Why External Traffic Matters More Than Ever
The battle for attention on Amazon isn’t always fair. That’s where thinking beyond Amazon pays off.
Small- to mid-sized sellers realistically can’t compete with big brand ad budgets. It’s time to get creative and market outside of Amazon, where your budget will go further.
Amazon’s Brand Referral Bonus will give you money back when you bring customers to Amazon from outside marketing channels. Run a social ad, send an email, or launch a Google campaign—if a customer comes to Amazon and buys, you earn a bonus that offsets your referral fees.
The Bonus can help lower your costs. Meanwhile, you’re in the driver’s seat, controlling your advertising budget and strategy, giving you a competitive edge in an otherwise saturated marketplace.
With an Amazon attribution tag and an innovative strategy, you can turn outside traffic into Amazon sales and bonuses.
What is the Amazon Brand Referral Bonus Program?
The Brand Referral Bonus Program is one of the most valuable benefits of the Amazon Brand Registry. This Amazon external marketing strategy allows brand-registered sellers to earn credits (money) when they bring customers to Amazon through their marketing efforts.
Who’s eligible for the Brand Referral Bonus program?
Sellers enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry can take advantage of this program, a key perk of being a registered brand.
How does Amazon’s Brand Referral program work?
Drive external traffic to Amazon listings using Amazon Attribution links, which track the source of each visitor. When a shopper clicks on the link and makes a purchase, you earn a bonus credited back to your account as a referral fee reduction.
While the bonus amount varies based on your sales price and product category, it’s one of the simplest ways to stretch your ad dollars further, and the potential profits might surprise you.
How Much Can You Earn with the Brand Referral Bonus?
On average, brand-registered sellers earn a 10% bonus on qualifying sales through off-Amazon marketing efforts. That bonus comes back to you as a credit against your referral fees, so your margins get a welcome lift.
Let’s break it down:
If a customer makes a $100 purchase after clicking your external ad with an Amazon Attribution tag, you could earn around $10 back in referral fee credits. Plus, the bonus also applies to any additional purchases that the customer makes within 14 days of their first click. That means one conversion can trigger multiple bonus-earning sales.
Bonus percentages vary by category.
Here’s a quick look at estimated rates:
- Amazon Device Accessories: Up to 30%
- Clothing, Kitchen, Toys & Games, Pet Supplies, Home & Garden: ~10%
- Electronics & Computers: ~5%
- Beauty, Baby, Health & Grocery: 5–10% depending on price
- Jewelry, Watches, Fine Art, Collectibles: Up to 14% (tiered by price)
Your actual bonus depends on the product category and total sales price, including extras like shipping or gift wrap. Amazon calculates and applies your bonus in the weekly Brand Referral Bonus report.
There is a two-month delay before your bonus is credited to your account to allow for returns and cancellations. Still, once it kicks in, it’s automatically applied toward future referral fees. These credits help to lower your costs and increase your profit potential.
How to Enroll in the Brand Referral Bonus Program
This Amazon external marketing strategy is simple and well worth it. If you’re already brand-registered, you’re just a few steps away from turning your external traffic to Amazon into referral fee savings.
Here’s how to enroll:
- Log in to Seller Central
- Go to the Brand Referral Bonus page
- Click “Enroll” to opt in
- Review the terms and confirm your participation
Once you’re in, the key to unlocking your bonus is using Amazon Attribution. This tool tracks the source of your off-Amazon traffic and ensures your sales and bonuses are properly credited to your account. If you do not use an Attribution link, Amazon cannot track the sale, and you will not be able to earn the bonus.
Whether you’re running a Google ad, posting on social media, or sending out an email campaign, every link must include an Amazon Attribution tag to count.
It’s a low-effort, high-impact move that gives you more control over your ad spend and helps you maximize your Amazon Brand Registry benefits.
