Amazon is a global e-commerce giant that raked in $143.1 billion in revenue in the third quarter of 2023, a 13% increase year-over-year. One of the features that drives its success is Amazon Storefront, which allows content creators to build their own online shops on Amazon, where they can display and recommend products to their audience.
But what are the steps to join the program, set up your storefront and make the most of it? And how can brands benefit from collaborating with Amazon influencers and affiliates? In this article, we’ll answer all these questions and more. We’ll show you how to create, promote and profit from your storefront and where to find the best influencers and affiliates in your niche. Whether you’re a content creator, an affiliate marketer or a brand, this article will help you take your online business to the next level with Amazon Storefront.
How Amazon Storefront Works: A Brief History and Overview
Amazon Storefront is a part of the Amazon Associates Program, which is one of the largest and most successful online affiliate marketing programs in the world.
This feature was launched in 2018, initially, as a way to support small and medium-sized businesses selling on Amazon, by giving them more visibility and exposure on the platform across various categories. Customers could browse and shop from these curated collections, discover new brands and learn more about the stories and people behind them.
However, the feature also proved to be beneficial for influencers. Check this out: content creators and bloggers can design their own recommendation storefronts and monetize traffic by linking to products and services on Amazon and earning commissions from qualifying purchases and programs. They can also customise their storefronts with their own branding, logos, images, videos and infographics to create a unique and cohesive experience for their followers.
To build an Amazon storefront, you need to first sign up for Amazon Associates, select the products you want to promote, obtain an affiliate link to the product’s listing and showcase the product through that link on your website, blog, social media channels or email newsletters. You will earn a commission when someone buys a product from Amazon by clicking on that link.
What Requirements You Need to Meet to Be Approved by Amazon
If you want to create an Amazon storefront, you need to first apply and get approved for the Amazon Influencer Program, which is a subset of the Amazon Associates Program. This program is designed for content creators who have a meaningful social media following and provide recommendations to inspire their audience via social media.
To be eligible for the Amazon Influencer Program, you need to have an active and public social media account on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. You also need to have a high engagement rate on your posts, which means that your followers interact with your content by liking, commenting, sharing or clicking on your links.
There is no minimum follower count to join the program, as Amazon evaluates each application on a case-by-case basis. However, some sources suggest that you need at least 20,000 followers to have a good chance of getting accepted. The quality and relevance of your content are also important factors that Amazon considers. You need to post content that is related to products sold on Amazon and that appeals to your audience.
Amazon’s compliance team will review your application and check your social media account to see if you meet the criteria. They will also verify that you do not violate any of their policies, such as posting inappropriate, offensive or misleading content.
Become an Amazon Influencer: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Apply
If you are looking for a way to generate passive income from your content, the Amazon Influencer Program might be a good option for you. This program allows you to earn commissions ranging from 1% to 20% per successful sale, depending on the product category and the customer’s location (but more on that later). This means you could potentially make $1,000 to $10,000 per month, just by sharing your recommendations with your followers.
The demand for influencers is also on the rise, as more and more Amazon sellers are leveraging their power to promote products and grow businesses. According to a report by Jungle Scout, 12% of third-party Amazon sellers hired influencers in 2022. Moreover, nearly half of Amazon sellers (41%) plan to use social media, influencer marketing and other off-Amazon marketing strategies to expand their reach and sales in 2023.
If you want to join the Amazon Influencer Program and monetize your content, here are the steps you need to follow:
Go to the Amazon Influencer Program homepage and click “Sign up”. You will be redirected to a page where you can choose an Amazon account for your influencer content.
Log in to your Amazon account or create a new one if you don’t have one. You can use an existing customer account or create a new account that is separate from your shopping history or other content on Amazon.
Fill out the application form with your personal information, social media account details and additional information about your niche and audience. You will need to provide your name, email address, phone number, country and preferred payment method. You will also need to select one of the four social media platforms that you want to apply with: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. You will need to enter your account name or URL and grant access to your account data. You will also need to answer some questions about your content type, category and target audience.
Submit your application for review. The whole process may take up to 5 business days. You will be notified by email if you are accepted or rejected.
If you are accepted, create your storefront. You will be able to access your dashboard where you can customise your page on Amazon with a personalised URL, create content and recommend products to your audience and track your earnings and performance. You will also be able to access the Amazon Influencer Program Education Hub, where you can find tips and best practices on how to grow your influence and income.
