Amazon Influencer Program Guide 2022

The Amazon Influencer Program is an idea born out of the success of today’s influencers. During the early 2010s, content creators started dabbling with social media platforms to interact with their fans. It was more about gaining likes and followers than anything else back in those days. Fast forward to current times, and influencers are now part of a billion-dollar industry, leveraging their massive social media presence to collaborate with brands and do affiliate marketing on the side.

If you want to monetize your content creation skills, the Amazon Influencer Program is an option worth considering. This article will discuss everything you need to know about Amazon’s new program to determine if it’s a suitable choice for you.

What is the Amazon Influencer Program?

The Amazon Influencer Program is an offshoot of Amazon’s Associates Program, where content creators can recommend products to their audience. The program is intended for influencers with large followings on social media to capture the growing influencer marketing space. The formula is pretty simple; promote various products on Amazon, and receive a commission for each sale you make.

The biggest difference between the two programs is how users direct their audience towards their recommended products. In the Associates program, users share an affiliate link on their social media accounts to generate traffic. Meanwhile, the Influencer Program requires users to create a custom storefront on Amazon and direct traffic via their content (i.e., YouTube videos, social media posts, IG stories, etc.)

Because influencers have their own storefront on Amazon, their audience can view all their endorsed products in one space, thus simplifying the recommendation process. You can still share separate affiliate links to endorse individual products since the Influencer program is also a form of affiliate marketing.

Why should you sign up for the Amazon Influencer Program?

There are plenty of reasons why the Influencer Program makes sense if you have a solid social media following. Here’s why you should sign up for it:

1. Amazon is a global brand

We all know the scope of Amazon’s brand: it’s a global e-commerce platform that has more than 197 million site visitors each month. When you do well under Amazon’s Influencer program, they will promote your storefront and expose your brand to millions of customers worldwide. It’s a great way to expand your brand’s reach and gain new followers from different countries.

2. Brands will start to collaborate with you

There’s a reason why influencer marketing works, and it’s because it’s a modern-day approach to word-of-mouth tactics. Influencers serve as social proof that a product/service works as intended, hence why customers gravitate towards brands that collaborate with prominent individuals.

A successful influencer who demonstrates the ability to drive sales is a major plus for brands, and often they’ll reach out to influencers to help generate brand interest. Businesses understand the power of influencer marketing, and when they see you succeed on Amazon’s platform, they’ll be more than willing to work with you.

3. Diversify your revenue stream

Most entrepreneurs diversify their revenue stream to ensure steady cash flow. Since influencers earn money from brand collaborations and affiliate marketing, Amazon’s Influencer Program is a great way to boost your earning potential.

4. Build trust with your follower base

There’s more to becoming an influencer than growing a massive follower count. You have to influence your followers in making smart purchase decisions through your content. By promoting products you genuinely love, you can build trust with your audience and benefit more from your affiliate marketing efforts.

Customers trust influencers not just with their social media presence but also with their brand image. Since Amazon is an established brand, you can guarantee your customers that the products you endorse are reliable and of good quality.

5. Receive sample products for free

One of the best perks of working as an influencer is receiving sample products from different brands. In some cases, you get first-hand experience of the item before it reaches the market. Of course, receiving free products shouldn’t skew your opinion on the item, as your goal is to be transparent with your endorsements as much as possible.

How much do Amazon Influencers earn on the program?

The commission rates vary depending on the product category, and the highest commission percentage sits at 10%. Have a look at the chart below to see the full commission list.

To maximize your earnings, you need to:

• Focus on a specific niche. Narrow down on the niche that you think best suits your target audience. For example, if you have a developed taste in fashion, you can focus on endorsing jewelry, clothing, and accessories. Pick a niche that showcases your knowledge and expertise so that customers can rely on you for their purchase decisions.
• Understand your target audience. To recommend relevant products, you must know your core audience’s hobbies, interests, and demographics. A thorough target market analysis should provide you with the information you need regarding your followers and their buying habits.
• Engage with your followers as much as possible. People won’t find your brand appealing if all you do is endorse products to them. You must routinely engage with your followers to better understand them as customers. Ask for a poll on your social media accounts, respond to comments, and even mention them in your videos. By doing this, you can get a pulse for what your audience truly wants/needs.
• Keep it real. Authenticity matters more than engagement numbers or follower counts in the grand scheme of things. It can be tempting to label every product you endorse as the best, but people will see through this over time and start doubting your content. Keep it real and highlight the pros and cons of the product. People will trust you more when you are honest with your evaluations of a specific item.

What are the requirements to join the Amazon Influencer Program?

While Amazon doesn’t state the full requirements to join the Influencer Program, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1. You must have an Amazon account. You can connect your existing account or create a new one when you sign up for a program.
2. You must have a strong social media following on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, or TikTok. Amazon doesn’t state the number of followers they require for the program, but a following of around 10,000 and above will suffice.
3. Micro-influencers can still apply for the program, provided their engagement rates are high.
4. There is no limit to how many times you can apply for the Influencer Program. If you get rejected once, it’s possible that your follower count isn’t large enough or that your engagement rates are low. Work on those numbers and re-apply again.
5. Amazon has no restrictions on the product categories or niches that influencers can recommend. But, they do consider the fit of the niche relative to the influencer’s audience.

Steps on joining the Amazon Influencer Program

Joining the Amazon Influencer Program is a pretty straightforward process. Follow these steps below.

1. Head over to the Amazon Influencer Program page and click the ‘Sign Up’ button.
2. Log in to your existing account or create a new account.
3. Connect your social media handles to your Amazon account. You’ll also need to provide a profile photo and a bio about yourself.
4. Wait for Amazon to review your social media account. The approval process is usually faster when using your Facebook or YouTube account. Connecting your Instagram account takes around five days.
5. Once accepted, you can now proceed to set up your storefront. You need to add a custom banner and image to personalize your storefront’s landing page.
6. After setting up your storefront, you can proceed to add product recommendations and build your storefront according to your preferences.
7. Start creating content and direct your audience to your storefront!

Is the Amazon Influencer Program for you?

If you’re a content creator who wants to generate revenue using your social media accounts, you should strongly consider the Amazon Influencer Program. Amazon provides all the tools you need to execute product recommendations, and the setup process is as simple as possible.

Successful influencers find ways to maximize their revenue, and you can diversify your income stream by joining Amazon’s new program. When paired with a clever social media strategy, you can earn more money and expand your brand’s reach with Amazon’s Influencer Program.

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