Affiliate marketing has become one of the most popular ways to start an entrepreneurial journey.
For beginners, one of the best ways to get started is leveraging the vast reach of Amazon. With a website monetized with the Amazon Associate program, you can even earn passive income while you sleep.
But how do you become an Amazon affiliate?
Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or simply looking to generate some extra cash, this step-by-step guide will provide valuable insights on becoming an Amazon affiliate and creating your own online money-making venture.
What is the Amazon Affiliate Program?
The Amazon Affiliate Program, also known as Amazon Associates, is an online monetization program that allows individuals to earn commissions by promoting products sold on Amazon.
Once you become an Amazon affiliate, you can choose from millions of products to promote on your website, blog, or mobile app.
Amazon provides unique affiliate links that track the referrals you send to their site.
You can then create content (such as video content or blog posts) like product reviews that include your affiliate product links. When a user clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase on Amazon, you earn a commission on that sale.
One of the key advantages of the Amazon affiliate program is its vast product selection and worldwide customer base. With over 350+ million products available, you can find something relevant to almost any niche or audience.
You can monitor your clicks and sales through your affiliate dashboard, and then Amazon will pay you your earned commissions monthly via direct deposit, check or Amazon gift certificate.
How Do You Make Money With Amazon Associates?
So now we know what Amazon Associates is, the question is how do you make money with it?
Here are the top three ways you can utilize Amazon associates to earn income:
Become a Content Creator
One of the best ways to become an Amazon affiliate and earn money is to create content that drives potential customers to your affiliate links. This can come in the form of how-to guides, product comparisons, buying guides, tutorials, and more.
Creating this kind of original content that is helpful to your readers can establish you as an expert on the topic or product you’re promoting. This will give you the trust and credibility necessary to convert readers into customers.
It’s important to focus on quality over quantity. You want your readers to get value from your content and be motivated to click on your affiliate links.
Optimizing your content for search engines will also ensure that your content gets seen by the right people. This can help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), driving more traffic to your site and affiliate links.
Utilize Social Media
Social media channels such as TikTok and Instagram are great tools for promoting your content. You can use these platforms to share compelling images or videos related to the products you’re promoting as an Amazon affiliate.
You can also use social media accounts to build relationships with your audience by interacting with them and responding to their comments or questions. This will help you build a loyal user base and establish yourself as a trusted expert.
Use Email Marketing
Building a marketing list allows you to reach out to people with campaigns and promotions easily.
Although it is prohibited by Amazon to put affiliate links in emails, you can instead direct people to your content that features your affiliate links.
How Much do Amazon Affiliates Make?
It is hard to give a definitive number regarding how much you can earn as an Amazon affiliate, as there are so many determining factors.
The commission rates for your chosen niche, the types of products you promote as well as how much traffic your site receives will all play a part in how much you can earn as an Amazon affiliate.
However,
There are many examples of successful affiliate marketing websites that have millions of monthly visits and are easily earning six figures that are monetized with Amazon associates.
Obviously, like any affiliate program, commission rates play a huge role.
The commission rates with Amazon Associates vary depending on the product category, ranging from 1% to 10%, with the average being around 3.14% as of 2020.
Although this is lower than many private affiliate programs, one thing makes Amazon Associates stand head and shoulders above the rest:
High conversion rates.
Due to the global recognition and positive reputation of Amazon, as an Amazon affiliate, you can expect significantly higher conversion rates (between 10%-15%) than the average conversion rate of 0.5%-1% for other affiliate marketing programs.
The power of their trusted brand makes Amazon the go-to place for online shoppers. In fact, 92% of shoppers would rather buy from Amazon than any other e-commerce site. So, by becoming an Amazon associate, you can tap into that established trust.
Plus, with OneLink, Amazon Associates allows you to earn from global sales. That means that your affiliate links will work regardless of which Amazon site is local to your user.
So even if your Amazon affiliate account is set up for the US, you can still earn commissions if someone makes a purchase through another location, such as Canada or France.
How to Become an Amazon Affiliate in 9 Steps
Becoming an Amazon affiliate is easy. This section will walk you through the step-by-step process of becoming an Amazon affiliate in just nine simple steps.
By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to starting your journey as an affiliate marketer and tapping into the vast earning potential of the Amazon Associates program.
Step 1. Create or Buy a Website
One of the best ways to get started as an Amazon affiliate is with a website.
