Cloaking links recommendations

[dansbanners]

Hi,

I'm using the Ad Tracker LinkBrander to cloak the links in my site.

And would like to use the onmouseover and onmouseout codes to hide the LinkBrander links:

onmouseover="window.status='whatever site address is in here';return true;" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;"

For instance, I would not want the visitor to see the linkbrander links like the one below (ie. commenting out the last 5 digit codes with EDIT:WORD NOT ALLOWED)

http://www.linkbrander.com/go/EDIT:WORD NOT ALLOWED

Instead, I'd like the visitor to see the real link address itself. For instance, let's say the above linkbrander tracks a site / program named "whatever.com" (ie. just making up a domain for the sake of discussion). And let's say that I'm also a member of whatever.com's affiliate program, having a whatever.com's referral address something along the lines of whatever.com/?username=dansbanners

Should I have the onmouseover's status point to the domain "http://whatever.com" or to the referral address "http://whatever.com/?username=dansbanners" ?

Please advise. I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

[jkeifer]

Hi Dan,
The onmouseover technique doesn't work with all browsers, like firefox, for keeping the link from displaying in the status bar.
One way you could do this, however, is like this:

In the webpage head you can insert a simple function like this:

<script language="JavaScript">
function moreInfo()
{
window.open("http://www.linkbrander.com/go/EDIT:WORD NOT ALLOWED") ;
}
</script>

Then in the body, where you want your link you can insert something like this:

<a href="javascript:moreInfo()">http://www.whatever.com</a>

Now the viewer sees the link that you want them to see, but when they click on the "whatever.com" displayed "link", they are actually routed to your linkbrander.com address. The status bar in the browser only shows "moreInfo()". This works in both firefox and IE
This works because the "watever.com" is not the actual link, it just looks like a real link. In reality, it's simply your link text made active with the real link embedded via the moreInfo() function.

I don't know exactly what linkbrander is, but assuming the linkbrander address is your afilliate cloaked link, then you only need the linkbrander address in the moreInfo() function as shown above.

If you are not cloaking your afilliate ID then you can put your "whatever.com/?username=dansbanners" link inside the moreInfo() function which will prevent it from displaying in the status bar, but it can still be read in the page source. Using a cloaking solution is always best, then you can put your cloaked link into the moreInfo() function and if someone reads your page source, they only see the referance to your cloaked redirect page (mySite.com/myCloakedPage.html).

Hope this helps,
-Jack

[dansbanners]

[jkeifer]

[there are more than one Linkbrander links on different pages in my site. It looks like that the above would only work with just one Linkbrander link on a page. Unless I'm missing something here ?]

hmmm, no you're not missing anything there Dan, I was just assuming a single link.
Using the same strategy, you could simply create a link funtion for each link. Personally I would create the link functions in a separate ".js" file, so they can be easily called from any page you create without having to re-insert the functions in each new page, and if you have the same links in several pages, you can update all the links at the same time by simply modifying the ".js" file. To illustrate, it would look like this:

you make a text file and name it for example, "links.js" and edit this in your favorite editor. (notepad is just fine) and create your link functions like this:

function linkbrander1()
{
window.open("http://www.linkbrander.com/go/EDIT:WORD NOT ALLOWED")
}

function linkbrander2()
{
window.open("http://www.linkbrander.com/go/yyyyy")
}

function linkbrander3()
{
window.open("http://www.linkbrander.com/go/zzzzz")
}

Then save, and remember that in the "links.js" file - do not insert any html script tags. Only javascript code, such as in the example above.

Now on your html page you can simply call to this file by inserting this in your head :
<SCRIPT SRC="links.js"> </SCRIPT>

Now when you call your links, just insert this in your body:

<p><a href="javascript:linkbrander1()">http://www.whatever.com/product1.html</a></p>
<p><a href="javascript:linkbrander2()">http://www.whatever.com/product2.html</a></p>
<p><a href="javascript:linkbrander3()">http://www.whatever.com/product3.html</a></p>

Now you can modify and share links across multiple pages and you only have to modify the "links.js" file, which makes things much easier and saves a lot of time. Another side benefit is that by not putting all that script into your html (especially in the head), you won't be watering down your keyword ratios and possibly affecting your search ranking.
-Jack

[dansbanners]

[Will]

[jkeifer]

I would have to agree with Will here. I think his example is a very good format. This same format could also represent a cloaked link page generated by a cloaking script, which redirects you to the actual product page while showing your own product page and domain in the address bar of the browser, rather than some other domain. Plus a cookie is generated so if they decided to go directly to the product site afterwards, you'll still get the credit.

I also agree that the javascript link functions can be a bit of a clunky alternative to a good cloaking solution. Avoiding Javascript dependent links will also prevent you from losing customers who either don't have javacript enabled browsers, or that simply have it disabled.

