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What is the easiest way to cloak a URL?

by DrC
11 replies
Hi Warriors,

Working on a project that involves Instagram. I keep getting told many of the links I am posting are 'not allowed'. Any insight on the easiest way to cloak these URLs?

Thanks!
#cloak #easiest #url
  • Profile picture of the author Bradley J Anderson
    Free, easy, and no software or plugins required:

    First, copy this code:

    Code:
    <?php

 = 'http://www.affiliatesite.com/?aff=latchkey';


//do not edit below here

header ('HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently');

header('Location: '.);

exit;

?>
    Replace the entire url at the top with your affiliate link. Save the whole thing as a php file, using a name that will be easy for you to remember, i.e., studiopress.php

    Create a subdirectory on your own site where you will be storing all of your cloaked links. Most people name the subdirectory with a name such as 'go', 'recommends', 'likes', etc.

    Upload your php file into that subdirectory.

    Then instead of using your actual affiliate link on Instagram (or anywhere else, for that matter), use your url + the filename that you set up, i.e.,

    Code:
    www.yoursite.com/likes/studiopress.php
    Search engine spiders don't bother to read php code, and the 301 permanent redirect saves you from getting slapped.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisBa
    Originally Posted by DrC View Post

    Hi Warriors,

    Working on a project that involves Instagram. I keep getting told many of the links I am posting are 'not allowed'. Any insight on the easiest way to cloak these URLs?

    Thanks!
    Do you have your own domain and hosting?
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    • Profile picture of the author Darryl Smith
      1) Buy a generic domain name (if you do not have a spare doing nothing)
      2) install WordPress on it
      3) install the 'Pretty Link Lite' plugin.

      Follow the easy instructions of that plugin and you are done.
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  • Profile picture of the author arif456
    If you trust on using a third party web service for this purpose then go to ClickMeter.com: Link tracking, affiliate tracking, conversion tracking
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  • Profile picture of the author Marc Rodill
    I do what Bradley said. I usually use a JavaScript redirect, but his php redirect is even better. Just in case people disable JavaScript. It works great.

    Plus - you have total control over everything and can track your clicks with your own software.
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  • Profile picture of the author Simon Anthony
    Use that script above. Easy.

    Or use an unused or cheap domain and redirect it, or setup a sub-domain of an existing website and redirect that.

    FYI : If you use Pretty Links, it's best to always do a double-cloak when you're dealing with stuff like Facebook Ads and other sites where the raw affiliate link could be rejected.
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  • Profile picture of the author BenJackson
    1. Use the Simple URLs plugin to redirect your affiliate links: https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-urls/

    2. Add the following line to your robots.txt to prevent Google from crawling your affiliate links: Disallow: /go/
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    I would use a separate domain name and redirect it to the URL you want to cloak.

    Or create frame page using the separate domain name.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marc Rodill
    Sick 'em John.
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