UGC vs Amazon Influencer & Amazon Affiliate: What I’d Personally Start With

Learn how to make money online without showing your face

If you’ve been looking into UGC, Amazon Influencer or affiliate marketing but have absolutely no idea which one makes the most sense for your lifestyle, time or personality… hopefully this helps simplify it a little.

One of the biggest things people seem confused about right now is the difference between:

• UGC

• Amazon Influencer

• Amazon Associates / affiliate marketing

  
  

A lot of people assume they’re all basically the same thing, but they actually work very differently.

Over the last 14 years, I’ve personally made money online through all 3 in different ways, and honestly?

They each have completely different pros, income potential and ways of working.

Some are more beginner friendly.

Some are more passive.

Some are easier if you don’t want to constantly show your face online.

So if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed trying to work out which one to start with, hopefully this will simplify things a little.

What Is UGC?

UGC stands for User Generated Content.

This is where brands pay you to create content for them.

That content could include:

• product videos

• aesthetic clips

• unboxing packages

• tutorials

• voiceovers

• lifestyle content

• product photography

  
  

One of the biggest misconceptions about UGC is that you need thousands of followers, but you really don’t.

Brands are paying for your CONTENT - not your audience.

That’s why UGC has become such a popular option for beginners, introverts and people wanting to make money online without becoming full time influencers. You can even create faceless UGC content without showing your face.

Things like:

• product close-ups

• desk setups

• cleaning clips

• packing videos

• voiceovers

• hands-only content

  
  

…all count as content brands are actively looking for.

A lot of creators also start using products they already own at home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjpGqEZBtHI

If you’re interested in becoming a UGC creator or just curious about what goes into creating branded content for ads, this video will give you a real inside look - Lucille Marson

What Is Amazon Influencer?

Amazon Influencer works completely differently.

Instead of brands paying you directly for content, you upload product videos to your Amazon storefront. Those videos can then appear directly on Amazon product pages where people are already actively searching for those products.

If somebody watches your video before buying, you can earn commission from that sale.

This is one of the reasons I personally love Amazon Influencer so much. I'm not constantly posting affiliate links on my social media accounts - I create my storefront for FREE on Amazon, then take videos of products I have at home and let them work for themselves. This creates a steady stream of passive income.

It’s much more searchable and long term than social media content. you have active buyers already buying the products so it's a no brainer.

I still have Amazon videos I uploaded years ago that continue paying me now.

One of the biggest questions people ask is whether you need followers for Amazon Influencer. You do need a social media account to apply, but you absolutely do not need hundreds of thousands of followers. You also don’t need to constantly post online every day to make it work.

A lot of people create:

• faceless Amazon videos

• product reviews

• “is this worth it?” videos

• kitchen gadget demos

• home finds

• organisation videos

• cleaning product reviews
  

If you're wondering how to join the Amazon Influencer Program click below to join, or get our Low income visibility bundle to learn how to set it all up and earn from Amazon..

Amazon Influencer Program

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzAvzgdhry8

If you're curious, this video shows you the step by step process of creating review videos for the Amazon Influencer Program - Nakisha Wynn

What's The Difference Between Amazon Influencer & Affiliate?

Amazon Associates is Amazon’s affiliate programme.

This works differently again.

Instead of uploading videos to Amazon product pages, you share affiliate links to products.

If somebody clicks your link and buys something, you earn commission.

This works really well alongside:

• blogging

• Pinterest

• YouTube

• TikTok

• Instagram

• email lists

• Facebook groups

  
  

I personally use Amazon Associates a lot within blog posts and Pinterest content. I've had a parenting blog (mumtobe.com) for 14 years and most of the blog posts on there contain Amazon Affiliate links. These blog posts were written a long time ago, but Pinterest and Google still drive traffic to them so I earn everyday from those affiliate links.

For example:

• gift guides

• Amazon finds

• products I actually use

• home recommendations

• parenting products

• business tools

So What’s The Biggest Difference?

This is the simplest way to explain it:

UGC - Brands pay YOU to create content of their products - they will send you FREE products too. You don't have to post these videos or photos to your social media - they are mainly for the brand to post themselves. An Influencer would be expected to post to their social media, but not a UGC creator.

Amazon Influencer - Not to be confused with a typical Influencer. Pays you commission when your videos help someone buy a product. These videos appear on your store front as well as product pages on Amazon. You automatically get enrolled into the associates program if you're an Amazon Influencer, so you can earn from affiliate links as well. You do not need your own audience, or have to show your face.

Amazon Associates - You earn commission through affiliate links that you post on social media, blogs, Pinterest etc. An audience is required.

They’re all content-based income streams, but they work very differently.

Get My Low Visibility Income Bundle

Which One Is Easier To Start?

Honestly? I think both UGC and Amazon Influencer are some of the easiest ways to start making money online right now.

Especially because:

• you can start with products you already own

• you don’t need expensive equipment

• you don’t need huge followings

• you can create faceless content

• most people already have things at home they could create content around

I also think they work really well together.

A lot of creators do:

• UGC

• Amazon Influencer

• Affiliate marketing on socials, or through a blog

…all at the same time.

Which One Is More Passive?

UGC is usually more active because brands pay you to create content.

Amazon Influencer and affiliate marketing can become much more passive over time because your content continues working after it’s uploaded.

That’s one of the reasons I became so focused on searchable, evergreen content instead of relying completely on social media algorithms.

As someone who’s naturally introverted and juggling a busy life, I didn’t want my income relying on me constantly being online all day.

So... Which One Should You Start With?

You absolutely do not need to do everything at once!!

Choose ONE thing first and start there.

If you’re still trying to work out the whole UGC vs Amazon Influencer & Affiliate Marketing thing, I go much deeper into all 3 inside my Low Visibility Income Bundle. I will teach you how to make money online with Amazon, UGC (with all the templates and guides), and how to monetise a blog.

Inside my Online Income Bundle, I teach you how to start and monetise:

• UGC

• Amazon Influencer

• affiliate marketing

• blogging

• Pinterest traffic

  
  

…including how to get started in monetising without showing your face, what equipment you actually need, how much things realistically cost to start (which ones are FREE), portfolio ideas and templates, and the ways I personally use these income streams myself. I break everything down step by step, so that you can get started today.

You can view the bundle and more information here:

The Low Visibility Income Bundle

Good luck!

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Thank you for visiting the Mama Made Business Blog. If you found this post useful please leave a comment. Rachael x