LinkShare : Affiliate Resource Center

LinkShare DRM FAQ's

Are LinkShare DRM links rich media links? Do I need to do anything different to use LinkShare DRM links? Will my users be able to view them? How are they updated? Can I use more than one on a page?

We address these FAQ's below. We've broken them up into General, Code & Authoring, and Users & Usability.

> General

What exactly is a LinkShare DRM link, and how is it different from a traditional link?
Think of LinkShare DRM as a method of creating and serving links, rather than one specific link type, such as a banner or text link. It frees merchants from the constraints of traditional links, which feature one image or just text and one link. Rather, a merchant can create a link that more effectively merchandises its products or services.

Merchants can create a wide variety of links using LinkShare DRM, but "links" is really a simplified term. A merchant is essentially given the ability to code and design anything from a simple link to a full page and syndicate that to you. For example, a merchant may create an interactive search tool or syndicate a list of the top five products or promotions available with multiple links to different pages all within one LinkShare DRM link. And since all LinkShare DRM links can be dynamically updated by merchants, these links can be changed over time to reflect the most current information, promotions, coupons, discounts, or sales available.

Thus, "what it is" is truly defined by the merchant, not by LinkShare. We give merchants flexibility to create better links and merchandising tools for you that they update for you. In short, LinkShare DRM makes it easier for merchants and you to merchandise to consumers. It saves you time and synchronizes your promotions with merchants' sites.

Is there such a thing as a standard LinkShare DRM link?
As we've just described above, merchants are free to design nearly any kind of link, whether traditional or interactive. So, there is no such thing as a standard or typical LinkShare DRM link.

Do LinkShare DRM links use rich media, such as Flash?
It depends on what the merchant has created. As of October 2003, there might only be one merchant with a LinkShare DRM link featuring Flash. We encourage our merchants not to focus on the "rich media" capabilities that tend to help raise brand-awareness, but rather to build tools that will increase conversion. We also encourage merchants to describe their links in-depth, since each link could be very different from any other. Please see a link's description to see if it may have Flash. If you are in doubt, you can contact the merchant. Most of our merchants using LinkShare DRM are Premium Partners and respond to inquiries quickly.

How long does it take for a LinkShare DRM link to load? Is it slower than a normal link (e.g. banner, product link, text link)?
This also depends on what the link is. For a smaller LinkShare DRM link, such as a simple dynamic text link or banner, the load time should be generally no slower than a small traditional banner. For a more complex link like a full page by Overstock.com or a reservation tool by Delta, naturally the content requires a longer download time.

In general the script call for each LinkShare DRM link should not significantly impact download time. The download time is mostly determined by the amount of content in the link, just like traditional links (i.e. a skyscraper banner takes longer than a small 120x60 banner).

How can merchants change the content?
Your linking code does not contain any content of the link. Rather, the linking code contains a script call to retrieve a file that contains the code for the link. This script call code never changes, but will always refer to the latest file associated to that specific link. Essentially, the merchant can overwrite or replace that file with a new one, and our servers always associate that latest file to your linking code. Thus, regardless of updates, you never have to change your linking code for LinkShare DRM links.

How do I know when a merchant will update the link?
We encourage merchants to communicate this to you in either the name or the description of the link. If you have any questions, we encourage you to directly contact the merchant about the frequency of updates.

What is the difference between LinkShare DRM and the LinkShare Merchandiser™ Program?
LinkShare DRM is a "copy and paste" link. This means you simply copy the linking code from the interface and paste it into the HTML of your page. Merchants can use it to build and syndicate a wide variety of links.

The LinkShare Merchandiser Program allows merchants to distribute a large raw file of product and link information to affiliates via FTP. This file is incorporated into database driven sites by more advanced programming, not by simple "copy and paste." For more information on the LinkShare Merchandiser Program, see here.

Can any merchant create LinkShare DRM links?
Yes!

Why don't they all offer them? (It seems like a no-brainer.)
Good question! We do encourage our merchants to take advantage of our advanced link offerings like LinkShare DRM and Merchandiser, but not all merchants have the resources (human, tech, or capital) to dedicate towards implementing them. If you have a specific merchant that you would like to begin offering them, speak up! E-mail the program manager (get contact information from your Program Controls section) and tell him/her what you'd like to see and why. Some merchants aren't sure what tools their affiliates need simply because they don't get feedback.

Can all affiliates use LinkShare DRM? Is there a fee?
Yes, all affiliates can use LinkShare DRM links, so long as you are approved by a merchant that offers them. And no, there is no fee.

