Modifying Affiliate Links

[Ace of Hearts]

Hello everyone!

I am working on a "virtual mall" kind of website and there are some products already displayed on my pages. I want to add much more affiliate products and links from CJ and Link Share advertisers.

They all have a lot of different kinds and styles of links but none of them fits the design of my website. Too big images, different font and color text links etc.

Is there any way I can change them to my requirements and still keep everything in order (tracking, legal things etc.)?

By now I created all the links (from another network) by simply copying the image from merchant's website (with their permission I might add) and then resizing it to my needs. After that I just write my own text and link it back to the merchant. I only include my tracking info and deep link extension and I am not using any coding at all.

My understanding is that links created in this way will not register any impressions but they will still record sales and commissions. Is there anything wrong with this method?

What else could I try to achive the same result?

I am very new in all this stuff and the website is also my first ever. I would really aprecciate any help on this issue.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers.

[Bethers]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Nothing wrong with it at all.

Most of my affiliate links I do entirely using text - I can say what I want - and I don't get banners all over that don't fit my pages.

Not sure what you mean that the links won't register impressions- whether a banner or a text link - the link is the same. You just want to make sure you have your affiliate id in whatever link method you use.

[Ace of Hearts]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Hi Beth,

Speedy answer again. Do you ever sleep? Thank you so much for your time. I meant they don't show impressions in your affiliate network account (at least they show in ClixGalore's network).

I asked the above question because I contacted the CJ network yesterday asking the same. Their answer wasn't very helpful. Basically they say: "Advertisers are the only ones who can write the text links and if I don't copy the whole html provided it will not register the commissions".

It sounds confusing and illogical to me but as I said I am very new to this stuff.

And what about the images? Should I ask every advertiser separately for a permission to copy their images or can I just go ahead and do it?

Previous requests were all positive telling me: "Do whatever you want as long the material is linked back to us".

[Vasili]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

For the definitive means to "modify" affiliate links, you should read this thread: http://www.vodahost.com/vodatalk/aff...ext-links.html
(Remember! CJ now offers you a choice of HTML or Java coded links, and each behaves differently)

In addition, I would recommend you not play with links if you are not familiar with the overall program you are subscribed in.....there is obviously much you have yet to understand, and it would be unfortunate if you to mess up your program if you cannot use the tools provided by Commission Junction or other networks properly to meet your needs completely.

[Bethers]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

I agree with Vasili. I was not familiar with the types of links you are discussing - and some of them require using their specific linkage. Although most of them do have a choice of a text link, some do not. If they aren't providing you with an affiliate link that you can use separate from the banner/code they give you, then you need to read their agreement that you are abiding by.

Sorry if I was leading you on the wrong path here.

[Vasili]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

PS: It should be noted that it is NEVER permissable to "use" an image of a vendor, brand, or other entity outside of the manner or purpose to which it was provided! That is clear violation.

< Beth picked up on what I was hinting at, but it might be better if you were told specifically to Read and Study the Agreements you "affirmed" with Commission Junction and other networks....clicking through them does not suffice, as these posts illuminate clearly >

[Ace of Hearts]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Thanks Beth and Vasili.

I am new to publishing but I've been involved in affiliate marketing for over a year now using PPC and direct linking. So if those links are good enough to use with Google's Adwords and other PPC advertising places why they shouldn't be good on my own site?

As for the images I know they are copyrighted. That's why I ask for a permission first and so far every vendor I asked has given me a green light. I am not trying to trick or to steal anything from them and they obviously can see that.

I just like to simplify things whenever is possible. Why would I mess around or learn everything about HTML or JAVA if there is a simple way to achive even better result that 100% suits my own design.
That was the only reason I asked the above question.

Thanks again for your input.

Cheers

[Collectors-info]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Hi, another small thing with affiliates. Some affiliate programs have the facility to send you to a certain page on a site. (Maybe for a sale) These links are also tracked to see if specific sales tactics are working well for them. So this can be another reason not to play with an affiliate link.



Good luck.

[Ace of Hearts]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Hi Collectors-info.

Thanks for your input.

Maybe I caused all this confusion by using a wrong term "modifying". Sorry about that. I am talking about using exactly the same part of the code highlighted by Vasili in another tread.

Although I can't understand why is he pointing out to add target=_new at the end. Isn't copying the link without that part and then just selecting the target blank in your hyperlink box going to do the same thing?

Thanks and good luck to you too.

[Bethers]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

He is saying to add that code if you put the link or image into an html box. If you are linking using the hyperlink, you can simply select _blank, yes.

[Ace of Hearts]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Thank you Beth.

Here is an example of an affiliate banner from my online mall with my unique coded HTML:
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=Xh4dFPEgWqQ&offerid=102786.10000007&type= 4&subid=0" target="new"><IMG alt="LNT Logo - 8831" border="0" src="http://www.lnt.com/graphics/promo/lnt/LNTlogo_88x31b.gif"></a><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=Xh4dFPEgWqQ&bids=102786.10000007&type=4&su bid=0">

Hopefully, you can see I highlighted the destination and tracking, and included the instruction that opens a new browser target="new".... this is what you need to identify EXACTLY to copy and paste to the hyperlink tool: you will always be able to find it after the <a ahref=" section of the script....be careful not to copy any quotation mark at the beginning, and to definitely include them at the end of the string....

It clearly says "hyperlink tool" not HTML box.

Cheers

[Vasili]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

OK......apparently reading in any context is too confusing.

If, in Blue Voda, you click on the HTML icon in the left side of the BV Browser bar, you will see and "HTML" box appear. You can size these boxes to whatever size is needed for you to layout on your page, but as mentioned elsewhere, this does not mean much (if using HTML coded links) as the code itself will create the image as it was written despite whatever size you make the box!

If you highlight and copy the entire link as provided in the above post/example, and then doubl-click on the HTML box in BV, you will then be able to paste that link in the box itself......and when published, the entire coded link will create an image (banner) as was written into the code, and create an action to direct the browser to find and deliver to the specified affiliate destination (also as written in the code).

Your original question was how to "modify" coded affiliate links, and the thread I provided discussed how to take a supplied coded link for a BANNER and using the interior elements of the code, create a working link for text as well. If you had followed the exercise, you would have in fact also learned what part of the code dictates the image to be created, and which parts are the actual coded affiliate "link" that you depend on for revenue creation.

Please be aware of the restrictions of use for any images and/or logos that are made available to you via an affiliate network or program. They must not be used in any way other than as supplied, lest you not only violate Copyright and Trademark laws, but create cause for you to be expelled from affiliate programs altogether.

It is obvious that you do not fully understand the "program" and I do not wish you to ignorantly make any problems for yourself unnecessarily (it is much different than "PPC" and anything Google has going on!). Again, I would caution you to leave well enough alone, and not try to modify things until you are completely familiar with Affiliate Marketing as a whole. I would also urge you to read the Agreements with not only the networks you are enrolled in, but also the individual Merchant Agreements/Terms for definitive do's and don't's........I am surprised that the 'vendors' actually had the time to casually tell you to go right ahead.....as a Super-User myself, even I only get so far with vendor contacts. Strange, isn't it?

[Ace of Hearts]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

That is strange indeed.

Anyway, thanks for your help.

Cheers

[Vasili]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Good Luck!

[Ace of Hearts]

Re: Modifying Affiliate Links

Good luck to you too.