When you browse social media, you’ll notice numerous influencers marketing using their Shopify affiliate link. All they want you to do is use their link to buy the product they recommend.
This ‘Link,’ also known as a referral link, is at the core of affiliate marketing. Affiliates receive their unique link for affiliate programs they have signed up for. This will simplify the tracking of affiliate sales and revenue.
Explore this blog to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Shopify affiliate link, ranging from its structure and creation to its promotion. This knowledge will empower you to optimize your affiliate marketing campaigns in Shopify effectively.
Simplify affiliate link creation and management with Afflr for effortless affiliate marketing campaign
What is a Shopify affiliate link?
A Shopify affiliate link is a URL that is assigned to affiliate partners once they sign up for an affiliate program. Affiliates can share this link with their social circle to use when purchasing the products they endorse.
An affiliate or referral link used in Shopify is unique to every affiliate marketer. It is tracked to find out when they make a successful affiliate sale. This can help calculate the affiliate commissions owed to individual affiliates based on their contribution to sales.
Through this process, affiliates receive due credit for their efforts. By using a Shopify app for affiliate marketing to rack these affiliate links, a transparent process takes place.
An affiliate code is similar to an affiliate link. It acts as a distinct identifier for affiliates. It is often used for offline or phone orders and sometimes offers discounts during checkout. Both the referral link and code facilitate tracking and crediting affiliates for referrals.
The structure of an Affiliate link in Shopify
The structure of an Affiliate link in Shopify looks like a simple URL on the surface level. However, each element of the link has a separate meaning and has its purpose for tracking a Shopify affiliate link.
The general structure:
https://www.shopify.com?ref=affiliateID
Each parameter has its unique function.
- www.shopify.com: will hold the domain of the Shopify store that created the affiliate program
- ?ref=: denotes from where the link is originated
- affiliateID: It is the unique ID that is specific to an affiliate partner
How does an Affiliate link for Shopify works?
The affiliate link for Shopify works in a very simple way. This process can be explained in four simple steps.
- When a user clicks a link, they’re directed to a product or service page.
- If the user completes a specific action, such as making a purchase or downloading an app, the system tracks this activity.
- Then, the sale is assigned to the respective affiliate marketer.
- Subsequently, the affiliate receives a commission for the referral.
What is cookie duration in affiliate marketing?
When a user visits a website via an affiliate link but leaves without making a purchase, the Affiliate cookie retains this information.
Upon their next visit to the affiliate website to make a purchase, the user is automatically redirected using the link. The sale is attributed to the particular affiliate marketer.
The period until when information related to the link of an affiliate like customer IP, affiliate details, etc is retained by the website is called cookie duration. The Shopify owners can set cookie duration for their affiliate program. By default, cookie duration is set to 30 days.
Affiliate link tracking in Afflr will enable easy monitoring of affiliate sales and commissions
How to create a Shopify Affiliate link?
To create a Shopify affiliate link, you can use an affiliate marketing app. Each affiliate requires a unique link which will be managed throughout the program to track sales and commissions accurately.
There are various affiliate marketing apps in Shopify to automate this process, simplifying the creation and management of links for any affiliate network size.
Afflr is a user-friendly Shopify app for affiliate marketing. It can help create an affiliate program with a few clicks. The app will assign a link dynamically on the creation of an affiliate and meticulously record the affiliate sales.
Afflr requires zero manual intervention. Every process involved with affiliate marketing can be automated with this app. Afflr is an easy and affordable solution for affiliate link creation and management.
Create an affiliate link for the Shopify store
It is easy to create an affiliate link for the Shopify store with Afflr. When you add an affiliate through Afflr, both affiliate code and link are instantly generated.
Additionally, you have the option to customize the affiliate code to align with branding and marketing strategies. This will increase the efficiency of every Shopify affiliate link and enhance overall marketing efforts.
Access your affiliate link
To access your affiliate link, Afflr gives two options:
(i) Access by admin
(ii) Access by affiliate
Afflr provides comprehensive information about Shopify affiliates, including their dedicated Shopify affiliate link and code.
From the Affiliate tab on the Afflr dashboard, admins can conveniently review and manage this information. This will help ease the monitoring of the affiliate network.
Each affiliate is provided with a personalized affiliate portal, showcasing important performance metrics alongside their respective Shopify affiliate link.
This dedicated dashboard empowers affiliates to track their progress effectively and optimize their strategies for maximum results.
Monitor the affiliate link
By monitoring the Shopify affiliate link, we can optimize the affiliate program to maximize its efficiency.
When a link is associated with a specific affiliate program, it becomes invalid once that program expires. Only when the affiliate is assigned to a new program do sales made through the link become valid again.
