# How to Start a Brand Ambassador Program in Shopify

Source: https://recruitaffiliates.ai/blog/brand-ambassador-program-shopify

# How to start a brand ambassador program in Shopify

By the RecruitAffiliates.ai team · 26 October 2026 · 7 min read

Facts about other tools come from their own sites, with the date we checked. [Our editorial policy](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/editorial-policy) · [About us](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/about).

In short

A brand ambassador program gives chosen fans a code, a perk and a reason to talk about you. Decide what you give, find your first ten, send a short offer, set simple rules and track three numbers. In our scan of 30 Shopify brands, TikTok and Instagram gave only 66 of 2,924 people, so look beyond social too.

To start a brand ambassador program, decide what you will give, find your first ten people, send a short offer, set simple rules and track three numbers. A **brand ambassador** is a person who talks about your brand because they like it and gets something back, such as a code, free product or a commission.

An **affiliate** is someone who earns a **commission**, a cut of each sale they send you. An ambassador is often an affiliate with a closer tie to your brand. Below is a 30-day plan you can run alone.

**On this page 12 sections**

1. [What is the difference between an ambassador, an affiliate and an influencer?]
2. [What do other brands give ambassadors?]
3. [How do you set up codes and links?]
4. [What should you decide to give?]
5. [Who are your first ten?]
6. [What should the offer say?]
7. [What rules should you set?]
8. [What is the 30-day plan?]
9. [How do you know it works?]
10. [Mistakes to avoid]
11. [Frequently asked questions]
12. [Sources]

## What is the difference between an ambassador, an affiliate and an influencer?

The words overlap, and brands use them loosely. Here is a plain split.

| Term | Who they are | How they may be paid |
|---|---|---|
| Brand ambassador | A fan or customer chosen to represent you over time | Perks, a code and often a commission |
| Affiliate | Anyone who sends buyers through a tracked link | Commission on each sale |
| Influencer | A person with a large audience | A fee, a gift or both |

You can run all three in one program. One set-up is to give every ambassador a tracked link, so they are an affiliate too, and then add perks on top. That way you track who actually sells.

## What do other brands give ambassadors?

We read three public ambassador pages on 26 October 2026. They differ, which is the point.

- **CLEARSTEM** lists 10% to 20% commission with no cap, a custom code and link for 15% off, free samples and early access to launches ([CLEARSTEM](https://clearstem.com/pages/brand-ambassadors)).
- **LACO Gives** offers a personal code and a shareable code for 15% off, and earnings through its affiliate program, including quarterly bonuses and challenges. It does not state a commission rate ([LACO Gives](https://lacogives.com/pages/brand-ambassadors)).
- **Stinger** gives a 10% audience code and 2% commission on completed net sales, plus points and top-content rewards. It limits entry to US residents aged 18 or over ([Stinger](https://stingerdrive.com/pages/brand-ambassador-program)).

Notice what is missing. None of the three pages we read mentioned disclosure, meaning telling readers that the ambassador is paid or gifted. That is a gap you can close in your own program. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission says the company is ultimately responsible for what others do on its behalf ([FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking), checked 26 October 2026).

Three pages are a small sample, so read them as ideas, not a benchmark.

## How do you set up codes and links?

Your affiliate app gives each person a tracked link and often a code. Shopify Collabs lets creators generate affiliate links too, per Shopify's help page ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/collabs/merchants/recruiting-creators), checked 26 October 2026). Make one code and one link per person, so you can see who sells. Our [Shopify Collabs guide](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/shopify-collabs) covers its limits.

## What should you decide to give?

Pick from four things, and mix them.

1. **A product gift.** Free product to try. It costs you the cost of goods.
2. **A discount code.** A code for their audience, such as 10% or 15% off. It costs you margin on each use.
3. **A commission.** A cut of each sale through their link. It costs you nothing until someone buys.
4. **A fee.** A set payment for work. Use it for larger creators only.

For a small brand, we suggest a gift, a code and a commission. Your commission is the part to price carefully. In our research of 168 public Shopify affiliate programs on 23 October 2026, the median base rate was 10% and beauty was 15% ([our commission research](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/research/shopify-affiliate-commission-rates-2026)). Our guide on [what to offer affiliates](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/blog/what-to-offer-affiliates) covers rate, duration and how long a click counts.

