Link Cloaking

GregK · 03-03-2009, 06:01 PM

Hey guys, I wanted to bring up the issue of link cloaking. I know this is a hot topic right now in the affiliate world. For those of you who aren't aware, it is when you mask where exactly you are sending a visitor that clicks the link. There are rumors that Google penalizes for affiliate links and some spyware programs have problems with them as well.

Despite this you want to make sure your referrals are tracked. I haven't done too much myself, but I'm sure someone has. Any thoughts on what works best?

AffiliateLeads007 · 03-03-2009, 06:52 PM

Sounds like you need some skill to do it. I did some Googling and found a link here.

PHP Affiliate Jump Script - How to create an Affiliate Link jump script in PHP

Robert_Forrester · 03-04-2009, 10:20 AM

Haven't tried that. I'll have to look into it.

Niche · 03-04-2009, 03:39 PM

Simple html redirects work well. I cloak most of my links simply to deter commission thieves. Obviously this does not eliminate the problem but I am tod it helps

AffiliateLeads007 · 03-04-2009, 04:04 PM

Have you had much a problem with commission thieves? I am new to this and was not aware that was a problem I needed to look out for.

multimastery · 03-04-2009, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AffiliateLeads007

Have you had much a problem with commission thieves? I am new to this and was not aware that was a problem I needed to look out for.

That's the thing! You never really know if your comi$$ions are being stolen! (especially from ClickBank links). This is why I usually make it a habit now of cloaking - or at least redirecting my affiliate links. I have tested various services for doing this. Here's my personal review
Best Free Short URLs / Url Redirection / URL Forwarding

Johny · 03-05-2009, 05:39 AM

Nice reminder..... I was about to do that. Currently i am searching for more advanced information. If you get it please do share it with me.

See ya

GregK · 03-05-2009, 10:35 AM

Multmastery, it sounds like you know a lot about this. I read over your review and it had a lot of good info. Do you think you could post a quick how to, or what to watch out for. I know there are a lot of people that can benefit from this.

webzedge · 03-05-2009, 12:32 PM

My experience with link cloaking has been bad; GoogleBots see them as restricted and flag them. Redirects are best but limit your pages to a maximum of 100 hyper links. If you belong to an affiliate program that provides a cookie cutter web page with an affiliate ID attached to the domain name then buy a domain of your own and redirect to it. DO NOT mask the page because you will not get paid commissions.

NewEdgeMedia · 03-05-2009, 12:48 PM

I don't think there are many penalties in terms of Google if you're just using simple redirects to clean up the links and make them look "pretty" instead of lots of strange numbers and letters like most networks provide. In fact, from reading on forums and various discussions with affiliates I believe most do this in some form.

PHP and .htaccess seem to be the most common that I've seen employed, and PHP is really easy to do. I wrote a blog post a long while back about it: PHP Affiliate Link Masking

03-03-2009, 06:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
GregK Top Level Poster Join Date: Feb 1975 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 445 Thanks: 2 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Link Cloaking Hey guys, I wanted to bring up the issue of link cloaking. I know this is a hot topic right now in the affiliate world. For those of you who aren't aware, it is when you mask where exactly you are sending a visitor that clicks the link. There are rumors that Google penalizes for affiliate links and some spyware programs have problems with them as well. Despite this you want to make sure your referrals are tracked. I haven't done too much myself, but I'm sure someone has. Any thoughts on what works best? __________________ www.affiliateprograms.com

03-04-2009, 03:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
Niche Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 68 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Simple html redirects work well. I cloak most of my links simply to deter commission thieves. Obviously this does not eliminate the problem but I am tod it helps __________________ Video Tutorials For Affiliate Marketing Beginners

03-05-2009, 05:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
Johny Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 91 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nice reminder..... I was about to do that. Currently i am searching for more advanced information. If you get it please do share it with me. See ya __________________ Get associated with the best Forex Affiliate. Easy and fast earnings with no investment

03-05-2009, 10:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
GregK Top Level Poster Join Date: Feb 1975 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 445 Thanks: 2 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	Multmastery, it sounds like you know a lot about this. I read over your review and it had a lot of good info. Do you think you could post a quick how to, or what to watch out for. I know there are a lot of people that can benefit from this. __________________ www.affiliateprograms.com

03-05-2009, 12:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
webzedge New Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gig Harbor, Washington USA Posts: 16 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	My experience with link cloaking has been bad; GoogleBots see them as restricted and flag them. Redirects are best but limit your pages to a maximum of 100 hyper links. If you belong to an affiliate program that provides a cookie cutter web page with an affiliate ID attached to the domain name then buy a domain of your own and redirect to it. DO NOT mask the page because you will not get paid commissions. __________________ From 1 Geek 2 another, Visit Webzedge for a directory of safe and secure shopping websites. http://www.webzedge.com/ From Sexy Lingerie to Nautical Decor

03-03-2009, 06:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
AffiliateLeads007 Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 68 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Sounds like you need some skill to do it. I did some Googling and found a link here. PHP Affiliate Jump Script - How to create an Affiliate Link jump script in PHP

03-04-2009, 10:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
Robert_Forrester Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 49 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Haven't tried that. I'll have to look into it.

03-04-2009, 04:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
AffiliateLeads007 Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 68 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Have you had much a problem with commission thieves? I am new to this and was not aware that was a problem I needed to look out for.

03-05-2009, 12:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
NewEdgeMedia New Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I don't think there are many penalties in terms of Google if you're just using simple redirects to clean up the links and make them look "pretty" instead of lots of strange numbers and letters like most networks provide. In fact, from reading on forums and various discussions with affiliates I believe most do this in some form. PHP and .htaccess seem to be the most common that I've seen employed, and PHP is really easy to do. I wrote a blog post a long while back about it: PHP Affiliate Link Masking __________________ Trisha Lyn Fawver Director of Affiliate Marketing New Edge Media Trisha@NewEdgeMedia.com Blog: TrishaLyn.com \| Twitter: @TrishaLyn & @NewEdgeMedia

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