Direct Linking?

Hi all,

The company I work for is looking to break away from CJ. Currently we have over 2,000 affiliates and we are paying out a large sum to both CJ (for terrible service) and to our affiliates.

Being inexperienced in the affiliate marketing program realm, I am unsure what to reccomend.

I've been told that we were willing to increase our commission rates if I can figure out a way to find an AM manager that will provide us some sort of direct linking. When an affiliate signs up, we want to be able to have that count towards our total backlinks, etc.

Please offer any advice you can let me in on. Thank you in advance!

- John

You can have an affiliate link which points to an affiliate page which places an affiliate cookie on the user, and then redirects to your homepage, which would transfer the PR. I'm not 100% sure, but that sounds like it would work.

When I first started out in the affiliate business, I was in love with the direct link concept too.

Other that using the HTTP_REFERRER (to ensure that the link is directly to the page you want) and a cookie (to ensure the affiliate gets credit if some browsing is done by the visitor), it can be a rough implementation. For one, some affiliates would like to point links to you from more than one location, making things kinda crazy on the tracking end.

End result? Raise the rates and move out of CJ to someone more easily managed, like Kolimbo. If the product/service is good, you'll get enough to justify the switch. For the direct links, you might be better off getting them without your affiliates, using something like Digitalpoint's CO-OP or Linkvault [on that domain or another domain you control].

Good luck!

Cygnus

Thanks for the answers. I will check into the services you mentioned Cygnus and see what pops up!

In order to use the Kolimbo network (which is free to merchants, they dont take a cut.) you need to have myap.com software from Kowabunga.

Myap is what I was going to recommend anyway because they have a couple of direct linking options. Myap is also #1.

TRUST ME, if you have 2000 affiliates on CJ you need to use a top program that your affs have probably already used and trust. Also if they are used to CJ they will prefer a network. I've worked with them all and we have over a dozen programs on CJ right now. In fact we have the OneShare affiliate program on both CJ and on MyAP so affiliates can choose the platform they prefer. Moving to MyAp with the direct link option is really the best move. (Tell Wade hi for me when you call.)

Trying to move a CJ program without losing affiliates and revenue is very tricky, in fact impossible to do without losing momentum. Give me a call if your company wants help or you want some tips or have other questions. Always happy to do a free consult. # on my site.

Awesome info. I am definitely gonna run this by the peeps at work and let you know! Thank you so much!