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I’m sure you’ve come across a YouTube video stating that they have an affiliate link in their description; or a website saying that “this article contains affiliate links.” But what exactly is an affiliate link?
In simple terms, an affiliate link is a URL that contains a special code that identifies the individual as the affiliate or partner of a particular website or company.
What does an affiliate link do?
An affiliate link enables the person who signed up or partnered with the company to earn a commission when someone clicks on the specific URL. It’s a way for companies to reward people who promote their products or services and encourage them monetarily to keep doing so.
It doesn’t cost the user any extra money, while simultaneously being able to support the content creator who placed this specific affiliate link in their description for a product or service they are discussing.
If the website owner is popular, it’s not only a way for them to earn a great stream of income, but it also brings new customers to the business whose affiliate link is being promoted.
Example of an affiliate link:
I’m sure you’ve run into an article that might have a list of products for a specific niche or product they are reviewing. These individuals might contact said company of the product they are reviewing (or get an Amazon Associates account) and sign up for their affiliate program.
Sometimes, links are highlighted for you to click on and be redirected to the product or service’s website. If you look at a popular course website like Skillshare, you might see something like “Join (Insert Name Here) on Skillshare and get 1 month of Skillshare free.” or “Somebody is giving you two months of Skillshare for free.”
![Example of a Skillshare Affiliate Invitation](https://newbproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Skillshare-Affiliate-Invitation.png)
Other times you will just get redirected to the product with no indication it was an affiliate link to begin with unless you look at the URL.
An example of an affiliate URL:
- https://amzn.to/3UZRtOE
- https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Display-GeForce-Keyboard-G513RC-IS74/dp/B0B9RZCFSR?crid=280BPXCQUC1YO&keywords=asus%2Brog%2Bstrix%2Blaptop&qid=1682266611&sprefix=asus%2Brog%2Bstrix%2Blaptop%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-6&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.ac2169a1-b668-44b9-8bd0-5ec63b24bcb5&th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=itsjennymarie-20&linkId=1f4f808d44e9dbfa0452d5b63d8056c4&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
An Example of a non-affiliate URL:
It can be hard to tell most of the time the difference between a regular link and an affiliate link. However, if you look closely at the long affiliate link URL, you will see “tag=itsjennymarie”, indicating the user to whom this affiliate link belongs and who will be receiving the commission.
Disguised Youtube Affiliate Link
There are other affiliate links that go way beyond the standard long URL with numbers in them symbolizing the unique tracking ID of the person who referred you to the product.
There is a thing called cloaked affiliate links which are disguised affiliate links that are made shorter via third-party software like pretty links or an alternative.
An example of a cloaked link versus a visible affiliate link:
- Visible Link: https://www.creativefabrica.com/ref/2602622/
- Disguised Link: newbproof.com/creativefabrica
This gives the link a unique feel, and it’s a lot more professional than directing someone to a longer URL. Remember that cloaked links serve other purposes as well. Meaning that just because a link is cloaked doesn’t mean that the person in question is partnered with the company nor will receive a commission of any kind.
A good rule of thumb for any creator is to always to be transparent about any affiliate links being left in their blog post, social media post, or description box of a YouTube video. If they do not disclose that there are affiliate links in their content, they can get in trouble per FTCs guidelines.
![FTC.ORG Endorsement Disclosure](https://newbproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FTC-Endorsement-Disclosure.png)
Do YouTubers get in trouble for not disclosing an affiliate link?
In short, yes. Straight from the source (FTC.GOV) states that they can be fined up to $50,120 per violation.
There have been instances where influencers on popular apps like TikTok (and YouTube, although it’s rare) get away with not disclosing their partnerships with brands and don’t even get a slap on the wrist. I believe it’s because the FTC’s resources would be better spent elsewhere than monitoring teens who don’t know how to disclose sponsorships or affiliate links on their platform properly.
This is a big issue because many kids simply assume that their favorite influencer genuinely likes the product and trusts them to be unbiased and honest. This is not to say that all affiliates promote products they don’t like, but if there is money involved, especially a significant amount, they tend to turn a blind eye to the cons and forget to disclose the negatives just to make more money from unsuspecting individuals.
![FTC.ORG Non Compliance Fine Amount](https://newbproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FTC-Non-Compliance-Fine.png)
Do affiliate links cost me money?
No, there is no catch when clicking on an affiliate link. You can be sure of that. Clicking on the said link costs you no extra money.
It would also cost the same whether you clicked on the link or went to the website directly. The link provides a means for the content creator to be rewarded for bringing business to the website, and so they share some of the revenue generated through your sale/purchase with them as a gesture of gratitude.
Can anyone have an affiliate link?
Anyone can definitely have access to affiliate programs. In some cases, companies require you to have an active following before approving you for their affiliate marketing program.
Platforms like Amazon Associates, which is Amazon’s affiliate program name, allow anyone to join as long as they have a place to promote the products, such as a website or social media platform. However, this program can be terminated if no sales are made within 180 days.
Can Youtubers really make money with affiliate links?
