Reminder > your affiliate codes can make you $$

Simon · 2005-07-03, 12:54 PM

Yeah... the title of the post is kinda stating the obvious.

Or is it..?

If you're sure all the links you use, for all of the affiliate programs you're signed with, are correct, then you can stop reading now and go find another thread.

But I gotta tell you, I was pretty surprised this weekend when I reviewed our incoming traffic stats and discovered more than a few affiliates sending us traffic with no affiliate ID code in their links, or using the wrong affiliate ID in the link, or doing something else that prevented them from getting credit for signups that would come from their surfers. One site was full of links to CCBill-based affiliate program links, for all kinds of programs, but the same affiliate code was in every link.

Don't get me wrong, I want all the good traffic we can get...but I don't believe most people will keep sending traffic to a program that doesn't send them checks.

So I tracked down most of the webmasters who were sending us traffic without their codes in the links. What I found surprised me even more.

I'm not going to name any names or sites (and no, they're not the big guys!), but there were multiple affiliates doing the things below, and some were people I'd never have expected to be doing these things:

using the whole CCBill link except for the 'extra' part at the end that they didn't think they needed.
using the affiliate ID from some other CCBill program, believing that once you're signed up "with CCBill" you can promote any other program you want using that one ID number.
using the CCBill "program number" as their ID number, thinking that was the part of the link that identified them.
using our hosted free sites on hubs, lists and tgps as filler sites or galleries, without signing up for our program.*
using phpAdsNew (or other banner rotators) with bad information entered that they couldn't ever see/verify by looking at the status bar or even their page code.

...and lots of other little mistakes than can cost a webmaster money!

I heard a lot of explanations about why people had set up their links in various wrong ways, and some of them almost made sense, but none of them were correct.

So, if you're still reading this thread, and you're not terribly experienced with affiliate linking codes, or recently changed how you handle linking codes (one of the popular explanations), please think about checking your codes to make sure that the program owners can pay you for your work.

Regarding all affiliate programs with CCBill link codes, please make sure your CCBill links include the part that says "&PA=123456" (where the 123456 is your affiliate code). The part that says "CA=some_numbers" is just the program you're signed up for.

And make sure you use only the affiliate ID that matches the program you signed up for. You won't get paid by either program for sales you make where those numbers are mismatched.

And one final note, that I was surprised to have to tell a couple of people -- you actually do have to sign up for a program to get paid by it.

Simon

P.S. This is not a promo for our program, in fact I'm posting this without my usual signature links, but if you do happen to be signed up with us, please feel free to ask for help with *anything* you need, including how to structure your links to us. We even have an alternative to the long (and sort of confusing) CCBill link codes that we can give you.

(* For anyone who's using our hosted sites and their galleries as clean filler content, I want to be clear that we have no objection at all to you doing that if you want to. I'm just saying that we're prepared to pay you 50-70 percent of every dollar we get from your surfers if you take a minute to sign up.)

juggernaut · 2005-07-03, 02:43 PM

This is very good info. I was lucky enough to get an affiliate, Being Im new I am not totaly sure my ccbill is set up correctly. I see two codes. 1 the person showed me they are using from the account in ccbill and 2 the code under my master account. Both are differant which I dont understand. I should be able to see the same code that my affil is using. Anyway long story short. My stats program shows the person sending me traffic every day. CCBill shows the person sent me like 2 hits. Which is totaly wrong. When I called ccbill they said everything was cool. Looks like I will have to fish out this issue myself. Good post.

juggernaut · 2005-07-03, 02:58 PM

Oh you have to love it. Well reading this i looked over the code. As it turns out I guess the afil is promoing the site with tgp. Well he has the correct code on 1 page only. the rest of the pages are just standard links to the site. Well I hope this person has program that will let him find and replace. Cause from what ccbill says he is losing out on money now cause he would not do what i told him.

RawAlex · 2005-07-03, 03:06 PM

Simon, might I suggest this:

The ccbill link codes are long, annoying, and truly don't help ANYONE's business. Routing all your traffic through CCBill first takes away any chance for promotion of your domain directly.

Create a little PHP script for each site. have people link to that script with the ccbill code (the 6 digit number for promotion) and then you redirect (using php) the surfer through the ccbill system.

The link codes would be short, you can control the traffic, and if you ever (heaven forbid) decide to change processors, it won't be such as pain to do.

So instead of the long ccbill code, you would have http://www.simonspaysite.com/affiliates.php?code=999999

THat's all.

Freaking simple, no?

Just say no to really long link codes.

Alex

ponyman · 2005-07-03, 04:08 PM

Damn, RawAlex, that is an awesome idea.... don't know why I never thought of that one.

Simon · 2005-07-03, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Simon, might I suggest this:
{...snipped...} Just say no to really long link codes.

Thanks Alex, I'm glad to know we're not alone in thinking CCBill has all the link pop they need! ::grin::

Actually we've been advising our affiliates in our welcome letter, and on our site, that they should just use this:

http://fetishclub.com/?r=123456

(where 123456 is their code)

We have an index.php page at the root that does exactly what you suggested (and some other things).

Of course, we're finding out that not every affiliate reads the welcome letter, or visits the site again. We're planning to mention this in our next newsletter too, but there are always people that don't read those either.

Thanks again for the suggestion Alex. Even though we're already doing this, it's good advice for any CCBill-based sponsor reading this thread.

Simon

RawAlex · 2005-07-03, 07:37 PM

It's an important thing also because if you choose to move to another processor or move to a NATS or Executive stats situation, you can setup a lookup table for your affiliates and redirect their traffic for them. This helps keep the traffic coming to you, and let's you control the end.

