Should Your Amazon Brands Use Levanta or Impact? (Finally, a Clear Answer)
We put them head to head to find the solution for your clients needs.
Omnichannel brands are everywhere today. And in case you don’t work with one, it’s a brand that is selling across multiple channels (DTC, website, Amazon, Walmart, Target, retail stores, etc.) BUT the key is they need to have an integrated strategy where all channels work together meeting shoppers where they are when they’re ready to purchase. And in the content era (although Sora 2 will change content forever), this also means you need to meet creators where they are as well.
If you haven’t taken Sarah’s advanced course on owning affiliate marketing for publicists and PR agencies, she dives into all of the networks you need to know about. One of which is Levanta.
Levanta is an affiliate platform built specifically for marketplaces. Think of it like Impact or Rakuten, but instead of focusing on DTC websites, it is designed for brands selling on Amazon and Walmart. They launched in 2023, have raised some serious capital, to the tune of $20M, and have 6,000+ creators on the platform including profiles for some of the heavy mass media publishers we work with every day like Forbes, Hearst, BuzzFeed, and CNN.
Their biggest selling point is that they integrate directly with Amazon Attribution API, which means brands can track external traffic, offer customizable commissions (something standard Amazon Associates does not allow), and earn Amazon Brand Referral Bonus – a 10% kickback for driving sales from off-Amazon sources. Now, mass media publishers won’t use these attribution models, its just far too time intensive, but for creators, this is a great option.
But, if you’re an Impact Essentials user they’re beta testing Amazon and we can’t forget Creator Connections capabilities we discussed in this issue.
So, what’s a publicist to do? Let’s dive in.
For publicists, Levanta has been a solid option for Amazon-heavy clients who wanted better tracking and creator access than what Amazon Associates provides. Useful, but not game-changing.
Until now.
Because Levanta launched a Walmart integration earlier this year, which changes the conversation entirely for omnichannel brands.
Here’s What Actually Changed
Levanta integrated Walmart into their network. First platform to do it.
Why this matters:
Walmart is the #2 online marketplace in the US
Your creators and publishers can now push both Amazon AND Walmart links
One dashboard, one payment, cross-marketplace reporting
You can finally pitch “Available on Amazon and Walmart” and CONTROL the CPA publishers receive.
But Wait – Impact Has Amazon Now, Too?
Right as Levanta made this move, Impact started beta testing customizable Amazon commissions in their Essentials program.
So which one do you need? Because both networks come with a cost. And the answer depends entirely on your client.
When to lean into Levanta:
If the brand has a clear creator need where most sales happen on Amazon/Walmart (not DTC)
Low AOV products where basket commissions matter
You’re working with influencers and creators
You want access to Amazon’s Brand Referral Bonus (10% kickback)
When to lean into Impact:
DTC is the priority
You need Hearst, People Inc, and traditional media connections from publishers that aren’t adapting in Levanta as quickly or those that soley rely on Skimlinks
Higher AOV where DTC margins justify the focus
Is there a use case for both?
Yes, if your client does serious volume on DTC and marketplaces. Route affiliates based on where they convert best.
The Creator Marketplace Thing
Levanta has 6,000+ creators on the platform, including Forbes, Hearst, Dotdash, BuzzFeed, CNN, and US Weekly.
But here’s the question I keep getting: Do these major publishers actually use Levanta the way they use Impact or Skimlinks?
Honestly? It’s still evolving. They may be on the platform, but in my conversations, most mass media affiliate teams are deeply integrated with traditional networks and subnetworks like Impact, Rakuten, and Skimlinks. Levanta’s strength is creators and influencers, not necessarily the commerce editors you’re already pitching.
That doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. It just means you need to be clear on what you’re getting. It also doesn’t mean it won’t change, so just one more thing you need to keep your pulse on!
So, the real question… Should Your Clients Use It?
To help demystify the network and answer if your brands are a good fit, we hopped on the line with Owen Guetschow, Director of Go to Market for Levanta. He spilled some pretty incredible beans on whats coming down the pike.
