In a Business Bloomer Club Slack thread, members shared insights about Direct Link Tracking (DLT), a feature offered by AffiliateWP’s higher-tier plans. DLT allows affiliates to omit referral parameters in URLs, enabling a more natural linking experience.
However, given the significant cost difference—particularly for legacy users on AffiliateWP’s legacy plans—the decision to upgrade is complex. Here’s a deeper look into whether DLT is worth the investment, especially if you’re in the early stages of your affiliate program.
Pros and Cons of Direct Link Tracking
Pros:
- Increased Click-Through Rates (CTR): Links appear more organic without the referral parameter, potentially improving CTR on third-party sites.
- Professional Appeal: Natural links may enhance brand and affiliate content, appealing to audiences wary of obvious affiliate links.
Cons:
- Privacy Limitations: Browsers like Brave and privacy settings often block referrer data, potentially preventing tracking and reducing DLT’s effectiveness.
- Limited Use Cases: DLT works mainly when links are hosted on third-party websites. For links shared via social media, email, or messaging apps, the feature is less reliable.
- Cost Consideration: The Professional plan is notably more expensive, and with the price jumping to $749 per year after the Black Friday deal, the ROI should be carefully evaluated.
Alternative Approaches to Boost Affiliate Success
- Affiliate Training: Launch a structured affiliate program, providing affiliates with guidance on promotions and expected earnings to motivate active participation.
- Custom URLs & Masking Solutions: Many affiliates already use their own URL masking systems. Offering tutorials on using redirects or tools like Pretty Links may be a cost-effective alternative to DLT.
- Discount Codes: Providing affiliates with unique discount codes can simplify tracking, offer clear incentives, and allow conversions across platforms and browsers.
Conclusion
Direct Link Tracking could be beneficial if your affiliates primarily generate referrals from blog content or websites. However, it may not justify the expense if you’re still building your affiliate base. Starting with affiliate training and exploring custom URL masking might yield better results in the early stages. And if you’re interested in testing DLT’s impact, reaching out to colleagues who have higher-tier AffiliateWP plans may help you gauge its effectiveness in real scenarios.
