Amazon Associates

Amazon Associates, the official Amazon affiliate program, is the largest affiliate marketing program in the world.

Many affiliate marketers start here due to the wide range of products and it’s relatively easy to use.

There are currently over 200,000 websites around the world using Amazon Associates.

This amount of websites proves that it’s a valid method for earning an income.

You can use Amazon Associates to sell products via blogs, social media, or YouTube channels.

This post will guide you through the main features of Amazon Associates.

Then you can determine if it’s the right type of program for you.

What Is Amazon Associates?

Amazon Associates is an affiliate marketing program.

It allows users to earn a commission off sales they make based on their Amazon recommendations.

Amazon allows its associates to recommend any product sold on Amazon, which includes those sold through third-party sellers.

What Is Amazon Associates Used For?

Amazon is used by online marketers and influencers to help them profit from their websites or social media channels.

They recommend or review products found on Amazon.

They get a small commission if one of their readers or followers makes a purchase.

How Amazon Associates Works

Potential associates will go through a short signup process.

They provide their website (or social media account/YouTube channel) and describe how they plan to sell Amazon products.

Once approved, the associate will be given unique product links to share with their audience.

These links will track their sales.

When an associate shares their link and their audience follows the link, Amazon sets a 24-hour cookie.

If the person buys anything within that 24 hours, then the associate gets a percentage of the sale.

The person doesn’t have to buy the recommended product, just any Amazon product.

Notable Features

Amazon Associates is the world’s largest affiliate program.

Below are a few reasons why it’s made its way to the top.

1. Working With the World’s Largest Online Retailer

Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer.

When you work as an affiliate with them, you don’t have to convince your audience that the company is legit.

People trust the Amazon brand and are willing to order.

You only have to convince your audience to buy a particular product.

Since the 24-hour cookie applies to any purchase, there’s a good chance someone will purchase something in that window.

Even if it’s not the product you originally recommended.

2. Easy Linking Features

Amazon Associates has a feature called SiteStripe that helps you create your affiliate links.

When you pull up a product page, the SiteStripe feature at the top will give you linking options for that product.

You can choose from three different types of links: text, native ad, or image.

A text link is just a basic link that you can include in your text or share on its own.

The native ad link shares the product as an embedded ad.

The image link includes a product image.

You can also use the Mobile Get Link feature in the Amazon app if you create and share content on a mobile device.

3. Resource Center

Amazon has a large resource center with tutorials, tips, and more to help you succeed as an Amazon Associate.

The program isn’t too difficult to use and Amazon does a great job of breaking things down for even the most inexperienced users.

4. Banners

Amazon lets you create banners to advertise certain categories.

You can also make a banner advertising a special event or sale, such as Mother’s Day or Black Friday.

5. Product Advertising API

As your site grows (or if you’re already a more advanced user), Amazon has an API that you can use to customize and embed products into your site.

You can use the API to make more sales and make your site look even more professional.

Are There Any Minimum Requirements Necessary to Use Amazon Associates?

Amazon has few requirements for joining the Amazon Associates program.

Associates must be over 18 years old.

Applicants must also have a method for distributing content.

This can be a blog, social media channel, app, or YouTube channel.

It’s a good idea to have some content in place before applying, as Amazon prefers to work with established creators.

During the application process, you’ll be asked to share your URL.

You’ll also need to state the purpose of your site and how you plan to market Amazon products to your customers.

How Much Does Amazon Associates Cost?

Amazon Associates doesn’t have a fee associated with joining.

However, you may have some costs if you want to be an Amazon associate.

If you plan to market through a website, then you’ll have costs associated with running a site, including design, domain registry, and hosting.

Some associates choose to purchase the product they’re reviewing or recommending to make their marketing more authentic.

You’ll want to purchase products if you’re running a YouTube channel or social media account.

Does Amazon Associates Have an Enterprise Version Available?

While Amazon doesn’t have a dedicated enterprise version, it does have some features that allow you to scale your affiliate marketing business.

