How To Manage Affiliate Links With ClickWhale WordPress Plugin
It can be a mess when you have many affiliate links.
The links are messy and long. You can’t track links at one place. And it’s hard to change several affiliate links at the same time.
That’s where an affiliate link manager like ClickWhale can be useful.
Let’s look at what ClickWhale can do and how you can use it to manage affiliate links on your website.
What is ClickWhale?
ClickWhale is a affiliate link manager that helps you shorten URLs and make them more readable.
This can be very useful to share the links to your readers, especially in a YouTube video. You can categorize the links into categories, so it’s better to keep track of them. And you can analyze the links to see how many clicks are going through.
If you promote several affiliate products or your own products, ClickWhale can be a useful too to make the links simpler to manage.
What are the key features of ClickWhale?
Link Manager
ClickWhale offers a powerful Link Manager for WordPress, enabling users to create branded, short links with various features such as different link types, custom URL slugs, click tracking, and UTM parameters.
Tracking Codes
ClickWhale supports the easy insertion of tracking codes and code snippets like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel directly on your website.
Link Pages
Users can create customizable Link Pages, making it easier to share content with followers on a single link. It is compatible with all social media platforms.
Detailed Statistics
The platform provides detailed and granular statistics, allowing users to analyze link performance comprehensively.
What are the benefits of using ClickWhale?
Better link management
With ClickWhale, you gain the power of centralized link management. All your links are conveniently organized within a single dashboard, simplifying the task of overseeing and maintaining your link portfolio.
Whether you need to add new links, edit existing ones, or categorize them for easy reference, ClickWhale’s user-friendly interface makes the process a breeze.
Create branded URLs
ClickWhale empowers you to transform those lengthy and perplexing affiliate links into short, memorable, and branded URLs. Say goodbye to those unwieldy web addresses that confuse users and clutter your content.
Instead, you can create custom links with a distinct identity, making your online presence more polished and professional. These branded links not only look more attractive to users but also contribute to your brand’s credibility.
Analyze links
Understanding how your links are performing is crucial for any online venture. ClickWhale steps in as your link analytics companion, providing you with valuable statistics about link engagement. Y
ou can track vital metrics such as the number of clicks on a specific link, allowing you to gauge the effectiveness of your content and marketing efforts. Armed with this data, you can make informed decisions to optimize your content strategy and boost your online presence.
How much does ClickWhale cost?
ClickWhale has a free version you can use to manage links, create link pages, and use tracking codes. The premium version costs $49 for one site, $99 for 3 sites, and $199 for 10 sites. This is an annual subscription that includes updates and support for the year.
The major difference with premium is you get detailed analytics, UTM campaign tracking, and unlimited link management. It’s a small investment that can yield significant results to enhance your online presence, optimizing your marketing efforts, and streamlining your link management tasks.
How to install the ClickWhale plugin
In the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins and select Add Plugins. Search for ClickWhale in the search. Install and activate the ClickWhale plugin.
How to use ClickWhale to add an affiliate link
Get the affiliate link of a product you promote
You can use any affiliate link you get from affiliate programs such as ClickBank, ShareASale, Impact Radius, etc. Don’t use links from Amazon Associates as it’s against their ToS to cloak links.
For this test, I am using my affiliate link for Cloudways hosting. As you can see, this is an ugly URL.
https://www.cloudways.com/en/?id=746379https://www.cloudways.com/en/?id=746379
Create the shortened brand link with ClickWhale
I will create a brand link using ClickWhale for the Cloudways hosting affiliate link I showed.
Go to the WordPress Dashboard. Go to ClickWhale and the Links tab. Click the Add New button to add a new link.
Give a title to the link.
Give a name to the slug. I use the format, “recommends/cloudways”.
In the Target URL, enter the affiliate link. So in my case it is https://www.cloudways.com/en/?id=746379.
Keep all the other settings as is. You can add a description to remind what this link is about.
Click the Save link button.
Use the shortened brand link in your content
Now whenever I want to promote Cloudways in my content or social media, I can use the brand link as below.
https://kevinrod.com/recommends/cloudways
This looks much more professional and is easy to remember. It’s also easy to change the target URL at one location without affecting the brand URL used in many places.
Go back to the list of links and you’ll see the newly created link added there.
How to use ClickWhale to create a category
You can create Categories with ClickWhale and assign links to the appropriate category.
Go to the Categories under ClickWhale in WordPress. Click Add New to add a new category.
Give a title to the category and click Save category.
Go back to the list of links and click on Edit for a particular link.
You’ll see the available categories under the Category section. Click on a category to assign it to the link. Then hit the Save link.
ClickWhale vs Pretty Links
While both plugins offer link management features, ClickWhale takes it a step further, providing you with a broader array of functionalities that truly set it apart.
One of the standout advantages that ClickWhale offers is the ability to categorize your links. This feature allows you to organize your links with ease, making it a breeze to keep your content structured and user-friendly.
Another valuable feature you’ll find with ClickWhale is the provision of customizable link pages. These link pages offer you a centralized and aesthetically pleasing platform for sharing your content with your audience.
ClickWhale goes a step further by allowing you to import third-party links. This is a game-changer for those who have an existing portfolio of links from other sources or plugins. It simplifies the transition to ClickWhale and ensures that you don’t have to start from scratch when migrating to this powerful link management tool.
Another critical aspect to consider when evaluating ClickWhale and Pretty Links is GDPR compliance. ClickWhale takes user privacy seriously and ensures GDPR compliance, offering you peace of mind and regulatory adherence.
ClickWhale as a Pretty Links alternative
Conclusion
I hope this post helped you know about ClickWhale, and how to use it to manage your affiliate links. If you need detailed statistics on clicks on your links, you’ll need to get the Pro version.
The next step is to install ClickWhale on your WordPress website and start adding links. If you are already using a link manager, ClickWhale will help you import those links.
I would recommend adding categories for each of these links so you can manage them better.
