How do I monetize my Amazon blog?

So, you've decided that blogging isn't just for fun anymore -- now, you want to earn some money from all those hours spent writing posts! A great way to get started in online earning potentials is by joining the Amazon Associate's Program (or "Amazon Associates" as they're sometimes known). Most beginners will have no trouble getting accepted into this program -- and once you are part of the program, there are many ways to maximize your earnings potential. Let's take a look at what you need to know about making money through Amazon affiliates.

As we'll see later, starting off with Amazon associates gives you access to a wide variety of products to promote, which means you don't necessarily need to focus on any particular niche or topic. In fact, if you join the right programs, you could potentially profit from promoting anything under the sun. However, before jumping headfirst into the world of Amazon affiliates, let's first learn more about them and their requirements...

What qualifies you to be an Amazon associate?

If you plan on becoming an Amazon affiliate, there are certain basic qualifications required. The most important factor is whether you meet the following criteria:

You must reside within the United States. This should go without saying but apparently it doesn't always sink in when people think about being an affiliate marketer. Some people believe that because they live outside North America, they cannot become an Amazon affiliate. Wrong! If you are located anywhere in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific area or Oceania region (which includes Australia) then you are eligible to join the Amazon Associates program. It's even possible to receive commissions while living abroad thanks to the global nature of the internet. Just check to see if Amazon has partnered up with a company offering international shipping services such as DHL Express International Mail Service.

Your site must offer original content. You may not only write articles yourself but also edit other peoples' work. As long as your website offers unique material written specifically by you, you can qualify. For example, someone who writes articles exclusively for EzineArticles would likely struggle to become approved as an Amazon Associate since its terms state that members must provide original content. On the other hand, if you simply post information others have already created and spread around the net, you might find success.

The above guidelines apply mostly to sites aiming to drive traffic back to the author's personal domain rather than blogs hosted elsewhere like WordPress.com.

After meeting these three main prerequisites, additional factors come into play depending upon where you wish to host your own blog. Keep reading to discover how to sign up for the Amazon Associates program and how to choose between various hosting options.

In addition to having a US address, you also need to register a physical business name. Simply pick something memorable so you won't forget it easily. Once registered, you can set up a separate email account solely used for Amazon accounts.

How do I sell my blog on Amazon?

Now that you're qualified for the Amazon Associates program, you still need to decide how you'd like to run your blog. There are two primary methods -- either you create links pointing directly to product pages on Amazon's marketplace or you link images related to the product. We recommend going with the latter approach due to several reasons. First, Amazon provides a higher payout per click compared to clicking on direct links. Second, linking image results tend to rank better in search engines than simple text links. Thirdly, visitors often tend to spend more time looking at pictures than reading lengthy descriptions.

When choosing which products to promote, consider both your audience and interests. Ideally, you shouldn't try to target too broad of topics unless you're ready for a big leap. Even though you may love dogs, it probably wouldn't make sense to dedicate your entire blog to pet supplies. Instead, stick to a small number of categories based on your expertise. Also keep in mind that Amazon tends to favor specific niches over broader ones. So, if you're interested in running a travel blog, avoid trying to sell everything under the sun. Stick to items relevant to travelers. When creating new posts, add in keywords pertaining to locations visited and activities engaged in during travels. These words will help boost rankings in local searches and hopefully attract readers.

On top of that, you should also select a suitable title for each article you publish. The title needs to entice customers to read further. Use targeted titles for high ranking in organic SEO strategies or else risk losing valuable readership. Titles for Amazon articles usually include keyphrases relating to the subject matter along with the brand name. For instance, if you were reviewing luggage tags, your title could say something like "[Brand Name] Luggage Tags - A Review".

Finally, here are some tips on how to optimize your Amazon listings to increase sales:

Use good grammar throughout your copy. Customers hate typos and misspelled words especially when searching for something on Google.

Be honest with your reviews. People appreciate honesty and therefore trust companies more when they hear positive things said about them.

Don't hesitate to answer customer inquiries via comments boxes provided below each item page. Answer questions honestly and courteously. Don't pretend to be knowledgeable about a product if you aren't. Always point buyers towards accurate sources of information regarding whatever it is they seek.

Keep track of feedback left by users. Look for patterns in negative feedback to improve future offerings.

