Amazon Affiliates is the best online selling platform when it comes to affiliate programs.
You could say that Amazon Associates is to affiliate marketing while Google is to online search, and still, be closer to the truth.
Our review doesn’t need much introduction to the subject simply because Amazon is known by almost all. However, a brief overview is necessary before jumping right into the benefits and workings of Amazon Affiliates.
For the sake of those who are new to this subject. Amazon Associates and Amazon affiliate programs are one and the same.
Overview of Amazon Affiliate Program
Amazon is a well-known name in the world of e-commerce. It is in fact the biggest online store – selling any kind of products that you could possibly need.
Amazon also offers a nice way of profit-sharing with affiliate marketers. It’s a simple arrangement where marketers receive a commission on every sale they initiate. And since Amazon stocks thousands of products on its store, marketers have a wide range of products to promote.
Amazon Affiliate Program, or more commonly Amazon Associates manages the business between Amazon and the affiliate marketers.
If what you need is a nice way to monetize your traffic, I suggest joining Amazon Associates because it is a good way to get started. Or you could include the program as an alternative revenue source for your site.
One thing though, Amazon maintains strict policies while expecting all its associates to comply with them. Failing to do so could get you booted out of its affiliate program.
So why should you, or any publisher sign up for Amazon Associates?
I’ve got a bunch of benefits that you may want to consider before taking the big leap into the program.
Amazing Benefits of Amazon Affiliates
1. Wide Range of Products to Promote
Just name the product, and you are sure to find it in the Amazon store – different products in different niches from household items, sports, and gadgets to fashion. These are the products that affiliate marketers can choose from.
As an affiliate marketer, it’s quite easy to find products in your niches on Amazon. While other affiliate programs may target specific niches, Amazon Associates grants you full access to all niches – allowing you to promote different kinds of products under one affiliate program.
2. Wide Range of Commission Rates
While this isn’t intended to dissuade you, Amazon offers different commission rates depending on products and categories. The rates range from as low as 1% for computers to 10% for promoting luxury beauty products.
Associates can also earn extra from bounties offered by Amazon for referring subscribers.
The commission structure is covered in detail under the section “The Commission Structure of Amazon Affiliates”.
3. Ease of Use
Amazon Affiliates is a real, easy-to-use, and intuitive program for even the newest of affiliates.
One of the best examples is searching for affiliate links on the platform. You can easily find this by searching for the product on the store and retrieve using SiteStripe.
4. Great Support Team
I’ve often wondered how Amazon could manage its large operations. And yet still have enough time for each of its affiliates. And then I thought to myself that the company has succeeded in scaling operations to meet growing demands.
The support team can be of great help when you need it most. You can easily start up a conversation, and get the needed information.
Contact the support team that can be made through email, call, or chat. And there’s no restriction on the duration of your calls or chats.
5. Trusted Brand
Working with Amazon gives you a bit of assurance. Knowing that you will always receive whatever you earn.
Amazon will be around for a long time, so you know that your earnings are safe.
With all these benefits, would you like to know how to start earning on Amazon Affiliates?
Let’s walk you through steps to help you get started on Amazon Affiliates.
Getting Started on Amazon Affiliates
Amazon Affiliates is an easy program for anyone to get started with. Visit the official website to sign up and set up your own account for the affiliate program.
While you are getting ready to start earning on the program, there are things you have to be aware of.
Take out time to read and understand Amazon’s terms and conditions. Although it might seem confusing at the first glance, you need to know about the terms and comply with them. Amazon takes its terms very seriously and freely metes out the big stick to defaulters
If you encounter any problems along the way, the Amazon customer support is always there to guide you.
The Commission Structure of Amazon Affiliates
When making reference to the commission structure of Amazon Affiliates, the right word to use is ‘competitive’. And that’s because the rates are different from products to products and for categories too. Also, some rates are quite lower compared to other affiliate programs, while others are higher.
From your research, you should be able to tell what commissions are earned for products in your niche.
As an affiliate, you can earn up to 10% for sales on luxury beauty products.
Amazon offers extra earnings for its affiliates through the bounty program. They are additional earnings made for introducing someone to the Amazon service.
Bounty earnings could range from a $3 trial offer for a new signee to as much as $15 when someone starts a business on Amazon.
Talk about the double income earner, and that’s what the bounty program brings to you.
Imagine a shopper buying a phone on Amazon through your link and then signing up for one of the Amazon’s services! You get a healthy commission for the sale and your bounty for the sign-up.
One downside to Amazon Affiliates is its cookie duration. If someone clicks on your link and visits the store, she is expected to make a purchase within 24 hours. That’s because the cookie length of Amazon Affiliates is just 24 hours, though there is some exception.
Let’s say a visitor clicks on a link from your site to Amazon, and then adds the product to their cart. You get extended 89-day duration for your cookie. Meaning that the purchase is done within 90 days and you will still be entitled for the commission.
You can be smart about this by using tools like Amalinks Pro or AAWIP which makes it easy to add to buyers’ chats – giving you instant access to the 90-day cookie duration.
Read This before Joining the Program
It’s worth reminding you to stick to Amazon’s terms. Defaulting can get you kicked out of the affiliate program. And when that happens, it is almost impossible to get you reinstated back.
