An affiliate link is a link with a personal part recognition. If a user buys in the linked shop after clicking, the tracking recognizes which publisher he came across and writes him a Commission well. Nothing changes for the buyer: he pays the same price as without the link.
What is an affiliate link?
Affiliate links are the most important tool in affiliate marketing. They look like ordinary links and also lead to the same destination, for example to a product in an online shop. The difference is in the address: it contains an identifier that tells the shop and the affiliate network who sent the customer.
An example: A fashion blog introduces summer dresses in an article and links every dress in the shop. If a reader clicks on the link and orders, the blog receives a commission of, for example, 12 percent. Without an affiliate link, the shop would not know that the order was made via the blog.
Depending on the platform, affiliate links are also called affiliate links, tracking links or referral links. It is always the same principle.
This is how an affiliate link is built
Each network formats its links slightly differently, but the components are almost always the same. A typical affiliate link looks like this:
https://track.adlesa.com/click?pid=48213&prog=florea&subid=sommerkleider&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.florea.de%2Fkleider%2Fmila
- Tracking domain
- The server of the network that counts and forwards the click.
- Partner ID
- Your personal publisher identifier. That is what the Commission depends on.
- Program
- The partner program to which the link belongs.
- Sub-ID
- Optional own identifier for your evaluation (see Sub-ID).
- Target URL
- The page in the shop on which the user should land – coded so that it fits into the link.
Important: Never change partner and program ID by hand. A typo is enough, and sales are no longer assigned to you. On the other hand, you can freely choose the target URL as long as it belongs to the domain of the advertiser.
How does an affiliate link work?
Between click and commission often only milliseconds pass, until the payout but a few weeks. The process at a glance:
- 01Click
The user clicks on your link and lands briefly on the network.
- 02Redirect
The network counts the click and immediately redirects to the shop.
- 03Tag
A cookie or a click ID remembers your part recognition.
- 04Purchase
The shop reports the order and identifier to the network.
- 05Commission
After release, the commission is paid out.
The purchase does not have to happen immediately. As long as they Cookie duration runs, usually 30 days, a later order is also assigned to you. If the user clicks on the link of another partner in the meantime, usually Last Cookie Wins: The last click before the purchase counts.
Because browsers increasingly restrict cookies, modern networks also use Cookieless Tracking. The click ID is transferred to the shop and the order is reported directly from server to server. For you as a publisher, nothing changes – your link works the same way.
Types of Affiliate Links
Not every affiliate link is a text link in the flow text. These forms are common:
| Form | Description | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Text link | Linked word or sentence in flow text | Guides, test reports |
| Deeplink | Leads directly to a product or category instead of the homepage | Almost all content – usually the best choice |
| Button | Striking button like “Offer” | Product boxes, comparison tables |
| Banners | Graphical Creatives in fixed formats | Sidebars, newsletters |
| Product link from the feed | Automatically generated links from the product feed | Price comparisons, large product lists |
| Affiliate code | A personal voucher code instead of a link | Video, Podcast, Social Media, Print |
A special case is the affiliate code: it works without clicking. If a creator mentions her discount code in the video and the viewer redeems it later in the shop, the sale is assigned via the code. Many creators combine both – link in the description, code in the video.
Creating Affiliate Links: Step by Step
For most networks, including Adlesa, the creation of an affiliate link is the same:
- Register as a publisher. Create a free account with an affiliate network and store your website or channels.
- Apply for a program. Search for suitable programs, for example in the Partner Program Directory, and wait for unlocking. Only then will your links generate commissions.
- Copy the destination page in the shop. Open the product or category you want to link to and copy the address from the browser.
- Generate link in the account. Select the program in the area for links or Creatives, insert the target URL and create the link.
- Supplement sub-ID. Give the link its own identifier, such as the name of the article or the channel.
- Test and install. Click the link yourself, check if you are on the right page, and then install it.
