Cloaking affilate links

[stakeho]

Hi

Can anyone tell me how to hide my affiliate code in the mouseover thingy at the bottom left of the screen.

p.s Sorry if this is in the wrong forum- I don't know how to do it so I don't know what forum to ask in.

Thanks in advance.

[Girlonthehill]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Please post your URL for us then we can take a look at the 'mouseover thingy at the bottom left' of your screen.

[stakeho]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Hi

Thanks for your reply. It when, for example I hover my cursor over your first signature link, In internet explorer at least, I see at the bottom left of explorer your first site is http://www.girlonthehill.co.uk/. I see this without actually going to your site. I want to be able to make it so that links like http://www.randomsite.com/affcode=1564.html come out like http://www.somerandomsite.com.

Of course when the visitor actually clicks they will be taken to http://www.somerandomsite.com/affcode=1564.html . Its done to try to increase the click through rate of affiliate promoting sites.

Reading over my first post I see I didn't really make sense I think it was late.

[zigzag]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

It is late for me, because I am still not quite with your question.
If you create a text link, what you see on the page can say anything you like, but in the Edit Hyperlink tab, you would put link type = htp: and the real URL that you want the viewer to be directed to.
(To get to this box, double click the text box, highlight the text link, and click the Link icon on the top menu bar.)

If the link is an image, then in Image Properties/Alternate Text, enter the text you would like to see when the mouse hovers over the image. In Image Properties, on the link tab you would enter the URL.

If this is what you wanted an answer to then go to SA Candle Makers on my web site. The first orange image button, will say "Go to African Wax", when you hover over it. But if you click it, it will take you to the correct URL as defined in the Image Properties/Link tab.

Have fun

[stakeho]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Hi

No, not alt tags, I'll give another example: A the top of this forum page there is a link with the anchor text vodahost community forum which links to http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/ I can see it links to there by hovering my mouse over the link and looking at the bottom left of my screen. However it is possible that when I click the link I will be redirected to a page which does not have the URL http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk

I think I need Pablo if he's still around?

[Vasili]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Yo, Stakeho!

Affiliate Marketing Agreements stipulate certain criteria to which you must abide, without fail, lest you be banned from participating. One of the foundations to creating such a program is the Advertiser maintaining what they consider their Proprietary rights to their domain and brand, to wit, their natural links and misuse by inferrance. (The browser display is a validation demonstration, similar to a Lock in place for a secure site on the other side)

To aid the Publisher's uniqueness of their revenue system based on identifying links (so they can't be hijacked by other Publishers), you can often opt to "encrypt your link" which scrambles the real link both hidden and displayed.....but to revert to a more commonly recognized "Home" link simply to be displayed in the browser would be a violation of most Agreements....it infers a "status" or commonality not existing in Affiliate Programs.....same with tight reign on Key Words and SEO programs.

I do know Affiliate Marketing! Here is one of my BV sites that makes quite a bit (still under completion!), and I have put a LOT of logistical foresight into it....

[stakeho]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Hi Vasili

Thanks for your concern. I do encrypt my commission junction links (because it only involves ticking a box) but one of my the affiliate programs I promote isn't through CJ and the mouseover text starts off with http://myaffiliateprogram.blablabla etc, which I feel damages my credibly to recommend them, at least to net savvy people.

I have read the terms and conditions of that affiliate and it looks ok, but I will check with them, and that it won't interfere with the tracking.

Here are a couple of things I have found which may explain what I am trying to do I think it has something to do with .htaccess (whatever that is, I also think it can be done with javascript.

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=77009&highlight=cloak+affiliate+links

http://www.affiliatetip.com/affiliate_tip_30.php

BTW Vasili nice site design.

[Vasili]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Good Post!

I am sure this is a simple soution for php-driven carts, BB's, etc. but I personally don't know too much about using Access.....maybe it can be an added php.txt file for BV app's, similar to a response email form?

You might send Andy128 an email and ask him.....(he's our resident Guru on scripts 'n stuff!)

[Andy128]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Thanks Eric- no expert but I help where I can.

I have not tested this with respect to affiliate links- but it should work with them as well as regular links/navbars.

http://www.inetmarketing.com/seminar/tips/hide_status_bar.htm

Andy

[stakeho]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Thanks, that worked, and it seems to be tracking my impressions so I assume it will track my sales.

If anyone knows about a script that will allow me to specify the navigation bar mouseover text (rather then making it just disappear) please reply to this thread.

[Andy128]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Yes there is a script that will do this-

<a href="http://www.yahoo.com" onmouseover=" window.status='Go To Yahoo.com!'; return true" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true">Yahoo</a>

(This was gleaned from: http://www.codeave.com/javascript/code.asp?u_log=7005 )

You would have to put this in an html box and then place where you wanted it on the page.

Keep in mind- this will not work if the other (previous code that I listed) is used on the page. That code
specifically cancels out mouse-overs.

Andy

[stakeho]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

Thanks again Andy128, its working perfectly. Here it is is action if anyone cares. Its the link titled The dropship source directory.

[Andy128]

Re: Cloaking affilate links

stakeho-

You're welcome. Any time.

Andy