Ways to Bounce Back from a Rejection
If your application is rejected, don’t lose hope. You can still improve your social media engagement and reapply after 60 days. Here are some tips to boost your engagement and increase your chances of getting accepted:
Post content more frequently and consistently. Aim for at least one post per day and use a social media scheduler to plan your posts in advance.
Focus your efforts on one or two social media platforms where your audience is most active and responsive. Don’t spread yourself too thin by being active everywhere at the same time.
Improve your content quality and variety. Use high-resolution images, videos, infographics and other formats to capture your audience’s attention. Experiment with different types of content, such as tutorials, reviews, tips, stories and live streams.
Connect with your followers and motivate them to engage with your content. Respond to their comments and messages, ask them questions, run polls and surveys and thank them for their support.
Run contests and giveaways to reward your loyal fans and attract new ones. Offer prizes that are relevant to your niche and that your followers would love to win. Ask them to like, comment, share or tag their friends to enter the contest.
Study other successful influencers in your niche and learn from their best practices. See what kind of content they post, how they promote products and how they engage with their audience. Don’t copy them, but get inspired by them.
By following these tips, you can grow your social media following and engagement and reapply for the Amazon Influencer Program with confidence. Once you get approved, you can start creating your own Amazon storefront and monetize your recommendations.
Tips on Building Your Own Amazon Storefront
Congratulations! You have been accepted into the Amazon Influencer Program and you are ready to create your own Amazon Storefront. Now we will guide you through the steps to create your own store and make it attractive and engaging for your audience.
Store Personalisation
The first step to build your own Amazon store is to personalise it with your profile photo, background image, page title, bio and social media links. To do this, you need to:
Sign in to your Amazon account or create a new one if you don’t have one.
Go to your store page by typing your vanity URL in your browser (e.g. amazon.com/shop/yourtitle).
Click “Edit Storefront” on the top right corner of your page.
Update your profile photo by clicking the camera icon on the top left corner of your page. You can choose a photo from your device or take a new one. Your profile photo should be clear, high-quality and represent your brand and personality. Recommended size: 400px X 400px, less than 5MB.
Update your background image by clicking the camera icon on the bottom right corner of the large box. You can choose a photo from your device or take a new one. Your background image should be relevant to your niche, set the scene for your page and complement your profile photo. Recommended size: 1275px X 284px, less than 5MB.
Update your page title by clicking the pencil icon on the top right corner of the large box. Your page title should be catchy, descriptive and include your name or brand name.
Update your bio by clicking the pencil icon on the bottom left corner of the large box. Your bio should be concise, informative and tell your audience who you are and what you do. You can also add some keywords or hashtags related to your niche.
Update your social media links by clicking the pencil icon on the bottom right corner of the large box. You can add links to your YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok accounts. This will help you cross-promote your content and grow your following on different platforms.
Click “Save” to apply your changes.
Categories and Shoppable Posts
The next step is creating categories and shoppable posts. Categories are collections of products that you recommend to your audience based on a theme, occasion or preference. Shoppable posts are photos or videos that you upload to your store and tag with products that you feature or use in your content. To create categories and shoppable posts, you need to:
Go to your store page and click “Create Content” on the top right corner of your page.
Click “Category” to create a new category. You can name your category, add a description and choose a cover image. You can also edit or delete your existing categories by clicking the pencil or trash icons on the top right corner of each category.
Click “Add Products” to add products to your category. You can search for products by name, ASIN or URL or browse by category. You can add up to 100 products per category. You can also reorder, edit or delete your products by clicking the three dots icon on the top right corner of each product.
Click “Shoppable Photo” or “Shoppable Video” to create a new shoppable post. You can upload a photo or video from your device or take a new one. Your photo or video should be high-quality, original and show off your featured products. You can also add a caption that tells a story or describes a moment related to your post. You can use hashtags or keywords to make your post more discoverable.
Click “Tag Products” to tag products in your photo or video. You can search for products by name, ASIN or URL or browse by category. You can tag up to 15 products per post. The products you tag should be relevant to your post and featured or used in your photo or video. You can also edit or delete your tags by clicking the pencil or trash icons on the top right corner of each tag.
