What Is the Amazon Associates Program?

Getting Started With Amazon Associates

Before you begin, be sure to read the Associates Program Operating Agreement to ensure that you understand and comply with the terms of the program. Then, fill out Amazon’s brief online application form to sign up for the program, and select “Vendor” as your site type.

Amazon mentions that it looks for associates who “are a value-add for Amazon customers.”  Check your websites, mobile apps, and social network pages to ensure they meet Amazon’s customer experience bar. All sites must have strong original content and at least 10 posts that are publicly available and not gated or behind a paywall. The content on your website must be recent, generally from the last 60 days.

You will have to include your contact information, what your website hopes to accomplish, Amazon topics your links will likely target, how you drive traffic to your websites, how you typically build links, and how many visitors your site drives each month.

Once you have applied and your application gets approved, you will receive access to Associates Central and can start earning fees for sales derived from your links. Earnings and traffic reports are available in Associates Central and can be used to view the products purchased and your earnings, which are paid out on a monthly basis. You can also check Associates Central for the latest news and opportunities available to you through the program.

While you can incorporate static, Associates-linked URLs to your website’s home page, you can also promote your Associates links across Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social channels to take shoppers directly to Amazon. You can set up different tracking IDs to differentiate between unique campaigns or initiatives. 

Amazon recommends starting with static links, such as with “Where to buy” or “Available at” links on your website’s home page. Your storefront link will follow the format of “amazon.com/YourName.” You can sprinkle the links throughout your website, such as on your home page and product pages, so customers know where they can purchase your products as soon as they land on your website, as well as when they are browsing your products.

If you do not become a member of the Amazon Associates program yourself, but you are leveraging social media promo codes to offer discounts on eligible products on Amazon, you can share the codes with members of the Amazon Associates and Amazon Influencers programs to amplify your promotions’ reach. 

Once your promo code is approved, Amazon will share it on Associates Central and members can browse and ultimately share links to any relevant promo codes with their audience. If there are relevant influences or associates interested in your products, Amazon can also notify them about your promotion through email with instructions on how to share with their audience.

Final Thoughts

Given that 46% of Amazon sellers promote their products using social media, you are innately at a disadvantage if you are not already utilizing social media to drive external traffic to your Amazon listings. With the Amazon Associates program, you can leverage your social media strategy — once it is developed and built out — to monetize the valuable traffic you direct to your Amazon listings.