Amazon Associates links let you earn commissions when someone purchases through your link. Add your affiliate tag to any Amazon product URL to track referrals.
Key Takeaways
- 1Add tag=your-affiliate-id-20 to any Amazon URL
- 2The ASIN (product ID) is all you need for short links
- 3Use amazon.com/dp/ASIN?tag=your-tag format for clean URLs
- 4Cookies last 24 hours—you earn on entire cart purchases
- 5Always disclose affiliate relationships (FTC requirement)
Basic Affiliate Link
Creating an Amazon affiliate link is straightforward. You take any Amazon product URL and add your affiliate tag as a query parameter. When someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N5WRWNW?tag=yourtag-20<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N5WRWNW?tag=yourtag-20">
Check Price on Amazon
</a>This is the cleanest format for affiliate links. The /dp/ path with just the ASIN creates a short, professional-looking URL that is easy to share.
URL Format Options
Amazon accepts your affiliate tag on several URL formats. The table below shows your options and when to use each format.
| Format | Example | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Short (dp) | amazon.com/dp/ASIN?tag=X | Clean, shareable links |
| Full product URL | amazon.com/Product-Name/dp/ASIN?tag=X | SEO, includes title |
| Search results | amazon.com/s?k=keyword&tag=X | Category recommendations |
| Storefront | amazon.com/shop/influencer?tag=X | Curated product lists |
Search result links are useful when you want to recommend a category rather than a specific product. The customer sees search results with your tag attached to any product they select.
Finding the ASIN
Every product on Amazon has a unique 10-character identifier called the ASIN. You need this identifier to create clean affiliate links that will not break when Amazon changes their URL structure.
The ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is a 10-character product ID:
In the URL
Look for /dp/XXXXXXXXXX or /gp/product/XXXXXXXXXX
Product details section
Scroll to "Product Details" on the product page
https://www.amazon.com/Some-Product-Name/dp/B08N5WRWNW/ref=sr_1_1The ASIN always follows /dp/ or /gp/product/ in the URL. Everything else, including product names and referral codes, can be stripped out for cleaner links.
Building Links Dynamically
When managing many affiliate links or integrating with a content management system, you need a programmatic way to generate URLs. These functions handle the link construction for you.
function createAmazonAffiliateLink(options) {
const { asin, tag, marketplace = 'com' } = options;
return `https://www.amazon.${marketplace}/dp/${asin}?tag=${tag}`;
}
// Usage
const link = createAmazonAffiliateLink({
asin: 'B08N5WRWNW',
tag: 'mysite-20'
});
// For search links
function createAmazonSearchLink(options) {
const { keyword, tag, marketplace = 'com' } = options;
const url = new URL(`https://www.amazon.${marketplace}/s`);
url.searchParams.set('k', keyword);
url.searchParams.set('tag', tag);
return url.toString();
}
const searchLink = createAmazonSearchLink({
keyword: 'wireless headphones',
tag: 'mysite-20'
});The marketplace parameter defaults to the US store but can be changed for international Amazon sites. Use these functions in your publishing workflow to ensure consistent affiliate tagging.
International Marketplaces
Amazon operates separate affiliate programs for each country. If your audience is international, you need accounts in multiple marketplaces to earn commissions from all your readers.
| Country | Domain | Tag Format |
|---|---|---|
| United States | amazon.com | yourname-20 |
| United Kingdom | amazon.co.uk | yourname-21 |
| Germany | amazon.de | yourname-21 |
| Canada | amazon.ca | yourname-20 |
| Japan | amazon.co.jp | yourname-22 |
| Australia | amazon.com.au | yourname-22 |
Sign up for each marketplace
You need separate Amazon Associates accounts for each country. Your US tag won't work on amazon.co.uk.
React Component
If you are building a website with React, this component simplifies creating affiliate links with proper attributes for SEO compliance and security.
interface AmazonLinkProps {
asin: string;
tag: string;
marketplace?: string;
children: React.ReactNode;
className?: string;
}
function AmazonLink({
asin,
tag,
marketplace = 'com',
children,
className
}: AmazonLinkProps) {
const href = `https://www.amazon.${marketplace}/dp/${asin}?tag=${tag}`;
return (
<a
href={href}
target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer sponsored"
className={className}
>
{children}
</a>
);
}
// Usage
<AmazonLink asin="B08N5WRWNW" tag="mysite-20">
Check Price on Amazon
</AmazonLink>The component includes rel="sponsored" automatically, which is required for affiliate links under Google's guidelines. The noopener noreferrer attributes provide security when opening external links.
FTC Disclosure Requirements
The Federal Trade Commission requires you to clearly disclose your affiliate relationships to readers. Failure to disclose can result in penalties and damage your credibility with your audience.
The FTC requires clear disclosure of affiliate relationships:
<!-- Near your affiliate links -->
<p class="affiliate-disclosure">
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
</p>
<!-- Or more detailed -->
<p class="affiliate-disclosure">
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links,
I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
</p>Place your disclosure near the affiliate links, not buried in a footer. The standard Amazon disclosure text is accepted by the FTC and Amazon's Associates Program.
Best Practices
Following these practices keeps your account in good standing with Amazon and helps you build trust with your audience. Violating Amazon's terms can result in account termination.
Use short dp/ links
Cleaner, easier to share, and less likely to break.
Add rel="sponsored" to links
Required for SEO compliance—tells search engines it's a paid link.
Check products regularly
Products go out of stock or get discontinued. Update or remove dead links.
Don't cloak or shorten links
Amazon prohibits using link shorteners like bit.ly for affiliate links.
With these fundamentals in place, you can build a sustainable affiliate revenue stream. The FAQ below addresses common questions about the Amazon Associates Program.
Try the URL Builder
Use our Amazon Product template to build affiliate links interactively.