Unlocking Amazon Success: Kathleen Kobel's Secrets to Influencer Marketing

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Kathleen Kobel on the Amazon Influencer Program and Making Product Videos That Sell

Kathleen Kobel, often called the Queen of Amazon, runs an Amazon marketing agency that she says has helped more than a thousand brands launch on the platform, and creates content through the Amazon Influencer Program. In this episode of Your Brand Amplified, she explains how she moved from clinical counseling into e-commerce, how the Influencer Program works and what kind of video content performs. Her core point: Amazon shoppers arrive ready to buy, so honest, helpful video works.

How did Kathleen Kobel get into Amazon selling?

Kobel trained in clinical counseling and music theory. When she finished her master's degree in clinical counseling in 2009, mental health funding was scarce and jobs were hard to find. She joined her uncle, a serial entrepreneur, and began learning online marketing and e-commerce.

Her first Amazon sale was her own graduate school textbooks. They sold quickly and earned her $500 within a week. She went on to attend conferences, take courses and launch and manage her uncle's products on Amazon. After her daughter was born, she left that job and started her own Amazon marketing agency.

What is the Amazon Influencer Program?

The Amazon Influencer Program lets creators upload content directly to Amazon product pages. Because Amazon shows that content to its own customers, creators can earn commissions without building and marketing an audience elsewhere. Kobel turned to it after client work led to burnout and she wanted income that didn't depend on trading hours for dollars.

What kind of video content works on Amazon?

Content that helps people decide. Unlike social media users, Amazon shoppers aren't scrolling aimlessly; they're researching and ready to buy. Kobel's approach:

• Focus on the home and kitchen category, drawing on her own experience as a mother and consumer.
• Feature higher-priced items, which buyers consider more carefully and which suit video.
• Make short, informative videos that answer the questions shoppers commonly have.

She says content creation typically takes her only a few hours a week, which fits around family life and makes the work appealing to stay-at-home parents and others looking to supplement their income. Results like hers reflect her own experience and are not typical or guaranteed.

Kobel supports aspiring influencers with free resources, including a YouTube channel and a Facebook group, and a paid program with step-by-step guidance.

Key takeaways

• Amazon shoppers arrive ready to buy, so practical, relatable video performs well.
• The Influencer Program puts your content in front of Amazon's audience without building your own.
• Higher-priced products get more consideration and suit video reviews.
• Choose a category you know personally, like Kobel's home and kitchen focus.

Listen to Anika Jackson's full conversation with Kathleen Kobel on Your Brand Amplified.