The ABCs of Affiliate Marketing Success: Chapter 2
Previously
Chapter 1: Becoming an Affiliate Marketer
Chapter 2: Amazon Associates
Amazon Associates Have the Potential for Big Cross-Promo Commissions.
Many affiliates like to promote Amazon products because Amazon is a recognized, household name. This is a big reason for its success because consumers don't have the same threshold of skepticism or hesitation as they might have for an unknown vendor.
But there's another reason that Amazon Associates, which is what affiliates are called on that site, love promoting their products. Not only do you get paid commissions on the products that you are actually reviewing from your blog, but you also earn money on anything else that customer puts in their cart.
Whether or not they are Amazon Prime members, they will often add items to their cart that they know they need or want, whether it's a product for personal use or something they are purchasing for someone else, such as a birthday gift.
Anything that your buyer puts in their cart and checks out in the course of 24 hours from the time you sent them there, you will earn a commission on. So even if they check out for the item you sent them for, and then come back a couple of hours later to buy something else, you are going to get paid.
This type of crossover promotion potential can help you add on an enormous amount of income. Not only can you leave it to chance and see what else the consumer may purchase, but you can also recommend that they take a look at other items while they are there.
Amazon even does a lot of the work for you, making very targeted recommendations on the page they land on so that they can add additional items or consider looking at similar products.
Go to Amazon Associates (affiliate-program.amazon.com) to sign up and become an Amazon affiliate. Answer a few questions. It’s easy, quick and automatic. You must have an existing website.
You will be issued with an Amazon affiliate id.
Then, log in to your normal Amazon account at amazon.com and find a product you would like to promote.
At the very, very top underneath “Amazon Associates” you should see “Site Stripe” and to the right of that, the heading “Get Link”.
Underneath the heading, there are three alternatives: Text, Image and Text+Image. This is where you get the Amazon product link for your website. These come in the form of html code.
You must use Amazon’s product links. Unlike other affiliate vendors, Amazon does not allow you to simply attach your affiliate id to text, image or button.
Embedding the Text+Image html in your website renders as a small image of the product plus some descriptive text. The Text and Image links give you text and a larger image independently. My favorite is to use a large image, with the text underneath it.
Clicking on either the image or the text will take your visitor to the product on Amazon, with your link embedded. If they purchase the product (or any other Amazon product in the same session or within the next 24 hours) you will get paid the affiliate commission.
Note that Amazon requires you to display an affiliate disclosure (their recommended wording is “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases” close to the affiliate link.
You can read Amazons’ terms for the Associates program at Amazon Associates Operating Agreement.
Note also that if you don’t make at least 3 sales in your first 6 months, your account will be terminated. If this happens, you can immediately apply for a new one, but will need to update all the links on your website with your new affiliate id.
Recent Comments
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Thanks for sharing this. I saved this. I am not an Amazon Associate yet but if I ever want to add that I will use this as my reference. Thanks, Phil as always, You provide an easy way to do this. I watched Jay's training about the variety of products. I haven't been interested in being an Associate due to low commissions and dislike their strict rules that's my beef.
You're not alone in that, Brenda. My take is focus on high-end products and follow their rules. They're not too onerous, really.
Thanks, Phil, I just added a few Amazon items to a post until now and neglected to put the disclosure in. It's there now.
However I only used the short text link. In my new upcoming articles, I shall make a point of inserting the larger image with the text. Plus entice them somehow to peruse Amazon for something for the Holidays whilst they're at it. But, getting traffic needs to come first.
Phil, maybe you can help? I am sure you can. When using the Amazon stripe, very handy too, I cannot get the text and image to work. I re-watched a few trainings already Even SharAsale training on how to copy and paste the code.
I use WP Generate Press theme. When I paste it's like a long paragraph of "code" without the image? I do click open in a new screen. Short link works fine. I will try again today with a new article. Thanks again.
I don't use the block editor at all, but isn't there a tab where you can swap between text and html? You would need to me in html mode to paste the code.
Well, I am still having trouble with this issue. I am using Site Content for the review. Me thinks dat be duh problem. I am going to go to use WP - Posts and Add new. That may be the problem, since Site Content from what I see doesn't quite have all that available unless I publish then edit in WP?
I never use Site Content, but if you do, you have to do subsequent edits directly in WordPress.
Thanks, Phil.
I went to WP and Copy pasted my Site Content content as well as inserted the Amazon text and image. Works fine, I like how easy it is to move the image around. I was disappointed in the size of the image but it's fine for now, my first review. I have always used site content for articles but will use WP for reviews possibly both. I just need to get used to using the blocks and such.
WP seems to have more bells and whistles, too. With practice, trial, and error all will be achieved abundantly.
Have a great day down under. It's meditation time for me.
Thanks again, Phil.
You're welcome, David. I use the code for the large image plus the code for the text directly underneath it.
Some very helpful information here, Phil. I'll revert back if I ever decide to become an affiliate for them. At the moment, their commissions are just too low.
Susan
That's right, Susan. You have to either sell a lot of a popular product (remember fidget spinners and magnetic eyelashes?) or focus on high-end products like golf or kitchen appliances.
So true, Phil...I do remember those gimmicky things and might even have bought a spinner or two once upon a time lol. The big ticket goodies are where it's at with Amazon.
Absolutely. You can sell someone a golf rangefinder and while they're there, they see a new $400 driver that they just must have.
I’ve considered the “golf” niche. It is high priced products and global interest.
Are there high priced products in the golf industry that are used up and used often?
Every golfer needs the latest driver technology and the magic putter. This year's model, not last year's. Plus clothing of course.
I guess.😊 (I’m not a golfer, so I would not know)
For now, I better stay focused on promoting WA Membership or I’ll diffuse my energy.
Good afternoon Phil, great information, before I decided what I was going to do back in 2018 I went ahead and signed up with Amazon. I don't know as the time that I had to make three sales in a certain amount of time and of course it happen exactly as you have mentioned in this blog. This is a very well outline blog, I'm sure it will help many. Enjoy your weekend my dear friend with much happiness.
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Good morning Phil,
Thank you for explaining the process very simply and to the point.
I must admit that Amazon isn't a platform that I really promote, although some people seem to do very well out of Amazon. I believe they dropped the commission rates a few years ago.
Have a great Sunday.
Roy
Thanks, Roy. I only promote high ticket items on Amazon for that reason.
It's a pleasure, Phil! Yes, that makes a lot of sense. I believe in the early day's Amazon had a great affiliate program.
Roy
Relatively easy to make sales, but you need to make a lot compared to other affiliate programs.
I understand where you're coming from, Phil.
Roy