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Amazon Influencer Program: How Does It Work?

The Amazon influencer program has become a powerful tool for creators to monetize their social media presence. If you’re an influencer on platforms like Instagram, YouTube or TikTok, and have more than 1,000 followers you may be eligible to join Amazon’s exclusive program, allowing you to share personalized product recommendations while earning commission on sales.

But, how does the Amazon influencer program work and what makes it different from the Amazon affiliates program? In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about getting started - from setting up your Amazon storefront and promoting products to understanding commission rates, qualification requirements, and strategies to increase your affiliate income.

What is the Amazon Influencer Program?

The Amazon Influencer Program is part of the Amazon Associates (affiliate) program that allows social media influencers to earn commission by promoting Amazon products to their followers. Through this program, influencers who have a significant presence on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok or Facebook can create a personalized Amazon storefront.

Beauty influencer Meredith Duxbury’s Amazon storefront

Through their storefront, Amazon influencers can curate the products they recommend, creating a convenient shopping experience for their followers, who can browse and purchase items directly through the influencer's storefront.

Amazon Influencer Program vs Amazon Associates Program

The main difference between the Amazon Influencer Program vs the Amazon Associates Program is how monetization is achieved. Both work with affiliate links, however influencers have a unique storefront link on Amazon they can share, while in the Amazon Associates Program, bloggers have individual product links.

These are the 3 main differences between the programs:

Feature Amazon Influencer Program Amazon Associates Program
Platforms Join via social media accounts, no website needed Use a website, blog platform, or email newsletters
Requirements Stricter eligibility, based on metrics like follower count and engagement Fewer restrictions, generally available to those with websites or blogs
Tools Single storefront link (also supports individual links via Stripe or Mobile GetLink) Individual links for each product promoted

Platforms: For the Amazon Influencer Program you don’t require a website, you can join through your social media accounts, while for the Amazon affiliate program you can have your website or use any blog platforms, email newsletters, etc.

Requirements: For the Amazon Influencer program there are stricter eligibility rules as Amazon evaluates your performance based on metrics (like follower count and engagement).

Tools:  On the Amazon influencer program, influencers use a single link for their dedicated Amazon storefront (although they can promote individual links through Stripe or Mobile GetLink), while in the affiliate program, bloggers create individual links for each product they promote.

Why Join the Amazon Influencer Program?

With 94% of consumers who’ve made purchases inspired by an influencer choosing Amazon, the platform clearly dominates as a trusted shopping destination. Joining the Amazon Influencer Program offers influencers a unique opportunity to earn revenue while using Amazon’s extensive reach and reputation. These are the main benefits of the program:

Earn Passive Income

The Amazon Influencer Program allows influencers to earn passive income through commissions on sales made via their personalized Amazon storefront. Once the storefront is set up, influencers can continue earning from purchases made by their followers as long as those products remain relevant.

Amazon gives between 1-20% of commission per each sale, depending on the category of the product. In the table below you can see the platform’s fixed standard commission income rates by category:

Customization

A great feature of the Amazon Influencer Program is the ability to customize a storefront to align with an influencer’s personal brand. Influencers can create curated collections of products tailored to their specific audience—think “Beauty Essentials” for makeup influencers, “Kitchen Must-Haves” for food bloggers, or “Tech Gadgets” for tech reviewers.

Credibility

As the world’s largest e-commerce platform, Amazon is already a trusted source for consumers. When influencers recommend products through Amazon, followers are more likely to trust those recommendations because they come from a familiar, reliable marketplace.

How Does the Amazon Influencer Program Work

The Amazon Influencer Program allows you to build a customizable storefront that you can promote through your social media channels. Here’s how it works:

1. Apply for the Program

Start by creating an account. Go to the Amazon Influencer Program Page, and click on “Sign Up”. You can log into your existing Amazon account or create a new one.

Here, you’ll submit your social media account (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook), so that Amazon can check your eligibility, ensuring you meet their criteria.

Make sure to submit the platform where you have the most engagement and followers.