Always put the price of the product next to the listing. That helps consumers compare prices easily.

Let everyone know exactly how they can contact you. Sometimes a phone number, mailing address, Skype ID or social media profile makes it easier for folks to reach out.

Show that you care about unhappy customers. Respond promptly to complaints and show appreciation for loyalty.

How much does a beginner make selling on Amazon?

Once you master the basics of setting up a successful Amazon Associates shop, the sky really is the limit. Depending on your location and demographics, you could end up generating hundreds of dollars every month. Here are some examples showing how much different types of users can expect to earn monthly. Each figure represents average revenue earned across all Amazon sellers in the category specified. Note that these figures reflect gross revenues after taxes and fees paid to third parties.

US residents: $1,942/month ($26,196 annually)

Canadian residents: $2,170/month ($30,000 annually)

European Union residents: $3,822/month ($52,800 annually)

People residing in India: $4,724/month ($68,640 annually)

Although there are no hard numbers on how much a person working fulltime can earn, you can assume that annual incomes will generally fall somewhere in range shown above. Of course, the amount depends heavily on how well you manage your business. Consider this scenario: you log 3 hours of daily work, submit 2 reviews per week, and generate 10 clicks per day. At $0.20 per click, this translates to roughly $5 total commission collected per day. With this example, that brings us to $10,050 yearly. Now imagine doing the same thing for 5 days straight, submitting 2 reviews per day, and generating 15 clicks per day. How high can you raise your hands?

One last note -- remember to update your profiles regularly with fresh info, including photos, addresses, etc. While it seems trivial, updating your profiles can bring you extra visibility and ultimately lead to increased profits.

Yes, Amazon pays you to sell!

It was mentioned earlier that Amazon requires merchants to pay a fee to participate in their affiliate program. To minimize costs, we recommend choosing a reputable partner to handle payments processing duties. After signing up for the Associates program, you can choose from a few payment gateways offered by Amazon. Although these providers charge varying rates, they typically cost less than 1% of transactions processed.

Amazon has become a household name, selling everything from books to electronics to groceries -- not just because they're so easy to shop for online but also because of their wide range of products and unbeatable prices. If you've got something to sell or promote on Amazon's marketplace platform (or if you'd like to), there are plenty of ways to get started earning money through your own personal Amazon storefront without any need for inventory storage space. In this article we'll take a look at what Amazon offers its affiliates in terms of compensation opportunities and show you how to earn some extra cash by becoming an Amazon blogger yourself. Let's jump right into our first topic -- how much do Amazon bloggers make?

How much do Amazon bloggers make?

There are many different types of blogs that exist today, including general lifestyle blogs and news sites as well as niche-specific content providers such as recipe blogs, travel guides, health resources, etc. As far as Amazon goes, most of these kinds of blogs will find themselves falling under either "product review" or "reviews," depending on which product categories they write about. These particular types of blogs have proven to be very popular among readers who want more information before making purchases, especially when those reviews come straight from someone who actually owns or uses whatever specific product that was reviewed. Because these are often considered to be prime spots on Amazon pages, Amazon bloggers may receive commissions based upon sales made via links placed within their posts.

In order to qualify as an Amazon Associate, each individual blogger must agree to abide by all policies detailed by Amazon itself. Once qualified, however, bloggers are eligible to participate in both standard payouts and performance bonuses. Standard payout percentages vary between 5% and 10%, while additional payments for hitting certain monthly goals are called "performance bonus." The amount paid out for these bonuses depends on the number of unique visitors attracted during a given month. For example, reaching 500 visits per month would result in a $50 payment, whereas 1,000+ hits could net up to $100. There are no guarantees offered regarding earnings potential, although higher traffic volumes tend to translate into larger checks.

Although the process for becoming an Amazon blogger isn't necessarily difficult or time-intensive, it's important that newbies keep track of several things. First off, it helps to know exactly which keywords drive the highest search rankings for relevant topics related to your blog. It's also helpful to learn how to optimize your site properly for Google AdSense ads and other forms of advertising that might appear later down the road. Finally, it's imperative to remember that each post needs to contain compelling material that engages readers enough to encourage them to click through to your website. To help ensure that happens, try experimenting with various headline formats until you discover the ones that work best for your audience.

