Janesha Moore was surprised when she received a check from Amazon for $540 in affiliate commissions in May 2023. Previously, the 27-year-old was trying to build her creative career after being fired in January of that year from the luxury watch company where she worked as a global marketing project manager.
“Seeing that money really opened my eyes,” the Philadelphia-based creator told Business Insider. “That's when I started seriously strategizing and doing a lot of research into affiliate marketing.”
Today, Moore 197,000 followers on Instagram and 83,500 followers on TikTokI post style, beauty, and self-care content. She earned $100,378 through Amazon and LTK (formerly LikeToKnowIt) affiliate marketing programs in the 12 months after she was fired, according to documents reviewed and reviewed by BI.
Most of her income as a creator comes from affiliate marketing, but she also partners with brands like Warby Parker, Walmart, and Marshalls to create paid sponsored content.
She found affiliate marketing so lucrative that she launched a program called Strategic Influencer Academy. The program specifically aims to close the pay gap between white and BIPOC creators by educating those from marginalized communities on exactly how she increased her income without relying on brand deals or employment. It has become. management team. She said the program has a waiting list of 5,200 interested people who signed up through a link in her bio.
“From my own experience and conversations with other creators of color, especially Black women, we are constantly ignored and underrepresented by brands,” she said. “Affiliate marketing is a very powerful tool because everyone can benefit at the same rate. So it really depends on what strategy you use to make your money work for you. What matters is how you stand up.”
Beyoncé's influence lasted long after Moore attended the first show of her latest tour
Moore first launched her Amazon storefront in May 2021, but it didn't really start making money until Beyoncé paved the way.
After attending the A-list performer's first U.S. performance on his Renaissance World Tour last summer, she joined the rest of the star's “Beyhive” of fans on his long-awaited concert tour. I thought you might need ideas for costumes to attend. Moore posted: instagram reels and tick tock So she outlined various options. It went viral, racking up more than 1.2 million total views. As of the end of July, she was earning $15,000 in commissions from Amazon from people buying clothes using her links.
“That's when I leaned into a strategy of creating content based on specific events or holidays or things I knew people were searching for,” she said. “I was already growing steadily online, but at that point it really took off.”
Moore earned $38,181 in Amazon commissions from July to December.
This creator also earns a commission from LTK, which he started using in late 2022. She said she didn't really understand the platform at first and she wasn't making much money from it. Things changed when she started using her Instagram automation. Instagram Automation allows creators to use third-party software to schedule posts and create engagement analytics. In 2023, she made her $62,196 in sales through the platform.
“I wish I had known all this from the beginning,” she said. “Once we studied our audience's needs and understood how much we could link, the sky was the limit.”
One of her goals is to help other creators of color avoid backlash from brands.
Late last year, Moore began planning a strategic influencer academy. It's an online program of more than 20 modules designed to teach participants the specific strategies Moore used to build her influencer business, from researching and leveraging affiliate marketing to shifting mindsets. be. money.
“There is a huge pay disparity within brand partnerships,” she says. “Affiliate marketing really empowers you and gives you the power to earn as much as you want. So you don't have to worry about the emotional side of feeling depressed or feeling like you're not doing enough.” ”
Moore says she still receives offers from brands, but for very little money for her work, with a recent offer of 15 deliverables, including posts and calls, for $2,700. She often thinks of other creators of color who may have to accept those brand deals because they don't have other sources of income.
Most of her income comes from affiliate marketing, so she said she considers brand partnerships “bonus income.”
“Brand partnerships shouldn't be your end goal as a creator, especially for POC,” she said. “You should strive for a steady income, and there are many other ways to do that.”
