Affiliate links

Michel Z. · 03-09-2006, 02:08 AM

I want to give my 'affiliate' url to a webmaster. This webmaster will place my 'affiliate' url on his website in order to promote my offer, but I don't want webmaster to see which advertising network I am using which can be found out easily by looking at my 'affiliate url'!

1. What are my possibilities here?

2. If I forward to this webmaster NOT my 'affiliate' url but a link which re-directs to my 'affiliate' url that should be a solution?

For example -

My site is let see www.valadvertising.com & I will make a .php file which will re-direct straight to my 'affiliate' url (this .php file has re-direct code inside), then I can give this webmaster something like this: www.valadvertising.com/offer.php

That should solve the issue?

3. If Yes, then I am wondering if there will be not a problem with my advertising network as well, because all the traffic is going FROM: www.valadvertising.com/offer.php TO: my 'affiliate' url.

And www.valadvertising.com/offer.php is basicly non-existing, because main purpose here is re-directing! If my 'affiliate' url directly was shown on this webmaster's website, then it shouldn't be any problem because then all traffic is coming from webmaster's site to my 'affiliate' url which is ofcourse fine!!

Any suggestions here?

4. Maybe to make from my 'affiliate' url a 'tiny url' (like: http://www.tinyurl.com ) could be solution as well, but I don't think it looks very professional to be honest. Maybe you have a different idea?

Thanks a lot!

Ferre · 03-09-2006, 02:19 AM

Don't deceive website owners this way, it's not only a lame thing to do, it's very un-ethical to say the least.

My advice, Don't do it.

kyleposey · 03-09-2006, 06:16 AM

If you were to use a php-redirect, you might take into consideration the impact on the referring url. Use a query string at the end of your php script to track that particular instance. Then you can look back in your logs and see the traffic coming in for each different webmaster you trade links with.

For example, Webmaster A gets this link:
www.valadvertising.com/offer.php?site=webmastera

and webmaster B gets this link:
www.valadvertising.com/offer.php?site=webmasterb

Ferre · 03-09-2006, 08:08 AM

You will still piss a webmaster off when they have a look where that url you provided is taking them. I don't know any webmaster who doesn't click on links they add to their site.

No way they don't find out you put an affiliate link on their site.

**G10** · 03-09-2006, 08:57 AM

Why are you going to so much trouble to stop him seeing which advertising network you are using?

Will it have a bad effect on your business or something like that?

JuggoPop · 03-09-2006, 09:03 AM

@Ferre - I'm thinking that the webmaster already knows it's an affiliate link... but M.Z. doesn't want the websmater to know which network he is using. He's only hiding the network, not the fact that it's an affiliate link... Maybe I'm reading it wrong.

If you are hiding the fact that it's an affiliate link, you should listen to Ferre.

If you are only hiding the link to cover up the network involved, then maybe one of your solutions will work... but won't your site forward to the full link address in the end anyway? and if a person clicks the link won't there be a few seconds that you will be able to see the link the in the status bar? (never delt with hiding links) otherwise people would do this all the time on there own domains to cover their links.

kyleposey · 03-09-2006, 10:38 AM

If the webmaster is truly concerned about what he allows to be advertised on his site, then he will find out what ad network you are using. There's no way to fully hide the tracking url.

However, the php redirect will fool most everyone else.

WorldwideTrading · 03-09-2006, 10:53 AM

It dosent really matter what you do to try and hide the link. If someone uses an http analyser when checking out links as I do they will see immediatly what you have done.

Ferre · 03-09-2006, 11:45 AM

@JuggoPop, Michel Z asked in another post just the other day how to hide affiliate links in the browser, see; http://www.v7n.com/forums/web-design...m-browser.html

Knowing his former post I can only assume that Michel Z wants to hide the fact that he is an affiliate in general, which is, in my opinion, not honest and ethical towards people who accidently end up on his site, or at sites from webmasters that carry those links for Michel Z.

Michel Z. · 03-10-2006, 01:31 AM

Well, to clarify things simple: I will pay the other webmaster certain agreed amount per lead & therefore don't want him to go direct by knowing advertising network. If he really wants to find out which network I am using he will, but at least I can try to hide as much as possible in order to keep him as a partner. That's it!

Michel Z. · 03-10-2006, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyleposey

If you were to use a php-redirect, you might take into consideration the impact on the referring url. Use a query string at the end of your php script to track that particular instance. Then you can look back in your logs and see the traffic coming in for each different webmaster you trade links with.

For example, Webmaster A gets this link:
www.valadvertising.com/offer.php?site=webmastera

and webmaster B gets this link:
www.valadvertising.com/offer.php?site=webmasterb

Thanks Kyleposey!

That's another reason to use 'redirect link', because it gives me more options regarding seeing/checking stats then when only using affiliate link including ID.!

How can I set this up?
How can I add ID. to my links or files?
Where can I do that?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

JuggoPop · 08-18-2006, 12:28 AM

http://tinyurl.com
http://98.to
http://clipurl.com
http://biglnk.com
http://zoomurl.com