Affiliate since: 04/13/2012, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Andrew's 330 other Ask SC answers

LOL I love to answer this question because I have been around longer than most of these services and know the score in using them.

Reasons not to use them.

1. They look like you are hiding something. Why do you not want me to know where you are sending me? I know people who use them to mask viruses and phishing sites that are set up to steal my identity so why should I believe anything behind these redirected links is good for me and my family. Heck I have even had shrunken links tell me I was going to Amazon.com and the site I landed on was more like AmazonMigetPorn.com

2. They look unprofessional. If you are serious about your business why don't you have your own domain name and website? Why is it important to hide the name of your supposedly honest and upstanding business opportunity?

3. Affiliate links are already a re-direct link. A URL shrinking or masking service is also a redirect. People with McAffee Anti Virus and a number other anti phishing softwares get a warning that says this site may contain a virus or put your personal information at risk when the scan detects a double redirect. The anti-virus simply can't see that the page goes to SFI, you put two links ahead of the final destination and it now looks dangerous.

4. You look like someone who is ready to be fitted with a tin foil cap spouting all this nonsense about people stealing your commissions out of malice. Not only does this seldom actually happen because of the security measures affiliate programs have in place but masking the link doesn't stop this behavior from the few who do wish to cut you out of commissions. If I want to do this, remove your referral ID and just sign up with SFI I can click the shrunken url, find the name of the page, delete all cookies and browser history or use a separate computer, and go directly to the gateway with no sponsor. In the case of SFI it will still assign me to someone who has PSA-To-Go or S-Builder purchased so I have gained nothing and all you have lost is someone too dishonest to ever be successful.

5. Business cards look great with my domain name, OK with a prestige domain, and still have some appeal with an affiliate link, but they send those same shady business vibes to card holders when you try to use a shrunken URL on them.

6. If the site deletes or blocks your account or is sold off, or otherwise closes you could be in a spot where you have 10,000 active ads this month and 10,000 worthless ads with broken links that make you look bad next month. 10,000 ads takes a long time to put in place. It might have taken you 2-3 years to get them all up and develop a system for renewing them on time. More time to add tracking codes to them and track results to see which ones are working and which waste time and BAM all of that is gone with the stroke of a delete key.

7. If you are still thinking of using them because most SFI gateways are blocked for SPAM you may get a shock. If you are using tools like Facebook Auto Poster and blog comment blasters, FFA pages, etc.. These cloaked links will still get blocked and when it happens you will not know any faster or save one minute changing links. You will also not have learned anything about marketing and will still be a spammer when you add a gateway to the next cloaking service.

8. Your own domain and website has SEO or search engine optimization values. It can be ranked and gain inbound links, and move up to page 1 of Google in time. You can add content to it and create more points of access to your page, and get a ton of free and targeted search traffic. You can even build an e-mail list to re-market to people you exposed your business to who were not ready to join yet. You can't do any of that with a cloaked URL.

On the good side for them I don't really have anything.

They only delay negative action on criminal behavior, and build distrust in the industry. They are dishonest and dangerous and even you don't know what kind of malware the provider may pass on with your links. I wouldn't trust my reputation to them nor that of SFI, and think nothing but red flags and that common sense should say don't use them.

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LOL I love to answer this question because I have been around longer than most of these services and know the score in using them.

Reasons not to use them.

1. They look like you are hiding something. Why do you not want me to know where you are sending me? I know people who use them to mask viruses and phishing sites that are set up to steal my identity so why should I believe anything behind these redirected links is good for me and my family. Heck I have even had shrunken
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Affiliate since: 08/16/2014, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Vijayan's 63 other Ask SC answers

Dear Friend,

Problems with Cloaked or Masked URL Redirection:-

Cloaked redirection is usually implemented by registrars and free URL redirection services by creating a dummy web page with a feature known as "frames". When your visitors type in your domain name, that dummy web page loads. The dummy web page is basically an empty page, with only the title of your site, supplied by you, possibly some meta tag information (also supplied by you), and either a "frame" or "iframe" (inline frame) that loads the real page from your website.

In general, frames are problematic beasts laden with usability, linking and search engine issues.

1) Usability
Depending on how the registrar has implemented the redirection facility, and how you have coded your own website, it is possible that by using cloaked redirection, your visitors may no longer be able to bookmark individual pages on your website. Even if they navigate to a page they like, and try to put the link into their "Favourites" ("favorites" in US English), all they will be doing is bookmarking your main domain address.