There are two ways to do this. Either build your website from scratch or buy an existing website that you can monetize with Amazon associates and grow.
Let’s look at both options and the pros and cons of each.
Build Your Website
Building a website from scratch has one main advantage: Control.
You can personally manage every aspect, from the niche you work in, to your branding and messaging, and so on.
If you’re already an experienced marketer who can build a site with great UX, on-point search engine optimization (SEO), and create your own content, then this is a great option to choose.
Not only will you have control over every aspect, but if you can manage most of the process yourself, it will be the cheapest option to get your new site off the ground.
But, if you cannot manage all of these areas yourself, building a site can get costly and take significantly longer to see a return on your investment.
If you need to employ the help of an agency or freelancer to design your site, manage the SEO, and create content, you can expect to pay a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000 to get your site off the ground.
Plus, as you will need to factor in time for your content to rank in search engines and gain traffic, you can expect a six to nine months wait before you start earning affiliate commissions.
Buying an Amazon Affiliate Website
If you want to hit the ground running with an Amazon affiliate website, your best option is to buy an existing site.
The main advantage is that you have someone do all of the initial hard work for you, and you skip the initial waiting period for earning commissions.
At Investors Club, we have many affiliate site listings.
You can pick up a starter site that is already earning a few hundred dollars per month that you can build upon and grow.
Or, for a more significant investment, you can buy an established site that already earns a large monthly profit.
Step 2. Sign Up for the Amazon Affiliate Program
Once you have a website, it’s easy to get started as an Amazon affiliate. Simply head to the Amazon Associates homepage to sign up.
Step 3. Enter Your Personal Details and Website Address
Start by filling in your details, including your name and address, and detailing the website(s) and mobile apps you want to use to promote your affiliate links.
You can add up to 50 sites or apps just by pasting in the URL and clicking “Add.”
Step 4. Set up Your Associates ID
Next, you will be asked to select your preferred associates store ID, which Amazon will use to customize your affiliate links.
This will be your main store ID, but, if you have multiple websites, you can later add individual tracking IDs that you can use on different websites.
This will help you when you are tracking your commissions to see which websites are getting the most clicks and conversions.
Step 5. Explain How You Drive Traffic to Your Site
Amazon wants to understand how you will get people to visit your site and click your affiliate links.
You will be asked to provide a brief description as well as choose a category that describes your content best:
Step 6. Add Your Tax and Payment Information
Now the important part: Getting paid!
If you’re earning affiliate commissions, you want to ensure they can be paid to you. Amazon offers three payment methods:
- Direct deposit
- Amazon gift card
- Check
If you want to be paid directly into your bank account, you will need to add your bank account details.
You can add different account details for different currency accounts, including a USD, EURO, and GBP account. For each, you will need to include details such as your account number, IBAN, etc.
You must also add your tax information before Amazon pays you.
Step 7. Wait for Approval
Once you submit your application, it will be reviewed by Amazon’s team, and you will receive an email when your account is approved.
This process can take a few days but usually doesn’t take more than a week.
Step 8. Set up OneLink
Once your application has been approved, you can start to set up OneLink, which is an Amazon tool that allows you to promote products from multiple countries.
OneLink makes it easier for international customers to click through and purchase from their local Amazon store by automatically redirecting customers to the correct country’s store.
Step 9. Start Generating Your Affiliate Links
Now that you’re all set up, it’s time to start generating your Amazon affiliate links. Head to the home page of your Amazon Associates account and click on “Product Linking,” which will take you to the link creation page.
From here, you can search for products and select them to generate a short affiliate link that customers can use to buy them from Amazon. You can also add custom tracking IDs so you know exactly where those clicks are coming from.
You can also create text or image widgets that feature multiple product images with affiliate links, which makes it easy for customers to pick out what they want and check out quickly.
Things to Keep In Mind With Amazon Associates
Amazon associates have several rules and regulations you must follow to be accepted as an Amazon affiliate and maintain your affiliate account.
By going against Amazon Associates operating agreement, you can be removed as an affiliate, so here are some things you should keep in mind:
Hit the Minimum Requirements
It is important to make sure you hit the minimum requirements for Amazon Associates. This includes
- Having a website or app that meets their standards
- Creating original content
- Not using any deceptive practices
- Having a valid email address
- Having a bank account
When signing up, it’s also important to be honest about how you plan to drive traffic to your site. If you use social media channels or paid advertising, mention it when signing up, as this will help Amazon decide whether or not you should be approved.
