In this week’s episode of the Extra Paycheck Podcast we’re talking Amazon’s new platform for social media influencers.

Also available on: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Tunein | Google Play | YouTube

Have you heard of Amazon Influencer Platform? If you haven’t, it’s only because Amazon quietly launched this new platform in March of 2017 and only accepted top Youtubers and Facebook influencers into it. However as the program came out of its beta version Amazon also added Twitter and Instagram to it.

This isn’t an entirely new platform but rather an extension of the good old associates program. If I remember correctly I signed up to be Amazon’s associate in late 2007 (or very early 2008). Back then you needed a simple blog with a post or two to get your application approved. With time Amazon started declining new applications based on the website or blog that you would mention in your application. Not enough content? Denied. Not enough traffic? Denied.

In 2017 we’re seeing more and more brands collaborate with online influences. It only make sense for a fashion company wanting to collaborate with an Instagrammer (is that even a word?) who is capable of collecting 50,000 likes and 5,000 comments on every photo of their new outfit. Amazon seems to follow the trends and this is precisely why they opened up the Amazon Influencer Platform. If you have a following on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram you can potential start earning money through Amazon. Simply create your profile on Amazon, fill out some tax information and start recommending products to your fans and followers. You will then make a commission on each sale that comes through your page.

This is affiliate marketing and Amazon is trying to get the popular bloggers, vloggers and Instafamous folks to work with them. The good news for such influencers is that they no longer need to have a blog or a website in order to apply to Amazon’s associate program. An active social media account is enough.

Unfortunately Amazon isn’t telling us what kind of following you need to have in order to be approved but I am rather sure that accounts with purchased fans wouldn’t qualify. Amazon isn’t only looking at the number of your fans but also at the activity, percentage of likes and comments. I think it’s safe to say they will prefer a small following with high interaction rather than a huge following with zero interaction.

I used Twitter to sign up to this platform although I don’t think it was very important in my case. It seems like active Amazon associates are welcome into the influencers program without problems. By the way, here is what my Influencer page looks like: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alexsol

I can now mention this link on my podcast, Instagram, Youtube or anywhere else really and start earning commissions if people decide to make a purchase. This is very convenient especially if you don’t have a domain name where you can easily create memorable redirects such as ExtraPodcast.com/Spotify (don’t be shy, click on it in order to follow this podcast on Spotify).

Before you run to Amazon and create your own influencer page you need to make sure that you like your social media handle because that’s the one that amazon will use for your vanity URL. In my case I went with Twitter (when signing up for Infleunce platform) and Amazon decided that my link should end with alexsol. If I used Facebook instead my URL would have ended with ExtraPaycheck. I would prefer the last version but I didn’t know they wouldn’t give me a choice of the URL. You have been warned.

Now go over here and apply for your Amazon influencer account.

Scroll up and press the PLAY button to hear the full episode.

Also available on: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Tunein | Google Play | Mixcloud

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If you do have any comments or question, please do use the comment form below! I will answer every single one

– Alex

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