As long as you follow the rules set forth by Amazon and remain respectful toward other users, you should never run afoul of any legal issues surrounding the issue of intellectual property rights. This means that even though you may not personally hold ownership over any original ideas or photos featured across your blog, you can freely share information and images provided that you don't alter them too drastically. You also shouldn't worry about losing access to your account once you join as an associate due to nonpayment. Instead, you simply won't see any commission fees credited to your account until sufficient funds accumulate after receiving a check from Amazon.

How much does the average Amazon affiliate make?

If you decide to go forward with setting up your own Amazon business, you'll need to choose whether you want to focus primarily on reviewing existing products or creating your own merchandise. While writing reviews tends to offer better monetary returns than producing your own products, manufacturing your own items gives you complete control over the design, price points, quality levels, shipping options, etc., of anything you put onto store shelves.

It takes years of training, hard work, perseverance and lots of trial and error to develop expertise in any field, including home decorating, jewelry creation, photography skills, culinary arts, etc. However, if you happen to possess natural talent in one area or another then you could consider expanding beyond the realm of traditional employment altogether and turn your talents into a lucrative side career. One way to do this is to create custom handbags, candles, clothing accessories, artwork, wedding cakes, photo frames, etc. By focusing specifically on designing and/or crafting one type of item rather than multiple types, you'll minimize wasted time spent switching back and forth between projects whenever necessary. Another advantage to this approach is the fact that you can build brand recognition faster since people already recognize your logo and signature style. Also, if you ever plan on opening stores, having a strong portfolio of completed pieces makes it easier to attract investors.

The downside to going this route is that unless you were trained professionally in the past or currently employ others to handle production duties for you, starting up your own business usually requires significant financial investments in equipment, materials and labor costs. Even if you manage to generate decent profits initially, it's unlikely that you'll continue drawing steady wages indefinitely. In addition, you'll likely face stiff competition from established competitors who have greater economies of scale. Nevertheless, if you feel confident in your abilities and love working with your hands, then this could be a great option for you. Just make sure you thoroughly research similar companies' offerings prior to signing on the dotted line. Some businesses require large upfront capital outlays for machinery, inventories, employees, etc., so make sure you understand every aspect of the deal fully beforehand.

Another way to earn money as an Amazon blogger is by leveraging social media platforms to spread awareness of your company. Since most shoppers visit websites looking for recommendations before purchasing items, it only makes sense that word of mouth alone would sometimes suffice to convert prospective buyers into paying customers. After all, why buy something if you didn't hear good things about it first? Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest serve as excellent outlets for promoting brands, services, events and products alike. Keep in mind that success doesn't always depend entirely on organic growth, however. Sometimes it pays to advertise directly in order to reach wider audiences. When choosing where to place sponsored advertisements, it's wise to avoid placing banners near articles containing Amazon promotional links. Doing so might lead to confusion amongst readers since banner placements typically interrupt flow patterns and disrupt reader attention spans. Instead, stick to ad placement strategies designed to maximize conversions, such as displaying ads alongside positive customer testimonials or featuring special deals exclusively available to newsletter subscribers.

Lastly, don't forget that you aren't limited to solely relying on Amazon for revenue generation purposes. With proper planning, you could potentially expand your visibility by incorporating third party solutions into your overall marketing strategy. Depending on the nature of your blog, you could collaborate with other experts in unrelated fields in order to produce informative eBooks, videos, podcasts, newsletters, guest columns and more. All you need now is enough motivation to stay focused on growing your following instead of getting distracted by daydreaming about quitting your job tomorrow!

Is being an Amazon affiliate worth it?

One thing to bear in mind is that you probably won't be able to quit your dayjob anytime soon if you hope to maintain a fulltime blogging status. On top of your regular salary, you'll still need to allocate a portion of your earnings towards living expenses such as rent, food, utilities, transportation, insurance, taxes, etc. Unless you have tons of savings stashed away somewhere, it's unrealistic to expect to become independently wealthy by pursuing a career as an Amazon blogger. So don't let this discourage you from trying, however. Becoming an Amazon blogger can certainly provide supplemental income streams that allow you to save for future goals or emergencies, plus it provides a bit of flexibility that comes along with owning your own business. Plus, if you enjoy writing about a variety of topics, you could eventually branch out into publishing book chapters, short stories, opinion essays, etc., which can bring in even bigger rewards.

