As a micro-entrepreneurial business, you can earn extra revenue through affiliate marketing. Becoming an affiliate for Amazon is an easy way to allow your business customers to order products from Amazon.com and for you to receive a referral fee.
You can be an Amazon affiliate without needing a functional website or blog, but it certainly helps. Some affiliate marketers prefer to market an Amazon affiliate link through other venues such as email, their Facebook page, or through an ezine (email newsletter which is usually sent via email).
Being an affiliate with Amazon opens up opportunities for sales that can generate commissions for you from digital products (such as Kindle ebooks) or from physical products (ranging from actual books to the universe of products that are sold through the Amazon site).
To become an affiliate on Amazon, follow these six steps.
Sign in to your Amazon account
If you don’t already have an Amazon account, you can create one for free.
Click on the Join Associates link
You’ll find it on the left side of the Home page.
Fill out the electronic application
Provide your site address, site purpose, contact name, and so on. If you don’t have a site (such as a website or blog), you can skip this item. Amazon can generate links with your affiliate code for you so that you can place it in your emails, Facebook page, and so on.
Read the contract terms and conditions
After thoroughly reviewing the contract terms and conditions, click the button to signify that you agree and submit your application.
Amazon will respond usually within 24 hours, either confirming or denying your request. If your request is approved, Amazon will provide you with the necessary links to place on your site so that your customers can order books. Approval is usually automatic (unless Amazon has had trouble with you before).
Find an Amazon product to offer to your customers
You recommend your customers buy a particular book (including Kindle books), CDs, or any of a wide variety of consumer products.
You’ll see a bar appear at the top of your computer screen every time that you’re on the Amazon website that can allow you to link to different products. You can choose text or picture links.
Place the Amazon.com link on your website
If visitors click the link and purchase the product, you will get your affiliate commission. Amazon will send you regular reports of activity from your site. Retain these e-mails to track your affiliate earnings.
Amazon doesn’t pay as much as some other programs, but using Amazon as part of your earning plan has many advantages, including that it’s a well-respected site, online shoppers trust it, and it offers a wide range of products.