No doubt some of you are thinking that it doesn't really matter, since they have bookmarked your site anyway. Think again. One month down the line, when they click the bookmark and end up at your main page, they won't remember why they put it in their favourites in the first place since the page will not have the familiar content that led them to bookmark it. They'll simply delete the bookmark and move on. Driving users to a page they don't want to go is pointless.

2) Links to Your Website
Connected with the problem of bookmarking is the issue of how other sites are going to link to your pages. If you have compelling content on your site, many websites will want to link to the exact page that they found useful. Webmasters are more resourceful than your average user, so they will not be satisfied with the address they see in their browser address bar: one look and they will realise that your site has frames. They will then look for the real, correct URL to the specific page they want to link to and use that instead.

If your internal links to other pages on your site are coded so that they point to your actual address at your free web host, then websites that link to those pages will also point their links in the same way, that is, not at your domain name, but with your real URL.

This is a problem because when you change web hosts, you will lose all those links pointing at your site.

3) Search Engines
Your site is also unlikely to perform as well as it could in the search engines. Part of the problem is that even if there are links from other sites pointing directly to your domain, driving the search engine robots to your site, those links will point to the dummy web page set up by your domain name registrar. This is a problem, because, if you will recall, that dummy web page has no content for search engines to index.

As I mentioned in another article on search engine ranking, in order for your site to rank well for particular words or phrases, those words or phrases need to be present on your website.

When you use cloaked domain redirection, all your content is associated with your free web host's URL, not your own.

Hope it helps! Wish you good luck!!
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Dear Friend,

Problems with Cloaked or Masked URL Redirection:-

Cloaked redirection is usually implemented by registrars and free URL redirection services by creating a dummy web page with a feature known as "frames". When your visitors type in your domain name, that dummy web page loads. The dummy web page is basically an empty page, with only the title of your site, supplied by you, possibly some meta tag information (also supplied by you), and either a "frame"
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Affiliate since: 08/29/2023, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Osaro's 206 other Ask SC answers

In most cases, webmasters want to use a cloaked redirection for their own domain because they have already set up a website on a free web host that does not provide domain name hosting, which means that the webmasters are not able to direct their domain name to their site the way others do. They avoid this problem by providing an option where they redirect your visitors to your real URL when they type in your domain name. Cloaked or masked URL redirection occurs when a visitor is unable to ascertain from their browser's address bar that they have been sent to a different URL.

With the way this redirection is configured, it may be difficult for your visitors to be able to bookmark particular pages on your website, instead they end up bookmarking your main domain address. As a consequence, other sites that find valuable content in your website and want to link to some particular pages may not like what shows up in their own browser and may require the exact url as a result.

However, if your internal links to other pages are coded in such a way as to point to your actual address at your free web host, then websites that link to those pages will not point their links at your domain name, but at your real URL. This becomes a problem because you will lose all those links pointing to your site, when you change web host.

lastly, your site will not perform very well in search engines like Google and the likes, because the link pointing to your sites will be directed to dummy web page associated with the cloaking software. Dummy pages are bad for search engine optimization (SEO)because of the absence of your key words and also note that in cloaked redirection, all your content is connected to you free web host url and not your own.
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In most cases, webmasters want to use a cloaked redirection for their own domain because they have already set up a website on a free web host that does not provide domain name hosting, which means that the webmasters are not able to direct their domain name to their site the way others do. They avoid this problem by providing an option where they redirect your visitors to your real URL when they type in your domain name. Cloaked or masked URL redirection occurs when a visitor is unable to ascertain
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Affiliate since: 05/03/2002, Power Rank: 322 | Read Mar's 582 other Ask SC answers

One of the main advantages of using link cloaking software is to help you convert long and ugly affiliate links into short and elegant ones for aesthetic and SEO purposes. It makes use of redirects to hide affiliate links in order to increase conversion rates.

If you want to hide your affiliate links from your prospects and avoid Page Rank leakage and at the same time be able to use your cloaked affiliate links in social media sites, then use link cloaker software.

When you cloak your affiliate links, you have the option of either giving up all control over your links to a third party link shrinking service or roll out your own php script/apache directives through link cloaking software.

Here are the most common known drawbacks of using link cloaking software:

- Rolling out your own redirection software will require considerable amount of time (even if you have the technical know how to do this). It can be difficult to manage and is usually very difficult to track.

