If you’ve ever looked into monetizing Amazon as a content creator, you’ve likely come across two programs: Amazon Associates (the affiliate program) and the Amazon Influencer Program.
At first glance, they seem similar—but there are important differences in how they work, who they’re best for, and how much you can potentially earn.
The good news? You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can actually be both an Amazon affiliate and an Amazon Influencer.
Let’s break it down.
What Is the Amazon Affiliate Program?
The Amazon Associates Program (commonly called the Amazon affiliate program) is one of the oldest and largest affiliate programs in the world.
Here’s how it works:
- You apply for a free account.
- Once accepted, you get special affiliate links for any product on Amazon.
- You add those links to your blog, YouTube descriptions, emails, or other approved channels.
- When someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.
Key things to know:
- Commission rates range from 1% to 20% depending on the category.
- You can also earn flat “bounties” for promoting certain Amazon services (like Audible or Prime trials).
- Amazon tracks referrals using a 24-hour cookie window (if shoppers add to cart, the cookie extends to 90 days).
- Associates cannot build custom storefronts—your links typically lead to individual product pages.
This program is especially popular among bloggers, niche website owners, and SEO marketers who create content that drives traffic over time.
What Is the Amazon Influencer Program?
The Amazon Influencer Program is essentially an extension of Associates, but built specifically for social media creators.
Instead of only sharing individual links, Influencers get access to a custom Amazon storefront with a vanity URL. This storefront can feature:
- Curated product lists (Idea Lists).
- Shoppable photos.
- Short video reviews of products.
- Even live shopping streams via Amazon Live.
What makes this powerful is that Amazon sometimes places influencer content (like video reviews) directly on product detail pages. When shoppers view those pages and purchase, the influencer earns Onsite commissions—something standard affiliates don’t get.
Key things to know:
- To apply, you need an active YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok account.
- Acceptance depends more on engagement than follower count (some with just a few hundred engaged followers get in).
- Onsite commission rates vary by category and are separate from standard affiliate rates.
- Influencers can still use all the same affiliate links as Associates—so you get the best of both worlds.
Can You Be Both?
Yes, you can.
Amazon encourages Influencers to also use Associates tools like SiteStripe to generate regular affiliate links for specific products. That means you can:
- Earn standard affiliate commissions from traffic you send to Amazon (through your blog, YouTube, or social media).
- Earn Onsite commissions from shoppable content Amazon places on product detail pages.
Being in both programs maximizes your earning potential.
Which Pays More?
It depends on how you promote.
- If you’re a blogger or SEO marketer, the affiliate program (Associates) can be very lucrative because of the high trust shoppers already have in Amazon. Even niche blogs can generate $500–$1,000/month once they rank.
- If you’re a social media creator, the Influencer Program often pays more because of Onsite commissions. Your content can earn even when people discover it directly on Amazon, without you driving traffic.
The commission rates themselves are similar across both programs, but Influencers benefit from extra exposure and more ways to monetize.
Bottom line:
- Bloggers + website owners: Amazon Associates is your foundation.
- Social media creators: The Influencer Program is a game-changer.
- Best strategy: Apply to both—combine blog SEO traffic with social content and get paid from multiple angles.
Final Thoughts
Amazon is unique in that it gives creators two separate but connected ways to earn commissions. You don’t have to choose between being an affiliate or an Influencer—you can (and should) leverage both.
If your focus is building a blog, start with Associates. If you’re active on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, aim to get into the Influencer Program as well.
Together, they form one of the most powerful monetization strategies for content creators today.