A few days ago Clarke Duncan, one of the co-founders of Paid On Results UK affiliate network, sent me the following tweet:
Paid On Results (POR) were the first affiliate network to create a deep-linking tool for affiliates, and this was back in 2005 [see the way it used to work]. Ever since then they have been perfecting and renewing the tool, and came up with the “innovative” 2010 version [see demo here].
No wonder why. Other UK networks have similar tools: buy.at launched their FireFox (FF) Deeplink Generator in March of this year (see point #3 here), Affiliate Window has had their FF plugin for generating deep links for some time too, and LinkShare UK offers a tool as well.
POR’s newest version of the Deep Link Generator is probably the most advanced of all. It allows you to do everything in one screen (without leaving the merchant’s site), automatically detects product images, offers URL shortening options, supports all major browsers, and has a number of other affiliate-friendly functions of which you may read here.
Does “any USA network have a tool like” the Deep Link Generator? Some do indeed offer deep link generating tools:
- AvantLink — Custom Link Builder
- LinkShare — LinkGenerator Bookmarklet
- ShareASale — “Create a Custom Link” tool [tutorial here] + License Plate Links
…but none do it at the level that Paid On Results does now.
It is always good to see an affiliate network come up with a more advanced tool (like the buy.at’s video linking tool too). Competition challenges other affiliate networks to grow, and their development is good for everyone involved: merchants, affiliates, outsourced program management agencies, and the networks themselves. Thank you for the setting the bar high, Paid On Results!
I really, really rate POR as a network.
The new deeplinking tool makes it super quick and easy to get your affiliate links sorted out as you are writing the content. Great for blogging, or just for impatient people like me who try to cram as much into a day as possible!
I love all their innovations (the deeplinking tool isn’t the only one) They are easy to work with and responsive. I don’t get support replies from any other networks at 2am!
Kirsty, thank you for chiming in. Great to have a user’s/affiliate’s testimonial like this under a post about a new tool.
Also, you’re not the first person I hear speak highly of PaidOnResults, their tools and support (so frequently lacking when you’re dealing with affiliate networks). In fact, the other two people were from competing UK affiliate networks. POR must be that good. Definitely something to be proud of.
Whilst its impressive to see networks bring out technologies to make deeplinking easier, considering that a majority of publishers work with 6 or more networks at the same time to get coverage of all merchants, its still an inefficient process.
I’m of course very biased, I’m CEO of Skimlinks.com, and we remove the need to even create your own deeplinks. Our publishers instead just include normal merchant URLs on their site, and we convert them into deeplinks only when they are clicked on. Ensures they are up to date and accurate, and we do it for 24 affiliate networks and 10,000 merchants.
There will always be affiliates who want to do it themselves and save a bit of money, but publishers should work out what their time is worth and what is the most value they can add to their business, and I suspect having editors create deeplinks is not important enough to keep manual and in-house.
Good points, Alicia. Skimlinks technology (and tools) is definitely in direct competition with network deep linking tools, and wins it in many cases, because of your work across different networks.
OK I can’t resist 🙂 Hey now we’ve had a custom link builder tool since 2005 as well. In fact our entire platform was designed that year with scalable emphasis on integrated tools & scripts…free to qualified merchants and Affiliates on a subscription basis…we’ve offered a large selection of tools since we opened for business.
We also have a FF add-on that provides tons of options for both merchants and Affiliates. But if you really want to check out some unique tools, read up on the ALE especially v2.. or our mobile apps.
Nice work as usual Geno, producing killer content in 2010 on Affiliate marketing! GM
Gary, thank you for chiming in. I’ll be honest with you, I had no clue AvantLink’s custom link builder has been around for that long too.
The FireFox add-on looks like something worth checking into as well.
Thanks again for your comment; and, as always, for your compliments. Both are much appreciated.