- Generally cloaking means you’re hiding your links form from Google search bots and also from the spam filters. Google disapproves this, because it’s misleading.

- When using Email marketing, cloaking your links is considered to be fraud related and should be avoided where possible to get your emails in your prospect’s inbox. It only makes sense emails with links to your website/blog.

- When your prospects visit the pages of your website through cloaked link, they may not be able to get back to the individual pages they like, because when they bookmark a page each time, they’re always saving your main domain address (your site main page) in their “favorites.” What will happen is that, after a certain time that your prospects would like to get back to the content of your website to review and would not be able to find it or remember why they bookmark, because the content they’re looking for is not found in the main page of your site, but on the other pages.

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One of the main advantages of using link cloaking software is to help you convert long and ugly affiliate links into short and elegant ones for aesthetic and SEO purposes. It makes use of redirects to hide affiliate links in order to increase conversion rates.

If you want to hide your affiliate links from your prospects and avoid Page Rank leakage and at the same time be able to use your cloaked affiliate links in social media sites, then use link cloaker software.

When you
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Affiliate since: 08/06/2012, Power Rank: 249 | Read Ronilo's 408 other Ask SC answers

Link cloaking is a method of hiding the real URL and replaced it with shorter and more prettier URL. This is practice by many internet marketers. So in general, it is used for the advantage of the marketers. The drawbacks are on the owner of the affiliate program.

Link cloaking is done online, through websites who are offering this service either free or paid depending on the quality of cloaking you want. Or you can do it by a software.

The draw back of using a software are:

1. Often it contains additional ads embedded in the software.

2. There are reports that your affiliates ID are changed, by thieves.

3. There are reports that generated URL do not work properly.

Be sure to check these drawbacks before using the link cloaking software.

As I said Link cloacking is used for the advantage of the affiliates.Affiliates, practice link cloaking for a number of reasons:

1. It’s a consumer-friendly if you use URL about the product you are selling.

2. To hide the affiliate’s identity. affiliate links conotes earning commission from the readers so its a big turn off for them to click.

3. To protect against commission hijacking.

4. To boost quality search engine score for affiliate page.

5. Tracking: It is easier for the affiliate to track clicks and visitors when using its own URL.

The disadvantages is on the owner of the affiliate program because, When affiliates cloak their URLs a problem can arise for the owner who are trying to keep track on where and how their affiliates are advertising. Cloaking makes it harder to determine the source of the traffic, and to view the affiliate’s ID in the URL string.

SFI however use the ID number+keycode to track visitors. So, I don't hear prohibiting its affiliates to use cloaking.
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Link cloaking is a method of hiding the real URL and replaced it with shorter and more prettier URL. This is practice by many internet marketers. So in general, it is used for the advantage of the marketers. The drawbacks are on the owner of the affiliate program.

Link cloaking is done online, through websites who are offering this service either free or paid depending on the quality of cloaking you want. Or you can do it by a software.

The draw back of using a software are:

1.
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Affiliate since: 07/02/2024, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Williams's 638 other Ask SC answers

Some of the drawbacks of using link cloaking software will depend on the quality of the service you use. Sometimes cloaking software strips away the cookie needed the track the sale to the affiliate. To be sure that this is not happening to you be sure that you are not logged into your account and possible clear all of your cookies then click on your tracking link to see if it takes you to where you need to be. If you go to a generic site that doesn't have your affiliate information on the site then the cookie was stripped by the software. Use another service.

Another drawback of a cloaking link is that you can't use it in google ads. You must have a registered domain. Now if your domain tracks your traffic and stats then great and most offer something in this area. Some cloaking software is client side meaning it has to run as an extension to your browser or from your desktop. All of these will compromise your computers performance in my experience and often time great slow your internet browsing experience. Otherwise, the quality cloakers offer useful data about your traffic without compromising security or performance.
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Some of the drawbacks of using link cloaking software will depend on the quality of the service you use. Sometimes cloaking software strips away the cookie needed the track the sale to the affiliate. To be sure that this is not happening to you be sure that you are not logged into your account and possible clear all of your cookies then click on your tracking link to see if it takes you to where you need to be. If you go to a generic site that doesn't have your affiliate information on the site
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Affiliate since: 02/24/2014, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Derek's 210 other Ask SC answers

The main drawback of using link cloaking software is some people see a cloaking link and won't click on it because they are wondering what you are trying to hide. Many internet users will not click on bit.ly and tinyurl links because they are sometimes used by spammers.

