In this guide, we'll show you how to add affiliate links to Shopify store while keep in mind not to violate any terms of services, and also set your link to "nofollow".
Step 1 - Find The Right Affiliate Programs
As an experienced affiliate marketer, you probably know exactly which products you want to promote on your Shopify store.
Many choose Amazon for promoting most physical products, as it offers an extensive selection across various categories. Alternatively, you can explore Avantlink, which showcases a diverse array of companies with products ranging from auto care products and camping gear to solar panel repairs.
Keep in mind, though, if a particular product you want to recommend doesn't have an affiliate program, you won't be able to promote it as an affiliate.
Check out top affiliate networks here
Step 2 - Generate Affiliate Link
As an experienced web site builder and affiliate, I understand the importance of generating clean and efficient affiliate links. It's important to craft clean and efficient affiliate links that'll complement the products you're already selling on your Shopify store.
Trust me, it's easier than you think!
For Amazon Affiliate, simply use the site strip to whip up your affiliate link for the specific product you're promoting. But remember, don't cloak those Amazon links - that's against their terms of service, and we don't want any trouble!
Now, when it comes to other affiliate programs, I highly recommend using a link shortener. One of my go-to tools is Pretty Links. It's perfect for new marketers who want to turn those long, unattractive affiliate links into sleek, memorable, and shareable URLs.
What's really cool about Pretty Links is that it not only enhances the visual appeal of your links, but it also comes with some sweet features, like QR code generation and custom branded link creation.
By integrating Pretty Links into your website, you're basically turning it into a powerful URL shortening platform that'll boost your online marketing strategies and skyrocket your earning potential.
If you're looking for some step-by-step guidance on generating affiliate links for platforms like AvantLink, CJ Commission, Impact, and others, just click here, and I'll walk you through it here
Step 3 - Add Affiliate Links To Shopify
By following these steps, you'll be able to easily add "nofollow" affiliate links to your Shopify store.
Step 1: Log in to your Shopify store First things first, go ahead and log in to your Shopify store's admin dashboard. You'll need access to the backend to start adding those affiliate links.
Step 2: Choose a product or page to add the link Now, decide on the product or page where you want to place the affiliate link. You can add affiliate links to product descriptions, blog posts, or even create a dedicated page for your recommendations.
Step 3: Edit the content If you're adding the link to a product description or blog post, click on "Products" or "Blog Posts" from the main dashboard menu, respectively. Then, select the item you want to edit, and click on the "Edit" button.
Step 4: Insert the affiliate link In the editor, highlight the text or image you want to turn into an affiliate link. Click on the "Insert link" button (it looks like a chain link) in the formatting toolbar. A pop-up will appear where you can paste your affiliate link into the "Link" field.
Step 5: Make the link "nofollow" To make the link "nofollow," click on the "Edit HTML" button in the lower right corner of the link pop-up. In the HTML code, locate the opening of the link tag, which looks like this: <a href="your-affiliate-link">.
Right after the URL, add rel="nofollow" so the tag now looks like this: <a href="your-affiliate-link" rel="nofollow">. Click "Save" to close the HTML editor, and then click "Insert link" to add the nofollow affiliate link.
Using a "nofollow" tag on affiliate links is recommended as it tells search engines not to follow that link when crawling your website. The primary reason for doing this is to ensure that your website does not get penalized for "spammy" or low-quality links that may be associated with the affiliate offer.
If you don't add the nofollow attribute to your affiliate links, search engines may view these links as endorsements of the product or service being promoted. This can potentially harm your website's ranking if the affiliate offer is low-quality or violates search engine guidelines.
Step 6: Save your changes Don't forget to save your work! Click the "Save" button in the top-right corner of the editor to ensure your changes take effect.
Step 7: Preview and test the link Finally, it's always a good idea to preview your work and test the affiliate link. Visit the page or product on your live site, click the link, and make sure it directs visitors to the correct affiliate offer.
Step 4 - Track Click Performance
Shopify itself does not offer a built-in, comprehensive link tracking feature that specifically covers metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate for affiliate links. However, Shopify does provide basic analytics on store performance, such as total sales, online store sessions, and returning customer rates.
To track affiliate link performance, you can use third-party tools or apps available in the Shopify App Store. Some popular options include Google Analytics, which can help you track CTR, and affiliate tracking apps like Affiliatly, Refersion, or Post Affiliate Pro, which provide more in-depth metrics, including conversion rates.
Read Related Content : How to add affiliate links to Pinterest