There are a ton of scripts and plugins to rewrite links, and hide affiliate links. Most “how to make money gurus” say that you absolutely need to hide the affiliate links in order to profit.
I say that is wrong.
There is a good reason for that. Lets see what happens:
- You hide the affiliate link.
- Your reader does not instantly realise that he got through your referral link.
- If he signs up, you get credit.
- You end up with more signups.
Now, lets see what happens when you don’t hide your affiliate links:
- You show the technique, and link to the offer/service with your affiliate link in plain sight.
- Your reader sees it is a referral, but voluntarily clicks on it.
- He signs up at the service, uses it following your instructions, and sees that the technique works.
- The reader is satisfied, and his trust in you is increased.
- The next time you refer him to something, he will jump on the wagon with no hesitation.
- You end up with more signups.
I prefer the second scenario. There are downsides of course. You will get a ton of emails saying “I signed up under you, now tell me this and that and the next”. Some will make legitimate questions, which you should answer. Others will paraphrase the demand “gimme your credit card info”, and thus you can ignore them.
The point here is simple:
If you don’t suggest shitty products, your readers will be more than happy to sign up under your link.
This is a fact, and I know it by experience. I have used every single one of the products or services that I have referred, and I have gained a degree of return from every one of them.
How do you like that for a make-money-blogging secret?
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