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Protecting My Affiliate Links - How?

by XFactor
31 replies
I am now promoting and selling clickbank products for the first time as an affiliate.

I also hear about "protecting" your affiliate links, etc.

What does this mean and what do I need to do to keep my links solid?

- John
#affiliate #links #protecting
  • Profile picture of the author TheRichJerksNet
    You can use .htaccess to hide your links...

    example -
    Code:
    RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule hop/example.php$ http://myaffiliatelink.com?referral=1 [R]
    So if you send someone to yoursite.com/hop/example.php it will redirect to your affiliate link..

    Here is a link for a .htaccess file just after editing rename it to .htaccess and upload.

    http://www.therichjerks.net/htaccess.txt.zip

    James
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  • Profile picture of the author Jesus Perez
    "Protecting" is relative. You can't really properly protect an affiliate link once a visitor reaches a merchant unless the merchant redirects their landing page to remove the 'hoplink' in the URL. BurnTheFat does this, but FatLoss4Idiots doesn't.

    As for 'protecting' the link on your end (which is what you're probably referring to), there's 2 ways. The free, hard way. Or the purchased 'easy' way. Both allow you to show pretty URL's on your site.

    The free, hard way involves creating a HTML or PHP (or HTAccess) redirect for each and every product. You end up with something like http://yourdomain.com/burnfat.php.

    The purchased way (PHP Link Cloaker), stores all the links and redirects in MySQL using a PHP-based web admin area. Updating is also easy. Check out the demo. Links end up looking like http://www.yourdomain.com/recommends/burnfat

    Stay away from URL shrinkers or free online solutions (TinyURL type sites). They tend to disappear along with all your links as spammers get ahold of them.
    Signature

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    • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
      The best way to protect your affiliate links is to keep them in a word document on your desktop... that way nobody can ever get to them...

      You'd think it'd be more important to increase exposure though, eh? :rolleyes:

      Peace

      Jay
      Signature

      Bare Murkage.........

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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Montgomery
    nothing and I mean nothing beats ninja link cloaker

    Ninja Link Cloaker - Advanced Affiliate Link Cloaker
    Signature
    Skyrocket Your Site To The Top Of Google Without Lifting A Finger
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    • Profile picture of the author Eric Lorence
      There is no need to buy any extra software,

      Also, if you do not have MOD_REWRITE enabled and cannot use htaccess because of your hosting...

      You can also create individual folders with index.php files.

      The code on each file would be:

      <?php
      = 'YOURAFFILIATELINK';
      header("Location: ");
      exit();
      ?>
      These are called soft redirects, and are 100% safe for commissions.

      Best!
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      • Profile picture of the author XFactor
        I guess what I'm confused about is what exactly am I protecting my links "from"?

        For example on my review sites there are obviously links to products I am promoting
        so is there a way for someone to change the link or something?

        That's what I am not understanding of.

        - John
        Signature
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        • Profile picture of the author Eric Lorence
          Originally Posted by XFactor View Post

          I guess what I'm confused about is what exactly am I protecting my links "from"?

          For example on my review sites there are obviously links to products I am promoting
          so is there a way for someone to change the link or something?

          That's what I am not understanding of.

          - John
          Many people dislike clicking on affiliate links, and many more will try and "hijack" your CB link by replacing your nickname with their own to make the purchase.
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          • Profile picture of the author Ouroboros
            If you're dealing with people who recognize your "hoplink" or your link code from another affiliate, some will delete your affiliate code to deny you the commission (why, I don't know) and others will insert their own link or that of a friend to get the commission (kinda dirty, but **it happens).

            This isn't a big problem in most 'niche' markets, but IM is a cutthroat niche apparently.

            There are several different ways to "cloak" your links, as mentioned above.

            I've got a short report about how to do this with the .htaccess file, but you'll have to ask for it, I'm not going to promote it here.

            Steve
            Signature

            Need a Simple Product/Service to Market to Offline Clients? Sell Them DFY Custom Videos. https://www.fiverr.com/users/gigsiteguy

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    • Profile picture of the author magentawave
      Originally Posted by Mike X. View Post

      nothing and I mean nothing beats ninja link cloaker

      Ninja Link Cloaker - Advanced Affiliate Link Cloaker
      Mike (and everyone else),

      I just tried the WP-Affiliate plugin for Wordpress for a site I'm building right now and couldn't get it to work. And whether the product is free or costs me money, I don't want to waste anymore time with something that is junk.