## Who are your first ten?

Look in three places, in this order.

- **Your best customers.** Sort orders by repeat buyers. They already like you.
- **People who review brands like yours.** Review and roundup pages are the biggest group. In our scan of 30 public Shopify brands on 22 October 2026, 64% of the 2,924 people shown had a review, roundup or comparison as their strongest page ([our scan data](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/research/who-promotes-shopify-brands-2026)).
- **Creators on social media.** In the same scan, TikTok and Instagram together gave only 66 of 2,924 people (Instagram counts may be low). So social accounts were a small part of what we found.

So think of ambassadors as one source among several. Our guides to [finding affiliates for a Shopify store](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/blog/find-affiliates-for-shopify-store) and the [first 10 affiliates in 14 days](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/blog/first-10-affiliates-in-14-days) show the search in detail.

Open each person's page first. In a check of 30 random rows from our scan, 9 were not promoters ([method](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/research/who-promotes-shopify-brands-2026)). So treat the 2,924 as rows to read, not as 2,924 ready prospects.

## What should the offer say?

Keep it under 100 words. Say who you are, why them, what they get, and what you ask. Here is a template.

Hi [Name], I read your post on [topic]. It is the kind of thing our customers ask about. We make [product] for [who]. We are starting a small ambassador group and I would like you in it.

You would get a free [product], your own code for [15]% off for your readers, and [10]% on every sale through your link. There is no minimum and no contract. If you post, please say you earn a commission or got the product free.

Want me to send the details?

It has one ask: reply yes. Do not attach a rule sheet. Send that after they agree.

## What rules should you set?

Keep them short. Four are enough.

- **Posting.** Say what you hope for, such as one honest post a month, and say it is not a condition for the gift.
- **Disclosure.** Give the exact line, for example "I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post," which is the FTC's sample line.
- **Exclusivity.** This means asking them not to promote rival brands. We would not ask it of small creators, who may have other offers.
- **Claims.** For skincare or supplements, say what they must not claim, such as treating a disease.

The disclosure line follows US guidance, so check local rules if you sell elsewhere. Our guide on [stopping coupon sites joining your program](https://recruitaffiliates.ai/blog/stop-coupon-sites-affiliate-program) shows a coupon rule to add, so an ambassador's code stays with their audience.

## What is the 30-day plan?

1. **Week 1.** Decide what you give. Write the one-page terms and the offer. Set up links and codes in your app. Build a list of 30 people. Plan on about 30 for ten sign-ups.
2. **Week 2.** Send the offer to the first 15. Not everyone replies, which is why the list is longer than ten. Send small gifts to anyone who says yes. Send each new ambassador the disclosure line before they post.
3. **Week 3.** Send the offer to the other 15, and follow up once with anyone from the first 15 who has not replied. Send each new ambassador a short brief with their link and code.
4. **Week 4.** Check who has posted or sold. Thank them in public if they are happy with that. Remove anyone who has gone quiet.

Run a link test in week 1. Click every link and use every code on a test order.

## How do you know it works?

Track three numbers.

1. **Active ambassadors.** How many posted or sold in the last 30 days, out of everyone you signed.
2. **Sales per ambassador.** Total sales through links and codes, divided by active people.
3. **Cost per sale.** Gifts, commission and discounts, divided by the number of sales.

Compare cost per sale with what you pay for an ad sale. If it is lower, add more people. If not, change the offer before you add anyone.

## Mistakes to avoid

- **Signing everyone.** A long list of silent names is not a program.
- **Gifts with no follow-up.** A product with no brief can go unused.
- **Demanding posts.** It turns a gift into a job and puts off the good people.
- **Skipping the disclosure line.** The brand is responsible too.
- **Stopping after month one.** The first ten teach you what to offer the next ten.

Try it on your store

See who would promote a shop like yours.

Type your store's website. We find the bloggers, review sites and creators who already cover shops like yours, and show the page we found each one on. Keep the affiliate app you use now.