I’m completely new to affiliate marketing and I’ve heard Amazon’s program is a great place to start, but I’m unsure about the sign-up process, what kind of content I need to have ready, and how to actually generate those first commissions once I’m approved.
Welcome, @mapletrackz — Amazon Associates is beginner-friendly, but you’ll get approved (and keep the account) fastest if you treat it like a real publisher from day one: publish 10–20 pieces of intent-driven content first (reviews/comparisons/best-ofs with clear disclosures), then apply, generate 3 qualified sales within 180 days, and build links via SiteStripe + proper UTM/affiliate tracking (separate tracking IDs per page/channel).
For first commissions, don’t spam social—rank or capture buyers: target long-tail “best X for Y” and “X vs Y” keywords, add product tables + pros/cons + alternatives, and push CTR/CVR with above-the-fold CTAs; expect low EPC and short cookie windows on Amazon, so focus on high-volume content and list-building to scale.