Affiliate Links

[domainguy]

I've been asked to setup a wordpress template for someone, with their aim being to create a blog type site but add in affiliate links to amazon and various affiiates for products. Would you suggest putting the site up with just the blog articles initially or go straight in including affiliate links? I can 301 them but still concerned on ranking.

 

[ZeroDouble]

If you use 302 redirects in place of your affiliate links from the outset it wont make any difference if you include them, especially if you put them in a folder (i.e. /out/ ) and block it with robots.txt (essentially, 'no following' all the affiliate redirects / links).

If the offers change for whatever reason, then your client will also be able to change all the link paths with a simple edit to .htaccess, instead of having to pick through all the relevant pages, changing each link one by one.

My main concern would be ensuring that your client understands that they need to create something of perceived value to the user, so that google won't eventually come along and slap it for thin (affiliate) content.

 

[domainguy]

Thanks. They plan to do half page or more blog posts on a subject then have a link to a book or product. Just a pocket money thing I believe. it's a niche area.

 

[StevePoster]

Ideally, an affiliate link must have a support with an established blog site then the content pages will provide an engagement to the target users in which they will find the product interesting and helpful.