Amazon influencers and sellers often compare on-site and off-site traffic as if one must outperform the other.
In practice, the two traffic types are designed for different stages of the buying journey, are measured differently by Amazon, and are rewarded under different attribution rules. Understanding those mechanics explains why payouts behave the way they do.
What Amazon Onsite Traffic Is
Amazon’s onsite traffic consists of views and clicks that originate inside Amazon’s ecosystem. This includes influencer videos shown on product detail pages, search results, recommendation carousels, and in-app placements.
Distribution, visibility, and duration are controlled entirely by Amazon under the Amazon Influencer Program.
Amazon evaluates onsite videos primarily on conversion contribution rather than views or engagement.
Videos that support add-to-cart behavior and completed purchases are favored, even if total view counts are low.
From Amazon’s perspective, onsite videos function as conversion assets, not audience-building content.
What Amazon Offsite Traffic Is
Offsite traffic refers to any traffic sent to Amazon from external platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, blogs, or email.
Even for approved influencers, offsite traffic follows the Amazon Associates Program rules for attribution and qualifying purchases.
Amazon uses session-based and time-limited attribution. If a purchase occurs outside the attribution window, on a different device, or after a separate browsing session, the original influencer may not receive commission credit.
Offsite traffic can influence buying decisions without being reliably attributed.
How Influencers Are Paid
On-site traffic typically produces more reliable attribution because the buyer journey is short and occurs entirely within Amazon.
Offsite traffic produces higher click volumes but introduces attribution loss due to delayed purchases, cross-device behavior, and competing referrals.
This explains common creator observations:
- Viral off-site content with low commission return
- Older onsite videos continue to generate income months later
- Earnings volatility despite consistent posting
These patterns are widely documented in creator disclosures and case discussions.
Observed Creator Outcomes
Across creator earnings reports:
- On-site traffic produces slower but more persistent income.
- Offsite traffic produces earnings spikes followed by rapid decay.
- On-site favors evergreen products and high-intent categories.
- Offsite favors launches, promotions, and audience-driven trust.
Neither outcome is accidental. They reflect how Amazon measures value.
Seller Perspective and Its Impact
Sellers prioritize conversion rate, return rate, and listing performance. Seller-side analyses consistently show that onsite traffic converts at a higher rate because buyers are already in a purchasing mindset.
Offsite traffic can be effective, but is harder to measure and less predictable without supplementary analytics.
This affects creators indirectly. Sellers are more likely to continue partnerships with creators whose traffic supports stable listing performance, which often aligns with strong onsite placement.
Conversion, Consistency, and Control
The core tradeoff between onsite and offsite traffic lies in conversion intent, attribution reliability, and creator control.
On-site traffic benefits from high purchase intent and strong attribution reliability because buyers are already on Amazon and close to checkout.
Earnings tend to be more consistent, but creators have limited control over visibility and scale, which are governed by Amazon’s internal algorithms.
Offsite traffic gives creators full control over platform choice, audience targeting, and timing.
That control enables rapid scale, but conversion intent varies, attribution is fragile, and earnings fluctuate based on external platform behavior rather than purchase readiness.
Creators often experience frustration because the traffic they control pays less reliably, while the traffic they do not control pays more consistently.
When Onsite Traffic Pays More
On-site traffic tends to outperform off-site for:
- Evergreen products
- Comparison-driven purchases
- High-intent categories such as home, electronics, and tools
Creators who focus on clarity, product demonstration, and objection handling tend to see onsite earnings compound over time, even without high view counts.
When Offsite Traffic Pays More
Offsite traffic performs best during:
- Product launches
- Promotions and deal cycles
- Trend-driven categories
- High-trust creator-audience relationships
Offsite income is typically episodic rather than cumulative and requires ongoing momentum to sustain results.
Effective Strategy
Creators with stable long-term earnings typically combine both traffic sources. Offsite traffic generates awareness and demand, while onsite content captures conversions and supports consistent attribution.
This aligns with Amazon’s traffic incentives and seller expectations and reduces income volatility for creators.
Conclusion
Amazon’s onsite traffic pays more consistently. Amazon offsite traffic pays more variably but can generate higher short-term returns.
Neither is superior in isolation. Each serves a different role in the purchase funnel, and earnings outcomes reflect how Amazon measures and rewards contributions.