Avoid Prohibited Content and Activities
You can find the full list of prohibited activities and content here. But here are some of the top ones to note:
- Do not cloak, hide, or otherwise obscure links
- Do not use link-shortening tools, buttons, or links that make it unclear you’re linking to Amazon
- Do not buy products using your affiliate links
- Do not use bots to generate clicks or impressions
- Do not redirect or intercepting traffic from other Amazon Associates
- Do not post affiliate links on Amazon sites such as in reviews
- Do not share your affiliate links in emails
- Do not target children under 13 years of age
- Do not promote false information
- Do not use content the promotes violence or hate
Use an Affiliate Disclosure
To be a successful Amazon affiliate, one of the most important things to do is use an affiliate disclosure. This simple statement informs your visitors that you are earning money from the links on your website or blog.
This is important to stay compliant with the law and build trust with your audience. An affiliate disclosure helps readers know that you are always honest and transparent about any affiliate relationships.
To be an Amazon affiliate, you must:
- Include an affiliate disclosure that is legally compliant on any page you have affiliate links.
- State you are an Amazon Associate, as detailed in Amazon’s operating agreement.
Hit Your Sales Target
To be a full Amazon affiliate, you must make at least three qualified sales via your affiliate links within 180 days for your Associates account to remain active.
If you’ve just started a site with little to no traffic, it may be worth holding off monetizing your content until you have a steady traffic flow to ensure you hit this minimum requirement in the allotted timeframe.
FAQ
Is it Free to be an Amazon Affiliate?
Yes, it is free to become an Amazon affiliate. All you need to do is register with the program, and then you can start monetizing your website with affiliate links. There are no registration costs or fees associated with becoming an Amazon affiliate.
What Kind of Content Can I Create as an Amazon Affiliate?
As an Amazon affiliate, you can create various content, such as product reviews, buying guides, product comparisons, and more. You can also create content about specific topics related to a certain niche or industry that you may have knowledge in. The possibilities are endless!
How Do I Generate Traffic to My Website?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most important parts of having a successful website.
Building quality backlinks from relevant websites, optimizing for high-volume keywords, and creating content that engages your audience are all key components to generating traffic to your site.
Additionally, you can use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to help boost traffic to your website.
What Pays Most on Amazon Affiliates?
Different products pay different amounts of commission on Amazon Associates, so it’s important to research the products you will promote.
Generally, items such as electronics and tech gadgets can be more profitable than books or clothing. High-end electronics usually have higher commissions than low-end alternatives.
Additionally, household items tend to pay out better than beauty products. However, these rules do not always apply, and what pays most will depend on various factors like pricing, availability, and item popularity.
It’s also a good idea to monitor trends in your niche market and see which products are selling well at any given time. This will help you stay ahead of the curve and choose the right products to promote.
Does Amazon Affiliate Accept Anyone?
No, Amazon Affiliate does not accept everyone. To become an Amazon affiliate and earn commissions, you must meet certain requirements and abide by their operating agreement.
You must have a website or blog that is in good standing with the search engines and is updated regularly with content related to your niche.
Additionally, you must provide information about how you plan to generate traffic to your website or blog.
Once this information has been submitted, you must wait for Amazon’s approval before generating affiliate links and earning commissions.
Start Your Affiliate Marketing Journey Today
Becoming an Amazon affiliate opens up opportunities for earning passive income and building a successful online business.
Following the nine-step process outlined in this article, you can quickly become a member of the Amazon Associates program and monetize your website or blog.
Remember, success as an affiliate marketer takes time, effort, and dedication. Creating high-quality content, leveraging effective marketing strategies, and optimizing your affiliate promotions to maximize your earnings is essential.
If you’re ready to take your affiliate marketing journey to the next level, check out the available content sites to buy from Investors Club.
Investors Club offers a range of carefully curated websites that are primed for success, including profitable Amazon affiliate sites. These sites have the potential to generate passive income and provide a solid foundation for your online business.
Freelance senior content writer at SemRush
Jenny is an award-winning SEO consultant, a speaker at search industry events, and a regular contributor to leading industry blogs. Her specialties include E-E-A-T best practices to build topical authority and the interplay between digital PR and organic search. She was commended as SEO Consultant of the Year in the 2021 MENA Search Awards.