Requirements to Join the Amazon Influencer Program  

These are the main aspects that Amazon evaluates when rejecting or accepting your application:

  • Social Media Presence: You need to have an active social media presence in platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.
  • Follower Count: You need to have at least 1,000 followers to join the Amazon influencer program.
  • Content Quality: High-quality content that generates engagement.

2. Start Building Your Storefront

Once you’re approved and you’re in the program, you can start creating your Amazon storefront. For this, you’ll receive your customized URL with your name which will be useful to share through your social media platforms to earn commission.

Here’s an example of how the URL looks like: https://www.amazon.com/shop/madeleinecwhite

The best storefronts are the ones that authentically reflect your taste and your content. Avoid adding thousands of products just for the sake of earning commission. Instead try to provide a personalized experience to your followers.

Start by changing your profile picture and add an engaging bio:

The next step is to start creating your product lists and curated lists. For this, all you have to do is browse through Amazon for specific products and click on “Add to List.” Make sure to organize your storefront by categories, so it’s easier for your followers to find the products.

Following Mack’s storefront, you can see that she organizes it by adding engagement content like her baking videos as well as lists like “Baking Essentials” or “Filming Essentials.”

If you want more details on how to create your storefront and get the most of it, visit our Amazon Influencer Storefront guide.

With Creator Hero, effortlessly showcase your favorite products through a personalized storefront designed to engage and convert your audience.

3. Promote Your Storefront and Earn Commission

Once your storefront is good to go, it’s time to promote it. For this, there are three ways you can effectively promote your Amazon storefront:

1) Add your URL in your bio

You can add your customized URL in your social media profiles bio or in your link page alternative, so every time someone visits your profile they can directly visit your storefront.

2) Promote it through your content

As an influencer, one of the best ways that people learn about your storefront is through your content. You can do this by mentioning you have an Amazon storefront, but also by showing some of your favorite products. There are some of the popular ways to do it:

  • Get ready with me - These are mostly useful for creators in the Fashion and Beauty niche, where you can casually mention the products you’re using and inviting your followers to visit your storefront.
  • Seasonal content - You can make content about you favorite “Fall Items” or “Holiday Gifts” from Amazon.
  • Product Reviews - Make detailed reviews about Amazon products.
  • Amazon Favorites videos - Make videos or carousels of your favorite Amazon products or discoveries.
  • Day in my life - This type of video is useful to organically insert a product.

3) Amazon Live Streams

Another way to promote your storefront beyond your social media accounts is directly through Amazon.

You can create videos with specific Amazon products that will be shown on product pages, category pages and Amazon Live streams.

To appear here and encourage users to purchase your products, make sure to make high quality videos by doing the following:

  • Use an .mp4 file (size limit: 5gb per video)
  • Create an engaging and specific title (Ex: Best Holiday Gifts)
  • Tag the products
  • Add your customized thumbnail

4) Track Your Commission

The Amazon Influencer Program has a dashboard that allows you to follow how your Storefront is doing. You can see how much commission you’re earning, which products are the most sold, monitor the clicks, etc.

Based on this you can edit and customize your storefront, understanding more about the types of needs your users have.

Pro tip: To increase your sales and earn more commission, it is useful to see what’s trending on your niche. You can use the Amazon Keyword Search to find the frequently searched terms and trending topics. This tool is useful to identify popular keywords users are looking for, so you can adapt your list based on the current demand.

5) Get Paid

Amazon has three commission payment options:

  • Amazon gift certificate
  • Check
  • Direct deposit

After you choose your preferred methods, you’ll receive your commission approximately 60 days after the end of the month in which you earned them (Ex, if you earned in January, you’ll be paid in late March)

Maximize Your Earnings with Creator Ads

Creator Ads is a program that gives influencers the opportunity to include shoppable content from their storefront in Amazon’s social media advertising. This program is available to members of the Amazon Influencer Program (AIM).

When you join Creator Ads, Amazon automatically sources content from your storefront to include in their advertising. When a user clicks on the ad that features your content and makes a purchase, you’ll earn Onsite commissions.