With this feature, Afflr eliminates the need for brands to manually manage the validity of the link.
Edit an affiliate’s link and code
Afflr lets you edit your affiliate code whenever you want to customize it based on affiliate program requirements. Subsequently, the affiliate link will also be changed.
Best practices for using Affiliate links in Shopify
The best practices for using Affiliate links in Shopify will help optimize the affiliate program and increase efficiency.
1. Optimal Use of the Links:
Avoid excessive utilization of links. Use it strategically where it addresses the pain points of the audience. Seamlessly integrate the referral link in the narration of your recommendation rather than saturating content.
2. Shorten your link:
From the audience’s perspective, a complex Shopify affiliate link may be confusing. Simplifying links or using descriptive hyperlinks enhances comprehension and user experience.
3. Use Affiliate marketing automation tools:
To view and understand the analytics behind a affiliate link, using an affiliate marketing app will be the easiest option. These apps streamline link creation, management, and monitoring, facilitating efficient affiliate and referral marketing in Shopify.
4. Regular Review Performance:
By constantly tracking how the link performs, you can optimize the approach toward the affiliate program to maximize the monetization of the referral link. Understanding the kind of audience inclined towards clicking the link and their preferred affiliate marketing platforms helps to make strategic decisions to increase success.
5. Strategic placement:
The placement of the affiliate and referral links must be strategic for higher conversions. It should be visible to the audience, easy to access, and in the form of a hyperlink so that with a simple click they will be directed to the affiliate website.
6. Affiliate link promotion:
Reaching the right audience is pivotal for the success of an affiliate program in Shopify. So, it is important to promote the link in social media, blogs, affiliate websites, podcasts, email marketing, newsletters, etc. Widely distributing the Shopify affiliate link across platforms ensures broad reach and visibility.
The following screenshot is an example of an affiliate marketer promoting referral links and codes.
7. Be Transparent:
Transparency is the key to earning trust. Disclose to your audience when using a referral link. Inform your audience about your participation in an affiliate program and that you may earn an affiliate commission from the purchases made through the link. This builds trust and demonstrates ethical practices to your audience.
Benefits of affiliate link for Shopify
The benefits of affiliate links that can contribute to the success of your affiliate marketing campaign are:
- Provide authenticity: A proper link with the store’s domain will build trust in the Shopify affiliate link. More people will be willing to click on the link to explore the affiliate program.
- SEO validation: Having a dedicated affiliate or referral link will encourage more bloggers and other website owners to mention the brand name and link. This will increase the SEO rank of the brand.
- Reduce workload: Using affiliate marketing apps in Shopify to create referral links will provide means to manage and track the link. This will reduce manual work and save time.
- Easy promotion: It is easy to promote the referral link through affiliate marketers to a wider set of audience. This will increase the reach of the business.
Custom affiliate links can help you build trust and increase your click rate. Afflr can help customize your links and code.
Conclusion
Creating and monitoring a Shopify affiliate link effectively is crucial for the success of any affiliate marketing program. Stay ahead of the competition by using affiliate marketing automation tools to create and monitor the links. This will help in building the store’s reach and revenue.
This blog provides significant insights into best practices for handling affiliate links for Shopify, helping you to achieve optimal success in your e-commerce marketing campaign.
Further Reading
- Ultimate Guide to Shopify Affiliate Marketing
- How to Create an Affiliate Program in Your Shopify Store
- 10 Best Shopify Affiliate Marketing Apps
- How can Referral Marketing in Shopify benefit your store?
You can get your affiliate link by signing up for an affiliate program through an affiliate marketing app. Upon approval, you’ll find your unique link in your affiliate portal dashboard.
Yes, affiliate links can pay commissions or referral fees when someone purchases through the link. The amount varies depending on the affiliate program and the terms agreed upon.
To use affiliate links, simply incorporate them into affiliate marketing platforms such as blog posts, social media posts, or emails. When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.
Affiliate income refers to the earnings generated by promoting products or services through links. You can earn affiliate commissions for driving sales or traffic through these unique links.
Affiliate links are good for both affiliate marketers and brands. Affiliates have the opportunity to earn passive income by promoting products or services they believe in. On the other hand, brands can increase sales and widen their reach.
Yes, Shopify allows affiliate links. Brands can set up affiliate programs to partner with affiliates to promote their products and services.
Shopify affiliates typically get paid through commissions earned from sales made through their links. Payments are often regular and can be received via various payment methods.
You can promote your affiliate links for free on various platforms such as social media, blogs, websites, forums, YouTube, and email newsletters.