Tip: Create a simple overview of which link is built where. If a program runs out or a product changes, you will find the affected areas so quickly.
Sub-IDs: Finding Out Which Links Deserve
Without Sub-IDs, you only see in the reporting that a program brings revenue – but not which article, which button or which video triggered it. With sub-IDs, you attach your own identifier to each link:
…&subid=blog-sommerkleider-tabelle
…&subid=blog-sommerkleider-fazit
…&subid=instagram-story-0612In the reporting, clicks and sales then appear separately according to these identifiers. For example, you can see that links in comparison tables convert three times as well as links in the conclusion – and can improve your content in a targeted manner. Use a fixed schema, such as channel content position, and no personal data such as email addresses.
Where you can use affiliate links
Affiliate links work wherever people look for recommendations. Each channel has its own rules:
| Channel | Where the link sits | Pay attention to |
|---|---|---|
| Website and Blog | In text, in product boxes and comparison tables | Labeling and rel="sponsored" |
| YouTube | In the video description and the pinned comment | Provide paid advertisements in the video |
| Link in the Bio, Link-Sticker in Stories | “Advertising” clearly visible at the beginning | |
| TikTok | Link in the bio, shop functions | Use advertising marking of the platform |
| Directly as destination link of the pin | No short link services, marking in the pin | |
| Newsletter | In text or as a button | Observe program rules for e-mail |
Always check the terms of the partner program before deployment. Some advertisers exclude certain channels, such as email marketing, coupon pages or advertising on search engines (Brand-Bidding). On each program page in the Adlesa directory you will find the permitted forms of advertising.
Properly identify affiliate links
Affiliate links are advertising, and advertising must be recognizable as such (see mandatory labelling). Readers should understand at first glance that you deserve a recommendation. They have proven themselves:
- A note directly on the link, such as an asterisk with explanation or the addition "Advertising" or “Affiliate-Link”.
- A highly visible hint at the beginning of the post, not hidden in the footer or at the end.
- In social media the indication "Advertising" or "Advertising" at the beginning of the post or the labeling function of the platform.
For search engines, there is a second, technical identification. Google recommends marking affiliate links with the attribute rel="sponsored" (alternatively rel="nofollow"). This shows that these are paid links and avoids problems with the guidelines for links:
<a href="https://track.adlesa.com/click?pid=48213&prog=florea…"
rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank">Sommerkleid Mila bei Florea*</a>This section provides a general overview and does not replace legal advice. The exact requirements depend on the channel and the individual case.
Short links and own forwardings
Long affiliate links seem confusing in social media and video descriptions. Many publishers therefore shorten them or forward them via their own domain, such as deinblog.de/go/florea. This has advantages: Links look cleaner and can be exchanged centrally when a program changes.
A few points should be noted:
- A forwarding does not change the labelling requirement. The link must still be recognizable as advertising.
- Some partner programs and platforms do not allow certain short link services. Check the program conditions.
- After each change, test whether the redirection still points to the full affiliate link including partner ID.
Common Mistakes with Affiliate Links
- Install links before unlocking. Until the program unlocks you, no commissions will be recorded.
- Only link to the homepage. Users first have to search for the product and jump off. A deeplink to the appropriate product converts better.
- Broken or obsolete links. Sold out products, terminated programs or changed shop URLs cost revenue. Check your most important links regularly.
- Misplaced marking. It can lead to warnings and costs trust.
- Own purchases via your own link. This is prohibited in almost all programs and leads to cancellation – in the worst case to exclusion.
- Too many links without added value. Readers click on recommendations they trust. An honest comparison with few, well-placed links brings more than an article full of links.
Conclusion
Affiliate links are simply created, but only used properly they earn money: as a deeplink to the appropriate product, with sub-ID for evaluation, clearly marked and checked regularly. Anyone who additionally knows the rules of the partner programs avoids reversals. How everything works in context explains our basic article What is affiliate marketing?