on ‘Product Linking’ at the top of the dashboard and select ‘Product Links’ as demonstrated below.
Product Link Tool; Source: https://www.sellbrite.com/
That will take you to a screen from where you can search for products. You can search using generic terms, or you can narrow your search down using specific models, brands, or products.
For instance, if you are building an affiliate link for basketball shoe reviews, you can search for ‘basketball shoes’ or search for the exact product you are reviewing, such as ‘New Balance 990v4 for men.’
Source: https://www.sellbrite.com/
You can also search using the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) of the product.
It is an alphanumeric code that contains ten characters and is assigned to a given product for identification within Amazon’s product catalog.
You can obtain the ASIN from the product information area of the item’s Amazon listing.
Therefore, you will have to get it from another window as indicated below.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
Once you have entered the search query, click ‘Go’ and the results appear at the bottom.
You can select the product that you want to build an affiliate link. Click on ‘Get Link’ to obtain the link of the product you wish to advertise, as seen below.
Source: https://www.sellbrite.com/
A box pops up with the affiliate link, and you can copy and paste the HTML code to your website as it is.
Alternatively, you can customize the link. Your ad can be text or image only or both.
Additionally, you can customize the appearance of the ad. For instance, you could modify the price or title colour to match your website’s branding.
Source: https://www.sellbrite.com
Once you copy the code, paste it on your website’s code.
Building Affiliate Links Using SiteStripe
SiteStripe allows you to build affiliate links directly from any product on Amazon’s product page.
Once you create an account and sign in, you can access the tool at the top of the homepage.
Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/amazon-affiliate
Source: sellstripe website
To access SiteStripe, go to any Amazon product page. You can create various links.
For instance, you can build a custom ad as shown above, or you can create a plain-text link, text, and image advertisement, or an embedded link. Also, you can share the links on Twitter or Facebook.
Once you choose the type of affiliate link you want, the ad code appears in a box below it, and you only need to copy and paste the code on your social app or website.
Something worth noting is that Amazon affiliate marketing rules prohibit the use of links in eBooks, PDFs, email, and offline promotions.
Therefore, ensure that you attract your audience with quality content and by sharing relevant affiliate links on your YouTube channel or website.
Amazon Affiliate Marketing: Getting paid
Amazon pays you the profits you earn approximately 60 days after the end of each month. You can be paid by check, direct deposit, or Amazon gift card.
The payment method you choose determines how often you will receive payment because each process has a minimum amount, as seen in the following chart.
Source: Sellbrite website
- Check: If you choose this method, you only need to provide Amazon with your mailing address. The minimum payment threshold is $100 and an additional check processing fee of $15.
- Direct deposit: If you prefer this method, you must give Amazon your bank details that include account number and name. You will receive your payment when your account has a minimum of 10$.
- Amazon gift card: Amazon sends gift cards to the primary email address you provide in your account equivalent to the money earned. The minimum threshold is $10.
How Much Do Amazon Affiliate marketers Make?
There is no definite profit that you can make from Amazon affiliate marketing.
What you earn depends solely on you. Some users receive hundreds or thousands of dollars from Amazon, and you can be in this group.
All you need to do is choose the right products to promote. It is critical to identify profitable product niches and tap into them.
There are thousands of products from electronics, toys, computers, tablets, fashion items, beauty products, and so much more.
You can always find various products in your niche, and you can make good money out of them.
How To Promote Your Amazon Affiliate links
If you want to earn high revenue, you need to attract lots of traffic to your site. Here are pointers to help you maximize your Amazon earnings.
- Blogging
- YouTube videos
- Social Media
- Lead Magnet and email
- Include Amazon offers in your already established business
Blogging
Blogging is the most common method through which Amazon affiliates make money.
You can have a general site where you talk about various products or niche-specific websites where you focus on specific items.
Whichever the case, you can make money in the following ways.
Write Content About Selecting Or Purchasing A Product On Amazon
Most people do online research before buying a product. Therefore, including an affiliate link in the content would help you lure buyers.
For instance, if you are a home furniture blogger, you can write about choosing the best furnishings for homes and include a link to your favourite choices.
Writing Product Reviews
Consumers want to know everything they can about a product before investing, especially if it is new.
Hence, reviewing new products can catch the attention of buyers resulting in increased traffic to your site.
Writing About Amazon’s Best-sellers
You can check the best-seller’s list and pick products to write about in your blog.
Most consumers are attracted to the best products, and such content will attract more potential buyers to your website.
Similarly, you can check your statistics or history to know what has sold more.
Promoting Special Offers
You can promote Amazon’s special offers, and this is best if you run a daily blog.
You need to be on the lookout for Amazon deals and promotions that are in line with your topics.
YouTube Videos
You can offer more or less the same content that you write on a blog on video.
You can also do product reviews and give tours, tutorials, and other visual content that would help potential customers.
Social Media
You can share your blogs with affiliate links or directly share the links via social media.
Keep in mind that you must inform the readers that the links provided are affiliate links, as this shows that you are honest.
The last thing you want to do is to annoy your followers.
Similarly, people need to feel that your content is informative, and you are not after making sales. Therefore, include non-affiliated posts as well.
Lead Magnet And Email
Most of the successful affiliate marketers make passive income by using simple two-page websites and marketing systems that do promotions on autopilot.
The first page is usually a landing page that endorses a lead magnet to lure visitors into subscribing to the email.
When a visitor subscribes, he is directed to the second page that contains the information on the affiliate product.
Include Amazon Offers In Your already Established Business
You can indulge in the promotion of Amazon products on top of your other business offers to get an extra income.
There is a probability that your clients benefit from the platform.
For instance, if you are a fitness coach that offers professional training services, you can find training equipment in Amazon and promote it.
Tips For Maximizing Your Sales On Amazon
If you want to maximize your sales on Amazon, the following essential pointers will help you.
- Find a profitable niche
- Create original and regular content
- Optimize for particular products
- Use link localizers
Find A Profitable Niche
Websites that earn more revenue through Amazon affiliate marketing as called niche sites.
You need to know your target marketplace to build a successful niche site. Identifying a profitable niche with low competition can be a challenge.
However, it would be good if you chose an area that interests you.
For instance, if you love makeup, consider starting a beauty blog. It is easy to create relevant and up-to-date content for topics you like.
Additionally, do keyword research to determine where your keywords and niche could rank
Create Original And Regular Content
You can promote Amazon products on social media and YouTube.
The best way to this is by blogging. Create authoritative product reviews and watch your numbers rise.
Optimize For Particular Products
Most of the traffic for affiliate sites is from product-related searches or reviews.
Therefore, use long-tail keywords and include them in the URL if possible.
Use Link Localizers
A link localizer allows you to direct visitors from some countries to a specific site.
For instance, when a user from the UK visits your website and clicks on your affiliate link, he is directed to Amazon UK. Failure to use link localizers will not earn you a commission.
Conclusion
This article discusses everything you need to know about Amazon Associate Program.
That includes the evolution of the program, how it works, its pros and cons, becoming an affiliate, creating affiliate links, promoting the links, maximizing your sales on Amazon, and payments.
Once you understand this, you can decide whether the program is for you or not.
How do I become an Amazon affiliate marketer?
You just need to go the Amazon website, register, put your country of residence, email and the required registration data.
How do I become an Amazon affiliate marketer?
It is possible to make between $100-%25000 from amazon. The more traffic you have, the more you can earn
What is Amazon affiliate marketing?
This is an affiliate marketing program that allows website owners and bloggers to create links and earn referral fees when customers click through and buy products from Amazon. It’s completely free to join and easy to use.