Link Cloaking - How to get rid of those ugly links

March 15th, 2007

As an affiliate marketer one thing that you should think about is cloaking any links that you provide.

For example, instead of giving this link:

http://mglanfield.something.hop.clickbank.net

You could give:

http://www.affiliateminute.com/somthing/

This serves a few purposed. Here are a few:

1. It helps prevent “affiliate link hijacking.”

It’s harder for somebody to see what affiliate program you are a part of. For example, if you use a Clickbank hop link, it is easy for somebody else to replace your username with their own.

2. It makes you look more professional.

When sending out emails it will look much nicer to provide a cleaner link. It also shows that you have spent at least a bit of time preparing to send out the promotion.

3. It allows you to sell through the link.

The last reason (and most often over-looked) is that you can use specific keywords to help sell the product.

For example, instead of just using http://www.affiliateminute.com/productname.php you could use http://www.affiliateminute.com/getmoretraffic.php.

This stresses the benefits of the product.

How to make a cloaked link…

There are a lot of ways to do this. Here are a few:

1. Do it yourself with a PHP file.

If you know how to use Notepad and an FTP program then this option will work for you. You can create a small PHP file that will redirect the user to your affiliate URL.

Here is the code I use:

<?php

header("Location: http://mglanfield.something.hop.clickbank.net");

?>

It’s that simple.

Just name the file and then upload it to your server.

2. Use a software program to cloak and manage your link cloaks.

There are dozens of software products that allow you to manage your link cloaks. One that I recommend is Power Link Generator. You can get that here:

http://www.affiliateminute.com/powerlinkgenerator.php

(Notice that I used a cloaked link)

3. Buy a domain name and forward it.

Another option for bigger affiliate programs (i.e. those that you plan on making more than $10 from) is to purchase a domain name and have it set to forward to your affiliate link.

For example, I could purchase the domain name myaffiliatemarketingformula.com and have it redirect to my Affiliate Marketing Formula affiliate link.

This allows you to look even more professional, and it also makes it look like it’s not an affiliate link.

This also works well for teleseminars and videos where you have to tell people your affiliate URL, or on print advertising where people have to look at your URL and type it in.

I strongly suggest you start cloaking your links now. This will help you to pull in more commissions with your existing traffic and email lists.

Matthew Glanfield

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Filed under: Affiliate Marketing, Link Cloaking — Matthew @ 1:01 pm

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20 comments to “Link Cloaking - How to get rid of those ugly links”

On March 15th, 2007 at 3:12 pm ,
William Says:

What’s to stop anyone from viewing the source code of your page to see the cloaking?
On March 15th, 2007 at 3:19 pm ,
Matthew Says:

Hey William,

Since the page is a redirect there is no way for anybody to see the source code as they are immediately passed on to the affiliate URL.

Hope this helps!

Matthew
On March 15th, 2007 at 3:57 pm ,
Dennis Edell Says:

When using the .php/notepad way, how do hyou stop the .txt from appearing after saving?

Dennis
On March 15th, 2007 at 4:01 pm ,
Matthew Says:

Hey Dennis,

I’m not sure how to fix this permanently, but I know if you change the file type from TXT to All Files when you are saving it won’t automatically add anything.

Matthew
On March 15th, 2007 at 4:50 pm ,
Daniel Tetreault Says:

Hi Mathew.

Thanks for the great content on link cloaking. It was really informative and gives great reasoning for using a program for linkcloacking, like the powerlinkgenerator system. I will take a strong, hard look on using one or more techniques that you have suggested and will definitely direct some of my affiliate/downline members to this site.

Thanks,

Daniel Tetreault
Sidney, BC
gdi-training.ws, Owner.
On March 15th, 2007 at 5:08 pm ,
Dennis Edell Says:

Thanks Matthew, that part worked, butI justget errors as I have for weeks now. Someone apparently doesn’t want me cloaking via .html or .php apparently lol.
On March 15th, 2007 at 5:34 pm ,
Ken Says:

The file extension is easy to change. In Notepad, select “All Files” in the Save As Type field and yourfile.html or yourfile.php as the File Name. Some people may find it easier to just go ahead and save it as yourfile.txt and then rename the file. It’s definitely worth the effort.

Another alternative - If you have your own domain with the ability to add subdomains, create a subdomain and then redirect it. For example, with my domain http://www.home-pay.com, I can add a subdomain named qlx3 to be accessed as http://qlx3.home-pay.com and then I can redirect that to another page either on my own website or an affiliate program. Click on http://qlx3.home-pay.com to see what I mean.

Ken
On March 15th, 2007 at 5:42 pm ,
stefankazil Says:

Hi Matthew and thanks for good comments!

(if in hurry click this link to see how I get credited 2 times for promoting Your AffiliateMarketingFormula:
http://www.adgizmo.com/track.php?22443 )

I use FREE linkbranding and link cloaking for two reasons!
1) to protect my affiliate link
2) to earn 2 credits when I exchange me sites in traffic exchangers!

