Question from Jared Lee of The Bloggers Desktop: I notice that you use redirects for your affiliate links, and I am curious why you do that. Should I be setting up redirects each time I recommend something as an affiliate?
There are several reasons to use redirect links - cloaking, tracking, etc. But the #1 reason that I always create a redirect for an affiliate link is so that I can manage my affiliate campaign long-term.
Over the years I have seen merchants pull a product, or even close their affiliate program. But more often than not they will change affiliate networks, or change their linking structure, which means that you have to update your affiliate links in order to continue earning commission.
For example, lets say that you recommend your hosting company quite often. Over the years you may have posted links in PDF files, on discussion forums, on various pages of your website, in blog posts, etc. If the hosting company decides to change their linking structure, all of your links go dead and you’ll have to update each one of those links individually (and good luck finding them all!).
But if you set up a redirect link, all you have to do is update your redirect… and your commissions will keep rolling in. Its the best insurance you have in the ever-changing affiliate landscape 
3 Ways To Stay On Top Of The Ever-Changing Affiliate Landscape
Best,
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22 responses so far ↓
Dave Navarro // May 11, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Nice video Lynn -
Is this with your RCA cam?
Lynn Terry // May 11, 2008 at 10:42 pm
It is, yes. The RCA Small Wonder is very similar to the Flip Video Ultra, except that it has a flip out screen which makes it easier to do self-video.
Sandy Naidu // May 11, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Nice video Lynn…I also use redirect pages for most of my affiliates…But I read some where that cloaking is something Google frowns up…Is this true? I could be wrong…But just wanted to seek your expert opinion…Thanks
jared // May 11, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Thanks Lynn, Very helpful information!
I may just embed this video in a blog post - with a link to this site of course. I have always wondered why bother to create another page when I can just link to an affiliate.
But you are right, I have had to update several links all at once, and I never thought of this as a solution! Thank YOU!
Lynn Terry // May 11, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Hi Sandy - Its true that these redirects wont “rank” but thats about it. If its a concern, simply set it up not to be indexed in your Robots.txt file. Also see Teli’s instructions for doing a php redirect in the comments of the post I linked to above:
http://www.clicknewz.com/828/3-ways-to-stay-on-top-of-the-ever-changing-affiliate-landscape/#comment-26738
Sandy Naidu // May 11, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Thanks Lynn
@CoachDeb // May 11, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Aloha Lynn,
Great seeing u in this quick, informative video! Brava!
Another good reason to create redirect links is to track how many of your referrals actually clicked on the link so you know how successful their sales page is compared to sign ups.
BTW: Another very easy way for creating redirect links is actually built in to the Blogi360 system for just that reason. Now I’ll have to share your video w/ members so they understand why this feature was built for them. May I redirect to your post or video?
Lynn Terry // May 11, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Absolutely Deb
And I agree on the tracking - stats are a must for any affiliate marketer.
Jason Moffatt // May 12, 2008 at 12:31 am
You are such a smartie pants Lynn. Very good info. Didn’t even think of implications of redirects and dead links.
And I just love seeing you do video! You’re a natural
Lynn Terry // May 12, 2008 at 12:33 am
Thanks Jason
Wait till you see my next video, which is all about why I dont like video… lol
@CoachDeb // May 12, 2008 at 5:35 am
ooooh can i make predictions and GUESS why you don’t like video?
could it be… perhaps… the same reasons I don’t like video?
Lynn Terry // May 12, 2008 at 6:14 am
I’ll be looking forward to your comments on that post, Deb
Natalie A. // May 12, 2008 at 10:07 am
I love the videos Lynn. I am not quite into affiliate marketing just yet but find this information useful.
I do have a question though. How would one track their results using a redirect?
Nat
Lynn Terry // May 12, 2008 at 10:24 am
Since the redirect is actually a ‘page’ on your domain, it shows up in your site stats.
Natalie A. // May 12, 2008 at 10:38 am
Ahh, gotcha! I was think more along the lines are a traditional redirect with a domain.
Thanks Lynn
Quinn Moore // May 12, 2008 at 11:10 am
The video genie is out of the bottle!
Click Newz will never be the same…
Lynn, if you’re not getting a promotional fee for wearing these T-shirts, you ought to at least be getting them for free!
Rock on girlfriend!
Quinn
Duane // May 12, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Hi Lynn,
I like Jason, didn’t think about the ease of changing links when one goes bad. Great tip. Thanks
Duane
P.S. Does the reason you don’t like video have anything to do with getting out of your robe, make-up etc?
Lynn Terry // May 12, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Good guess, Duane - but nope
In the video above I had just woke up from a long Sunday afternoon nap, had on shorts & fuzzy slippers, put on a clean shirt and threw my hair up in a twist - and started shooting.
I’ll probably publish that post tonight or in the morning. I look forward to hearing some feedback on it!
Alan Petersen // May 12, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Awesome video Lynn! I cloak all my affiliate links. There is so much misinformation out there about this subject. If folks stick to redirection vs. using framed cloaking they will be fine when it comes to Google.
Michael Brown // May 16, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Lynn. Great tip on redirect links. This is something I have been doing that I find useful. I only wish I would have done it on my earlier sites
It’s a huge time saver and it also hides the ugliness of the big nasty links. Not that this matters in all fields but in some it does, IM for example.
MargHamp // May 19, 2008 at 9:09 am
Great post, Lynn. Boy was I aware of the problem…
I learned the hard way about raw affiliate links when perhaps our most important provider changed all his links - and we had massive links out there in articles, Squidoo lenses, blog posts, web pages… on and on… and I had to manually search for and change every one I could find!
It took a couple of days, and still incomplete (due to articles that have been distributed virally).
How much better we would look to visitors, and how many more sales we would make, and how much time and frustration I would have saved if each of his product links was changed ONCE on a redirect page!
Now I’m off to the other post to see which way is best to accomplish this…
Affiliates: XSitePro2 Will Become Available Today // Jun 17, 2008 at 8:39 am
[...] is another great example of why you should always use redirects for your affiliate [...]
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