Click “Publish” to publish your category or shoppable post. You can also save it as a draft or schedule it for later by clicking the calendar icon on the top right corner of your page.
Livestreams
Another feature that can be used to make your store more attractive and entertaining is livestreams. Livestreaming is a great way to interact with your audience, demonstrate products, share tips and tricks and drive sales. Your livestreams will appear on your store page, the Amazon Live homepage and other placements across Amazon. To livestream on your store, you need to:
Download the Amazon Live Creator app on your iOS device. You can use the app to livestream and chat with your viewers as you show off the products on your store.
Sign in to the app using the same credentials as your Amazon account. You will see your store page and your existing categories and shoppable posts.
Click “Start Streaming” to create a new livestream. You can choose a title, a category and a cover image for your livestream. You can also add products to your product carousel, which will appear below your livestream and allow your viewers to shop directly from your stream.
Click “Go Live” to start your livestream. You can use your device’s camera and microphone or connect an external camera and microphone for better quality. You can also use features like product highlighting, live promotions and chat to engage with your viewers and promote your products.
Click “End Stream” to end your livestream. You can view your livestream analytics, such as views, clicks and sales on the app or on your dashboard on Amazon. You can also download your livestream video and share it on your social media platforms or upload it to your store as a shoppable video.
Best Amazon Storefront Examples to Follow
You have learned how to build and customise your own Amazon storefront, but you may still be wondering how to make it stand out and attract more customers. Don’t worry, we have got you covered. Let’s check out some of the best examples of Amazon storefronts from different categories and niches and see what makes them so appealing and effective.
Alexandrea Garza is a lifestyle influencer who shares her tips and tricks on beauty, fashion, home and wellness. Her Amazon storefront reflects her personal style and taste, with curated collections of products that she loves and uses. She also adds her own photos to demonstrate how the products look and work in real life, creating a more engaging and authentic shopping experience for her followers.
Lone Fox is a home decor influencer who specialises in DIY projects and interior design. His Amazon storefront is a treasure trove of items that can transform any space into a cosy and stylish oasis. He organises his products into themed photo collections, such as under $25 decor, last-minute holiday touches, gift ideas, perfect bedroom, living room finds, etc., making it easy for his fans to find what they are looking for.
Holland Paterno is a fashion influencer who loves to share her outfits and accessories with her audience. Her Amazon storefront is a great place to find affordable and trendy pieces that can spice up any wardrobe. She updates her store frequently with new arrivals and seasonal picks and also includes some of her favourite beauty and lifestyle products.
Tati Westbrook is a beauty influencer who is known for her honest and detailed reviews of makeup and skincare products. Her Amazon storefront is a one-stop shop for all things beauty, featuring products that she has tested and approved. She also organises her products into various categories, such as skin devices, clean beauty, cover girl faves and more, to help her customers find the best deals and products.
The Domestic Geek is a cooking influencer who shares her recipes and tips on how to make delicious and healthy meals. Her Amazon storefront is a must-visit for anyone who loves to cook or wants to learn how to cook, as it contains everything from cookbooks and kitchen gadgets to pantry staples and spices. She also takes pictures of meals for different cuisines and diets, such as Asian, Mediterranean, vegan and gluten-free, to cater to different preferences and needs.
The Blonde Abroad is a travel influencer who documents her adventures and experiences around the world. She shows a wide range of products that can make any trip more enjoyable, like luggage and bags, carry-on essentials, camping gear and even special beauty products to use on the road.
These are just some of the amazing Amazon storefronts from top influencers that you can use as inspiration for your own store. As you can see, each store has its own unique personality and vibe, reflecting the influencer’s personal brand and niche. They also use different strategies and techniques to make their store more attractive and user-friendly, such as adding photos and videos, using catchy and descriptive titles, providing notes and tips and organising products into themes and categories. By following their examples, you can create your own Amazon storefront that not only showcases your favourite products and your passion but also connects with your audience and customers.
Tricks to Boost Your Amazon Storefront on Social Media and Beyond
You have already created your own Amazon storefront, where you can share your favourite products with your audience. But how do you make sure that your audience knows about your storefront and visits it? How do you turn your recommendations into sales and commissions? The answer is simple: you need to promote your storefront on social media and other online platforms. However, not all social media platforms are the same and you need to adapt your strategy to each one’s features and audience. Here are some tips on how to promote your Amazon store on four major social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. We will also explore some alternative sources that you can use to boost your online presence and sales, such as Pinterest, websites, blogs and podcasts.
