AvantLink: The Datafeed People! Likely the most powerful tool we provide is our Web Service Datafeed Client, one of three options we offer Affiliates for publishing a merchant’s catalog. The other two include raw flat files that can be customized to Affiliate’s needs, and a JavaScript version that’s basically plug-n-play. This article is about the web service version, but more information and discussion on all three options may be found on our ABestWeb Datafeed Manager v3.0 thread, or the Datafeed Options thread.

Although a bit more complex, Affiliates who have mid-level web publishing skills should have no problem with the configuration, installation and template customization of the web service datafeed client. Once configured, the next step is to download and extract the client (we suggest using WinZip). The extracted files are a suite of PHP files, nothing more, that talk to AvantLink to serve up real-time product data.

There are several benefits of using this client including:

1. All pricing and inventory displayed on Affiliate sites will be accurate and up-to-date…it’s dynamic. Of course, this has a direct correlation with good conversion and it also helps to protect sensitive brands.
2. Once the web service datafeed client has been installed and customized, it’s literally hands off. This frees up Affiliate’s time to create unique content, network affect and other traffic drivers for their business.
3. The output content is basic HTML and fully spiderable by search engine spiders. This dynamic, yet indexible content helps Affiliates get their web pages scanned, indexed and ranked favorably…a huge limitation of the JavaScript version.

Perhaps one of the most powerful applications of this tool can be found on legacy authority sites that are not yet embracing the power of their reach in terms of Affiliate marketing. These are the web publishers who have spent years building content and archives about a specific area of interest…and ironically, they aren’t even active Affiliate marketers. In essence, this creates a whole new catagory of potential performing Affiliates that program managers can target in their recruitment efforts.

A good example can be found on HomeTips.com. They worked with us to install relevant ToolKing categories using this tool and it has become a valuable revenue stream for the site in just one year (check out the application of the Toolking feed and the PageRank!!). This is because HomeTips did the hard work over the years. They built the content, they got the following, and they established themselves as the authority in the home improvement category. Once they installed the dynamic web service feed, it was just a matter of linking up the ‘Store’ from their navigation and they were back to what they do best and that is writing home improvement articles and advice columns.

Of course, savvy and experienced Affiliate marketers can also benefit from a product that delivers real-time, dynamic, up-to-date and accurate pricing, inventory and sale items!

Are you interested in a tool like this to monetize content on your site? To sign up for a dynamic datafeed subscription simply login to your Affiliate account and click ‘Tools’ from the main menu, then under Datafeed Manager select ‘Sign-up for new datafeeds’.

If you’re not yet an active Affiliate in AvantLink you can apply here.

Happy Converting
Gary & AvantLink