Amazon Associates Affiliate Program

Navigating the Amazon Associates Affiliate Program: Subscriber Requirements and More

The journey of becoming an Amazon Associate as an affiliate marketer can be both challenging and rewarding. One of the most common questions is: How many YouTube subscribers do you need to be approved? Let’s break down a real-life example that provides insights into the subscriber requirements and more.

Initial Steps and Challenges

Starting with just 10 subscribers, the initial attempt to join the Amazon affiliate program yielded minimal results, earning only about $1.50 to $2 in commissions. This was due to not having a substantial following. The channel owner received feedback from Amazon indicating a lack of sufficient audience engagement, which is crucial for approval.

Understanding Subscriber Requirements

Upon reaching 100 subscribers, a second application was submitted. Again, the result was a rejection, prompting a deeper investigation into Amazon’s criteria. It was discovered that Amazon typically looks for a minimum of 500 subscribers across platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube. This requirement underscores the importance of building a solid subscriber base to ensure approval.

The Importance of Watch Time

Persistence paid off when the channel hit 500 subscribers on Christmas Day, 2020. The approval finally came, but not just with subscriber count alone. At that point, the channel had accumulated about 4,000 hours of watch time. This factor possibly contributed to the approval, suggesting that Amazon might consider both subscriber count and engagement metrics like watch time.

Lessons and Insights

• Persistence is Key: Reaching the subscriber threshold requires time and effort, but persistence can lead to success.
• Engagement Matters: Beyond subscriber numbers, engagement metrics such as watch time might influence Amazon’s decision.
• Platform Versatility: Having followers across multiple platforms can be advantageous.