CCbill's link codes are way too long, especially if you are using a custom landing page of some sort. Some link programs and such either cut it off or treat it incorrectly as well.

Alex

2005-07-03, 12:54 PM	#1
Simon That which does not kill us, will try, try again. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Conch Republic Posts: 5,150	Reminder > your affiliate codes can make you $$ Yeah... the title of the post is kinda stating the obvious. Or is it..? If you're sure all the links you use, for all of the affiliate programs you're signed with, are correct, then you can stop reading now and go find another thread. But I gotta tell you, I was pretty surprised this weekend when I reviewed our incoming traffic stats and discovered more than a few affiliates sending us traffic with no affiliate ID code in their links, or using the wrong affiliate ID in the link, or doing something else that prevented them from getting credit for signups that would come from their surfers. One site was full of links to CCBill-based affiliate program links, for all kinds of programs, but the same affiliate code was in every link. Don't get me wrong, I want all the good traffic we can get...but I don't believe most people will keep sending traffic to a program that doesn't send them checks. So I tracked down most of the webmasters who were sending us traffic without their codes in the links. What I found surprised me even more. I'm not going to name any names or sites (and no, they're not the big guys!), but there were multiple affiliates doing the things below, and some were people I'd never have expected to be doing these things: using the whole CCBill link except for the 'extra' part at the end that they didn't think they needed. using the affiliate ID from some other CCBill program, believing that once you're signed up "with CCBill" you can promote any other program you want using that one ID number. using the CCBill "program number" as their ID number, thinking that was the part of the link that identified them. using our hosted free sites on hubs, lists and tgps as filler sites or galleries, without signing up for our program.* using phpAdsNew (or other banner rotators) with bad information entered that they couldn't ever see/verify by looking at the status bar or even their page code. ...and lots of other little mistakes than can cost a webmaster money! I heard a lot of explanations about why people had set up their links in various wrong ways, and some of them almost made sense, but none of them were correct. So, if you're still reading this thread, and you're not terribly experienced with affiliate linking codes, or recently changed how you handle linking codes (one of the popular explanations), please think about checking your codes to make sure that the program owners can pay you for your work. Regarding all affiliate programs with CCBill link codes, please make sure your CCBill links include the part that says "&PA=123456" (where the 123456 is your affiliate code). The part that says "CA=some_numbers" is just the program you're signed up for. And make sure you use only the affiliate ID that matches the program you signed up for. You won't get paid by either program for sales you make where those numbers are mismatched. And one final note, that I was surprised to have to tell a couple of people -- you actually do have to sign up for a program to get paid by it. Simon P.S. This is not a promo for our program, in fact I'm posting this without my usual signature links, but if you do happen to be signed up with us, please feel free to ask for help with anything you need, including how to structure your links to us. We even have an alternative to the long (and sort of confusing) CCBill link codes that we can give you. (* For anyone who's using our hosted sites and their galleries as clean filler content, I want to be clear that we have no objection at all to you doing that if you want to. I'm just saying that we're prepared to pay you 50-70 percent of every dollar we get from your surfers if you take a minute to sign up.)

2005-07-03, 02:43 PM	#2
juggernaut Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Central Jersey! If I was rich and powerful I would dress as my avatar does. Posts: 1,448	This is very good info. I was lucky enough to get an affiliate, Being Im new I am not totaly sure my ccbill is set up correctly. I see two codes. 1 the person showed me they are using from the account in ccbill and 2 the code under my master account. Both are differant which I dont understand. I should be able to see the same code that my affil is using. Anyway long story short. My stats program shows the person sending me traffic every day. CCBill shows the person sent me like 2 hits. Which is totaly wrong. When I called ccbill they said everything was cool. Looks like I will have to fish out this issue myself. Good post.

2005-07-03, 02:58 PM	#3
juggernaut Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Central Jersey! If I was rich and powerful I would dress as my avatar does. Posts: 1,448	Oh you have to love it. Well reading this i looked over the code. As it turns out I guess the afil is promoing the site with tgp. Well he has the correct code on 1 page only. the rest of the pages are just standard links to the site. Well I hope this person has program that will let him find and replace. Cause from what ccbill says he is losing out on money now cause he would not do what i told him.

2005-07-03, 03:06 PM	#4
RawAlex Took the hint. Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,597	Simon, might I suggest this: The ccbill link codes are long, annoying, and truly don't help ANYONE's business. Routing all your traffic through CCBill first takes away any chance for promotion of your domain directly. Create a little PHP script for each site. have people link to that script with the ccbill code (the 6 digit number for promotion) and then you redirect (using php) the surfer through the ccbill system. The link codes would be short, you can control the traffic, and if you ever (heaven forbid) decide to change processors, it won't be such as pain to do. So instead of the long ccbill code, you would have http://www.simonspaysite.com/affiliates.php?code=999999 THat's all. Freaking simple, no? Just say no to really long link codes. Alex

2005-07-03, 04:08 PM	#5
ponyman Nobody gets into heaven without a glowstick Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: The Great Northwest Posts: 422	Damn, RawAlex, that is an awesome idea.... don't know why I never thought of that one.

2005-07-03, 07:37 PM	#7
RawAlex Took the hint. Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,597	It's an important thing also because if you choose to move to another processor or move to a NATS or Executive stats situation, you can setup a lookup table for your affiliates and redirect their traffic for them. This helps keep the traffic coming to you, and let's you control the end. CCbill's link codes are way too long, especially if you are using a custom landing page of some sort. Some link programs and such either cut it off or treat it incorrectly as well. Alex