Blogger and Amazon Integrate

Amazon announced "Amazon Associates for Blogger", a direct integration between Amazon Associates and Blogger.

This new collaboration enables Bloggers to monetize their content by adding relevant Amazon products to their blog posts without interrupting the blog editing process. Amazon Associates for Blogger is available now at http://affiliate-program.amazon.com/blogger. Amazon Associates who don’t have a Google Blogger account can set up a free Blogger account with their Associates ID and start earning right away.

The Complete Guide to Affiliate Marketing on the Web: How to Use and Profit from Affiliate Marketing Programs

Amazon.com's Associate Central Redesign

Amazon.com recently redesigned their Associate Central web site and rolled out some cool features. You can read about it here at the Amazon Associate Blog.

All though I often think that redesigns are done just for the sake of redesign. And many of the redesigns done on affiliate marketing sites do not offer much benefit beyond the cost of time that has to be invested in learning how to use the new features.

I am happy to report that I really like the new design and think that features like the "site stripe" are very useful.



The "Site Stripe feature" allows you to create links to products and pages on the Amazon.com site so you can update your website more frequently and with fewer clicks. And this is a feature that I wish many other affiliate marketing programs would use this approach.

If you are logged into your Amazon Associates account, the Site Stripe will automatically show up on the Amazon.com website just below the navigation bar (see example above), According to an email that I received from Amazon.com:

There are four buttons available to you on the Site Stripe:

• 'Link to this Page': By clicking on this link, you will be taken directly to Associates Central and receive the HTML code needed to add that particular Amazon.com page to your website or blog. After visiting Associates Central, you’ll see a link to take you back to the same page on Amazon.com that you were on prior to clicking on the Site Stripe. This allows you to create links to any page on Amazon directly from Associates Central while browsing the Amazon.com site.


• 'Add to aStore': Adding links to your aStore is just as easy as creating text links. By clicking on this link, you will be taken to the Associates Central aStore configuration page where you can quickly add this product/link to your aStore. After visiting Associates Central, you’ll see a link to take you back to Amazon to continue shopping.


• 'Your Earnings Report': Keep track of your earnings with this shortcut to your earnings report directly from any page of the Amazon.com retail site. Find out where you are earning referral fees while navigating the Amazon.com site to add more links on your website or blog to products and pages that appeal to your readers, based on your earnings performance.


• 'Settings': The Settings tab allows you to configure your Site Stripe tabs as you like and also gives you the ability to turn off the Site Stripe if you would prefer not to see it while you are on the Amazon.com website. Please note that if you do turn off the Site Stripe, you will need to visit your Account Settings within Associates Central to turn it back on. All of your Site Stripe settings can be accessed there. You can always hide the Site Stripe at any time without turning it off. Just click on the “hide” button on the toolbar. To see it again, click on the “tab” at the top left.

If you are an Amazon.com affiliate you will want to check this new feature out, and if not then this new feature will make it easy to start.

Changes in eBay's Business May Effect Some Affiliates

I've been trying to get my mind around the changes that are going on at eBay. I've posted about it over on my blog Online Seller Tips. As an affiliate of both eBay and Amazon.com I look at their business models and try to understand how they compare and how their actions effect my affiliate marketing efforts. And I recommend that other affiliates do the same.

The changes that eBay is proposing will definitely effect sellers and buyers. But it is still unclear just how. And because we can not really tell how affiliates will be effected. But I plan on keeping my eyes open as the changes happen in late October.

One question I have is how the holidays will be effected. Most eBay sellers and affiliates have their best months during this time of year.

Amazon.com Affiliates Can Now Promote Green.

Green is the new black, or is it just another popular thing that people are into as of late.

Well I tend to lean toward it being something that we need, and I think that it will be with us for a long time to come.

Which means that it is an excellent key word to promote if you are an affiliate marketer. Amazon.com has a whole new section devoted just to Green items, click here to see Amazon's Green Section.

They list all kinds of products that customers have selected as the most environmentally-friendly. The list includes cleaning supplies as well as computers and personal solar chargers.

Amazon.com Anounces 15% on Endless.com Referrals

The Amazon.com Associates program just announced in the Officail Amazon Associate blog that Associates can now earn 15% in referral fees on Endless.com shoe and handbag purchases. With free overnight & free return shipping, 110% price guarantee, and 365-day returns window on over 500 brands, Endless.com is THE destination for shoe and accessory shoppers.

Join Amazon.com's affiliate program

Amazon.com Affiliates might want to watch the Kindle

I've been keeping my ear to the ground trying to understand how hard I should promote Amazon.com's Kindle. I think the device is really cool and want to get one soon. But aside from wanting one for myself, I wondered as an affiliate just how hard should I promote it.

Well if any of these articles are to be belived it is a device that is poised to make a really big splash. Some are talking iPod type splash.

• Andrea on Amazon.com and the business of online retail
  
• Could Kindle be the next iPod?
  
• Price will have to fall for Kindle's fortunes to rise
  
• Princeton University to publish Kindle textbooks

So it seems that the Kindle is gaining traction, and my bet is that when it takes off at full speed affiliates who take the time to promote are going to be rewarded.

So where do you start? Well first you would have to join the Amazon.com Affiliate program, if you are not a memeber already then pleas click here.

Associates earn 10% in referral fees on the Kindle portable wireless reading device and Kindle Edition books. With Kindle priced at $359 you can earn $35.90 on each Kindle purchase you refer.



The Kindle can also be promoted on eBay's affiliate program too. For example consider this eBay affiliate link;

Kindle @ eBay