The Affiliate Link Encoder (ALE) is a tool that uses javascript to automatically change direct merchant links that appear in your website html into AvantLink.com Affiliate tracking links. The ALE javascript will detect and change direct links only for merchants that are in the AvantLink network.

This is a powerful tool for Bloggers, Forum Admins, and other community sites. It allows you or your community contributors to post direct links to any of the merchants you are associated with in the AvantLink Affiliate network and still earn a commission when a site visitor clicks on one of those links and buys from the merchant.

In this quick tutorial we are going to show you how to install the ALE javascript on a WordPress blog.

Get the Affiliate Link Encoder (ALE) code:

1. First, log into your Affiliate account, click on ‘Tools’ and then under ‘Ad/Link Tools’ click on ‘Affiliate Link Encoder’.
2. Choose the website you will be using the ALE code on, add a custom tracking code if you want, and click the ‘Get Html’ button.
3. Cut and paste the source code into a text editor or just leave it there and open another tab in your browser.

Install the code in your WordPress template:

1. Log into your WordPress admin interface.
2. Click on ‘Presentation’ and then ‘Theme Editor’.
3. On the right side of the page you’ll see a list of theme files. Click on the ‘Footer’ link.
4. In the source code form field, look for the closing </body> html tag.
5. Cut and paste your ALE javascript code in right before the closing </body> tag.
6. Save the changes and you’re done.

Now you can try creating a blog post and adding a direct link to one of your AvantLink merchants. You’ll notice that when you view the published article and rollover those links that they are Affiliate tracking encoded.

Scott & AvantLink