If you’re hot on the social media scene and like making money, then the Amazon Influencer Program is something you should be paying attention to. It’s an initiative where influencers can get commission on products that are sold.
For sellers, the Amazon Influencer Program allows for cost-efficient marketing while reaching potential customers you know may be interested in your product.
Instead of throwing money at broad Amazon marketing strategies, sellers can take a more focused approach by working with the right influencers on platforms such as Instagram or TikTok.
Let’s take a look at how it works!
How the Amazon Influencer Program Works
It’s pretty similar to how Amazon Affiliate works — users can build links and shopping ads, and then integrate them onto their own websites or blogs.
When people click on that link and buy a product, the affiliate gets a commission on the product, the amount of which depends on what type of product was sold.
Anyone can sign up and get started, which is the biggest differentiation between that and Amazon’s Influencer Program.
With Amazon’s Influencer Program, people have to apply be “using the social media account in which they’ll have the most influence on their followers”.
There’s no guarantee they’ll get into the program. If you don’t qualify right away, Amazon encourages you to come back in the future as the eligibility requirements may change over time.
They have to meet certain criteria for acceptance, some of which includes:
- Have a large following. There’s no set-in-stone number, as Amazon says it’s looking for influencers that range across a spectrum of tiers and categories.
- How much they engage with fans with posts, and how many/which social media platforms they engage on. Again, there are no hard-and-fast numbers, but rather that Amazon wants to see you have a noticeable presence and that you make it a commitment.
- Your content is of a high standard. Amazon’s looking for influencers who post quality material, and not just trolling comments to get a reaction out of people.
- Lastly, they also want to see that there’s relevance for themselves. Amazon needs to see that the influencer chosen will also benefit themselves, as it’s a two-way street.
Related: Amazon Influencer Marketing: The Complete Sellers Guide
What to Expect
If/when you get in, Amazon will give you a unique URL you can pass onto shoppers — it’ll be nice and easy for shoppers to remember and find it. Once they click on it, they’ll be taken to a page of products selected by the influencer based on their recommendation. This is another key difference from the Affiliate program, as the affiliates have to work with Amazon when it comes to product selection, while influencers retain total autonomy.
When shoppers are browsing the influencer’s page, they’ll see the range of products with thumbnail images, along with their prices, Prime statuses, and a little description of each. What’s neat about this is the influencer can curate a product lineup based on their own knowledge and experience, much like a clothing store rolls out certain outfits at different times of the year, like for the start of the school year or for Christmas.
This could also be an interesting and potentially great way for influencers to roll out more sales and move more products, as they get to decide what’s shown, and when. For instance, if you have a bunch of stock that’s been slow to move, you can feature that on your page and tie them together with a certain theme. This helps to cut down on the distraction of other products (whether from your own inventory or from a competitor when the buyer is browsing Amazon in general) by focusing the interest solely on yourself and your inventory.
Summary
- The Amazon Influencer Program allows you to get your own page on Amazon with an exclusive vanity URL to showcase the products you recommend to your followers. Promote your URL, make it easier for your followers to shop your recommendations and earn money on qualifying purchases while doing it!
- Influencers across any category can participate in this program. Currently, you must have a YouTube, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook account to qualify. While we look at the number of followers and other engagement metrics of your social media presence, we also look at the type of content you post and the relevancy it has for Amazon customers.
- The Amazon Influencer Program is an extension to the existing online Associates program for social media influencers. With the Influencer Program, you get your own page on Amazon with a URL to showcase the products you recommend to your followers. This gives you an additional way to direct traffic to Amazon, which is especially useful where hyperlinking isn’t possible (e.g. Instagram captions or video content.)