An important point to note here is that if you opt to spend less time posting regularly to your blog and devote more hours to generating leads, you could possibly increase your chances of attracting followers interested in buying physical goods. A lot of successful Amazon associates utilize this technique to boost conversion rates, which could ultimately mean increased revenues for everyone involved. Try giving readers incentives to sign up for your mailing list or free gift cards in exchange for permission to contact them via phone calls, text messages or email promotions. Don't hesitate to experiment with creative approaches to garner interest, but make sure that none of your experiments stray outside of Amazon guidelines.

Finally, realize that the path to becoming an Amazon affiliate really varies according to your level of experience, interests and personality traits. Many people prefer to dive right in headfirst, yet others thrive equally as well taking calculated steps. Regardless of which category you fall into, sticking to strict adherence to policy requirements should yield positive results sooner or later. That said, the key to succeeding as an Amazon blogger lies in finding a balance between remaining true to your passions while keeping in touch with reality.

Amazon's popularity has grown exponentially over the past decade, making this ecommerce giant a household name for millions of people around the world. It also means that there are an overwhelming number of opportunities to earn some extra cash through selling products on Amazon Marketplace or offering services such as data entry or reviews. But what if you're looking for ways to maximize earnings outside of just being an Amazon seller?  If you have a website already, why not consider turning it into a full-time business by leveraging its traffic potential to sell goods directly or promote other sites? You'll be surprised at how easy it is to set up shop on Amazon!

In this article we will discuss how to get started setting up a self-hosted WordPress blog on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and then explore various options available to help you make money with it. Read more about our experience in starting a new site like this here.

Before diving right in, keep in mind that Amazon offers several different types of programs which each require slightly different approaches while trying to build a passive stream of revenue. The most popular program among online sellers is the Amazon Associates Program, but don't let this discourage you -- there are plenty of others worth exploring too!

What is Amazon Associates?

The Amazon Associate program allows users who set up their own websites to offer recommendations and links back to Amazon when they share content via social media, blogs, forums, etc. These associates receive commissions based upon sales generated. As an associate, you simply provide a link to any product page within Amazon whenever someone clicks on a recommendation you've posted. This can generate a substantial amount of money depending on the type of site you run and how often visitors click on those posts. For example, a simple post recommending something could result in hundreds of clicks and thousands of dollars per month in commission payments.

So what makes Amazon so attractive? Why should anyone want to join? And how much can you actually expect to earn? Keep reading to find out all the answers...

How do I monetize Amazon?

There are three main ways to profit from having an Amazon store embedded on your website:

Directly Selling Products - If you plan on creating an inventory yourself and shipping them directly to customers, you can sign up for Amazon Seller Central and become a third party vendor. There are many benefits to doing this including no fees associated with listing items, increased visibility due to greater exposure on Amazon, ability to track orders, order fulfilment, and customer service. However, this requires a significant upfront investment and may take months before seeing returns. Be sure to thoroughly research any vendors you choose to work with and avoid working with companies that seem sketchy. Remember: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Promoting Other Sites & Offering Your Own Service - With either option below, you won't need to spend time taking care of shopping carts or handling shipments/fulfilments. Instead, once your site starts generating enough traffic, these tasks will automatically fall under another company's jurisdiction. Depending on whether you decide to promote other sites inside your domain only, or promote external sites as well, you could potentially see monthly residuals ranging between $1-$500 per month. In addition, you'd usually pay a fee to list items on Amazon rather than paying a flat rate for direct promotion. This kind of setup is ideal for those interested in earning passive incomes without needing to handle logistics themselves.

Affiliating Programs - One of the easiest methods of building a sustainable passive income is to leverage affiliate marketing. Unlike promoting other sites, where you would typically pay a percentage of referred clients' purchases, affiliates only collect a small referral fee for every item sold. Even better, affiliates never even touch the physical merchandise -- instead, they get paid a certain amount of money for every person that signs up to access a particular webinar or download a free report after clicking on a special promotional code. How does Amazon fit into this equation? Basically, Amazon gives you a special "referral" button that redirects people to your account page to register for free trials or membership subscriptions. When a user completes the registration process, you get credit towards completing future referrals. Since the majority of users will likely be happy with the trial period or subscription, this leads to higher conversion rates for both parties involved.