Why It Matters: Benefits for Brand Owners
The Brand Referral Bonus is a smart move for brand growth and profitability. It helps drive traffic to your Amazon product listings and strengthens your overall marketing strategy. Here’s why it matters:
- Reduced Advertising Costs
Earn credits that offset referral fees, effectively lowering your cost per sale and boosting overall ROI. - Supports Omnichannel Marketing
Promote your products through social media, email, influencer campaigns, blogs, and more, expanding your reach to new potential customers and getting rewarded. - Recaptures Lost Margin
Every bonus credit helps you take back dollars typically lost to Amazon’s referral fees, improving your bottom line. - Aligns with Amazon’s Strategy
Amazon is rewarding brands that drive high-quality off-site traffic, and this program lets you benefit directly from that shift.
The Brand Referral Bonus turns external marketing into a margin-building advantage for brand owners looking to scale smart. If you’re already investing in off-Amazon campaigns, there’s no better time to earn referral bonus Amazon rewards while growing your brand.
Where to Use External Traffic to Maximize the Bonus
To get the most out of the Brand Referral Bonus, focus your off-Amazon efforts where your audience is active and engaged. Here are high-impact channels that pair perfectly with Amazon Attribution:
- Facebook & Instagram Ads
Targeted, scroll-stopping campaigns that drive clicks straight to your Amazon listings. Plus, you can target the demographics for your ads to align with the best potential buyers. - Email Marketing Campaigns
Send your email list directly to your product pages—great for launches, restocks, and seasonal promos. - Influencer Partnerships
Collaborate with trusted voices who can drive traffic and trust in one go. - TikTok & YouTube Promotions
Short-form content has a big reach. Add Attribution links to bios, captions, or video descriptions. - Your DTC Website
Leverage your own site traffic with “Buy on Amazon” CTAs that qualify for the bonus.
The more strategic your external traffic, the more you stand to earn, both in bonuses and boosted visibility.
How Our Agency Helps Brands Maximize the Brand Referral Bonus
We turn clicks into conversions—and conversions into real revenue. Our team helps Amazon sellers tap into the full potential of the Brand Referral Bonus. Our data-driven external marketing strategies will transform off-Amazon traffic into long-term growth and higher profit margins.
Here’s how it works:
- High-Converting Amazon Attribution Links
We create and manage fully trackable Amazon Attribution links, so every click counts toward your bonus. - Multi-Channel Campaign Setup
From social media ads to product video playlists on YouTube, and email campaigns, we create, build, and manage off-Amazon campaigns that qualify for BRB and reach the right audience. - Listing Optimization for Conversions
Driving traffic is only half the equation. We optimize your Amazon listings strategically so the shoppers you bring in are more likely to convert. - Performance Tracking & Campaign Scaling
We monitor campaign performance, track ROI through Attribution reports, and identify top-performing channels so you can reinvest with confidence and scale smarter.
Whether you’re new to off-Amazon marketing or looking to take it to the next level, we provide the strategy, tools, and execution to make every click more profitable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The Brand Referral Bonus has serious earning potential—but only if you use it wisely. Overlook a few key steps, and you could miss out on clicks, conversions, and bonus dollars. Here’s what to watch for:
- Not Using Amazon Attribution Properly
If your links aren’t built with Amazon Attribution, your traffic won’t count, and you won’t earn the bonus. Every campaign must include properly tagged links to qualify. - Sending Traffic to a Non-Optimized Listing
External clicks won’t convert if your product page doesn’t deliver. Weak images, unclear copy, or missing keywords can deter the shopper from purchasing. - Failing to Retarget Customers Post-Click
Not every shopper converts on the first visit. You’re letting warm leads go cold if you’re not following up with email, ads, or other retargeting strategies. - Ignoring Performance Tracking and ROI
If you’re not tracking results, you’re flying blind. Attribution data helps you understand what’s working so you can stop wasting spend and start scaling what sells.
Avoid these mistakes, and you’ll unlock the full value of your external traffic—and the bonus that comes with it.
Ready to Earn More with Amazon’s Brand Referral Bonus?
Amazon’s Brand Referral Bonus is a powerful way to boost profits, cut ad costs, and grow your brand beyond the search bar. With the Brand Referral Bonus, every qualified click you drive to Amazon can pay you back in real, margin-saving dollars and better brand reach.
Let’s turn your external traffic into lasting profits.
