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Amazon Book Widgets: A Modern Guide to Promoting Your Book on Your Website
For authors with their own websites, driving traffic directly to their Amazon book page is a top priority. In the past, “Amazon book widgets” were a popular tool for this, allowing authors to embed a small, interactive storefront on their site. While those original widgets have been phased out, the functionality has been replaced by a more powerful and profitable system: the Amazon Associates Program.
The modern way to create official, trackable Amazon links and “widgets” for your book is through the Associates program’s SiteStripe tool. This free service not only provides a professional way to showcase your book but also allows you to earn an affiliate commission on sales. This guide will walk you through what these new tools are and how to use them.
Key Takeaways & Summary
- Old Widgets are Retired: The original, customizable “Amazon book widgets” are no longer a feature.
- The Modern Solution is Amazon Associates: The current way to create official book links, images, and display boxes is through the free Amazon Associates (affiliate) program.
- The Main Tool is “SiteStripe”: Once you’re an Associate, a toolbar called SiteStripe will appear at the top of the Amazon website, allowing you to instantly create shareable links for any product.
- The Benefit is Twofold: You get a professional way to link to your book, and you can earn a small commission on sales generated through your links.
The New "Widget": The Amazon Associates SiteStripe Tool
To get started, you must first sign up for a free account with the Amazon Associates program. Once your account is approved, a gray toolbar called SiteStripe will appear at the top of your screen whenever you are browsing the Amazon website. When you are on your own book’s page, you can use SiteStripe to instantly generate three types of promotional links.
1. The “Text” Link
What it is: A simple, trackable text link to your book’s page.
How to use it: This is perfect for hyperlinking text in a blog post (e.g., “Check out my new book!”) or for buttons on your website.
2. The “Image” Link
What it is: An embeddable HTML code that displays your book’s cover. The image itself becomes a clickable link to your Amazon page.
How to use it: This is a great, visually appealing way to showcase your book in your website’s sidebar or on a dedicated “Books” page.
3. The “Text+Image” Box
What it is: This is the closest modern equivalent to the old “widget.” It’s an embeddable box that contains your book’s cover, title, current price, and a “Shop now” button.
How to use it: This is a fantastic all-in-one promotional tool to place at the bottom of a blog post or on your website’s homepage.
The Strategic Benefits of Using Amazon Associates Links
Using the Associates program is a core part of a professional Amazon book marketing strategy for your author website.
You Earn Affiliate Commissions: This is a huge advantage. When a visitor clicks your special link and buys your book, you earn your normal KDP royalty plus a small affiliate commission. Even better, you earn a commission on anything else that customer buys on Amazon within 24 hours of clicking your link.
It Looks More Professional: Using the official “Text+Image” box looks far more polished and credible than simply pasting a generic link.
You Can Track Your Clicks: The Amazon Associates dashboard provides basic analytics, allowing you to see which links are being clicked on your website. This can provide valuable insight into reader behavior, a topic frequently covered by marketing resources like HubSpot’s blog.
How to Get Started
Sign up for the Amazon Associates program for your country.
Once approved, make sure the SiteStripe tool is enabled in your account settings.
Navigate to your book’s page on Amazon.
Use the SiteStripe toolbar at the top of the page to generate the link or code you need.
Copy and paste the code into your website’s HTML editor.
Integrating these tools into your author website is a key step after your book is published. Our Amazon KDP publishing services can guide you through the entire launch process, setting you up for marketing success.
Short FAQ
Q: Is the Amazon Associates program free to join?
A: Yes, it is 100% free to sign up and use.
Q: Do I need to be a big influencer to be an Associate?
A: No. The requirements are quite reasonable. As long as you have a quality website with original content (like an author website), you are likely to be approved.
Q: What is the difference between an Amazon Associates account and an Author Central account?
A: They are two separate, free tools for different purposes. Your Amazon Author Page (managed via Author Central) is your profile on the Amazon website. Your Associates account is the tool you use to create special links to place off of Amazon (e.g., on your own website or in your newsletter). You should be using both.
