Do Affiliate Links Affect Creditibility?

[ishan]

I just want to ask if you think that affiliate links in a post can affect creditibility? When you see a good review about a service but notice affiliate links in post, does it affect credibility of service for you?

I have been thinknig about promotiong some products which I have had good experiences with but adding referral links might make me seem like money-hungry to readers! What if I include some proofs? (for example, 1 is a hosting company and proof can be 0 downtime of blog in last 3 months!)

[Nathan]

Personally I think it depends on how the affiliate links are presented. I mean I've seen some pay-per-posts that were really trashy.

Perhaps it you keep it really low key and make the link unobtrusive then it will work. When I see a pay-per-post or an obvious affiliate advertisement in a blog, though, it really hurts my view of them.

[ishan]

Originally Posted by NathanKP

Personally I think it depends on how the affiliate links are presented. I mean I've seen some pay-per-posts that were really trashy.

Perhaps it you keep it really low key and make the link unobtrusive then it will work. When I see a pay-per-post or an obvious affiliate advertisement in a blog, though, it really hurts my view of them.

Thanks for feedback. I won't do pay-per-posts, I will be marketing products and services which I have used and had good experience with them.

[Mkcoy]

You could always mask the affiliate link with a friendly url shrinking site such as linkbee.com

[ishan]

Originally Posted by Mkcoy

You could always mask the affiliate link with a friendly url shrinking site such as linkbee.com

I do hide my link and I use myblogaddress/af/service-name format for them. But then readers are intelligent and they can recignise affliate links in any format!

[Mkcoy]

True but I guess also it depends on the actual review given.
If the review is good enough then it really shouldnt matter what the URL looks like.

If you are good enough at writing good reviews then people should be clicking on your affiliate link clutching credit card in hard to purchase.

[Nathan]

True but I guess also it depends on the actual review given.
If the review is good enough then it really shouldnt matter what the URL looks like.

That's true. As long as you make you review useful enough and in depth they shouldn't care if you make a little money for referring them to the service or product.

[QuirkyJessi]

I think it definitely depends on the kind of affiliate link.....and how you use them. I don't mind if a person occasionally links to a place where they could get affiliate bonuses when they 'really' stand behind the service/product. When they do it with lots of places, though, and spam the link all over the place, it definitely loses credibility for me.

[ishan]

Originally Posted by Mkcoy

True but I guess also it depends on the actual review given.
If the review is good enough then it really shouldnt matter what the URL looks like.
If you are good enough at writing good reviews then people should be clicking on your affiliate link clutching credit card in hard to purchase.

Originally Posted by QuirkyJessi

I think it definitely depends on the kind of affiliate link.....and how you use them. I don't mind if a person occasionally links to a place where they could get affiliate bonuses when they 'really' stand behind the service/product. When they do it with lots of places, though, and spam the link all over the place, it definitely loses credibility for me.

Originally Posted by NathanKP

As long as you make you review useful enough and in depth they shouldn't care if you make a little money for referring them to the service or product.

I am on right path then! I am promoting only 2 products right now(and that too, very lightly!) and I stand behind them.

First is Chitika. I have been using it for about 2 months and earnings have been outstanding. Its free to join so most bloggers will not mind trying(and I a sure they will be satisfied)

Second is my host, Doreo. I have not experienced any downtime since I baught hsoting there and I have got the best proof. If you search for "Doreo Problems" on Google, and you will see only praise! No complaints. Searching for other hosts reveal lot of links with all of them complaints!

I am not overdoing it and it is not affecting my blog. So, I think I am on good path!

[Cynthiab]

I'd say you're better off NOT hiding the links. Hiding implies that you're doing something wrong. If I like a product, and I blog about it, why not try to sell it for commission? You'll find affiliate links on some of the biggest sites around - everyone wants to make money, there's no shame in that.

Now, having said that, if you're lying about how great a product is just for the sales, that's not nice.