If you have a Website or blog that attracts a fair amount of traffic, you can earn money on it by selling merchandise through the Amazon Associates program. Here’s how it works:

1. Go to the Join Associates page and click the Apply Now button.
2. Follow the instructions to become an Amazon.com member (if you’re not one already) and register for the Amazon Associates program.
3. Log in to your Amazon Associates account.
4. Click the Build Link/Widgets link in the navigation bar on the left.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to build a link or widget to the product or Amazon services you want to link to from your website or blog.

When you create a link or a widget, Amazon supplies you with the HTML tags you need to insert on your website or blog to have object appear on a web page or in one of your blog posts. You simply copy and paste the HTML text into your web page or blog post HTML where you want it to appear. (If you insert a link that requires a graphic, you may need to copy the graphic and upload it to a folder on your site.) Here’s an example of the MP3 Widget that visitors to your site can use to shop for and download MP3 clips from Amazon.

Now, if someone visits your site, clicks the link, and buys something, you earn a small commission on the purchase. Commissions range from about 4% up to 15%, but when you’re just starting out, you can expect to be on the low end of those commissions. To encourage associates to more aggressively market specific products, Amazon may offer higher commissions on those products.

Now sell something! And encourage your friends, family members, and colleagues to click your Amazon links whenever they go shopping on Amazon. Better yet, click my widget and buy something. Be sure to log in regularly to check your activity reports and find out how much you’ve earned. By entering your bank account information, you can have Amazon automatically deposit your earnings into your account.