Keep in mind that the program is only available in: The United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain and Italy.  

Besides having an additional way to earn commission from your storefront, the Creator Ads program is useful to expand your reach, as it extends to a variety of social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Reddit.

Amazon’s New Program: Creator Stars

Amazon launched an additional program that is part of the Amazon Influencer Program, called Creator Stars. This program celebrates influencers’ sales and engagement, allowing them to earn points and receive exclusive benefits.

The program has four different tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum

In the table below you’ll find the main benefits for each of the tiers:

Bronze (Eligible Creators) Silver (50 points) Gold (250 points) Platinum (1,000 points)
Bronze status badge Silver status badge Gold status badge Platinum status badge
Content placement across Amazon Free Kindle Vella stories Amazon Private Brands promo code Seasonal gift boxes
Brand opportunities via Creator Connections Early deals from Amazon Private Brands Gold-access to large shopping events Platinum-access to large shopping events
Bronze-access to large shopping events Silver-access to large shopping events Creator event invites
Access to Amazon Private Brands Handbook Design a color for Amazon Private Brands
Photo shoot for Amazon Private Brands Handbook
Photo shoot for Amazon Private Brands Creator Picks

To apply you’ll need to be part of the Amazon Influencer Program and have at least 100 link clicks or at least $1 in shipped revenue in the previous quarter.

In terms of the point system, you earn points based on shipped revenue and clicks. 1 point = $100 in shipped revenue or 1,000 clicks.

Another Amazon initiative tailored for influencers is Amazon Inspire. Read our full guide to learn more about this program and how it can help you scale and monetize your influence.

Best Amazon Influencer Program Alternatives

1. Target

Target’s Affiliate Program is a popular alternative for influencers who want to recommend a wide range of products, from home goods to clothing and electronics. Known for its stylish, affordable selections, Target offers competitive commission rates and frequent promotions that can boost earnings.

Influencers can apply through Target’s affiliate platform, and upon approval, gain access to product links they can share across social media, websites, and blogs. Target’s well-established reputation in retail makes it a reliable choice for influencers looking to partner with a trusted brand that resonates with a broad audience.

While Target advertises a commission rate of 8% most product categories offer between 1-5% of commission.

2. Creator Hero

Creator Hero offers a platform that allows creators to build their own storefront. What sets it apart from Amazon is that it offers a higher level of customization. You can edit product pages by uploading your UGC, changing and updating product descriptions.

The products you feature in your storefront will link directly to each brand’s website. In addition to storefront features, Creator Hero also provides options for creating your own blog, sending newsletters, and integrating AdSense to further monetize your traffic.

3. ShareASale

ShareASale is a large affiliate network that connects influencers with thousands of brands, from big names to niche businesses. Unlike Amazon or Target, ShareASale provides access to a diverse range of brands across multiple industries, allowing influencers to promote products that align closely with their specific audience.

With customizable affiliate links, detailed performance analytics, and a transparent payment structure, ShareASale offers flexibility and control over brand partnerships.

Final Thoughts on the Amazon Influencer Program

The Amazon Influencer Program offers a powerful way for influencers to monetize their social media presence while providing followers with curated, trusted product recommendations. From the flexibility of a personalized storefront to the potential for passive income, the program equips influencers with tools to grow their earnings and connect with their audience in a meaningful way.

Whether you’re an established creator or a rising influencer, joining the Amazon Influencer Program can enhance your brand, increase engagement, and generate revenue through a simple, streamlined process. By understanding how the program works, setting up a storefront that aligns with your niche, and strategically promoting your recommendations, you can leverage Amazon’s massive platform to build a steady income stream and strengthen your relationship with your followers.

FAQs
What is the Amazon Influencer Program, and how does it work?
How do you qualify for the Amazon Influencer Program?
How much do Amazon influencers earn?
How do you set up an Amazon Influencer storefront?
Is the Amazon Influencer Program better than Amazon Associates?

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