Always Make Sure Your Links Work Before Doing a Mail Out

I just received an email from Shoemoney about Zac Johnson’s new Six Figure Affiliate Blogging ebook. Like many affiliate marketers, Shoe cloaks his links behind a URL shortening service. I do that myself using the Ninja Affiliate WordPress plugin. Not only does this cloak the link but it also tracks the click rate as well.

Anyway, the bit.ly link Shoe used in his email wasn’t complete and went to a page not found. I guess Shoe didn’t bother to check the link to make sure it worked before he sent out the email. I told Shoe about it when I discovered the non working link. Then right after I told him, the evil light bulb went off. I should take Shoe’s bit.ly link and redirect it to Zac’s ebook using my affiliate ID!

However, it seems someone else had the same idea. Before I could go and make the link, Brian Evans took the link and used it to promote one of his products. Personally, I don’t think that’s cool. Shoe sent out an email about Zac’s book and the link is going to a completely different product. I wouldn’t have had a problem if Brain took the link and sent it to Zac’s book with his ID. But to take the link to promote a completely different product makes Shoe look bad. I’m sure Shoe’s getting a bunch of email replies saying the link doesn’t go to the book.

Moral of the story. Always make sure your links work before sending out that email!

Update: Got an email from Brian. It was one of his employees who jacked the link. The employee has been fired.