Instagram is a visual platform that lets you share your life and preferences with your followers through photos and videos. If you want to use Instagram to boost your Amazon storefront, here are some tips that you can follow:
Create a business account and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access insights, ads and shopping features.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your bio, so that your followers can easily find it.
Post high-quality and engaging content that shows your recommendations, such as unboxing, tutorials, reviews, etc.
Use hashtags, stories, reels and live videos to reach more people and create more buzz.
Use the swipe-up feature in your stories or the shopping feature in your posts, which allow you to add direct links to the products in your storefront.
Facebook is a social network that lets you connect with your audience and share various types of content, such as text, images, videos, links and more. You can use Facebook to promote your Amazon storefront with these tips:
Create a business page and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access insights, ads and other tools.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your page’s about section and pin a post that introduces your store to the top of your page.
Post relevant and valuable content that features your recommendations, such as product reviews, tips, FAQs and so on.
Use Facebook ads, groups, events and live videos to expand your audience and engagement.
Add call-to-action buttons to your page and your posts, such as “Shop Now” or “Learn More”, which direct your followers to your storefront.
YouTube
YouTube is a video platform that lets you share your favourite products and expertise with your viewers. You can use these tips to make the most of it:
Create a channel and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access analytics, monetization and other features.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your channel’s banner and description, so that your viewers can easily find it.
Create and upload high-quality and engaging videos that feature your product recommendations, such as reviews, tutorials, comparisons, challenges, Q&A and more.
Use keywords, tags, titles, thumbnails and descriptions to optimise your videos for search and discovery.
Add cards and end screens to your videos, which allow you to add direct links to your store.
Mention your Amazon storefront and your products in your videos and add your Amazon storefront URL to your video description boxes and pinned comments.
TikTok
TikTok is a short-form video platform that lets you share your personality and creativity with your followers. Here is how you can use it to promote your Amazon storefront:
Create a business account and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access analytics, ads and other features.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your bio, so that your followers can easily access it.
Create and upload fun and catchy videos that feature your recommendations, such as product reviews, unboxing, hacks, trends, challenges, etc.
Use hashtags, sounds, effects and filters to make your videos more appealing and viral.
Mention your Amazon storefront in your videos and add its URL to your video captions and comments.
In addition to these four major social media platforms, there are also some other online sources that you can use to promote your Amazon storefront and increase your affiliate sales and commissions. Here are some examples:
Pinterest is a visual platform that lets you discover and save ideas for various topics, such as fashion, beauty, home and so on. You can use Pinterest to promote your Amazon storefront by following these tips:
Create a business account and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access analytics, ads and other features.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your profile and your boards, so that your followers can easily find it.
Create and pin high-quality and attractive images that feature your recommendations. For example, you can create product photos, collages, infographics, etc.
Use keywords, hashtags, titles and descriptions to optimise your pins for search and discovery.
Add direct links to your product finds in your pin descriptions and comments, to make it easier for your followers to shop from your storefront.
Website / Blog
A website or a blog is a platform that lets you showcase your expertise or life through articles, images, videos, etc. Here is how you can promote your Amazon storefront with these formats:
Create a domain name and a hosting service and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access analytics, monetization and other features.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your website or blog’s header, footer, sidebar and about page, so that your visitors can easily find it.
Create and publish high-quality and informative content to share your recommendations. For example, you can create product reviews, tutorials, tips, FAQs, guides and more.
Use keywords, tags, titles, headings and meta descriptions to optimise your content for search engines and users.
Add direct links to the products in your content and your comments, to make it easier for your visitors to shop from your store.
Podcasts
A podcast lets you share your expertise, views or personality through audio episodes. You can use these tips to make it work:
Create a name and a logo for your podcast and link it to your Amazon storefront URL. This will allow you to access analytics, monetization and other features.
Add your Amazon storefront URL to your podcast’s description and show notes, so that your listeners can easily find it.
Create and record high-quality and engaging episodes that feature your recommendations. For example, you can create product reviews, interviews, stories, Q&A, etc.
