Why I Use Domain Redirects as Affiliate Links

Highly observant Art of Money readers will have realized that I will sometimes use a domain name as an affiliate redirect link.

A couple of examples:

http://www.blogmasterminds.com/ is my domain which cloaks Yaro’s http://www.blogmastermind.com/

http://www.buildingprofitablewebsites.com/ is my domain which redirects to The University 20/20 Course that I’m taking.

I started using this technique as a result of being “tricked.” I was surfing on a forum and followed someone’s signature link because it was a straight link (and therefore less suspicious) like the ones above. I ended up purchasing from the website being linked to because I liked the product.

Later, after my purchase I wondered about the forum signature link and went back to investigate further.

I realized that the forum poster had actually registered a domain name and redirected it to the merchant’s site. Brilliant.

Removed prejudice!

Do you feel tricked by these types of links?

So did I, and that was a good thing. I have, just like most other people, a huge radar system to prevent me from getting ripped off, and whenever I see an obvious affiliate link, I think…”oh ya, that person is trying to make a buck off of me.”

I’m preconditioned. It is a form of prejudice against being sold something, and it is a big barrier in most people.

I love it that the person was able to remove the prejudice by using a domain for his affiliate link. I may not have discovered (or even clicked through to) a cool new product.

It is difficult to test definitively but from looking at my exit clicks, my estimate is that these domain links get 4 or 5 times as many clicks as affiliate links that have an obvious tracking code in them.

What are your thoughts on affiliate link cloaking using domains? I know some people get pretty excited about this topic.

In my next post, I’ll give you my, infinitely Stumble-able , 7 Reasons to Use Domains for Affiliate Links.

Note: there is some concern about disclosure of affiliate promotion being legislated by a recent ruling in the U.S. I have pretty much ignored this, because I agree with Brian that the little (aff) is just plain ugly (and also I am Canadian). If I did have to disclose affiliate links I think I would just handle it by telling everyone to just assume that I’m being paid in some way for every link on this site…take it or leave it, en masse.

This post was written by Jon Symons, see my short bio. Or use the contact page to get in touch.