Amazon Associates is one of the most popular affiliate programs online because it is so easy to get started and Amazon is such a popular shopping site. Join the program, create links, and you will be helping customers access millions of hot products in exchange for a commission.
Program Changes
When you join the program, you will be asked to give an email address. It might be a good idea to create a separate one from your regular address because you will get regular emails from Amazon about payments, changes to the program, special offers and bounties, and more. There are many ways to earn with Amazon, and taking the time to read these emails as they come in can help you make the most of the opportunity.
Recent Changes You Might Wish to Know About
The biggest change has been the closing down of the Associates stores. You used to be able to create an entire store with affiliate links in just a couple of clicks that you could then give the URL to in order to drive traffic. Unfortunately, Amazon’s research showed it was one of the least successful money-making parts of the site, so they have phased it out.
Bounties
Bounties are a flat rate commission when you get people to sign up for certain parts of the site. The newest bounty is $3 per person who signs up for the baby registry.
Amazon Channels
Amazon Channels is for Amazon Prime members. Prime members pay an annual fee and get various perks, such as free standard shipping, eBooks, audiobooks, original Amazon TV shows, and more. The annual fee is currently $99, so you would get a bounty on everyone who signs up.
As part of the Prime service, Amazon has been adding TV channels, so you might no longer need cable if you subscribe to certain stations and watch the shows on your computer or other devices. Prices vary depending on the channel. Channels include HBO, Showtime, Starz and more. You would also earn commission for new registrations.
The Influencer Program
Many associates have a website or blog and post their affiliate links there. But not everyone has a site or blog, or wants to go to the time, effort and expense of creating one. Blogging requires a lot of content to be produced on a regular basis as a context for selling affiliate products. For example, if you were running a cooking-related blog, your articles and recipes would be the perfect places to put links.
The Influencer program opens up affiliate marketing to people who have no site or blog, but are active on social media.
Influencers across any category can participate in the program. They must have a YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account to qualify. Amazon will look at the number of followers you have, and the degree of engagement you get from your posts. Above all, they will be looking at the type of content you post at your account, and how relevant it is to Amazon customers.
For example, if you write a lot about pets and make recommendations often for the best pet products, and get a good response from your target audience such as likes, comments and shares, you will probably be a good fit for the program.
