Using a domain name that forwards to your affiliate link

[PFOnline]

Hi all, i have purchased a domain name that forwards to my Commission Junction affilate link, because I think users are most likely to click on widgetsstore.com rather than qksrv.net/click-blah-blah lookin link. My site domain name forwards to my affiliate link.

Today i purchased "domain masking" for an even "nicer affect". Domain masking is where when people go to my widgetsstore.com domain it, the browser bar will still say "widgetsstore.com" in it, rather than qksrv.net/blah-blah in the browser URL bar.

My question is, does the qksrv.net etc. link *need* to stay in the browser URL bar at the top of all browsers for "tracking" reasons and whatnot? I mean... Will it lose my affiliate tracking link if i use domain masking?

Thanks
A worried webmaster

[weisinator]

"I wanna name a restaurant 'The Marilyn Monroe Cafe' and then put pictures of Jeff Goldblum on all the walls." - George Carlin

How about coming up with original content? Masquerading another's work as your own is a sure-fire way to get no traffic!

[europeforvisitors]

PFOnline:

How are users going to find your widgetstore.com URL to click on it?

I don't think you'll find many Webmasters (or many search engines) who'll link to a URL that redirects to Commission Junction.

[profitpuppy]

There are a few issues with this:

* It may or may not be allowed by the merchant, although most merchants have no idea what is going on and probably wouldnt notice anyway.
* CJ says that you must have valid links to get the commission, although in practice this should not be a problem
* It is possibly good for preventing commission theft (in my estimate 50% of CJ commissions are stolen).

[jackofalltrades]

>* It is possibly good for preventing commission theft (in my estimate 50% of CJ commissions are stolen).

How's that?

JOAT

[Nick_W]

I think what PFOnline means is this:

He has an affiliate site called xyz.com, the iinks to his affiliate partner actually go to widgetstore.com, which in turn, directs to the affiliate partner.

You say that people are more likely to click on 'widgetstore.com' but why would you use qvsrv?dkdkdkdkblach&blah as your link text anyway? -- Once they've clicked it it's done right?

Nick

[Dante_Maure]

One of the most significant reasons to use URL masking is for esthetic reasons when promoting affiliate programs in plain text emails.

Many top performing affiliates know that email can provide a far higher ROI than any other single form of promotion.

Whether it's via autoresponders, ezine ads, solo mailings, or the regular mailing of a newsletter...

http.//www.MyUniqueAffiliateUrl.com will out-pull

http.//www.qvsrv.com/index.htm?213443&ref=Agic123

Every single time.

My question is, does the qksrv.net etc. link *need* to stay in the browser URL bar at the top of all browsers for "tracking" reasons and whatnot? I mean... Will it lose my affiliate tracking link if i use domain masking?

Absolutely not. You'll have no problems with commission tracking whatsoever. "Domain masking" is simply using a frame to keep your branded url in the address bar.

[PFOnline]

PFOnline:
How are users going to find your widgetstore.com URL to click on it?

I don't think you'll find many Webmasters (or many search engines) who'll link to a URL that redirects to Commission Junction.

I wouldn't ask webmasters to link to my domain affiliate URL, thought that would be nice... but I agree, i dont think many would link to it, hehe. :) I would link to it from my page, and use it in emails and stuff.

...and Dante_Maure hit that one on the target.