Do you know what an affiliate link is? Do you know how they work?
In the blogging world an affiliate link is a link that has been encoded with a tracking cookie. The tracking cookie keeps track of money spent and applies it to the unique code that was clicked on. Then the company linked to applies a percentage of the sale to the blogger, a modern day commission sale.
When you are thinking about purchasing Product A, and then start-researching reviews of Product A. It’s great to find a blog where Product A is discussed. Bonus points if the blog really answers your questions. Then you decide to purchase “Product A”
Now you have a few choices:
A. Google price comparisons for “Product A” and make your purchase from the cheapest seller
OR
B. Purchase “Product A” for a slightly higher price through the affiliate link on the blog post. Of course I am assuming the blogger isn’t the cheapest price. Sometime they are.
Does it go against your grain to pay a little more for something? I know it does for me; every penny counts in my budget. But after spending a year running my own personal blog and hanging out with bloggers, I have learned the importance of these links. I have also learned the expense of money and time it takes to run a top notch blog.
Affiliate links have become the modern day way to stay thank you.
Before I purchase anything on-line I look for these links from bloggers who have blessed with me their words, freebies or giveaways. I want to encourage them to keep doing their job. If I am actually going to buy something from a company and they are willing to give a percentage of the sale as commission, I am more then willing to help them do that.
Are you turned off by affiliate links in blog posts? Do you even notice they are there?
This post was written by Stacy Lane for HomeschoolBlogging.com in 2013. It was updated, edited, and re-published in 2018 by Heather Bowen, HomeschoolBlogging.com owner.
