Forum Moderators: skibum
If you are a Webmaster, with the ability to run Perl CGI scripts, and you use Commission Junction, or Linkshare, or similar affiliate text ad links on your websites, and are looking for a script solution to get around ad blocking software like NIS, you may want to read my Post on the Perl Server Side CGI Scripting Forum, at: [webmasterworld.com ]
This is an in-depth Post about using a modified version of a free Perl script to redirect simplified internal links, with short query strings, to a CGI script that invisibly translates them into their actual affiliate codes, including any required 1x1 tracking gifs, then transfers the visitor's browser to your sponsor's website. All of the affiliate tracking codes and ad server names are hidden from the browser and ad blockers.
Requires permission to install, configure and execute your own CGI Perl scripts, and optionally, to use the Mod_Rewrite engine in your local .htaccess file (on Apache Web Servers), for hidden internal redirects.
The details are in the Perl CGI Forum because the solution revolves around the use of CGI Scripting technology, and I want to keep the entire problem and solution in one thread.
Wiz
H
No call back image means no transaction is reported back to the network servers.
On the other hand, if an ad blocker blocks tracking images sent from the destination website, owned by our sponsors, what more can we do? It will be the end of affiliate advertising if nobody can be credited with a lead or sale.
Wiz
On the other hand, if an ad blocker blocks tracking images sent from the destination website, owned by our sponsors, what more can we do?
That's exactly what happens with some adblocking software - nothing we can do, the program is built to block ads and you have to give it credit for being so ruthless.
Yes, it's more shrinkage, but the day all ads are blocked from all sites will be the day we all start paying and charging for content...v.unlikely to be the case IMO.
H
Not entirely. IMHO it will be the end of small mom-and-pop affiliate "spammer" advertising. The big boys with exclusive deals will still be OK (why? because they will have direct integration with the seller's backend)
IMHO it will be the end of small mom-and-pop affiliate "spammer" advertising.
This thread is about trying to protect affiliate income derived through the legitimate display of ad links and sales resulting from purchases. It is in the Advertising Sales and Affiliate Programs Forum.
Wiz
Just in my experience a well-earning affiliate is hardly that - mom-and-pop website. But mom-and-pop income will be the first to suffer from the "war on SE spammers". ;)
Sorry for off-topic
In the end it is really up to the software companies to make their products more interactive, in a friendly way, or not. If people are shown a message that the website they are viewing has content that was removed because it contains advertising banners and links to ad networks, and are offered a means of showing the ads and links, or hiding them, that would be reasonable, and fair to all involved. Most popup blockers give a hard-to-miss indication that a popup has just been blocked, with a means to override the block and display the popup. Most of these programs provide a means of permanantly allowing popups on certain sites, like CJ, or their banking sites. I have yet to see an indicator that informs the user that ads were removed from the website you are viewing, and asks, "would you like to see them? (Yes/No/Remember My Decision)"
The public may not care if they see our affiliate ads or not, unless they are specifically looking to price something, and our websites come up in a search. If they are running an ad blocker, such as NIS, or NPF, when they get to our websites they won't see any clickable links, unless they are aliased by a script, such as the one I wrote about and modified. They probably won't know that their own installed software is responsible, will think that our links are broken due to bad programming, and go elsewhere, until they end up at the manufacturers' websites, where the links will be clickable (since they don't go to an affiliate network). They will buy what they were looking for, at full price, direct from the manufacturer, not from us affiliates. The manufacturers have a lot to gain, in full price sales without commissions, if everybody has such ad blocking software installed without their knowledge, or beyond their comprehension to disable.
I do computer service calls and have several customers who don't comprehend technical matters, beyond the mouse and keyboard, and won't alter any default settings that came with a program, unless I do it for them, or talk them through it. I imagine there are millions of Internet users just like them, who would be glad to purchase things via our affiliate links, but can't even see those links to investigate the prices or products, and don't understand that they can gain control over their ad blockers, which they don't even know they have.
Again, here is a link to the thread where the modified script is Posted and discussed:
[webmasterworld.com...]
Wiz
