Amazon Influencer Program

TL;DR

Before influencer marketing was mainstream, I led design for Amazon’s Influencer Program, a platform that helped creators monetize their product recommendations and helped customers discover trusted products through the people they follow. The MVP launched with 41K influencers in week one, generating $34M in revenue within the first month and paving the way for Amazon’s long-term social commerce strategy.

Customer Opportunity

In the mid-2010s, social media was transforming shopping behavior. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube gave rise to a new generation of influencers who shaped what people bought. Research showed 40% of customers purchased products they saw on social media, yet influencers struggled to share Amazon products effectively.

The traditional affiliate model wasn’t built for visual, fast-paced platforms, managing multiple affiliate links was tedious, and creators lacked a simple way to curate multiple recommendations at once. Meanwhile, Amazon customers increasingly wanted trusted, curated product discovery from real people, not ads.

Business Opportunity

For Amazon, this was a chance to evolve the long-standing Associates Program into a modern social shopping platform, expanding reach, growing user-generated content, and deepening engagement through authentic recommendations.

Solution

We scoped an MVP for influencer-driven storefronts built around trust and simplicity:

• Vanity URLs: Custom Amazon links based on influencer handles (e.g., amazon.com/shop/creatorname).

• Curated Wishlists: Lists of product recommendations that auto-updated with attribution tracking.

• Follow Functionality: Enabled customers to follow influencers directly within Amazon.

• Earnings Dashboard: Provided visibility into performance and commissions within Associates Central.

The early beta validated creator enthusiasm—offering a low-friction way to share, monetize, and personalize recommendations while connecting customers to authentic voices.

My Role

As Design Lead and Product Owner, I guided the program from concept to full launch:

• Defined the vision and roadmap for influencer-to-customer experiences.

• Designed the onboarding flow, storefront layouts, and performance dashboards.

• Partnered with Marketing and Brand to build cohesive influencer-facing materials (tradeshow booths, collateral, swag).

• Collaborated closely with influencers in beta, gathering direct feedback that shaped product evolution.

• Worked cross-functionally with engineers, product managers, and marketing to align business and user goals.

Results & Impact

• 41,000 influencers joined in the first week of launch.

• 32.4% of active influencers generated $34M in revenue in the first month.

• Influencers using multiple lists earned 40% more than those with a single list.

• “Follow” buttons received 4× more clicks than any other site placement.

• Featured in Cosmopolitan and TechCrunch as a leading innovation in social shopping.

This project marked Amazon’s entry into the creator economy, turning affiliate marketing into a platform for authentic, relationship-driven commerce.

Strategic Takeaways

• Design for ecosystem shifts: Build systems that connect influencers → customers → Amazon.

• Validate early with core users: Beta testing with influencers created early traction and credibility.

• Anticipate behavior, not just optimize it: Social commerce was emerging, this project positioned Amazon ahead of the curve.