Everything You Need to Know About the Amazon Affiliate Program

The Amazon affiliate program, also called "Amazon Associates" can be an easy way to monetize your website or blog. Simply sign up, receive immediate approval, and place Amazon affiliate links on your site today. When someone makes an Amazon purchase via one of your links, you get the commission -- it's that simple.

But how do you get started? Below, you'll find a step-by-step guide to becoming an Amazon Affiliate, with screenshots. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, starting your own business, or just looking for a small business side hustle, I hope you'll find this guide a helpful place to start.

What is the Amazon Affiliate Program?

The Amazon Affiliate program, or Amazon Associates, is an affiliate marketing program.  It's free for website owners and bloggers to become Amazon Associates. They advertise products from Amazon.com on their sites by creating links. When customers click the links and buy products from Amazon, they earn referral fees.

How to Become an Amazon Affiliate

1. Create a website or blog.
2. Visit the Amazon Associates homepage.
3. Build your Amazon Associates profile.
4. Create Amazon Affiliate links.

1. Create a website or blog.

To become an Amazon Associate, you must have an active website, blog, app, or YouTube channel. It's also helpful if you've pre-populated that site with content, so it appears active and authentic to both users and Amazon.

Remember, you must be able to describe the purpose of your website as part of the application process. So, have a firm idea of why you're creating your site, the audience you'll target, and how you'll bring in traffic.

2. Visit the Amazon Associates homepage.

Now it's time to create your Amazon Associates account.

• Visit the Amazon Associates homepage and click "Join Now for Free"
• You'll be prompted to log in to your existing Amazon account or create one

 3. Build your Amazon Associates profile.

Once you've signed into your Amazon account, click "New Customer" and begin building your Associate account.

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1. Enter your account information.

Enter your account info (including the name, address, phone number of the payee)

2. Enter your website address.

Enter your website address(es), apps, YouTube channels, etc.

3. Enter your preferred store ID.

Enter your preferred store ID (usually the same as your primary website name), explain what your websites hope to accomplish, and select Amazon topics your links will likely target.

4. Explain how you drive traffic to your site.

Explain how you drive traffic to your websites, how you use your website or apps to generate income, how you usually build links, and how many visitors your site brings in each month.

5. Enter your phone number.

Enter your phone number, press "Call Me Now," and wait for the immediate call from Amazon. They'll ask you to input a four-digit code, and once that is complete, your account will be approved.

6. Choose your payment method.

Choose whether to enter your payment (credit card) and tax ID information in now or later. Then proceed to your dashboard.

4. Create Amazon Affiliate links.

Once you've created your account, you'll be sent to your personal Associate homepage. This is where you'll find your performance dashboard (including an earnings overview, monthly summary, and total clicks).

It's also where you'll search for relevant products to link to from your content. Here's how:

How to Create an Amazon Affiliate Link

1. Choose either "Quick Links: Search for Product" or "Browse for Product"
2. "Quick Links: Search for Product" allows you to search for a specific product keyword
3. "Browse for Product" allows you to search for products via categories like "Video," "Health & Beauty," and "Books"
4. Once you find a relevant product, click the "Get Link" button
5. Customize your link by choosing an add with text and image, text only, image only, or widget
6. Depending on the link type, customize background color, title color, and image size.
7. Preview of the link before adding it to your site
8. Copy and paste the link, shortlink, or HTML copy and place it on your site

Your account will be approved for 180 days. During that time, you must make at least one sale, or your account will be closed. You can reapply for the Amazon Associate program after you've made certain adjustments to your site.

Are you ready to get started with the Amazon Associate Program? I hope guide helps. As with most marketing and sales, quality content is at the heart of success. Ensure you're attracting your audience with quality content and share relevant affiliate links with them on your site. Happy linking!

How You Can Be Successful At Any Age. Just Take A Look at These 6 Successful Entrepreneurs.

Based on the way startups are covered in the media today, it’s easy to feel like all founders are in their teens or 20s. Stories abound of young millionaires and entrepreneur teenagers, but that’s only part of the picture. There are plenty of entrepreneurs out there who found their “big ideas” later in life, founding companies that, in some instances, last well beyond their years.

