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Affiliate link cloaking with ... ??

by ZealZeal Banned
13 replies
Have anybody here use Google url shortner to shorten affiliate links? How do you compare google's shortner with other shortners like bit.ly especially for affiliate link cloaking? (in terms of click through, tracking purpose, cookie retention and stuff that means.) What about using domain names for this purpose? Thanks.
#affiliate #bit ly #cloaking #goo.gl #link
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by ZealZeal View Post

    How do you compare google's shortner with other shortners like bit.ly especially for affiliate link cloaking? (in terms of click through, tracking purpose, cookie retention and stuff that means.)
    I don't compare them that way, because I wouldn't be willing to use one, anyway.

    Some things you don't need to test, because they make no sense from the perspective of risk to your business, and they're not necessary anyway.

    The best link-tracker/forwarder/url-shortener to use is really any one that you own and control yourself.

    It's not so good to rely on the continued availability, goodwill, reliability and changeable terms of service of any third-party URL-shortening/tracking service. There were a few hundred Warriors here last year who would have told you the same (and in fact did) when all their Tinyurl links suddenly disappeared overnight!

    That principle's the same, whether it's a Libyan one or one owned by Google.

    Have a look at this recent post on Ben Metcalfe's blog: The .ly domain space to be considered unsafe | :Ben Metcalfe Blog.

    Really, it's good to be in control of your own business and not dependent on unnecessary third-party services and their reliability and longevity.

    Many people here use these things, but that doesn't make them "good" ... nor "safe", unfortunately.

    If you talk to a turkey who gets well fed every day and well looked after for 3 years plus, before being killed for Thanksgiving, he'll tell you on every day of his 999-day life that everything's absolutely fine, because that's his experience at that point. Try talking to him on the 1000th day of his "life". The problem with using services like the one you're asking about is that you can't tell what day of their life it is (and neither can they).

    "Well, I've been using it for 998 days and I've never had a problem".

    Whatever you're using these things for, there are far better, far safer solutions readily available.

    There's "PrettyLink", and all sorts of things like that, for this purpose.

    Originally Posted by ZealZeal View Post

    What about using domain names for this purpose?
    It's what I've always done. It leaves me in control, without needing software or anything technical/complicated ... for the price of $1 per product I'm promoting (I use .info domain-names from GoDaddy for this).
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  • Profile picture of the author powerslave
    Have never used 3rd party link cloakers, because if their service happens to go down so do all of your links. I just use a page on my own site to redirect to my affiliate link, eg www.mysite.com/get-the-product/ which does the job. You could buy a domain just to use to redirect too, especially if you are direct linking from EZA.
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  • Profile picture of the author RichardF
    Yeah you really only need a simple HTML file with a Meta Refresh in it, or a PHP/htaccess redirect if you want to get fancy.
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  • Profile picture of the author luzern
    It would better if you use your own website to cloak affiliate link. Not to mention URL like goo.gl or bit.ly is "suspicious"

    It could be meta refresh, php header or htaccess.

    Here are the codes:

    meta refresh:
    <html>
    <head>
    <meta HTTP-EQUIV="refresh" CONTENT="0;URL=http://your-affiliate-link">
    </HEAD>
    <body>
    </BODY>
    </HTML>

    php header:
    <?php
    header("Location:http://your-affiliate-link");
    ?>

    htaccess:
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteRule ^something$ http://your-affiliate-link
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  • Profile picture of the author Brian Alaway
    I'm doing my own but one thing that's missing is tracking.

    That's one reason I would consider purchasing something like this easyredirectscript.com - Features

    Is it possible to track clicks for each link when hosting your own redirects? I don't mean total aggregate clicks but per link clicks.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
      Originally Posted by Brian Alaway View Post

      I'm doing my own but one thing that's missing is tracking.

      That's one reason I would consider purchasing something like this easyredirectscript.com - Features

      Is it possible to track clicks for each link when hosting your own redirects? I don't mean total aggregate clicks but per link clicks.
      Brian,

      That's the beauty of self-hosting...you get to test and measure *everything*...and normally there's a free tool to help do so.



      Cheers,
      Steve
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      Not promoting right now

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      • Profile picture of the author Brian Alaway
        Originally Posted by Steven Fullman View Post

        Brian,

        That's the beauty of self-hosting...you get to test and measure *everything*...and normally there's a free tool to help do so.



        Cheers,
        Steve
        Ya, I am self-hosting but that doesn't include per link click tracking.
        Plenty of paid solutions but I'm going to give this free one a shot. It's beta but looks like it can do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author carlpicot
    Can't you use wordpress to cloak a link using an extension of your URL? Also Randy Smith - UK marketer does a very good free one - he has a very good blog called Randy,s ramblings if you do a Google search for it'
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Fullman
      Originally Posted by carlpicot View Post

      Can't you use wordpress to cloak a link using an extension of your URL? Also Randy Smith - UK marketer does a very good free one - he has a very good blog called Randy,s ramblings if you do a Google search for it'
      I'll vouch for Randy. Great guy! I briefly moderated a forum alongside Randy for a *big name marketer*...

      From what I remember, he's a killer copywriter, too.

      Cheers,
      Steve
      Signature

      Not promoting right now

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  • Profile picture of the author UMS
    I wouldn't recommend using meta refresh as it is a legacy method.

    Much better and more reliable to use a HTTP redirect.

    If you are using WordPress, then the "Pretty Link Lite" plugin is great for handling this.
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  • Profile picture of the author aymen99
    well i use a free wp plugin for that ! it looks more professional to have your domain instead of bit.ly or other services ! just make a small search in wp plugins admin area ! and you will find alot !

    Best regards
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    • Profile picture of the author Cyberkntsean
      Originally Posted by aymen99 View Post

      well i use a free wp plugin for that ! it looks more professional to have your domain instead of bit.ly or other services ! just make a small search in wp plugins admin area ! and you will find alot !

      Best regards

      I use the WP Redirection as well.. easy, works great, it keeps track of when the link was clicked.. what more could you want from free...
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  • Profile picture of the author lamavridis
    The turkey reference in the above comment is hard to compete with because it is so true. With that in mind.

    Maxblogpress Ninja Affiliate is a pretty good tool for link cloaking. It gives you the ability to search out links in your blog links and make a change through out from one place. Imagine that you just found out that what you have been promoting is not there anymore you can make the update and the plugin will change the link for you.

    I use TinyUrl for now mainly because I can not invest anymore until I start to see some results. There are several products I would like to be using I am just trying to be a little wise. Maybe not a smart move and will cause more work later but that is where I am. TinyURL also offers a custom option which is what I prefer for now.

    My website speaks more about Maxblogpress and the link cloaker feature within the program.

    Lisa
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