That’s what this section sets out to do – helping you stay within defined limits of the program.
For your Amazon images, download using SiteStripe.
Ensure your star ratings appear as similar as possible to Amazon’s star ratings. Don’t forget to mention Amazon reviews and prices.
Make use of your affiliate links for your purchases, while you include affiliate links in emails. The links should be directed to your landing page or website, but not the product store on Amazon
When there’s the need to shorten your affiliate link, use the link shortener in SiteStripe.
Your content should be explicit enough, without containing adult or profane content. Most important is to ensure that your content offers value to visitors who patronize your site or blog.
Amazon Associates is ideal if you are:
I – Bloggers and Affiliate Marketers in the Physical Products Niche – Take a pick of any essential product you know, and I bet you’ll find it on Amazon. Shoelaces, curtains, gadgets, etc, are just a few of the products listed on sale at Amazon.
Bloggers and marketers who publish product reviews and How-To guides will always have products to promote.
II – Internet Marketers in Info Products Niches – Amazon may stock products in all niches, but may not be the best in all those niches. That’s the case with promoting info products on Amazon Associates.
You can find products that include movies, books, and documentaries. These may not give you many options compared to what ClickBank or Google AdSense offers.
III – Social Media Marketers – There are, however, some limits to how much you can do on social media.
The social media profile that you place your Amazon links on must belong to you.
You are expected to include the exact link of your social media channel in your Dashboard.
Indicate on your social media profile that you’re an Amazon Associate, and that you make a profit from each purchase.
If you choose to use Twitter for your promotion, then your account should be a verified one.
You can cloak your Amazon link, though most social media networks already do that for you.
If you have a large follower base on social media, you can apply to the Amazon Influencer program. If your application is accepted, you will get additional details to guarantee the smooth running of your campaigns.
Pros and Cons of Amazon Associates
Up until now, you have heard mostly positive things about Amazon Affiliate Program. And a little bit of some negative side comments.
Let’s cap our review by highlighting the pros and cons of joining the Amazon Affiliate Program.
Pros
- Amazon Associates is a viable program for promoting virtually all product niches. There is a wide range of physical and info products to choose from.
- Getting started on the affiliate program is quite easy and straightforward, even for new marketers.
- Competitive commission rates including an opportunity for receiving bounties! Marketers can earn both commissions for sale and bounties from a single referral.
- Solid customer support to attend to your requests and queries.
Cons
- Amazon may have the widest range of products on offer, but not the best in certain niches. Take for instance the info product niche where available products are quite a few.
- For affiliate commissions, Amazon rates are quite low compared to a lot of other offers. Some of its product categories offer commissions as low as 1%.
- The terms of service for Amazon can be very confusing for marketers. And Amazon doesn’t spare anyone found to have violated its terms.
Conclusion
Affiliate marketing is a marketing firm that offers great rewards for both advertisers and publishers. Advertisers are able to launch their products into new marketers and reach new prospects while publishers join affiliate programs to help them monetize their traffic, or earn from alternative sources.
There are lots of affiliate marketing programs to choose from if you’re looking to earn income from your traffic. One of the most popular affiliate programs around is Amazon Affiliate Program.
Amazon Affiliate Program enables marketers to promote all products found on the Amazon store. You can decide to promote products on any of the niches, provided the products sync with your traffic.
Amazon Affiliate Program also offers competitive commission rates ranging from 1% to 10% on its products. Their bounty program offers extra earning opportunities for signing up subscribers to Affiliate services.
You can promote affiliate offers through your site, blog, or social media profile, though there are certain restrictions that apply for those intending to promote through social media.
Amazon has terms and conditions that have to be complied with to avoid getting banned from the program. Though some of these terms might not be very clear to you at first, you will have to contact the customer support for assistance whenever necessary.
Still interested in signing up for Amazon Affiliate Program? You will need to identify the products that fit into your site’s niche. Find out the commission rates for each of the product categories to see if it’s viable for you.
Remember that you could run other affiliate programs or ad networks along with the Amazon Affiliate Program. Programs like Google AdSense and media.net come to mind.
With the details you have received from this review, I’m sure that you know the next step to take.
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Nicely put together. It gave me enough information to make a informed decision. However, my preference is to see some images with text as its easy on the eyes. An being a newbie to amazon affiliates, I actually used this information for learning and it very helpfull. I would have enjoyed it even more if there were images or data of commission schedules. Also, some images around getting started woudl have been helpfull
It’s alright, JN! Will work on your comment and you will see positive effects in due time. Thanks again! Why I chose to be an amazon affiliate is that it operates with a 24-hour cookie lifespan and when the customer I referred buys stuff from other stores within that cookie period, you will get credited with the commissions on all the sales recorded. Thanks!
This has opened my eyes more to affiliate marketing. The bounty commission is a good one at Amazon. Thanks for your detailed information. I’ll definitely come back to your website to check for more information on affiliate marketing.
Hi Cess, thanks for stopping by! There is a abundance of opportunity with affiliate marketing, Amazon is just one to mention. You are more than welcome for the information Cess. Drop by anytime!