> Code & Authoring

Can you explain the linking code to me?
LinkShare DRM linking code is unique from traditional links. Rather than contain a traditional HREF to a redirect plus an image URL, the linking code contains 2 distinct portions: the script portion and the noscript portion. The script portion is the key part of the code.

The script portion instructs the browser to retrieve and display a file that contains the link information or code. In other words, the file that contains the content of the link that your browser will display. This includes code for all the text, images, and functionality of that link, including your affiliate tracking code. When this executes (displays) in a browser, an impression is recorded, so there is no need for an additional pixel.

<script src=
"http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=lMh2Xiq9xN0&bids=
52439.720&catid=38&gridnum=0&type=14&subid=0"></script>

The noscript portion will execute as a failsafe if scripts are disabled by the user's browser. It contains a traditional image URL and link that will display a banner from the merchant's image inventory.

<noscript>
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=
lMh2Xiq9xN0&offerid=52439&type=4&subid=">
<img src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=
lMh2Xiq9xN0&bids=52439&subid=&type=4&gridnum=0"></a></noscript>

Where is the link in the linking code? How can I change it?
As stated above, the link or redirect is not in your linking code, but in a remote file. Thus, you cannot change or edit it. Merchants will update the links for you.

How do I add LinkShare DRM links to a page using Frontpage or Dreamweaver?
Be sure to toggle in your WYSIWYG editor to a "code only" or "code and WYSIWYG" view. Paste the linking code directly into the HTML, not in the WYSIWYG view.

Can I place more than one link on a page?
Yes, you can place as many as you want on a page from as many different merchants as you wish. Do not, however, place multiple LinkShare DRM links featuring form fields on the same page.

What happens if a merchant changes the dimensions of a link? Will it change my page?
Yes, a merchant's updates can impact your page, even if you place a link in a size-constrained table. However, merchants are very unlikely to do this. We instruct merchants to build to a size and stick with it, at least horizontally, and if they plan to change a link vertically in size, to detail this in the link description.

How can I format text in a LinkShare DRM link to conform to my site?
Sometimes you simply can't. A merchant might embed specific font formatting into the link for a reason, which is usually to make it consistent with their style. We do encourage merchants to be aware of affiliates' need for consistency and to offer multiple versions of links, so affiliates may choose the right one that fits their site. If you don't see a version you like or would like an adapted version, we suggest contacting the merchant directly with your requests.

For a plain text LinkShare DRM link, you can just normal font tags for size, face, and color, or you might choose to use inline style sheets.

Can I use Signature tracking? Does it work like traditional links?
You can append the "u1" variable in the script portion URL and in the HREF URL of the noscript portion:

<script src=
"http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=lMh2Xiq9xN0&bids=52439.720
&catid=38&gridnum=0&type=14&subid=0&u1=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx">
</script>                                         
<noscript>
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?
id=lMh2Xiq9xN0&offerid=52439&type=4&subid=&u1=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx">
<img src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=
lMh2Xiq9xN0&bids=52439&subid=&type=4&gridnum=0"></a></noscript>

Can I just use part of a LinkShare DRM link? In other words, can I choose to display some of it or change part of it?
Since the content of a link is controlled by a merchant, you cannot edit or truncate a LinkShare DRM link.

Can I use these links in e-mail?
You can include them, but it's not always to your benefit. E-mail is typically a time-sensitive medium meant for a specific moment and the promotion of a specific product. You might not want an item to change, especially if your content is about a specific product.

Additionally, most e-mail programs disable scripts as a rule, since viruses can be spread by scripts. Rather than attempt to discriminate innocuous from pernicious scripts, all scripts are disabled, so the true LinkShare DRM link will probably not display, but rather a banner will display (as a result of the noscript portion of the code).

Can I add my own tracking, like a redirect to a LinkShare DRM link?
A redirect or pass through from one URL (e.g. http://www.affiliate-site.com/cgi-bin/merchant.cgi?4425) to a LinkShare URL (e.g. http://click.linksynergy...) can only be done with a traditional link that contains a LinkShare redirect URL in the linking code. However, the LinkShare URL's in a LinkShare DRM link are not in the linking code, so you may not utilize redirects to links within a LinkShare DRM link.

> Users & Usability

Are there user compatibility issues? Do users need a specific browser, plug-in, or have to configure their browsers to view these links?
Nope, users don't have to do anything special. However, as noted just above with e-mail, if a user disables scripts on their browser, LinkShare DRM links may not display. Third party security software programs might disable all scripts to prevent viruses spread by pernicious scripts.

Why might a link display on one computer but show up fine on others?
That computer might have a higher security setting that disables scripts or some third party software (or combination of both) that prevents the script from executing. We have not done extensive testing on Apple computers.

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