Have you got a big following on social media? If yes, then good news: you’re in demand, and there are plenty of amazing job opportunities for huge influencers like you. One such offer is the Amazon influencer program, where you can make lots of money by recommending Amazon products to your followers.
Ready to jump in? Here’s how to get approved for the Amazon influencer program.
In this article:
An Overview Of The Amazon Influencer Program
Many of us are already familiar with Amazon’s well-known Associates program.
The Amazon Influencer Program is an extension of the Associates program, but with one significant difference: it’s designed for social media content creators and influencers. Specifically, these influencers and creators can monetize their social media content by recommending and promoting Amazon products to their loyal followers.
Let’s have a closer look:
Earning Commissions
Although the program is mostly geared toward established social media personalities (YouTube, Instagram stars, or any social media celebrities who can effectively showcase products), it works similarly to the Associate program for the most part.
Like Amazon Associates, Amazon Influencers can earn commissions on qualifying purchases made through their unique links or storefronts.
Influencer Tools
The program provides Influencers with special tools to build their Amazon presence, including options to create custom storefronts (featuring curated product selections) and unique vanity URLs for easier promotion.
Benefits for Both
For Amazon, it’s a way to tap into the influencer marketing trend and reach targeted audiences. For Influencers, this is one of the fastest ways to earn money through their existing social media content and followers. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
How To Be An Amazon Influencer
As long as you have a sizable following on social media (it doesn’t matter which platform), you can sign up for the program by clicking the “Sign Up” button on the main page. After Amazon approves your application via email, you can start creating your storefront to showcase and share the products with your followers.
Amazon Influencer Program Requirements
To join the Influencer Program, you must consider these criteria:
Eligibility
Anyone who’s a social media influencer is eligible, regardless of their expertise or niche.
However, it would help if you had a strong social media presence (on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube) when you apply. For Instagram or Facebook influencers, make sure you use business profiles so Amazon can check all the relevant data they need.
Key Assessment Criteria:
Amazon looks at several aspects when picking and accepting Influencers:
- How many followers do you have? (there’s no specific minimum for the follower count; still, the more, the better!)
- How much engagement do you get on your posts (likes, shares, comments, saves)?
- How many people actually click on your links and buy the products/services you promote?
- Who are your targeted audience (e.g., age, location, personal interests, etc.)?
- What is the quality of your content? How often do you post?
- Does your brand fit well with Amazon?
Extra Considerations (A Must Read If You Want To Stand Out)
- Highlight what makes you unique compared to other influencers in your niche. Here at MuseFind, we’ve worked with thousands of influencers and come to learn that those with a distinct identity go a long way.
- It’s better if you’ve worked with various brands before or participated in similar campaigns; it shows them you know what you’re doing as a seasoned marketing influencer.
Provide as much information as possible regarding these areas in your application, and you’ll be more likely to secure a spot in the Influencer Program.
A Step-by-step Guide
Step 1. Sign Up For The Program
First, click the “Sign Up” button on the Amazon Influencer page. Here, you must decide whether to use your existing Amazon account or create a new one.
- If you opt for an existing account, remember that your product reviews, shopping history, shared lists, etc., will be linked to your Amazon influencer account. If you’re already a member of the Associates program, we recommend sticking with your current account.
- If you choose to create a new account, the process is straightforward. You only need to enter your name and mail address and think of a strong password.
Once you’ve sorted out all the account information, you’ll be asked to select a social channel where you gain the highest engagement rate, likes, and followers (you can pick from Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Tiktok; note that Twitter isn’t an option at the moment). Also, business accounts on Instagram or Facebook are required if you use one of these two social media platforms.
Did you hear nothing from Amazon after 5 days? Don’t feel discouraged; you can always try again in the future. Focus on growing your followers and increasing engagement, then reapply when ready.
And if you receive an acceptance email from them, huge congrats! You can now move on to the next steps.
Step 2. Create Your Amazon Storefront
Like Amazon Brand Registry members, approved Influencers can set up a special storefront, though you should not expect too much design freedom. The options are limited here, mostly involving customized lists that can display the products you’ve chosen.
Here’s some great news, however: you can still add some personal touches with a unique profile picture and banner image to help your storefront stand out. Many successful Amazon Influencers use them to give their audience a glimpse of their brand. For instance, if you have a business logo, we see no reason not to include it in your header image and pictures.
