Amazon steps up creator investments as it looks to convert social media influence into sales

Amazon is looking to turn its growing network of influencers into a measurable commerce channel, expanding investments in social media integrations, affiliate marketing and performance-linked campaigns as it seeks to connect product discovery with purchases.

Between January and September, creator content influenced 42 million customers on Amazon, of whom 28 million made a purchase. A total of 133 million products were purchased through creators during the period, said Nidhi Thakkar, head of social commerce for emerging marketplaces at Amazon. Influenced customers grew 50% year-on-year, while purchasing customers increased 92%. The figures were recorded before the Diwali shopping season.

Amazon's Influencer Programme (AIP) has doubled to around two lakh registered creators, while creator earnings rose 60% during the nine-month period.


The company is expanding monetisation opportunities through Creator Connections, which allows creators to accept brand campaigns through Creator Central and earn on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis, alongside commissions on qualifying purchases. Campaigns are personalised by category, while its Creator Rewards programme offers automated, performance-based incentives using machine learning.

Amazon is also extending its commerce ecosystem to social media. Its YouTube Shopping integration allows creators to tag products directly in videos, while its Pinterest integration enables eligible creators to link their AIP accounts and turn product pins into affiliate links.

Thakkar said the YouTube integration had been long awaited, with creators repeatedly asking for Amazon products to be made available through the platform's shopping features. While affiliate links could already be shared on YouTube, native product tagging makes the journey from discovery to purchase more seamless. Early indications have been encouraging, she said, though it is too early to assess the full impact.

The integrations could also bring traditionally non-commerce-focused creators into product recommendations. Thakkar cited parenting, lifestyle and home improvement creators who have built communities through everyday content but have not necessarily adopted affiliate marketing or product tagging.

Amazon's creator investments extend to content creation tools. Its Canva integration allows creators to use templates and generate product collages, while Thakkar said the company would announce a partnership with Adobe to simplify content editing. She declined to discuss a possible Snapchat integration, saying the company was days away from the development.

Explaining Amazon's broader strategy, Thakkar described its approach as "Fame, Money, Love". Money refers to monetisation and performance-linked earnings; Fame involves partnerships that increase creators' visibility and amplify their content; and Love covers enablement tools, workshops and partnerships that make content creation easier.

Amazon also offers Creator University through Creator Central, providing guidance on programme features, analytics and getting started.

The company is bringing creator content onto its own marketplace through videos on storefronts and product pages. Its Amazon Live service offers livestream shopping, exclusive deals and real-time interaction, allowing customers to ask creators questions before purchasing.

Creator recommendations are also beginning to influence inventory planning. Thakkar cited Sonakshi Sinha and Sameera Reddy, whose product recommendations have generated substantial demand, sometimes resulting in products selling out. Amazon has started asking such creators to share their planned product recommendations so category teams can ensure adequate inventory.

She also cited technology creator Udit Sharma, who specialises in television reviews and has built a business around the category with a studio employing 10-12 people.

The opportunity extends beyond major cities. Around 70% of customers and purchases influenced by creators on Amazon came from non-metro markets, Thakkar said, making creator commerce a strategic route to reaching shoppers in smaller cities and towns.

Amazon's larger ambition is to bring brand-building and performance marketing closer together. Thakkar said some creators generate consistent sales within specialised niches, others deliver both awareness and transactions, while some provide visibility for product launches. The company views these roles as part of an integrated marketing strategy.

She believes creator commerce could eventually command a significant share of marketing budgets as brands increasingly assess awareness and performance together rather than treating them as separate channels.