Yes, you can make money with affiliate links as long as the person who clicked on the link made a purchase within the time frame allotted by the company.
Some companies have a 30 day link cookie tracker that allows the person who clicked on the link to have 30 days from the time they viewed the website to make a purchase before it expires and they can no longer make money from the sale. Other companies have a longer time frame than that.
There are affiliate links that pay per click if we’re talking in terms of ads through companies like AdSense or Mediavine. However, many companies, if they are not ad-based, will just pay you when the individual who clicked your link purchases the product or service.
Different Affiliate Links Methods:
- Pay per sale: Where the affiliate gets paid when someone makes a purchase.
- Pay per lead: Where the affiliate gets paid for just referring to the said company’s website. Most of the time, to get paid for the lead, the user has to fill out some sort of form stating that they are interested in knowing more or schedule some sort of appointment and provide credentials.
- Pay per install: Where the affiliate gets paid when the person clicking on the affiliate link installs and uses their product.
- Pay per click: Where the affiliate gets paid when the person just clicks on the link or ad.
Is there a difference between Affiliate Links and Affiliate Marketing?
There is no difference between affiliate links and affiliate marketing. Affiliate links are a component of affiliate marketing, which is simply a business model.
When people talk about affiliate marketing, they usually mean the ways to efficiently promote links to their viewers. A common way of promotion is through blog posts, videos, and social media posts. They usually write a review or statement about the service or product and then provide an affiliate link for people to find it conveniently.
If the individual has a large audience, they can contact the company to offer an exclusive incentive to encourage people to buy, such as a discount code or coupon. There are also ad banners that can be placed on the individual’s website that are shown on specific pages.
Do Affiliate Links Expire?
In short, yes, they expire.
A longer answer, it depends on when. Some expire after 30 days, while others take 90+ days. One way to avoid giving someone a commission on your sale is to overwrite it with someone else’s.
So, here’s how it works:
When you click on someone’s affiliate link, a little cookie with their tracking info gets saved into your browser. Now, if you don’t end up buying anything after clicking on the said link but click on someone else’s affiliate link instead and buy something, the first person’s link gets overwritten and the latter gets the sale.
Another way to avoid giving someone a commission after clicking an affiliate link is to clear your cookies or use a different device with a different browser for good measure. Clearing cookies is usually more than enough to get rid of the affiliate link you clicked on.
How to remove Cookies from Affiliate links on Google Chrome
An easy way to remove cookies from affiliate links, more specifically on google chrome is:
- Go to the three dots on the right hand side of your chrome browser.
- Click on settings
- Click on Privacy and security
- Click on Clear Browsing Data
- Make sure Cookies and other site data box is ticked and use the drop-down menu to click on how far you want that data removed. It can be an hour, twenty-four, or simply all of them.
This is just a method, not the method to remove cookies from an affiliate link on your browser. I’m sure there are more ways to properly remove them but this is one way I found that works for me.
![How to clear Cookies Data on Google Chrome](https://newbproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Clearing-Cookies-Data-from-Google-Chrome.png)
If you click on a YouTuber’s link, is it an affiliate link?
Usually, most links that a content creator has in their description (especially if they went through all the trouble to cloak it by putting their own unique name onto it) are more than likely an affiliate link or, at the very least, they are partnered with the company in some way.
This is not always the case. If the link is just directing you to a basic website (using Creative Fabrica as an example) “creativefabrica.com” with no “/” and a referral code after it, then it’s unlikely they are getting any commission from said link.
![Creative Fabrica Non-Affiliate Link Example](https://newbproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Creative-Fabrica-Link.png)
But if that same Creative Fabrica link looks something like: https://www.creativefabrica.com/ref/2602622/ then you know it’s definitely an affiliate link.
![Creative Fabrica Affiliate Link Example](https://newbproof.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Creative-Fabrica-Affiliate-Link-300x27.png)
What happens if I click on an Affiliate link and don’t make a purchase?
There is no downside to you if you click on an affiliate link, unless the link had a time-sensitive promotional offer. The influencer who provided the link receives no compensation from the company, nor are they penalized if you do not make a purchase. You should never feel obligated to buy something after clicking on an affiliate link out of fear that your favorite content creator will be affected.
If you do click on an affiliate link, the company can track that someone in a general area clicked on it but did not make a purchase. However, the influencer has no knowledge of who clicked the link or where they live. Companies are able to see the individual IP address of those who visit their website, and this is typically disclosed in their terms and conditions. However, sensitive information like this cannot be disclosed to content creators.
The purpose of tracking affiliate links is to gain a better understanding of who is purchasing their products, who is not, and why. This helps companies identify problems and make necessary changes to convert more individuals into paying customers.
Should I click on an affiliate link versus going to the website myself?
There is no harm and no extra cost when clicking on an affiliate link. If you like the creator and want a way to support their content, then I say go for it. It can be a convenient way for them to earn a living so they can keep providing you with free content.
Affiliate Links Conclusion
Overall, affiliate marketing is a way for companies to get more people interested in their products, and for affiliates to earn money by promoting the products they believe in.