AffiliateMask to Hide Affiliate ID's

[zookeeper]

Hello WPW Affiliate Marketers:
I just wanted to know some affiliates thoughts about software we developed to mask affiliate id's. We see this as a way to make it virtually impossible for engines to recognize and penalize affiliate sites for being affiliate sites.

AffiliateMask is server side software we developed for the MerchantZoo affiliate network that tracks affiliate links based on referrer and gives credit for clicks, sales, commissions, etc directly based on the referring url itself.

Another great thing that this allows for is our affiliates can add just their base url (example *site.com*) and get credit for sales that come from any page (example www.site.com, site.com/page1.html, site.com/page2.html, etc) of their site because of the AffiliateMask wildcard feature.

Also when affiliates signup for the MerchantZoo network they can link directly to any page of any of our Merchant sites (cart pages included) and receive commissions for sales.

Finally, AffiliateMask allows us to offer our serious affiliates the opportunity to mask our cart within the template of their site. It appears to the customer like they are never leaving the affiliate site, although the sale actually occurs on the merchants site. This means higher conversion rates for affiliates (customers aren't scared off by a change in look). This also means that the affiliate does not need to purchase an SSL cert because the sale actually takes place on the Merchant site.

The only curent limitor is that our Merchants are required to be on Windows servers. We are about to release the beta version of an alternative tracking method that will not require affiliate id's that will work on Unix.

More info about AffiliateMask can be found at http://isapilabs.com/Products/AffiliateMask/index.htm

Please let me know your thoughts about benefits/downfalls that you might see with this new way of affiliate tracking. Do you see a big market for this software?

Thanks in advance for your input!

[Glenn Albert Bradley]

I read how it thwarts spammers, what about the merchant's affiliate who uses newsletters, legit opt-in mailings? This doesnt look affiliate friendly, and after the third paragraph or so, the software looked like a rendition of the blazing 800 numbers that merchants use to get out of paying the affiliate. Any merchant who uses this, might as well forget about an affiliate program. This was the impression the sales page left with me. Lastly being cookie dependent is stupid. With all the anti spyware, anti adware products out there, the cookies are the first to get zapped. Also, the argument that search engines are zapping affiliate sites has not been proven, what is happening is that affiliates have been using keywords, addresses, emails in thier metas that have absolutely no bearing on content, just to hijack thier way into the top ten. Titles are being misused, Christmas comes around and everybody starts titling the website to xmas trees, garland etc, this is what the search engines are going after. Just some thoughts here, from one affiliate point of view.

[zookeeper]

Thank you for your input Glenn.

I read how it thwarts spammers, what about the merchant's affiliate who uses newsletters, legit opt-in mailings?

We actually have a few affiliates who do some legit opt-in email campaigns (and do very well). What they are doing is sending emails where a click lands the customer on the affiliates own url then either links or redirect to the sales page (same strategy can be applied to ppc campaigns). This gives us (and the Merchant) a lot more control over who is sending emails. Ultimately the Merchant's server will not get shut down for spamming, because the customer actually lands on the affiliates site first. The referring url does the rest of the work.

There are actually multiple ways for our system to be set up for email campaigns. We work with affiliates to set these up to meet their needs.

This doesnt look affiliate friendly, and after the third paragraph or so, the software looked like a rendition of the blazing 800 numbers that merchants use to get out of paying the affiliate.

Affiliates can test their links to see that they are working. We actually will help test links upon their request.

Also, the argument that search engines are zapping affiliate sites has not been proven

Agreed. This has not been proven, but I have read several articles and posts of people who feel they have been penalized.

Thanks again for your input Glenn. Does anyone else have any thoughts?

[Glenn Albert Bradley]

Chad,

After re-reading, something perhaps I should do more often before posting, I believe you state, and correct me if I am wrong, that Merchant Zoo utilizes this software. I took a gander, and like the ease of use for placing links onto a site. Thumbs up.

Glenn

[kidmercury]

so the software is $700, and i need to install it on my server, right? meaning this is not a managed 3rd party solution -- all tracking and payouts are on my end, and the cost is the software price of $700. please confirm if my understanding is correct or not.

i'm very interested. i've been looking for something like this for quite some time.

[jackson992]

Sorry but I won't pay for something like this. I'm not gonna let Norton/search engines etc bankrupt me.

[zookeeper]

so the software is $700, and i need to install it on my server, right? meaning this is not a managed 3rd party solution -- all tracking and payouts are on my end, and the cost is the software price of $700. please confirm if my understanding is correct or not.

Your are correct kidmercury on all of your assumptions.

I believe you state, and correct me if I am wrong, that Merchant Zoo utilizes this software.

That is also correct. MerchantZoo utilizes AM. So in kidmercury's question, we would be the managed 3rd party solution.

[Sanjo]

Quote:
Also, the argument that search engines are zapping affiliate sites has not been proven


Agreed. This has not been proven, but I have read several articles and posts of people who feel they have been penalized.

Maybe this has not been proven, but I know that human edited directories such as: DMOZ, ZEAL, and others like that will reject you if you have "too many affiliate links."