      I just looked at that ninja link cloaker sales page you mentioned and it looks good but don't know if its BS. I want something that is SUPER EASY to operate and doesn't require me to mess with htaccess or redirect pages and will work as well with HTML sites as it will with a Wordpress site. Can this product do that? Are you affiliated with that company? What is your experience with Ninja Link Cloaker?

      Thanks.
      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Hamida Harland
        Originally Posted by magentawave View Post

        Mike (and everyone else),

        I just tried the WP-Affiliate plugin for Wordpress for a site I'm building right now and couldn't get it to work. And whether the product is free or costs me money, I don't want to waste anymore time with something that is junk.

        I just looked at that ninja link cloaker sales page you mentioned and it looks good but don't know if its BS. I want something that is SUPER EASY to operate and doesn't require me to mess with htaccess or redirect pages and will work as well with HTML sites as it will with a Wordpress site. Can this product do that? Are you affiliated with that company? What is your experience with Ninja Link Cloaker?

        Thanks.
        Steve
        Ninja Link Cloaker is brilliant - you just enter your affiliate link, your destination page, click 'create page' and that's it. Couldn't be simpler. You just upload that page to your website then.
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        • Profile picture of the author magentawave
          Originally Posted by Hamida Pall View Post

          Ninja Link Cloaker is brilliant - you just enter your affiliate link, your destination page, click 'create page' and that's it. Couldn't be simpler. You just upload that page to your website then.
          That is good to know. Thank you. I'm not sure that it would matter, but does it work as well with Wordpress sites? I wonder how it compares with other paid-for link cloakers?

          Thanks.
          Steve
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          • Profile picture of the author Hamida Harland
            Originally Posted by magentawave View Post

            That is good to know. Thank you. I'm not sure that it would matter, but does it work as well with Wordpress sites? I wonder how it compares with other paid-for link cloakers?

            Thanks.
            Steve
            I can't say how it compares because I haven't tried any others, but yes you can use it with Wordpress.
            Signature
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            • Profile picture of the author magentawave
              Originally Posted by Hamida Pall View Post

              I can't say how it compares because I haven't tried any others, but yes you can use it with Wordpress.
              Hamida, or anyone else using Ninja Link Cloaker...

              1) Does Ninja Link Cloaker require that I have to do some weird stuff with creating folders and php and whatever else I don't understand (because I haven't seen clear instructions yet) like most of all of the other link cloakers I've seen so far?

              2) If I get Ninja Link Cloaker, is it worth it to go for the $97 training videos seen here (not an affiliate link): One Time Offer Discount......

              Thanks again.
              Steve
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              • Profile picture of the author Jesus Perez
                Originally Posted by magentawave View Post

                Hamida, or anyone else using Ninja Link Cloaker...

                1) Does Ninja Link Cloaker require that I have to do some weird stuff with creating folders and php and whatever else I don't understand (because I haven't seen clear instructions yet) like most of all of the other link cloakers I've seen so far?

                2) If I get Ninja Link Cloaker, is it worth it to go for the $97 training videos seen here (not an affiliate link): One Time Offer Discount......

                Thanks again.
                Steve
                Ninja Link Cloaker uses a frameset and encrypted URLS within the source code to keep the affiliate ID a secret. However, the hoplink ID still appears at the bottom of the Clickbank buy page. That's why in my first post I mentioned "protection" is relative. You'll never truly be able to completely hide the clickbank hoplink. Usually cloaking it on your own website is enough. Think about the cost. That's a lot of money for having your link still appear on the Clickbank buy page (as it always will with every link cloaker...including the one in my sig).
                Signature

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                • Profile picture of the author XFactor
                  After reading all of the helpful replies here it looks like I don't really
                  need anything to hide my link.

                  My niches are outside of IM so it shouldn't be an issue.

                  - John
                  Signature
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                • Profile picture of the author magentawave
                  Originally Posted by BlueSquares View Post

                  Ninja Link Cloaker uses a frameset and encrypted URLS within the source code to keep the affiliate ID a secret. However, the hoplink ID still appears at the bottom of the Clickbank buy page. That's why in my first post I mentioned "protection" is relative. You'll never truly be able to completely hide the clickbank hoplink. Usually cloaking it on your own website is enough. Think about the cost. That's a lot of money for having your link still appear on the Clickbank buy page (as it always will with every link cloaker...including the one in my sig).
                  I get it. So there is no way to hide your affiliate status from the bottom of a Clickbank order page, but I still want to hide my ugly affiliate links for a bunch of other products and services I sell.