EXAMPLE: MY AFFILIATE LINK AT THE AFFILIATEMARKETINGFORMULA:

Here is an example I use to earn credits at two places when I “spend” credits at some TE to promote my AffiliateMarketingFormula link- (when my cloaker gets a “click” at Linkcrews -I get 1 credit at AdGizmo and 1 at Linkbrander)

1.
I use linkbrander to shorten my affeliate link in this case: http://www.affiliatemarketingformula.com/?ref=stefankazil
and it becomes
http://www.linkbrander.com/go/21241
2)
I create a Link cloaker for this Linkbranded url, then it looks like: http://www.adgizmo.com/track.php?22443

3)
this clokaer
http://www.adgizmo.com/track.php?22443
I use at my URL in link exchange sites like:
Linkcrews: http://www.linkbrander.com/go/21200
Trafficswarm: http://www.linkbrander.com/go/17839
Click’nPutt: http://www.linkbrander.com/go/22317
(more TE’s under my Trafficexhangelist!)

And each time surfers (”who often are clicking to earn themselfs credits!) click your link - you get a credit at two places!!
————
Get Linkbrander for Free here
http://www.linkbrander.com/go/18042
and Adgizmo here
http://www.adgizmo.com/track.php?22320

Best off luck with link cloaking!
regards
stefankazil
the phone of the future
www.kazil.ws
_________________
stefankazil
Global One Touch dialing http://www.trafficexchangelist.com/lc/174/
The phone of the future www.kazil.ws
ICELAND CLASSIFIEDS http://www.adgizmo.com/track.php?23273
My Traffic:
http://www.trafficexchangelist.com/r/stefankazil/
On March 15th, 2007 at 6:03 pm ,
Bruce Hampson Says:

Matthew

The link cloaking sounds like a great idea for other things as well. If I wanted to refer someone to a website without them knowing which exact page it was (say a temporary back door or a special offer that I didn’t want made public) could I use this method to disguise where they were being sent to. Could I use it to bypass my membership page by saying go to www.abc.com where I was really sending them to www.xyz.com/12345/june10 I could then take down this page after a few days or hours to cut off the deal. Would it be possible as well to provide a list of websites that I did not want anyone to copy with a cloaked or false list and would it possible to do it by some macro instead of individually changing each address. Wonderful idea. Thanks.
Bruce
On March 15th, 2007 at 7:21 pm ,
matt Says:

Hey Matt!
Ok - so I know how to use textpad and creat a php. Hoow do you specifically use this with the cloaked link? Would love a more detailed explaination, or, point me to where I could get one.
Thanks for your help!
On March 15th, 2007 at 8:55 pm ,
Kevin Says:

Here’s another tip:

Save the file as index.php, create a new directory and name with what you want to use for the link, and then put the file in it.

Link to it with “sitename.com/productname”

Most Web servers by default will then call “sitename.com/productname/index.php”

Makes for an even cleaner link.
On March 15th, 2007 at 8:59 pm ,
Brian Says:

Hi Matthew,

If your readers want a simple, free link cloaker, they can go to http://tinyurl.com. The links can’t be customized as with the paid product you recommended, but it’s quick, the links are short and sweet, and you can’t beat the price.

Best regards,

Brian
On March 15th, 2007 at 10:03 pm ,
Warren Says:

Would you explain this:
Just name the file and then upload it to your server.

‘where do you upload the php file and how does that work?
Is there anything else that you are supposed to do when you upload it?
Thank you for your valuable time.
Warren
On March 16th, 2007 at 1:46 am ,
Eric Says:

Is it better to redirect the cloak link to your affiliate link when click or is it better to leave the cloak link as shown in your address bar?
On March 18th, 2007 at 12:35 am ,
Dennis Edell Says:

Hi all,

I’m trying to set up a cloak/redirect (whatever), so it is STILL cloaked in the address bar, otherwise whats the point?

I’m lookng for it to not only start as www.mydomain/program but also end up as www.mydomain/program.

Dennis
On April 5th, 2007 at 2:20 pm ,
Ray Hoffman Says:

How does cloaking and redirecting effect Search Engine rankings for your pages…if at all?
On April 9th, 2007 at 8:49 am ,
Mike Says:

Hi, i actually using the traffic blazer as the cheap .INFO domains web hosting that cost me $0.99 a year to re-direct to all sites, great prices and also good service on http://www.bulksdomains.com
On April 19th, 2007 at 1:10 pm ,
Jason Hulott Says:

Hey Ray, For an SEO point of view if you use the standard redirect matthew talks about it works in your favour as it is classed as an interal link ie. it links to another link on your domain name.

If you use other companies link cloaking then it is classed as external links and could be seen as bad especially if you have lots of links going out from one page. Just my two cents aways…
On November 16th, 2007 at 10:16 am ,
Sy-b Says:

I believe marketinggadgets has a free link cloaking facility. I know they give out free software to affiliates.
On February 14th, 2008 at 2:47 pm ,
Daniel Says:

Hi Matthew:

I just read your post about cloaking. With respect to the php file, what do you name that file? Do you save it as a .html file or save it as a .php file before loading it to the server?

Further, where would I upload this file to? The root or public folder?

I am trying to create a ‘recommends’ link like the one you see all the pros using: you know, like this:

DanielTetreault.com/recommends/Brad_Callens_SEO_Elite.php

Or should I end it … SEO_Elite.html ???

Thanks, Matthew.

Daniel Tetreault

Link Cloaking - How to get rid of those ugly links

20 comments to “Link Cloaking - How to get rid of those ugly links”

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