Use keywords, tags, titles and descriptions to optimise your episodes for podcast directories and listeners.
Add direct links to the products in your episodes and show notes, to make it easier for your listeners to shop from your storefront.
Mention your Amazon storefront and your products in your episodes and add your Amazon storefront URL to your audio signature.
How to Earn, Track and Withdraw Your Commission Income from Amazon
Now that you have discovered the ways to promote your Amazon storefront on social media and other online platforms, you may be wondering how much money you can make from it and how to get paid.
As you already know, when customers use your affiliate links and make a qualifying purchase, you earn a commission. The commission rates vary depending on the product category. However, the commission is not paid immediately, but after a hold time of approximately 60 days. This is to account for any returns, cancellations or adjustments that may affect the commission amount.
You can also earn additional commissions when your shoppable content and product recommendations are selected to appear to customers as they search and browse Amazon for products and services. These are called onsite commissions and they are not inclusive of any traffic that you send directly to Amazon or your storefront. To earn onsite commissions, you need to sign up for the program and create engaging content that provides value to customers.
You can find all the rates and details of the commissions that you can earn in Amazon’s commission income statement. This document will help you understand how much you can make from your product recommendations and other programs. You can access the commission income statement from your Amazon Influencer Program account or download it as a PDF file.
In order to optimise your strategy and maximise your earnings, you also need to know how to track your sales. You can use the reports and analytics tools provided by the Amazon Influencer Program to see the performance of your affiliate links and your onsite content, such as the number of impressions, clicks, orders and earnings. You can also see the products that are the most popular and profitable among your followers. All the reports and analytics tools can be accessed from your Amazon Influencer Program dashboard. Alternatively, you can use other tools or methods to track the performance of your individual sources, such as using tracking IDs, UTM parameters or third-party analytics services.
Finally, let’s discuss how to withdraw your money. You need to have a payment method and tax information added to your profile. You can choose to receive your payments by Amazon gift card, direct deposit or cheque. You can also set a payment threshold, which is the minimum amount of commission income you need to accumulate before you receive a payment. Your payment settings can be managed from your Amazon Influencer Program dashboard. Amazon pays you commission income on a monthly basis, approximately 60 days (the hold period that we mentioned above) after the end of each month.
A Win-Win Strategy: What's in it for Brands?
So far, we have seen how Amazon can benefit influencers and affiliates who want to monetize their recommendations and create their own storefronts. But what about the brands who are selling on Amazon?
Amazon influencer marketing can help brands boost their visibility, reach and sales on the platform. By working with influencers who have a large and engaged audience that matches their target market, brands can tap into the trust and credibility that influencers have built with their followers.
By generating more traffic and conversions to their products, brands can improve their organic ranking on Amazon’s search results, which can lead to more exposure and sales. Brands can also interact with customers through the influencer’s social media channels, which can increase customer loyalty and retention. Additionally, it is convenient to measure the performance of the influencer campaigns using Amazon’s analytics tools, which can help the brands optimise their strategy and ROI.
To find the right influencers for their products, brands can use different methods, such as:
Searching for influencers on Amazon’s platform using the hashtag #FoundItOnAmazon, which displays a list of photos and videos from influencer storefronts. Brands can also use the Amazon Influencer search tool to find influencers based on keywords, interests and location.
Searching for influencers on social media platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, using relevant hashtags, keywords and categories. Brands can also look for influencers who have linked their Amazon storefronts to their social media profiles or who have mentioned or reviewed their products in the past.
Using influencer marketplace platforms which can help brands find, connect and partner with content creators. Brands can browse through a database of influencers who have their own Amazon storefronts and filter them by niche, audience size, engagement rate and location. Brands can also communicate with influencers directly through the platform and negotiate the terms and conditions of their collaboration.
For more guidance on how to collaborate with influencers, select the best ones for your brand and avoid fraud, check out this article. It has some useful tips and insights that can help you make the most of your influencer marketing campaigns.
Conclusion
Amazon is more than just a platform for buying and selling products. It is also a platform for building relationships, creating value and sharing your passion. By applying the tips and best practices from this article, you will be able to use the power of influencer marketing to boost your visibility, reach and sales on the platform. Whether you are a content creator, a marketer or a seller, Amazon can help you reach new heights and grow your business. Good luck!
FAQ