These do have the facility of checking your click through rates.

In the case of links for Twitter or Facebook you need to have a cloaked link to get past the spam engines these companies employ.

By far the best way to cloak links is by using your own blog or website. This not only gets your links shown anywhere on the internet, but it also adds to your website or blog rankings.

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The main drawback of using link cloaking software is some people see a cloaking link and won't click on it because they are wondering what you are trying to hide. Many internet users will not click on bit.ly and tinyurl links because they are sometimes used by spammers.

These do have the facility of checking your click through rates.

In the case of links for Twitter or Facebook you need to have a cloaked link to get past the spam engines these companies employ.

By
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Affiliate since: 05/05/2004, Power Rank: 320 | Read Robertson's 212 other Ask SC answers

Link cloaking software is provided by free URL redirection services. It involves creating a dummy web page with a feature known as “frames”. When your visitors type in your domain name, the dummy web page loads. It is basically and empty page with the title of your site and a frame that loads the real webpage from your website.

The drawbacks of using link cloaking software are as follows:

By using a cloaked redirection your readers may not be able to bookmark your page
.
If you have good content many websites will want to link to your exact page. One look at the address they see at the browser address bar they will realise that your site has frames and they will not be satisfied with the address.

Your site is unlikely to perform well in the search engines because a dummy web page has no content for search engines to index.


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Link cloaking software is provided by free URL redirection services. It involves creating a dummy web page with a feature known as “frames”. When your visitors type in your domain name, the dummy web page loads. It is basically and empty page with the title of your site and a frame that loads the real webpage from your website.

The drawbacks of using link cloaking software are as follows:

By using a cloaked redirection your readers may not be able to bookmark your page
.
If
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Affiliate since: 09/16/2014, Power Rank: 99999999 | Read Kazhiyur's 49 other Ask SC answers

There might be several drawbacks to using link cloaking software for various purposes particularly for advertising and marketing areas. Some of the main drawbacks are furnished here-in-below for easy reference and knowledge of those affiliates who lack adequate knowledge about them.

(a) There might be a severe lapse in the security of information that is transmitted from the sender to the receiver.

(b) The link cloaking software may not be strong enough to withstand the viral and hacking attacks.

(c) There may be a breakage or unreadable or undecipherable mixture of the content that is being transmitted.

(d) The Servers which are transmitting and receiving such link cloaking software may also be infested with various kinds of viruses, as a result there may be deficiency of efficiency or complete breakage of its functioning.

(e) The usage of same link cloaking software may not be possible for long duration of time since it is basically illegal and are prone to viruses and hacking.

(f) Keeping in mind the above point, it becomes necessary to create new link cloaking softwares very frequently which might be arduous and costly affair.

The above furnished drawbacks are the important once that are provided for the benefit of all readers.


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There might be several drawbacks to using link cloaking software for various purposes particularly for advertising and marketing areas. Some of the main drawbacks are furnished here-in-below for easy reference and knowledge of those affiliates who lack adequate knowledge about them.

(a) There might be a severe lapse in the security of information that is transmitted from the sender to the receiver.

(b) The link cloaking software may not be strong enough to withstand the viral
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Affiliate since: 12/31/1969, Power Rank: 99999999

Link cloaking can be very useful.

Take a situation where someone reads your blog or website and thinks that SFI is appealing, but dislikes something else about you, or your site. They then hover over your link and see that it ends in an 8-digit number, so they correctly assume this is your referral ID. They may decide to copy your link to Notepad or something, remove that number, and then copy the resulting link (without your ID) into their browser, hoping they will then be signing up directly with the company.

Many companies would assign a direct sign-up like that to one of their most productive affiliates, which might mean the new sign-up receives better support from their sponsor than those who sign up under an inexperienced sponsor.

If your link is cloaked, it is much harder to do that.

The main drawback is that some cloaking programs cause conflicts with key codes you are using in your link, so tracking where your results are coming from might be harder.

A better solution is to use a program that both cloaks and tracks for you. You just need to make sure you can identify which of your ads is associated with which cloaked link.


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Link cloaking can be very useful.

Take a situation where someone reads your blog or website and thinks that SFI is appealing, but dislikes something else about you, or your site. They then hover over your link and see that it ends in an 8-digit number, so they correctly assume this is your referral ID. They may decide to copy your link to Notepad or something, remove that number, and then copy the resulting link (without your ID) into their browser, hoping they will then be signing up
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