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Managing Affiliate Links

Learn how to create, configure, and manage your affiliate links for maximum performance.

  1. Log into your AffRank dashboard
  2. Click Affiliate Links from main menu
  3. Click Add New Link

Fill in the following information:

FieldRequiredDescription
KeywordYesTerms to match (e.g., “best web hosting”)
Affiliate URLYesThe URL to direct clicks to
ProgramOptionalAffiliate program name
DescriptionOptionalNotes about this link

Step 3: Configure Matching

Choose how AffRank finds keywords in your content:

Exact Match

  • Matches the keyword exactly as written
  • Best for branded terms
  • Fewer but higher-quality insertions

Partial Match

  • Matches when keyword phrase appears anywhere
  • Best for long-tail keywords
  • More insertions, slightly looser

Smart Match

  • AI determines relevance
  • Best for broad terms
  • Most intelligent matching

Step 4: Set Placement Rules

Configure where links appear:

  • Max Links Per Page: Limit insertions (1-5 recommended)
  • Skip Pages: Patterns to exclude
  • Position Preference: First occurrence, random, or balanced
  • HTML Attributes: Add nofollow, utm parameters, etc.

Click Create Link to publish.

AffRank will start inserting links immediately! You may need to wait 5-10 minutes for changes to sync.

  1. Go to Affiliate Links
  2. Find link in list
  3. Click the link name
  4. Update fields as needed
  5. Click Save

Changes take effect within 5-10 minutes.

Temporarily stop a link from being inserted:

  1. Find the link
  2. Click Pause button
  3. Link stops inserting immediately
  4. Click Resume to reactivate

Permanently remove a link:

  1. Find the link
  2. Click Archive (or Delete)
  3. Link is removed from website
  4. Historical data is preserved
  5. Link can be restored if needed

Custom URL Parameters

Add tracking parameters to your affiliate URLs:

Original: https://affiliate.com/product?id=123
With UTM: https://affiliate.com/product?id=123&utm_source=affrank&utm_medium=affiliate

Configure in link settings:

  • utm_source: affrank
  • utm_medium: affiliate
  • utm_campaign: [keyword]
  • Custom parameters as needed

Link Text Customization

Control how links appear:

  • Default: Use keyword text
  • Custom: Enter specific link text
  • Dynamic: Change based on keyword

Destination URL Variants

Use different URLs for same keyword:

  1. Create link with first URL
  2. Add variant with parameter or different URL
  3. AffRank rotates between variants
  4. Track performance of each variant

Group related links:

  1. Create collection (e.g., “Hosting Links”)
  2. Assign links to collection
  3. Manage collection settings
  4. View collection analytics

Tagging System

Add tags for organization:

  • Program tags: aws, digitalocean, namecheap
  • Category tags: hosting, tools, services
  • Status tags: active, testing, archive

Filter and sort by tags for quick access.

Bulk Operations

Manage multiple links at once:

  • Pause Multiple: Select links → Pause
  • Update Settings: Change standard rules for group
  • Export Links: Download CSV of links
  • Import Links: Upload CSV to create multiple links

Performance Monitoring

See metrics for each link:

  • Clicks: Total clicks on this link
  • CTR: Click-through rate
  • Revenue: Estimated revenue
  • Trend: Performance over time

Monitor performance over time:

  1. Go to link details
  2. View historical data
  3. Compare periods
  4. Identify patterns

Compare two links:

  1. Select links to compare
  2. View side-by-side metrics
  3. Identify best performers
  4. Replicate success

Best Practices

Keyword Selection

✅ Best Practices

  • Use keywords that appear frequently in content
  • Match search intent
  • Target long-tail keywords (3+ words)
  • Use specific, descriptive terms
  • Consider seasonal trends

❌ Avoid

  • Generic single-word keywords
  • Keywords not in your content
  • Misspelled keywords
  • Adult or sensitive terms
  • Competitor brand names

✅ Best Practices

  • Use reputable affiliate programs
  • Recommend products you trust
  • Keep descriptions accurate
  • Test links regularly
  • Update broken links promptly

❌ Avoid

  • Suspicious programs
  • Unreliable affiliates
  • False recommendations
  • Broken links
  • Spam-like descriptions

Quantity Strategy

Recommended Approach

  • Start with 5-10 core links
  • Test performance
  • Add successful links
  • Remove underperformers
  • Scale gradually

Link Density

  • 1-2 links per 300 words
  • 2-5 links per page maximum
  • Maintain readability
  • Never over-optimize

Causes and Solutions

  • Keyword doesn’t match content → Use exact content keyword
  • Script not installed → Verify script in head
  • Link is paused → Check link status
  • Exclude pattern matches → Review exclude rules
  • Cache issue → Clear browser cache

Low Click Performance

Optimization Steps

  • Check link placement (first link usually performs best)
  • Verify link text is clear
  • Test different keywords
  • Try new affiliate programs
  • Monitor conversion quality

Unexpected Deletions

Prevention

  • Archive instead of delete
  • Regularly export backups
  • Use version control
  • Enable deletion confirmation
  • Keep historical records

Advanced Techniques

Keyword Variations

Create multiple links for variations:

  • “best hosting” → Link 1
  • “web hosting” → Link 2
  • “cheap hosting” → Link 3
  • “hosting comparison” → Link 4

Track which performs best.

A/B Testing

Test different configurations:

  1. Create two versions of same link
  2. Run for 1-2 weeks
  3. Compare performance
  4. Scale winning version
  5. Archive underperformer

Seasonality

Plan for seasonal demand:

  • Create holiday-related links in advance
  • Increase bids during peak seasons
  • Archive off-season links
  • Review historical trends

FAQ

Q: How many links can I create? A: Unlimited links on most plans. Check your account dashboard.

Q: Can I use the same URL for multiple keywords? A: Yes. Create separate links for different keywords pointing to same URL.

Q: Do I need unique URLs for each link? A: No. Multiple links can use the same destination.

Q: Can I change a link’s keyword? A: Yes. Edit the link and update the keyword. Changes take effect within 5-10 minutes.

Q: Are my links verified for quality? A: AffRank uses basic checks. Always verify affiliate links are reliable.

Next Steps