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Amazon’s Affiliate Program, also known as Amazon Associates, is a great way to earn some extra cash - or even generate full-time income - by promoting products that you love and trust.
If you’re looking to make money online in 2024, the program offers a relatively simple entry point with significant earning potential. However, it’s not a completely passive form of income. If you want to really unlock the program’s potential, it’s important to get your affiliate marketing strategy right.
In today’s article, we’ll break down the steps you need to take to become a successful Amazon affiliate, from how to get set up with your website and socials to driving clicks from the right audience:
1. Understand how the Amazon Affiliate Program works
To earn money with Amazon’s affiliate program in 2024, you’ve got to have a solid understanding of how the program works.
The Amazon Affiliate Program lets online content creators like you earn commissions by promoting Amazon products. Basically, whenever someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you earn a percentage of the sale. The commission rate varies depending on the product category, but even small percentages can add up quickly when you’ve got enough traffic coming to your page or site.
If you're looking for other ways to make money through Amazon, then fulfilled by Amazon (Amazon FBA) might be an option to consider. Check out our recent article which gives an honest overview of whether Amazon FBA is worth it or not.
2. Sign up to become an Amazon affiliate
First things first, you need to sign up! Head to the Amazon Associates site and click the “Sign Up” button. You’ll just need to provide some basic information about yourself and your website or social media platforms where you plan to promote Amazon’s products.
Don’t worry if you’re just starting out - Amazon accepts beginners, as long as you have a clear plan for how you’ll generate traffic. You don’t have to be an influencer, either, as Amazon has a separate Amazon Influencer Program for people with larger or more established social followings.
3. Pick your niche - and pick it wisely!
The key to picking the right niche is to choose a topic that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about. Whether you’re thinking about promoting tech gadgets, beauty products or pet accessories, you’re going to end up writing a lot of content about that subject - so it’s really important that it’s something you enjoy!
Also, the more specific your niche, the better. A focussed niche helps you find audiences who are genuinely interested in your content and often means less competition, leading to more clicks and higher conversion rates.
If you're wondering what products to pick, it's worth doing some research first. Make sure that the product you're promoting is actually an in-demand product for 2024.
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4. Create a website, blog or Instagram account
While it’s possible to promote Amazon products through social media platforms like Instagram - and this is a great option if you have a significant following on your social pages - setting up a dedicated website or blog is a great idea if you’re new to the ‘influencing’ scene.
Platforms like WordPress make it easy to set up a professional-looking website even if you’re not super tech-savvy. Just remember that if you want users to stick around and click into your affiliate links, your site’s got to be visually appealing, easy to navigate and mobile-friendly.
Looking for more ways to make money by writing online? Check out our article which breaks down each option including providing sites for writers to make money!
5. Create high-quality content
When it comes to affiliate marketing, content really is king. Your goal is to create valuable, engaging and informative content that will bring visitors to your page and get them to click on your affiliate links.
You could start by creating:
- Product reviews: Write hones and in-depth reviews of products in your niche - and always include both the pros and the cons.
- How-to guides: Tutorials in the form of articles, videos or infographics are a great way to help people when they’re Googling things they’re confused about.
- Lists and listicles: Compile lists of the best products in your niche, like “The Ultimate Camping Gear Essentials” or “The Top 10 Kitchen Gadgets for 2024.”
- Comparison articles: Compare two or more products to help your audience make informed decisions.
6. Optimise your content for SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital for driving organic traffic to your website, especially if you’re just starting out and don’t already have an established following. After all, the higher your content ranks on search engines, the more visitors you’ll attract to your site.
We’d recommend starting by using keyword research tools to find relevant keywords for your niche and weave them into your content in a way that sounds natural. And remember to make sure your titles, headers and meta descriptions are optimised too.
7. Use affiliate links strategically
Where you position affiliate links within your content can make a big difference in your click-through rates. One great way to do this is to weave your affiliate links into the text naturally. For example, if you’re reviewing a product, link to it whenever you mention it.
It’s also a good idea to use clear call-to-actions (CTAs) to encourage readers to click on your links. Phrases like “Check Price on Amazon” or “Buy Now” can work well.
Finally, Amazon provides affiliates with a range of product widgets and banners that you can use and embed on your socials or site. While these may make some of your reviews look a little like ads, they can also be eye-catching and help you drive clicks.
Want more digital marketing strategies for driving more users to your website?
8. Leverage your social channels
Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your affiliate links and content, and it only takes a few extra minutes to share your blog posts, reviews and videos on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X and Pinterest. This strategy works best when you engage with your followers, join relevant groups and actively participate in discussions.
Remember that the more active and engaged you are, the more traffic you can drive to your affiliate links - and the more money you can make through the program!
Wondering if selling on TikTok is worth it?
9. Build an email list
An email list is a super useful asset for any affiliate marketer. You can start with gating your content, which means offering your readers something of value (like a free ebook or guide) in exchange for people’s email addresses.
Once you have a list, you can send regular newsletters with product recommendations, updates and exclusive deals. Just be sure to include your affiliate links and make it easy for your subscribers to buy.
10. Monitor your performance
Regularly check your Amazon Associates dashboard to see how your links are performing, and pay attention to which products are generating the most clicks and conversions.
You can use this data to refine your strategy and make more money down the line. If you notice certain types of content or products are performing better than others, you can focus more on those areas. And if nobody’s clicking through to a certain type of product, maybe it’s time to try linking to something else instead.
12. Take advantage of Amazon’s tools and resources for affiliates
Luckily for all of us, Amazon provides a lot of tools and resources to help their affiliates succeed. There’s SiteStripe, which makes it easy to create affiliate links directly from the Amazon site, or - if you’re more technically inclined - you could try out Amazon’s Product Advertising API, which gives you access to a lot of the data used by Amazon, including items for sale and customer and seller reviews.
13. Network with other affiliates
There’s no better way to become a pro at something than by hearing from others who have been there and done it before. Joining affiliate marketing forums and networking with other affiliates will help you learn from others’ experiences (and mistakes!) and explore new ways to boost your earnings.
11. Stay compliant with Amazon’s policies
Remember that Amazon has strict guidelines for its affiliate program, and you’ll have to stick to them to avoid getting banned.
You can read the full list of rules and policies here, but the golden rule of affiliate marketing in 2024 is that you must always disclose when you’re using affiliate links. This can be as simple as adding a statement at the beginning or end of your blog posts or using a hashtag like #ad.
Plus, always avoid misleading titles or descriptions that might trick users into clicking on your links. Not only is it not allowed, but it’s super off-putting to your audiences, who then won’t want to come back for more.
14. Be patient and persistent
As exciting as it may all sound, becoming a successful Amazon affiliate is like most career pathways in that success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to build an audience, create content and start seeing significant earnings. Just stay patient, be persistent and keep refining your approach. The more effort you put in, the greater your rewards will be.
It’s time to start earning that affiliate cash!
In 2024, earning money with the Amazon Affiliate Program is all about finding the right niche, creating valuable content and staying committed to trying new things and honing your strategy.
By following the steps we’ve outlined above and staying consistent, you can achieve your goal of earning a little extra on the side - or even building a full-fledged online business!
Get help with managing your affiliate earnings
As you start earning money through Amazon’s affiliate program, managing your finances efficiently is crucial. Crunch provides specialised, affordable tax and accounting services designed to support freelancers and small business owners as they earn and scale.
For expert advice on starting and running your own small business or affiliate program, get in touch with one of our professional accountants and bookkeeping experts here at Crunch for more tailored guidance and advice. Good luck, and happy affiliate marketing!