When stocking the storefront, it’s a wise move to promote products you genuinely use. It adds more authenticity, for one thing, and your content creation process will be easier and much more enjoyable. After all, who doesn’t feel great showcasing themselves using products they actually love?
Luxury beauty items offer one of the highest earning potentials than other products (such as toys), but if you are a parent or a child at heart, just embrace the chance! A dad of two who promotes a luxury facial oil for wrinkles doesn’t look right, and Amazon shoppers can sense it if you are not being your true self.
Other factors influencing your product choices include your preferred content style, personal brand, and social networks. Demo-worthy products are excellent if you’re into making videos — or if you are a photographer, consider marketing apparel.
For those still stuck for ideas, check out storefronts of other established Influencers for more inspiration.
Step 3. Promote Your Amazon Influencer Storefront
Now that your online store is set up and you’ve settled on the best products, it’s time you spread the word about it.
Most of your marketing strategies will center on content creation (as discussed earlier), which could be anything from detailed blog articles to simple images and short videos. Regardless of the format or type of content, the key is Helpful and Interesting, not just dry sales pitches.
To maximize its impact, share the content on different platforms. Sure, Amazon suggests just one platform when you first sign up, but sharing your content on several social media channels isn’t impossible. For instance, even though Twitter is not included in the program, you can still tweet your opinions on this platform with a link to your Amazon store!
Of course, remember to make the most of your social media bios, too. Most social platforms allow you to include a short introduction about yourself, so consider leveraging a third-party tool to add multiple links to the bio. This way, you can direct your followers straight to your Amazon store from platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
How Much Do Amazon Influencers Make?
Once your social media posts start getting lots of attention, Amazon will reward you based on the chosen platform and your audience’s engagement. For instance, if your content pulls in about 1 million views a month, you can easily earn between $1,500 and $2,000 a year. And when the views skyrocket to 10 million, your earnings also rake up!
To break it down further, Amazon Influencers make roughly $0.35 to $0.45 for every 1,000 views. Suppose you’re hitting around 100,000 views a week; you will pocket about $3,500 ($350 per thousand views multiplied by 7).
Of course, these earnings are not the same for all marketers. But remember that Amazon values engagement over raw pageviews, and since the money comes straight from Amazon, you don’t have to spend a fortune on expensive ads!
From my research, top Influencers also get paid handsomely. Some earn over $10,000 for a single video, while others receive hundreds for each post. The payment rates change more and more drastically as your social media popularity increases over time.
Latest update:
Amazon recently launched a new feature, Inspire, within its app to tap into social shopping and compete with popular platforms like TikTok.
Before this release, Amazon paid influencers worldwide to create content specifically for this new feature.
According to information shared with Business Insider this January, the Amazon Influencers Program occasionally provides limited-time/seasonal incentives for participation in these new projects, too. One such incentive offered was $250 for each uploaded vertical video (a maximum of 10 videos) that lasts up to 30 seconds.
Extra Tips For Success As An Amazon Influencer
- Keep It Simple: According to our research, Amazon customers prefer straightforward product information. Short-form videos are more likely to grab their attention than longer ones.
- Horizontal Videos Perform Better: Amazon prefers horizontal videos. However, vertical versions work better for social media sharing.
- Solve Problems: Your content should address any concerns or questions your target audience may have about a particular product. Provide solutions or answers to help them make informed decisions.
- Showcase Product Results: Demonstrate the product’s capabilities with before-and-after images or clear illustrations of how it works.
- Choose an Eye-Catching Thumbnail: Your thumbnail is the first thing viewers will see. Make sure it stands out and motivates them to click on your product review video.
Is There Any Downside Of The Amazon Influencer Program?
Although influencers can choose the products they want to feature in their lists, they only get paid for products that meet Amazon’s criteria. In other words, Amazon decides which items qualify and which do not, which might feel restricting.
Also, the program admittedly doesn’t make much of a difference for big influencers; it benefits small/medium content creators more.
Conclusion
Once Amazon gives you the green light, the rest of the process is straightforward.
But how to get approved is a whole other game, so before you apply, make sure your social media accounts are in top shape with quality posts and genuine engagement! Highlighting your previous marketing experience in the application also boosts your chances of success.