17 December 2009 | Author: Andrew Girdwood Head of Strategy

Amazon introduces affiliate tool for Google’s Blogger

Internet retail giant Amazon has integrated with Google's blog platform. The new module allows affiliate bloggers to quickly add links and search Amazon simply by highlighting text in a post.

Affiliates of Amazon.com where introduced to a powerful new blogging tool that attaches to their Google-powered blogging interface as an enhancement module.

The module allows affiliate bloggers to highlight a selection of text in their post to use the Amazon Product Finder to search automatically through millions of products to find recommended links for the selection. Affiliate bloggers may also select images from Amazon's huge database of product images.

It isn't just books covered by the tight integration of Blogger and Amazon. The retailer is also encouraging bloggers to use an integrated sidebar gadget to help sell MP3 tracks from Amazon's DRM-free music store.

This affiliate widget enhancement from Amazon follows closely on from the company's controversial Twitter offering. Amazon provided an easy way for associates to promote their affiliate links to their Twitter followers which started a debate around appropriate disclosure of interest.

The newly launched affiliate widget is similar to the Zemanta download from a seed funded Slovenian startup that automatically searches for related stories and links as a blogger creates their post. Although Amazon's Twitter integration is present on both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk neither Zemanta nor the new Amazon blogger widget will work for Amazon.co.uk URLs.