As mentioned above, there are numerous affiliate programs offered by major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Best Buy, eBay, Macy's, Nordstrom, JCPenney, Toys R Us, Home Depot, Kohl's, Sears, Dyson, Apple, Gap, Nike, Timberland, Victoria Secret, Under Armour, Disney Store, Old Navy, Fossil, Sony, Lands End, Office Max, Neiman Marcus, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic, Armani, Tommy Bahama, Coach, Lululemon, Club Monaco, American Eagle, Express, H&M, Aerosoles, Barnes and Noble, Sephora, Zappos, Urban Outfitters, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lenscrafters, Anne Klein, GAP, Steve Madden, Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, Nine West, Ann Taylor, Perry Ellis, Diesel, Guess?, Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, Converse, Lacoste, Marc Jacobs, BCBGMaxAzria, ChicoBlinn, Tumi, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Dolce Gusto, Jimmy Jazz, DKNY Jeans, Stuart Weitzman, Rebecca Minkoff, Jessica McClintock, Josie Natorp, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Kate Spade New York, Vince Camuto, Joe Fresh Weekend, Yves Saint Laurent, Monique Lopez Dress Shirts, Sonia Rykiel, Melissa Sweet, Diane Von Furstenberg, Oscar de la Renta, Betsey Johnson, Alexander McQueen, David Yurman, Jill Sander Cohen Jewelry, Vera Wang, Cartier, Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Chloe, Tiffany & Co., Ray Ban, Coach Leather Purse Handbags, Coach Purses, Christian Louboutin Shoes, Ted Baker Boots, Manolo Blahnik Perfumes, Roberto Cavalli Bridal Accessories, John Varvatos Watches, Tom Ford Fragrances, Escada, Juicy Couture Sunglasses, Isabel Marant Sneakers, Miu Miu Handbag, Michael Kors Speedy 40 Watch, Hermes Birkin Bag, Chanel Black Patent Heels Women Shoes, Valentino Satine Bow Earrings, Carolina Herrera Jewellery, Gianfranco Ferré Womenswear, Salvatore Ferragamo Menswear, Emporio Armani Menswear, Donna Karan Ladies Clothing, Cerruti Silvia Printed Swimsuit Set, Stella McCartney White Floral Print Dress, Chloe Brown Flannel Shirt dress, Hugo Boss Blue Label Slim Fit Jean, Swarovski Crystal Crystals earring, Vivienne Tam Men's Suitcase bag, Balmain Purple Label Coat Jacket, Givenchy Rouge Homme Eau De Parfum Spray cologne, and Herve Leger Dark Grey Flat Front Polo shirt.

How many followers do you need to make money on Amazon?

While the exact numbers vary greatly depending on the niche you target, it generally takes anywhere from 10k to 20k unique views per day on your blog to break even. More specifically, according to Jeff Bezos himself, Amazon recommends at least 5% of total visits coming from organic searches. So, to determine the approximate size of audience needed to reach this threshold, divide 500 by your average daily unique visitor count. For instance, if you currently get 2k unique hits every day, you'll need approximately 100 readers visiting your blog everyday. Obviously, the larger the audience, the easier it becomes to achieve profitability later down the road. To learn more about this topic, check out Amazon's guidebook.

How can I make money from Amazon at home?

Once you've built momentum, you might want to consider expanding beyond your current circle of influence. A great way to do this is to partner with marketplaces or aggregators that allow you to connect your existing audience with complementary merchants. Here are two examples of excellent solutions:

Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA): Fulfillment By Amazon lets you open a virtual storefront, manage inventory, ship packages, and accept payment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All you need to do is create a profile and select the items you wish to feature on your site. Once selected, FBA handles everything else from packaging to delivery, allowing you to focus solely on writing quality articles and responding to comments. Learn more about becoming part of the Amazon family here.

Shopify: Shopify provides tools necessary to launch an online retail store, manage inventory, send automated emails and newsletters, and accept payments. They also operate a robust merchant support team ready to answer questions and assist with technical issues. Check out our beginner's guide to getting started with Shopify.