Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Never link direct to an affiliate site

You should never openly use the URL that an affiliate program provides for you.

You should link instead to a page on your own site which then leads to the affiliate program.

The reasons ?

1. On this page you can provide your own introduction to the product or service you are promoting. This can include, for example:

- additional detail not available in your posting or advert
- your own personal experience
- a review of the benefits

2. You can provide links to the rest of your site in case your visitor is not interested in that affiliate product.

3. Your own site traffic statistics will indicate the response to your advert in addition to any stats provided for you by the affiliate company.

4. You can submit the page to search engines.

5. With the real URL visible there is a risk that the reader removes the suffix (agent code) so that you do not get registered as the affiliate agent

6. If the affiliate operation becomes discontinued you can inform and divert visitors at your own website, rather than have them visit a non-existent page.

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