                  Sure, price matters, but I don't mind spending a few bucks to get what I want, so the million dollar question is...

                  For a non-techie type that doesn't want to screw around, what is the FASTEST and SIMPLEST program available that will hide my affiliate links from the bottom of a browser? Is it Ninja Link Cloaker?

                  Thanks again.
                  Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author askloz
    use my affiliate link cloaker.

    Free Affiliate Link Cloaker
    Signature
    HEADS UP - EVEN NEWER -->> 27 Dollar FX Systems - Ultimate Golden Cross - FX Signal Book
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    • Profile picture of the author magentawave
      Originally Posted by askloz View Post

      use my affiliate link cloaker.

      Free Affiliate Link Cloaker
      I just tried it but I'm not sure what to do with it once I have all of that code?? I tried doing the obvious by pasting directly into the 'link url' section of my wordpress blog, and of course that didn't work because about 95% of it wouldn't fit. Then I pasted the code into the wordpress html editor for the blog post and that didn't create a link.

      You said to save the code in notepad and name it 'whatever', but then exactly what do you do with that text document after that? I hit this same wall with a couple other similar free online link cloakers too.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Ma
    Originally Posted by XFactor View Post

    I am now promoting and selling clickbank products for the first time as an affiliate.

    I also hear about "protecting" your affiliate links, etc.

    What does this mean and what do I need to do to keep my links solid?

    - John
    I think what you are referring to is cloaking the affiliate link.

    They can be done using software such as Adtrackz.com

    Where you setup your own affiliate address such as
    www.yourlink.com

    or

    www.yourdomain.com/yourlink.html

    instead using the original link the affiliate program gives you.

    Then you set the code to redirect the visitor to the
    merchant.

    Plus once they get to the merchant's site, they won't
    be able to see your ID anywhere in the URL. So this
    way people can't easily steal your commission.
    Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author jbshort
    I use Affiliate Link Cloaker. Take a look at my review of it.
    Signature
    Get straight talk about affiliate marketing, article marketing, blogging, social networking, SEO and more at The Internet Marketing Maven.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Giannetti
    Powerlink generator is the best for me.....

    just install the script on your server,and it does all the work for you,no uplading every link..that is a pain in the neck..
    Signature
    Make Up To $96 Cash Every Time You Give Away My CPA Coaching Program For FREE!
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  • Profile picture of the author Martha Richardson
    Oh, don't be so sure of that my friend...

    Barry
    Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author onlineleben
    My niches are outside of IM so it shouldn't be an issue
    Sure, your link proably doesn't get hijacked so often as when you promote IM products becaue mostly your audience is not webmasters/marketers who know their way around clickbank and other affiliate programs.
    But when you protect/hide your afiliate link as described in the other posts, you also gain more trust from your visitors.
    A link structured like
    www.example.com/recommends/productname
    looks more trustworthy than
    http://onlinelebe.lazymrketr.hop.clickbank.net Confessions of a Lazy Super-Affiliate

    The first link makes the visitor think he stays on the site and probably makes a click more possible than the second option, where it is obvious that the visitor gets directed to an other site.
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    Learn Languages Abroad
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  • Profile picture of the author getsmartt
    Try viralurl.com they have a super simple free linkcloaker

    choose a "folder" name once you account is active (make sure it is short)
    login to viralurl
    create a new cloaked link - paste your affiliate link in the box, choose a name for the link (or let it create a set of random numbers)
    click ok
    it will generate a cloaked link that looks like
    http://www.viralurl.com/yourfoldername/yourlinkname
    you can paste this anywhere you can paste a link
    you can also login into viralurl anytime and see you stats for that link.

    I put together an ebook you can get here
    http://www.scruffymind.com/products/viralurl.pdf
    Signature

    Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker

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  • Profile picture of the author dspruyt
    Hey there, I'd suggest using tinyurl? or you could create a subdomain for your domain if you have an exisiting one and masking it.
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  • Profile picture of the author tom54
    Use this free Affiliate Link cloaker to increase your sales and save time with your affiliate promotions.
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    • Profile picture of the author rlrlphs
      I found some people using tinyurl to hide their affiliate links.
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