You can have an unlimited amount of users on your Amazon Associates account with different permission levels.

You can hire other people to help you manage your account as your business grows.

If you have more than one website, you likely want to see analytics for each site instead of all together.

Amazon lets you set unique tracking IDs for each site so that you can keep up with each site’s performance individually.

Amazon Associates Promotions & Savings

Since Amazon associates work as affiliates for Amazon, there aren’t as many promotions and savings available.

Who Are Amazon Associates’ Main Alternatives?

Lots of other online retailers have affiliate programs.

You may prefer one of these to Amazon Associates or may want to use them in conjunction with Amazon Associates.

1. Walmart Affiliate Program

Walmart also offers a wide variety of products.

While Walmart’s affiliate program only offers commissions up to 4%, they do have a three-day cookie, giving your audience a larger window to buy.

Like Amazon, the chances are high that people will buy something from Walmart during the cookie period, even if it’s not what you originally recommended.

2. Target Affiliate Program

Target affiliates can earn up to 8% on some products, but it’s a tiered program, so you won’t earn that high of a percent unless you’re getting over 10,000 sales a month.

It can be a great program for people who get a lot of traffic.

3. ClickBank Affiliate Programs

ClickBank is a good option if you want to promote both physical and digital items.

Its products aren’t as well-known as Amazon’s, but you’ll often get higher commissions.

ClickBank also gives you information on how well products have sold for other affiliates.

How Does Amazon Associates Differentiate Itself from Its Competitors?

The Amazon Associates program has been around for over 20 years.

And this longevity and position is in itself a differentiating factor.

Amazon’s SiteStripe feature is above and beyond.

While most affiliate programs give you a link, SiteStripe lets you choose between a link, image link, or embedded ad.

Who Is Amazon Associates Best For?

Amazon Associates is a good option for anyone who runs a blog, social media account, or YouTube channel.

If you have a sizeable audience, then you can monetize by working with Amazon Associates.

Why Is Amazon Associates Best for Content Creators?

Amazon has a variety of products, so no matter what niche you fall under, there’s a good chance that Amazon has products that your audience will want.

Since Amazon’s commission rates are so low, those who have a large audience stand the make the most money.

If you’re in a pretty narrow niche, then you may be better off finding a product outside Amazon that has a higher commission rate to share with your followers.

Is Amazon Associates Easy to Use?

Amazon Associates is one of the easier affiliate programs to use.

From your dashboard, you’ll be able to find a wealth of information to help you with things like technical issues or driving traffic to your site.

Amazon makes it easy for you to get your affiliate links.

You simply search for the product and then use SiteStripe to copy the type of link you want.

What Features Do Some Users Love?

There are quite a few features users like:

Associates love that Amazon’s 24-hour cookie allows them to earn commissions for all purchases that their followers make, not just the product that was originally linked.

This allows associates to earn much more on their recommendations.

Amazon associates also like that Amazon has such a wide variety of products.

No matter what niche they’re in, they should be able to find quite a few products to recommend to their followers.

What Features Do Some Users Find Frustrating?

There are also some features that users wish would be improved:

Amazon’s commission rates are among the lowest in the industry.

Associates have to make a lot of sales to earn a sustainable income.

Associates also don’t like that the cookie is only 24 hours.

Other programs have longer cookies, which gives them more time to earn.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions about the Amazon Associates program? We’ve got answers!

Wrapping Up

If you create content and have a decent-sized audience, then the Amazon Associates program can be a good option for you.

It’s easy to use and has a relatively low barrier to entry.

It’s typically the best choice for those just getting started in affiliate marketing.

Let us know what you think about Amazon Associates in the comments below.

By Brett Helling

Brett has been starting, growing, and monetizing websites since 2014. While in college, he began to learn about digital marketing. After graduating, he continued to build a diverse portfolio of websites while working a full time job. After years of building the portfolio on the side, he made the jump to run his websites full time.