The Side Hustle Show

723: How to Make 5-10x More Money from Amazon

February 12, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The Amazon Influencer Program's old strategy of uploading many product review videos is yielding diminishing returns, making the new 'Creator Connections' feature the primary opportunity for increased earnings. 
  • Creators should proactively pitch brands via Creator Connections, showcasing their credentials (like status level or video count), to secure free products and access significantly higher commission rates (up to 40%) than the standard 2-4%. 
  • Successful Creator Connections strategy requires focusing on products that are already selling well (indicated by Amazon's 'bought in the last month' metric) rather than just chasing high commission rates on slow-moving items. 

Segments

Creator Connections Overview
Copied to clipboard!
(00:00:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Creator Connections campaigns offer significantly higher commission rates (10% to 40%) compared to standard Amazon Influencer Program earnings.
  • Summary: The old Amazon Influencer Program strategy of high-volume video uploads is declining in effectiveness. Creator Connections is the new focus, allowing influencers to earn much more per sale. Brands offer these campaigns, sometimes including free product, in exchange for video content.
Pitching Brands for Free Product
Copied to clipboard!
(00:03:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Influencers must proactively message brands within Creator Connections, even if the default setting indicates no free product is offered, to build a pipeline of review items.
  • Summary: The process involves reaching out to brands, showcasing why the influencer is a good candidate, and asking for the product to be sent for review. A detailed initial outreach message should include the product ASIN, the commitment (video on storefront/YouTube within 1-2 weeks), and the influencer’s shipping address.
Identifying High-Selling Products
Copied to clipboard!
(00:07:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The critical factor for success in Creator Connections is targeting products with proven sales velocity, which often requires third-party Chrome extensions like Oink or ViralView for easy filtering.
  • Summary: Focusing only on high commission rates is insufficient; the product must sell, as most Creator Connections items lack a strong sales history. Influencers can manually check sales velocity on individual Amazon product pages (looking for ‘X bought in the last month’) or use software to sort by velocity.
Video Creation and Posting Workflow
Copied to clipboard!
(00:11:39)
  • Key Takeaway: The video content should remain a concise 1-3 minute review focusing on pros, cons, and decision-making factors, as the commission increase negates the need for extreme video volume.
  • Summary: After receiving the product, the influencer creates a short review video and publishes it to their Amazon storefront, often cross-posting to YouTube as an added bonus for the brand. Following publication, the influencer notifies the brand to activate the higher Creator Connections commission rate.
Post-Video Follow-up Strategy
Copied to clipboard!
(00:26:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Establishing relationships through successful initial Creator Connections videos creates a warm pipeline, allowing influencers to follow up with brands for new product campaigns instead of relying solely on cold outreach.
  • Summary: Once a video is live, the influencer should immediately contact the brand to confirm completion and inquire about future campaigns for other products. This follow-up process is crucial for maintaining momentum, especially during slower periods like Q1.
Review Video Best Practices
Copied to clipboard!
(00:27:03)
  • Key Takeaway: Effective review videos must address customer hesitancy and answer specific purchasing questions, rather than simply regurgitating product page bullet points.
  • Summary: Videos should be short (1-4 minutes) and focus on demonstrating subjective qualities like comfort or functionality, which are not listed on the product page. Using a title that clearly states what the video demonstrates, like ‘I set up and demo this,’ helps capture buyers close to making a decision.
Business Idea Donation: Consignment
Copied to clipboard!
(00:36:44)
  • Key Takeaway: A viable side hustle involves offering local consignment services to help people declutter by professionally listing and selling their valuable unused items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace for a commission.
  • Summary: Many people have garages full of stuff but lack the time or desire to sell it themselves, creating a service opportunity. This model involves no upfront inventory risk, focusing instead on marketing optimization (better photos/listings) to sell items others cannot. Partnering with local garage organizers is a potential avenue for lead generation.
Marketing Tactic: Short-Form Video
Copied to clipboard!
(00:43:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Local business owners often neglect short-form video (Reels, Shorts) because they mistakenly believe it requires high production value or that their service is uninteresting for video content.
  • Summary: Short-form video offers instantaneous visibility for businesses like plumbers or vets, demonstrating their work or clientele. The key barrier for business owners is the perception that it must be a large, expensive production, when in reality, unscripted, lower-production content performs well.