Detours

**Episode 081: The First Video Is the Hardest** One of my favorite side hustles starts with something already sitting in my house. I pick it up, show how I use it, and create a product video. That video can keep working after I’ve put my phone down. I’m Angie Norris, and this is Side Hustle GPS. Today, we’re stopping in Discovery District to explore Amazon Influencer Videos. When I first started, I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. But I quickly realized I could begin with products I already had. I haven’t needed to buy products just to have something to review. I look around my home. Sometimes, with permission, I’ve filmed products at a friend’s house or an Airbnb. The important thing is having real experience with the item and something useful to show. How does it work? What does it look like up close? What do I like about it? What should someone know before buying? You’re helping a shopper make a decision. Now, let me explain the part of this opportunity I’m talking about. Eligible Amazon Influencers can earn onsite commissions when Amazon places their content in shopping experiences and it contributes to qualifying purchases. That means shoppers can discover those videos while they’re already on Amazon. Sharing affiliate links with your own audience is another way to earn. They’re related opportunities, but they work differently. For this episode, we’re focusing on those onsite product videos. You do need to apply, qualify, and meet Amazon’s requirements. Placement and earnings aren’t guaranteed. But don’t assume you have to be a celebrity before you even explore it. My process has gotten much faster with practice and AI. I film the actual product, then use AI to help organize my observations into a script and suggest a relevant title. I give it my experience: how I use the item as a busy mom of three, what I’ve noticed, and what I want to demonstrate. Then I review the script so it stays accurate and sounds like me. I used to record every voiceover myself. Now, I also use an AI version of my own voice. Spoiler alert: that’s what you’re listening to right now. These are my stories and ideas, shaped into a script with AI assistance. For product videos, I check the platform’s current content requirements before choosing how to produce them. AI helps me communicate my experience; it doesn’t replace having that experience. And yes, this has earned me money. My highest month was $12,000. That was my personal result, not a typical month or a promise about what someone else will earn. I also got a little burned out after that push. My activity changes with the season of my life. Sometimes I make a video in a week. Sometimes I create several in a day. There have been months when I made 100. With my established process, I can sometimes create three simple videos in under 20 minutes. That speed came with practice. I’ve also had stretches when other projects took priority. Side Hustle GPS has certainly been one of them! But seeing commissions from earlier work still makes me smile. I call it mailbox money. Commissions can accrue on different days, while Amazon pays on its payment schedule—not as a daily paycheck. Your first money move? Check the current application and onsite requirements. Then choose one product you already use and practice making a short, helpful demonstration. You don’t have to publish that practice video immediately. Get comfortable showing the item and explaining one useful thing about it. Your first attempt gives you something to improve. Explore Amazon Influencer Videos in Discovery District at SideHustleGPS.com. The first video is the hardest. The first attempt is enough to begin.