08 Oct Everything You Should Know About Amazon’s Influencer Program
Summary
Social Media and Influencer Marketing create a unique nexus between brands and consumers – one that hasn’t been replicated anywhere else in the history of digital sales.
The influencers bring their unique talents and skills on board to create fun, exciting content that engages their audience. This helps them provide interesting recommendations which may be useful to their niche audience.
Brands can use the individual’s social media reach to promote and sell products to their customers. Sellers who wish to promote their products on Amazon naturally tend to prefer an Amazon-affiliated influencer – this comes with several benefits for both parties.
In this article, we’ll be diving deep into Amazon’s Influencer Program, and how to join its rapidly growing ecosystem.
How Does The Amazon Influencer Program Work?
The Amazon Influencer Program allows individuals to set up their own personalized, custom storefront which includes products they endorse.
Their followers can then purchase these products from their store, the same as any other e-commerce site. The influencers then receive a commission for each purchase.
This encourages them to build their reach and grow their following, and encourage their existing audience to purchase products through their stores.
This is a win-win situation for all parties involved:
- The influencer receives monetary compensation from the seller at no extra cost to the buyer.
- The customer gets to purchase trustworthy products that are transparently used, reviewed, and endorsed by an influencer.
- The seller stands to increase their brand awareness and customer base, with a smart marketing strategy that truly does work.
How Is the Amazon Influencer Program Different From Amazon Associates?
Amazon Associates works as an affiliate program. It enables website owners and bloggers to add links to all kinds of products, to their social media posts. They are then paid up to 10% as a referral fee when customers use their link to buy products from Amazon.
The Associate program can be used by anyone that signs up for it. It pays the individual for all the purchases made through their specific links – which direct customers to the products they may be interested in.
The difference between Associate and Influencer programs is that the Affiliate programs are mostly used for websites and apps, and can be used to share links on all kinds of platforms.
This is a more subtle form of marketing that is built for a more ‘traditional’ web experience.
The Influencer Program, on the other hand, is a slightly more advanced version of the Affiliate Program.
Influencers have their own URL and storefront, where they directly market products to their audience. This helps customers reach and discover products they might be interested in. As opposed to simplifying buying products they already want through an affiliate link.
How To Become An Amazon Influencer?
If you wish to begin your journey as an Amazon Influencer, we’ve covered everything you need to know:
Step 1: Sign Up or Register to Create an Amazon Account
To begin your application process, you first have to go to the Amazon Influencer page and Sign Up through it. You can either create a new Amazon account or choose an existing customer account.
If you’re making a new account, you shall need to add your:
- Name
- Email ID
- Password
- Address
This customer account will be the basis on which you apply for the Influencer program.
Step 2: Gather Your Essential Information to Register for the Influencer Program
This process involves some more detailed information. This includes:
- Your most prominent Social Media account.
- A profile picture with a minimum of 250×250 pixels
- A header image of 1810×402 pixels (this is optional but preferably you should add it)
- Your name and a 350 character bio
- URLs and Usernames for all your relevant social media accounts
- An address for all your reports
If you qualify for the program, you shall need to have all these details on hand when you register.
Step 3: Apply to the Program
You shall be required to choose between 3 different social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube:
- If you choose Facebook or Youtube, you shall have to link your account to Amazon.
- If you pick Instagram, you will be required to input your handle, the number of posts, and your follower count.
Always pick the platform where you have the greatest presence. The more followers you have, the more likely your application shall be accepted.
Micro-influencers are also likely to succeed if they are able to engage well with their fans and encourage the sales of products with increased demand.
Step 4: Create and Customize Your Storefront
Create a storefront by adding products you use and promote on your social media. You can pick them based on:
- The content you produce on your social media
- The social network and fields that you are a part of (for example, fashion, technology, makeup, haircare, etc)
- Appropriate products that match your brand and target audience
When selecting products, think about what your niche of followers is. Careful product curation that perks up your followers’ interests is a surefire bet for success – not only will they be more likely to purchase, but they will also take your recommendations and endorsements more seriously.
How To Connect With Brands Who Sell on Amazon?
There are different ways you can connect with brands on Amazon. Depending on your reach and the number of followers and brands you have in your portfolio, brands may voluntarily reach out to you.
However, it is uncommon for brands to directly reach out to smaller influencers due to oversaturation. Therefore, you may have to work toward standing apart from the crowd.
There are a few ways to grow your following and increase the opportunities you come across.
- Have a narrow theme for your listings and stick to your niche or specialty.
- Include relevant products depending on what your target audience or follower base is.
- Include different price ranges to accommodate all types of budgets.
- Be clear and precise with your titles and make your descriptions compelling.
- Keep your page neatly organized.
- Try to be as accurate, authentic, and honest as possible.
- Provide details regarding why you like a specific product to earn your audience’s trust.
- Utilize ‘Idea Lists’ to make different topics and include both evergreen and seasonal products in them.
- Develop a promotion brand.
The key aspect of being a successful Amazon Influencer is to help the brands market themselves by providing them with subtle promotions that add value to them, and their customers.
Conclusion
The Amazon Influencer marketing strategy is extremely effective and brands are increasingly flocking towards it.
Therefore, being a successful Amazon Influencer is just a matter of learning how to create and promote content that reflects or resounds with your audience. If your content is engaging, entertaining, and relatable, you may reach a wider variety of people.
This in turn will help you generate income through your storefront as people will be more likely to depend upon your recommendations and purchase products that you endorse.