My best Amazon Influencer Program tips, after more than 1,300 videos, are the ones I wish I’d started with. Read all of Amazon’s rules, and expect to learn a few more by getting rejected. Film some bigger-ticket products so the commissions keep you going, but don’t skip the cheap ones. Learn product research, get a tool like Oink once you’re earning a little, and make filming so easy you’ll still do it on a low day.
I’ve been an Amazon Associate for over 15 years, and I think I got into the Influencer Program pretty close to when it started. My video log goes back to April 2023 and has more than 1,300 videos in it now. I’ve already written about what I do with the products after I film them and where my products come from. On my review blog there’s also the list of eight I still reach for after testing 72. This one is the list I’d hand to a friend who told me they were starting tomorrow.
Heads up: some links in this post are affiliate links, so I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only point to tools I actually use.
What should you know before you start the Amazon Influencer Program?
Read all of the rules before your first video, and then accept that you’ll still learn some of them by getting rejected. Amazon has video content guidelines for influencers, and they’re worth reading start to finish. They cover things like health claims, other people’s music and logos, and content that has to be your own or something you have permission to use.
The part I’ve had to learn the hard way is what you can’t say on camera. I found out about most of those words by saying them and getting the video rejected. A couple of them surprised me, like anti-cruelty wording on a shampoo bottle, and saying something about allergies.
Boxes were another one. I had a video rejected for showing too much of the box the product came in, even though the address label wasn’t anywhere in the shot. It kept getting rejected until I cut the box out of the video completely, and then it went through. That doesn’t happen every time, and sometimes it’s weird like that. For what it’s worth, Amazon’s best practices page says a good video shows the product out of the packaging and in use.
Are cheap products worth filming for Amazon?
Yes, but mix in some bigger ones, because pennies alone are hard to stay excited about. When I started, I was all in and filmed everything in the house, including $2 items where the commission is pennies.
My dad bought a bathroom vanity and a mirror on Amazon, and I made videos on both. When a sale from something like that shows up, it’s a lot more fun to see than the few cents from the little stuff, and that helps keep you motivated.
I still wouldn’t cut the cheap products out, though. One of the cheapest things I’ve ever filmed has earned more than almost anything else in my storefront, just because so many people buy it.
| What you film | What it pays | Why it stays on the list |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap items, around $2 | Pennies per sale | High volume. One of my cheapest videos has earned more than almost anything else in my storefront |
| Bigger-ticket items, like a vanity or a mirror | A real commission you notice | Seeing one land is what keeps you filming on a low day |
How do you pick which products to film?
Learn how to do good product research, even if you end up taking shortcuts later like I do.
Right now, I only look at the suggestions in the Oink extension. I don’t have the patience to do full product research, and I know darn well I’d do better if I did. I still suggest it, even though I take shortcuts.
When should you start paying for Oink?
Once you start earning a little, get it sooner rather than later. Oink is a browser extension for Amazon influencers, and it’s the easiest way I’ve found to see which products are worth my time. It shows me product suggestions and which products have a Creator Connections campaign, which is the part I’d waste the most time on by hand.
It has a free version, and Pro is $29.99 a month or $249.99 a year on Oink’s site. My code JENNIFER takes 10% off if you decide to pay for it.
What filming gear do Amazon influencers actually need?
I have a lot of tripods and filming gadgets, but the three I use most are:
The biggest upgrade was switching to MagSafe instead of clamps. With MagSafe, I slap my phone on and go. With clamps, I was pinching my fingers and fighting to get the phone in straight. That sounds small, but if you don’t feel motivated one day, little things like that can be deal breakers.
What if you lose interest in the Amazon Influencer Program?
You might go in phases. I do. I go all in for a stretch, then pull back and focus on other things. Story of my life. My interests change and I get overwhelmed.
I’ve never quit this, though. It’s one of the branches of my income streams I enjoy and stick with, and my attention just gets pulled at times. If you’re a starter of things like me, why I start everything and finish nothing covers the same pattern outside of Amazon.
Can someone else help you film Amazon videos?
Yes. Amazon’s guidelines say to only post your own content or content you have permission to use, and I get help from three people in my family.
- My husband helps when I ask him repeatedly. He’s not the biggest fan.
- My sister helps in batches. Sometimes we film together, and sometimes she takes the reins and films her own videos for me to post.
- My dad helps too, and I love that part.
Today’s action
- Open Amazon’s video content guidelines and read them start to finish, even if you’ve already posted videos.
- Pick one bigger-ticket product in your house and one cheap one, and plan a video for each.
- Look at your filming setup and fix the one thing that makes you not want to start.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Amazon Influencer Program tips for beginners?
Read all of Amazon’s rules, film a mix of bigger-ticket and cheap products, learn product research, and make filming easy enough to do on a low-motivation day. Once you’re earning a little, get a tool like Oink sooner rather than later.
Why do Amazon influencer videos get rejected?
Videos get rejected when they break Amazon’s content guidelines, and some of the reasons aren’t obvious. I’ve had rejections for certain words, like anti-cruelty wording and allergy mentions, and for showing too much of a shipping box. Reading the guidelines helps, but a few rules I only learned from a rejection.
Is it worth filming cheap products as an Amazon influencer?
Yes, because a cheap product can sell in high volume. One of the cheapest products I’ve filmed has earned more than almost anything else in my storefront. Mix in bigger-ticket products too, because those commissions are more fun to see and help you stay motivated.
Do you need expensive gear to be an Amazon influencer?
No. I own a lot of tripods and gadgets, but I mostly use a ring light, a phone holder that hangs around my neck, and a small tripod. MagSafe is so much better than clamps, because you can put your phone on and go.
What if I lose motivation for the Amazon Influencer Program?
Going in phases is okay, and it doesn’t have to mean quitting. I go all in, pull back when my attention gets pulled, and I’ve never quit. Making filming as easy as possible helps on the low days. The Amazon Influencer Program tips I’d give myself at the start come down to reading the rules, filming a mix of products, learning research, getting Oink once it pays for itself, and making the whole setup easy enough to keep going through the phases. Pick one of those this week and plant it.
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