When I first started looking into ways to make money with Amazon, I honestly thought “Amazon Affiliate” and “Amazon Influencer” were basically two names for the same thing.
They're related, but they're not exactly the same.
And if you're already creating content, or thinking about getting into affiliate marketing, it's worth knowing the difference because each gives you a slightly different way to make money.
First, what is Amazon Associates?
Amazon Associates is Amazon's traditional affiliate program.
The concept is pretty simple. You recommend something sold on Amazon, create your special affiliate link, and share that link with your audience.
If someone clicks your link and makes a qualifying purchase, you can earn a commission.
This works especially well if you already have somewhere to share links, like a blog, social media account, YouTube channel, or other online platform.
So let's say I write a blog post about the equipment I use to create content and link the exact light or microphone I'm talking about. Someone clicks that link, goes to Amazon and buys something that qualifies for a commission. I can get paid from that purchase.
That's the basic affiliate marketing model.
You bring the shopper to Amazon.
If you're interested in trying it yourself, you can apply for the Amazon Associates Program here.
Then there's the Amazon Influencer Program
This is where things get really interesting for content creators.
The Amazon Influencer Program is actually an extension of Amazon Associates designed for qualifying social media creators.
One of my favorite parts of the program is getting your own Amazon storefront.
Instead of constantly sending people a bunch of random individual links, you can create lists and organize the things you recommend in one place.
For example, some of the lists on my storefront are:
That's what I like about having a storefront. It gives me somewhere to curate the things I'm already talking about instead of just dropping product links all over the place.
Your storefront basically becomes your own little corner of Amazon.
If you're a creator and want to see if you qualify, you can apply for the Amazon Influencer Program here.
But there's another side to the Influencer Program
This is the part that originally made the program really interesting to me.
As an Amazon Influencer, you can create shoppable content for Amazon.
That can include things like product videos, photos and curated Idea Lists.
And here's where the opportunity becomes different from simply sharing an affiliate link.
Amazon can choose to show eligible creator content to shoppers on Amazon.
Think about the difference.
With traditional affiliate marketing, you're trying to get someone to click your link and go shopping.
With onsite content, they're already shopping.
Your content can potentially show up while someone is researching a product and deciding whether they want to buy it.
If eligible content is placed onsite and contributes to a qualifying purchase, the creator can potentially earn an onsite commission.
That was a huge lightbulb moment for me.
I'm not only creating content and hoping I can convince somebody to leave TikTok, Instagram or my blog and go shopping.
I can also create content specifically for people who are already on Amazon with their wallets out.
Okay, so what's actually different?
What I like about Amazon Associates
I wouldn't look at Associates as the lesser program at all.
For one, it works really well with the type of content I'm building here.
If I write about something I'm genuinely using, wearing, reading or loving, I can link directly to it.
It also gives older content another opportunity to make money.
Imagine writing a blog post today that someone finds six months from now through Google, Pinterest or social media. If that post contains relevant affiliate links, that old post can still potentially generate income.
And Amazon sells basically everything.
Fashion. Books. Beauty. Home. Tech. Content creation equipment. Organization. You name it.
That gives me a lot of freedom to talk about different parts of my life without forcing myself into one tiny product category.
What I like about the Amazon Influencer Program
This is the side I'm especially excited about as a content creator.
I get my own storefront.
I can organize my recommendations instead of having everything scattered everywhere.
I can create shoppable content.
I'm already learning how to make product videos, reviews, demonstrations and comparisons. Being able to use those skills on another platform gives the content another job.
There's an opportunity for onsite earnings.
Instead of relying entirely on my own audience, eligible content has the potential to reach Amazon's existing shoppers.
And probably my favorite part:
Old content can potentially keep working.
That's the kind of online income I'm trying to build.
I don't want every dollar I make online to require me to wake up and create something new that morning.
I want to build a library.
A blog post here.
A product video there.
An Amazon storefront.
A TikTok.
A Pinterest pin.
Some things will flop. Some will work. Some might randomly start working months after I forgot about them.
That's the experiment.
So which one am I choosing?
For me, it’s Amazon Influencer Program. I like the perks way more and it’s the best fit for my blogging.
But for you that may not be the route you want to take. And that's probably the biggest thing I want you to take away from this post.
This doesn't have to be an either/or decision.
If you're accepted into the Influencer Program, you can still use affiliate links to send your own traffic to Amazon.
For me, that means I can write something here on Switching Lanes Diary and link what I'm talking about. I can share Amazon finds through my social platforms. I can build out my storefront. And I can create content specifically for Amazon.
Same ecosystem. Different opportunities to earn.
I'm still figuring out what works best for me.
And I'm going to share the numbers, experiments, mistakes, wins and the stuff I wish somebody would've told me as I go.
Thanks for joining me on this ride.
xo, Allison
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a qualifying purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. I only share products, lists and recommendations that I genuinely think are worth sharing.