Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn by associating with an online retailer. It works by generating sales from referral links shared on a blog or a website. Amazon, the e-commerce giant, allows bloggers and website owners to earn through its affiliate marketing program called the Amazon Associates.
How do I become an Amazon affiliate marketer?
To become an Amazon affiliate marketer, first, you need to have your own website or blog. This part is generally free. Then you will need to design your website (you may need funds for this) and build good content and followers. If you set up a blog, try to build your content around a niche that you are passionate about.
Once you have a website that’s getting traffic either from search engines like Google or from social media, you can sign up for the Amazon Associates program. Go to https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/.
- First, you need to sign up using an Amazon account. You may log in using your existing Amazon account, or create a new one.
- After logging in, you will be asked to provide information like your name and address, the list of websites that you want to associate with the Amazon affiliate program. Next, you will need to verify your identity, and click on “Finish”. However, before finishing, go through the terms and conditions of being an Amazon Associate.
- You can now browse through categories and select products to review and promote on your website page.
Once Amazon approves your application, you can start using their affiliate links on your website and start promoting products.
You can also visit Amazon’s homepage, scroll down below, and find the option “Make Money with Us”. Click on “Become an Affiliate”, and you will be redirected to the Amazon Associates page. Click on “Join Now For Free”. Then follow the above steps to register yourself as an Amazon affiliate marketer.
Tips to set up your affiliate website:
- Think of the niche that you want to write on, and decide on a domain name for your site. Several sources like Namecheap or GoDaddy allow you to register your domain name for a period between 1 to 10 years.
- Choose a web host like Kinsta or Amazon Web Services (AWS) that have speedy and reliable servers.
- After adding the domain name to the cPanel of your hosting platform, install WordPress and build your site.
- Before starting on your content, research keywords in your niche. Selecting the right keywords will make it easier to create content that both people and search engines love.
- Don’t try to blog about literally everything under the sun, or more specifically everything that is available on Amazon. Choose one niche and be laser-focused on it.
- Use Flesh-Kincaid readability scores to craft content that’s easy and fun to read.
- You would want to make sure your product reviews are reliable and trustworthy. You would never want to compromise on your integrity and promote sub-par products just for the sake of quick commissions.
Can we set up an Amazon affiliate website using WordPress?
Yes, you can. However, the Amazon affiliate marketing program can be supported only on wordpress.org and not on wordpress.com.
The major difference between the two is the hosting platform.
While wordpress.org allows the WordPress application to be run on any web hosting server, for sites hosted with wordpress.com, WordPress itself handles hosting. The former is a lot more flexible than the latter.
If you are signing up for the Amazon Associates program, it is suggested that you use wordpress.org and host your site with a company like Kinsta or AWS.
How much money can you make as an Amazon affiliate marketer?
You can earn anywhere between zero to a few thousand dollars a month. It depends on several factors.
- The audience you are targeting.
- Your niche – if your niche has high-value products that sell in large quantities, chances are you will earn more.
- The products you review on your Amazon affiliated website. If you review a high-end DSLR camera, it is only likely that you get to earn more than if you were to review a low-end smartphone. That said, low priced products are usually impulse purchases – and so tend to sell in larger quantities.
- The freshness of your content -if you do not upload fresh content regularly, your site will seem a bit stale. You would want to upload new content weekly.
Your keywords – The keywords you target can make or break your site. Doing keyword research and understanding your market is one of the keys to online success. Keyword research gives you insights into what your target market is looking to buy. You can use Google Keyword Planner for this.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Not everyone understands SEO. However, if you want to succeed online, it’s essential you know SEO – or hire someone who does. Without SEO, it’s not likely your website will get much buyer traffic.