Here are six entrepreneurs who got their start later in life and prove that success is a possibility at any age:

1. Leo Goodwin, GEICO

GEICO, or the Government Employee’s Insurance Company, is now a well-known car insurance brand with well-known advertising figures. But before the Gecko, the Caveman or Maxwell, GEICO was the idea of Leo Goodwin. Working as an accountant in San Antonio, Texas, in the 1930’s, Goodwin realized that insurance needed an overhaul. Why weren’t companies just dealing with customers directly, saving all the money that traditionally went to brokers?

In 1936, at the age of 50, Leo founded GEICO in Washington, D.C. In a departure from most businessmen of the day, he worked closely with his wife Lillian in running the company. By the end of the year, GEICO had 12 people on staff and 3,700 policies in force. Today, GEICO employs over 27,000 people and has over 14 million policyholders.

2. Harland David Sanders, Kentucky Fried Chicken

Col. Sanders did not start out as anyone’s idea of a successful businessman. He lost his father at an early age, quarreled extensively with his stepfather, and was fired from multiple jobs, even losing his job as a lawyer after a courtroom brawl with his own client. However, he was determined to never give up, and this trait led to his eventual success.

While working at a service station in Corbin, Ky., Sanders gained local popularity for his delicious chicken recipe. After the Corbin station was destroyed by a fire, Sanders had the location rebuilt as a motel and 140-seat restaurant. In 1952, at the age of 62, Sanders franchised his “Kentucky Fried Chicken” for the first time. Today, KFC has over 18,800 outlets in 118 different countries and territories.

3. Robert Noyce, Intel

After earning his doctorate in physics from MIT, Robert Noyce found work as a research engineer, eventually ending up at Beckman Instruments. In 1957, he and seven others left Beckman and founded the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation. While he enjoyed some success there, he eventually left with Gordon Moore. Together, they founded Intel when Noyce was 41.

Noyce was considered the visionary of the company and treated staff like family. He declined the lavish benefits that most CEOs received, and kept the company less structured and more relaxed. While at Intel, he oversaw the invention of the microprocessor, an innovation that revolutionized computer technology and forms the foundation of the machines we still use today.

4. Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn

Surely a company like LinkedIn, a major social network, was founded by a youngster, right? Not at all! Reid Hoffman struggled with what to do after he graduated from Stanford. He decided to work, but to do so strategically, mapping out a plan of what he would need to learn before he started his own company.

When he first started on his own, he founded a networking site called Socialnet, believing that having a great matching algorithm would guarantee success. He tried advertising his new site through magazines and newspapers, but never found traction with the idea. In the end, he left and joined PayPal before leaving his position with the company in 2002 to co-found LinkedIn. Hoffman was 35 when he founded the company and 43 when it went public.

5. Wally Blume, Denali Flavors

If the thought of tomato-flavored ice cream turns your stomach, you’re not alone. Wally Blume had a successful 20-year career, but knew he had to move on when his boss decided to move forward with that crazy idea. In 1995, in his mid-50s, he started his own ice cream company, Denali Flavors, where he created the famous Moose Tracks flavor.

Today, this dairy treat brings in $80 million a year alone through licensing agreements. Denali now has over 40 flavors, and Blume is still going strong at the age of 70.

6. Carol Gardner, Zelda Wisdom

When you’re 52, newly divorced, broke and depressed, you’d think that the last thing on your mind would be starting a company. Then again, it might be just what the doctor ordered.

After getting a dog at her therapist’s recommendation, Carol Gardner won a local Christmas card contest with a picture of the dog and a funny quip. The win inspired Gardner to start a greeting card company, which she named after her dog, Zelda. In 2010, Zelda Wisdom was valued at roughly $50 million, showing that you truly never know where your next great idea might come from.

Running a business isn’t easy -- it takes hard work and discipline to reach success. As a result, it should be unsurprising that, many times, it’s the older and wiser among us who are better at navigating that road. So don’t count yourself out, no matter what your age. Success can come to anyone at any time.