ebook and links, which one?

20 replies
Hey guys,

I have a strategic question,
I'm writing an ebook in my specific niche (first ebook) and I wonder if I should use my direct affiliate links to the various products/services, or a link to my website's appropatie landing page?

Because the link cannot be changed later (obviously it's an ebook) I tend to think that links to my landing page are better, I mean, I have more control on the landing page, rather than the offer/product/service.

What do you think from an advantages/disadvantages point and long-term benefits?

Cheers
IMkapten
#ebook #links
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  • Profile picture of the author James McAllister
    Hard to say what will convert better and depends a lot on the offer being made, and how well both pages are optimized for conversions.

    In these instances, if all else was all equal and you couldn't change the links later, I would send them to my own pages.

    This makes it easier to split-test and also prevents you from getting screwed if the product seller ever changes their URL without properly redirecting.

    At the very least, you can always link to pages on your site that redirect directly to the offer, if you're on the fence. This way, you can always build those into landing pages later on, and are still protected from URL changes that are outside of your control.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Busa
    Yes use your own landing page for those products or services if you already made them.

    Not sure what you made them with but like you said you have more control with your own pages than with the default affiliate links.

    I use clickmagick for my link tracking and can do split tests and I can also change out links on the fly once they are setup if need to be.
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  • Profile picture of the author Medon
    I would also go for your own landing page. One, you reduce chances of being screwed second, you have a chance to work hard to promote the product. As you do that, you end up promoting your site.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Agreed on your landing page point buddy. Go with control-ownership because you have power to edit later on, for any reason. Not so if you link to any site other than your own.
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  • Profile picture of the author timbo202
    I have a landing page to my website so i can get the emails as well
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  • Profile picture of the author DIABL0
    I didn't exactly follow what it is you are doing, but for links... I would use a redirect that uses a domain you own. That way you always have control of the traffic clicking it.
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  • Profile picture of the author JWoodster
    I would definitely include affiliate links in the eBook. However, I would redirections from your web host or a click tracking service. This gives you control over the links in your eBook and also allows you to put a "prettier" link in your eBook.
    Instead of having a long, "ugly" link in your eBook, you can use something like yourdomain.com/keyword.
    Your web host should offer URL redirection. You enter the "yourdomain.com/keyword" URL as the source and your affiliate URL as the destination. When people click the link in your ebook, they will automatically be redirected to your affiliate link. In the future, if you need to change the affiliate program you promoted in your eBook, you simply go into your hosting account and enter a new destination URL. You don't have to change anything in your eBook!
    Click tracking services such as ClickMagick offer the same type of redirection; but, give you the additional advantage of tracking where your clicks are coming from, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author schttrj
    Affiliate links can change over time and as you said, since your ebook is sort of permanent and is going to be shared, the best way is to include a "permanent" link, which is probably the landing page URL you own. Even Leadpages, Unbounce or such is not going to cut it since you might stop your subscription one day.
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    • Profile picture of the author Medon
      Originally Posted by schttrj View Post

      Affiliate links can change over time and as you said, since your ebook is sort of permanent and is going to be shared, the best way is to include a "permanent" link, which is probably the landing page URL you own. Even Leadpages, Unbounce or such is not going to cut it since you might stop your subscription one day.
      You are right. It is true that the subscription may be discontinued any time. But if it is on the landing page, a thing of that sort cannot happen.
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  • Profile picture of the author e-mail2u
    Like everyone is saying link back to your site

    . Also with eBooks it is good to put a get the latest version and put a link to your download page or auto responded. That way you can make changes to the eBook if needed and build your email list too if you choose the optin method.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bjarne Eldhuset
    As everyone already has said: Link to your own domain. You might also want to make a central google sheet where you track which product you have put which links into. Possibly also categorize these so it is easy to change stuff if you need to later on.
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  • Profile picture of the author spartan14
    Well i think if you are not using landing page you lose a lot of traffic
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  • Profile picture of the author agmccall
    One thing that I have seem some marketers do is. create a .pdf on a certain topic with affiliate links. Then allow people to use it as their own lead magnet. I have never done this myself but people do this so it might be something you should research and make a decision on

    al
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  • Profile picture of the author shmol
    I would go with a landing page--that was on a domain that you own.


    For the simple reason that, if for some reason in the future the product that you are direct linking to goes out of business--or it is simply not converting--you are stuck.


    At least with the landing page you are in control.


    Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    I am going to be odd man out here... Im not going to 100% say direct link... but I will insert an amount of conditions to determine which is best.

    I would suggest it is totally dependent on how you might have pre-sold the linked item... was it enough fro them to go directly to a sales page, or do you need more "Time" to develop the relationship on how you use whatever it is and how it will work for them. Follow me?

    IF whatever it is you are wanting to link to... has been sufficiently pre-sold... I would link directly to a buy page... and again if the threshold has probably not ben met, then I would send to a lander for further pre-selling.
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  • Profile picture of the author extrememan
    It all depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you want more sales, include your affiliate links in your book. If you want more leads to include your optin page.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marian
    I use both: inside the ebooks and of course on my blogs. You can change the links inside the ebooks anytime, if you use some shortener WP plugin or similar script.

    Marian
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  • Profile picture of the author luciesmazanska
    use your own landing page
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