What is the Amazon Associates Program and How Does it Work?

In the future, you will be able to earn directly from Amazon through the HubPages Earnings Program. Eventually, this will be the only way to earn from Amazon on HubPages, so if you do not already have an Amazon Associates Account, we do not recommend signing up with Amazon directly at this time.

Amazon was launched online in 1995, selling books, CDs and videos. Amazon sells, sometimes through third-party sellers, absolutely everything when it comes to products. Including the kitchen sink. Amazon is said to derive about 40 percent of its sales from these third-party sellers and Associates (affiliates who sign up to sell products through their own sites, that would be you once you've signed up).

The best way to use Amazon is to pick specific items. Products that are complementary to the topic. It could BE the product. For instance, a review about the latest Harry Potter movie, a Terry Pratchett novel, a U2 album. You review it, you have the product right there waiting for people to click through (and hopefully buy it). Or it could be related. For example, you may have a Hub about swimming pools, you could have pool cleaning appliances, or a Hub about the history of coffee with coffee machines available on Amazon. A Hub with bread could have toasters. The combinations are endless, but the intent is clear: the products should be in context to the content.

Amazon products are administered through the Amazon Capsule. For more information, see our guide on the Amazon Capsule.

*Our new Amazon guidelines require users to have 50 words per Amazon product.

Signing up for Amazon is easy, but for a better chance at being accepted, having a dozen Hubs behind you will go a long way to prove your quality as a writer. Find out more about creating an Amazon Affiliate account.