Amazon backs social media influencers, launches Creator University

Ecommerce marketplace Amazon is promoting India’s social media influencers to create content directly on the Amazon platform and educate customers on product features by hosting offline connect workshops for them.

“We are creating more avenues for these creators to syndicate or create new content directly on Amazon. Amazon Live is a great example of this. Through live streaming, creators can talk directly to customers, who can chat back in real-time. In fact, in India, we have some of the highest chat rates, and these streams are phenomenal,” said Zahid Khan, director, shopping initiatives, India & Emerging Markets at Amazon.

“It's a dual approach: leveraging external social media platforms and creating engaging content directly on Amazon,” he added.


As per Amazon’s secondary data, about 60% of customers directly or indirectly get information from a creator or influencer before making a buying decision. Therefore, the platform is keen on partnering with both popular as well as mid-tier creators to grow sales, Khan explained.

The company, on Monday, announced the Amazon Creator University, an educational program to equip content creators with the video tutorials, articles, workshops, and case studies to succeed on the platform.

“Creator University equips creators with the knowledge of what type of content works best in a shopping context. It covers topics such as audience cultivation, where creators learn how to build an audience of shoppers, and content optimization, ensuring that content is both enjoyable and informative for customers. Additionally, it discusses various monetization strategies,” Khan said.

He added that Amazon Associates is India’s largest affiliate marketing program, and creators are a significant part of it. “Additionally, we’ve had the Amazon Influencer Program (AIP) where creators of any size can apply if they have a business account on Instagram or WhatsApp.”

Participants in the AIP can link back to Amazon from their own sites or create content for publishing on Amazon.

“They can engage in long-term deals, receive fixed payouts, or earn performance-based commissions as they perform on Amazon,” the executive said.