In my opinion, Afilliate Link Cloaker is the best way to go, and is the only way I would do my own afilliate links. (I noticed that Will has a link in his signature that's worth checking out for Afilliate Link Cloaker if you're interested.)
Personally, I would absolutely not use anything with my afilliate ID in the link, if this is what you have with "http://whatever.com/?username=dansbanners"
Another person can easily remove your ID and bypass your comission, or insert their own ID in place of yours, and get the credt. I'm sure you already know that, but I thought I'd throw it in for the benefit of any other reader that may not realize the risks of exposing your afilliate ID.


To use an "onmouseover" script to show a different link in the status bar other than the actual link, you can do this:

<a href="http://www.linkbrander.com/go/EDIT:WORD NOT ALLOWED" onMouseOver="(window.status='http://www.whatever.com/Product'); return true">Your Link Text</a>

-Jack

[dansbanners]

[Will]

[dansbanners]

Hello everyone,

Ok, as I explored this further. Hmm, seems that I think that the Linkbrander links themselves would help solve this affiliate cloaking problem as copied from the Linkbrander website shown below:

"Not only does it make your link shorter... it also Power Cloaks the URL's so "would-be" thieves are stopped in their tracks.

I say Power Cloaking because it isn't the same old cloaking methods that can drop your affiliate URL and kill your commissions. Our new technology is so powerful that it will make sure your cookies stick... and it even works with ClickBank Links!!!"

Which brings the next question. Should I then just leave the Linkbrander links as it is ?

My only concern is the "image". That what kind of image would that portray having Linkbrander links all over my site with the Linkbrander url addresses in them ?

Thus going back to should I then include the onmouseover and onmouseout codes and have them point to the different domain addresses. So, this way this visitor would see the domain addresses and not all those Linkbrander links when placing their cursors next to the links in my site ? Would it be worth it ?

Thanks again!

[dansbanners]

[its_me_shaners]

why bother cloaking?, if an idiot wants to sham you all he has to do is copy the url of the site hes visiting close the browser open another and bingo you get no sale anyways. PLUS I dont buy the notion that affiliate hoplink left is a biggy. Ask any normal user what a hoplink is and they'll have no clue. If you're marketing to marketers I can it being an issue, As there are BONE HEADS who'll rob you but if you're not in an IM niche then I wouldnt stress over it

[Tropical Tundra]

I have read (sorry but I don't remeber the study) that cloaking your link increases CTR significantly.

I'm not worried about hijackers the reason I do it is because most civilians get nervous when they see a URL with the funky affiliate code. They think it's a trojan or spyware, etc. I asked family and friends who shop online and are comftorable surfing online but they don't know anything or understand affiliate marketing and when they see those affiliates link they won't click because they are scared. Ask around.

It also looks more professional then having the long affiliate link.

Plus it's easy and you don't need to buy anything. I'll show you the 3 lines of code you need and you don't need to know how to code php just copy and paste.

I use a PHP re-direct page. Three lines of code and it takes about a minute. You don't need to buy any link cloaking software or even know PHP. Just use the code below:

<?php
header("Location:http://www.youraffiliatelinkgoeshere.com");
?>

Make sure it's exactly as above, the only thing you will change is to replace the bogus URL link with your affiliate link.

Use you HTML editor or notepad, I use dreamweaver.

If you use DreamWeaver, FrontPage, etc. take out any default coding so you just have a blank page like in notepad.

Copy and paste the above code, replace the fake URL I have in there with your affiliate URL. Name the file whatever you want, I use the name of the program I'm promoting. Use .php as the file extension and save.

For example, I'm promoting HavAds software. I enter my affiliate link above, I named the file HavAds.php. I saved it. Then I ftp'd the HaveAds.php file to my website server. Done. My link to promote this great product now is:

http://www.bingomarketers.com/HavAds.php

Instead of:

http://quantumsoup.biz/cgi-bin/lyre.cgi/jvm/package/go_homepage.html?pack_id=1621&aff_id=1070&camp_id=44

You can click those links and you'll see both will take you to the same sales page I'm promoting for HavAds.

It looks nicer, won't scare potential customers away, and it does protect you from link hijackers and commission thieves like the other stuff does but this is free.

I just keep a file named link cloaking.php with the above code so I just open it, replace the fake URL with my affiliate link URL, re-name it, save it, and FTP it. Done.

[kdahl]

I've got some free link cloakers available for use on my site, please use and comment on how useful they are and how they can be improved.

They're located at my Affiliate Marketing Advantage site.

[Brewster]

Hi

I also have a some free affiliate link cloaking software on my blog - they work with Joomla, Mambo and Drupal.

Brew

..OK, it looks like I cant post URLs until I hit 15 posts - fair enough. My blog can be found in my profile.